Andrea's Corn Chowder (by Claire!)

Ingredients
6 ears fresh corn (I used frozen)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
2 scallions, white and green parts separated and chopped
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Broth, lots
3 cups whole milk, or more as needed

Instructions
Add butter to a hot pot. When it melts and foams, add the white parts of the scallions and the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 1 minute. Lower the heat to medium and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture starts to turn and the flour no longer smells raw, just a couple of minutes.  Add broth and milk and raise the heat to medium-high. Stir or whisk constantly until the flour is dissolved and the soup starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Add the corn kernels and bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the soup bubbles gently. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender and the soup has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Add a little more milk if you like a thinner soup. Taste, adjust the seasoning, garnish with the scallion greens, and serve.

From: How to Cook Everything, Mark Bittman

Eleanor's Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 cups mixed chopped vegetables (try cauliflower, zucchini, green beans)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf
8 cups water and 3 cubes of vegetable bouillon OR 8 cups vegetable broth
1 14-ounce can tomatoes

InstructionsHeat oil in a large soup or stock pot. Add onion, carrots and celery. Heat, stirring, for 3-4 minutes, until onions are soft. Add the rest of the vegetables and heat for just another minute or two.
Add salt, thyme and oregano, stirring to coat the vegetables well.
Add bay leaf, water or vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. If using bouillon cubes, add and stir to make sure they dissolve.
Add tomatoes, stir, and allow soup to simmer until all the vegetables are cooked, about 8-12 minutes.
Adjust seasonings to taste.
Remove the bay leaf and serve your homemade vegetable soup with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and some crusty bread or crackers.

Angie's Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

IngredientsOlive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 medium carrots. chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 seeded, chopped jalapeño
1 peeled & cored, chopped apple
3 pounds frozen butternut squash chunks
8 cups chicken stock
Salt & pepper
~1/2 cup chopped fresh sage (1/4 cup for topping)
¾ cup heavy whipping cream

Directions
Roast the squash with olive oil (~40 minutes at 400 degrees)
While the squash is roasting, In a large soup pot, sauté the onions until translucent, add the carrots, garlic, jalapeño, and apples
Add the chicken stock to the pot and the squash when roasted
Cook until all ingredients are soft

Puree with immersion blender
Add heavy whipping cream
Top with crispy fried sage leaves and a dollop of goat cheese

Shorts' Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1 tablespoon bottled grated ginger
2 stalks fresh lemongrass, peeled
2 cups water
2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 pound chicken breast tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 red chile pepper, finely chopped

Instructions

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, and lemongrass; sauté 3 minutes. Add water and broth; bring to a boil. Add chicken and pasta; cook 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove from heat; stir in remaining ingredients. Let stand 5 minutes. Discard lemongrass.

Shorts' Posole

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tsp Southwest chipotle seasoning blend (such as Mrs. Dash)
1 (15.5-ounce) can white hominy, undrained
1 (14.5-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes with jalapeo peppers and spices, undrained
1 cup water
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions
Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle pork evenly with chipotle seasoning blend; coat evenly with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned. Stir in hominy, tomatoes, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until pork is tender. Stir in cilantro.

Anna's Mutant Squash Soup

Ingredients
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 tsp salt
1 medium red potato, cubed
1 medium or 2 small apples, cubed
1 dried thai chili pepper, crushed
2 pinches dried sage
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2-3 cups cooked winter squash

Instructions
In a large soup pot, sautee red onion in butter and salt over med-low heat until soft, about 8 minutes.  Add cubed potato, apple, dried chilli, and sage. Heat until all veggies are soft.  Add stock and bring to a boil. Add cooked squash. Turn heat down to low and let simmer for about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat. Use blender or immersion blender to blend the soup until it has a smooth consistency.

Claire's Tortellini Soup with Cannellini, Kielbasa & Kale

6 servings

Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
12 oz fully cooked smoked kielbasa sausage, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh fennel bulb
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper
10 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
4 cups chopped kale (1/2 bunch)
1 15-oz can cannellini (white kidney beans) rinsed, drained
1 9-oz package cheese tortellini
1 cup grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese

Instructions
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.  Add next 6 ingredients and saute until vegetables are soft and kielbasa is brown, about 12 minutes.  Add broth and bring to boil.  Stir in kale and cannellini.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until kale is wilted, about 4 minutes.  (Can be made 1 day ahead - cool slightly, cover, refrigerate.  Bring to simmer before continuing).

Add tortellini to soup.  Simmer until pasta is just tender but still firm to bite, about 5 minutes.

Originally from Bon Appetit

BK's Italian Stew with Winter Squash & Chic Peas

Serves 4-6, makes about 8 cups, takes 1 hour

Ingredients
3 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp diced thyme
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups water
2 cups diced peeled butternut squash
1 15 ounce can chicpeas, drained
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced bell peppers
8 cups chopped kale
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 tsp red wine vinegar

Instructions
In a soup pot on medium heat, cook onions and salt in oil, stirring often until very soft and starting to caramelize, 12 to 15 minutes.

Add garlic, coriander, thyme, black pepper and stir for a minute.  Stir in water, squash, chic peas, tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers.  Cover and bring to boil.  Reduce head and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in kale and cover.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes until the greens are tender but still green.  Stir in basil and vinegar.

Andrea's Curried Kale Lentil Soup

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
½ jalapeno, seeded, diced
2 tsp grated ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp tomato paste
5 cups water
14 oz light coconut milk
1 cup red lentils
1 medium sweet potato, diced into ½-inch cubes
2 bunches lacinato kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp minced cilantro

Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion and cook over medium heat. Add a pinch of salt and cook for about 5-8 minutes, or until onion becomes tender. Stir in the jalapeno, ginger, garlic, curry powder, and salt. Stir for about a minute, stirring frequently.

Add the tomato paste and cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until it starts to darken in color, stirring constantly. Add the water, coconut milk, red lentils, and sweet potato. Bring to a boil, and then lower to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the sweet potatoes are tender and the lentils are cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the kale and cook for about 5 minutes, or until wilted and tender. Stir in the cilantro and serve.