Nacho Soup

Fall is in full effect, and that means it's Soup Season! This is a soup I tried for the first time, and I am completely in love. At first I was afraid it would be too similar to chili, but it is distinct enough to be completely different, and definitely a hearty soup. I first spotted this recipe over here. It is creamy, and spicy, and full of flavour. There are also enough veggies to make it feel like it might not be completely terrible for you (it probably still is). We ate it with some fresh sourdough, but it was also great with smoked Gouda Triscuits, or no crackers at all.

To make it, you will need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
• 1 can of corn, drained
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1/2 can of diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 3 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
• 1 cup cream
• 4 tbs flour
• green onions for topping

1. Cook & drain the beef.
2. Combine beef, veggies, beans, spices, and broth in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered until beans are cooked (about 2.5 hours).
3. Stir in the cheese,
4. Whisk together flour and cream (make sure there are no lumps).
5. Add cream mixture to the pan, stir to combine. Cover and simmer at medium low for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Brie & Cheddar Apple Beer Soup

I know, it's summer! You know what goes great with all this air conditioning? A nice warm bowl of soup! I saw this recipe a while ago on Half Baked Harvest and figured last night would be a great time to try it as it has been a while since I have indulged myself with Brie. The soup is creamy,spiced, and satisfyingly heavy. The pecan crumble is so delicious I want to just eat it all with a spoon. I bought a huge 3 L jug of apple cider without realizing I needed less than a cup, but I regret nothing. You could probably really play with this recipe by varying the type of beer and cheese you add. I used a big block of grocery store old cheddar and a nice brie which worked nicely. For the beer, I picked a craft nut brown ale by Black Oak Brewing Co. based in Toronto, ON.

To make this tasty soup you will need:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2/3 cup apple cider ( + more for drinking!)
• 2 apples, chopped (Royal Gala worked well)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 pint of beer (473 ml can)
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 400 g old cheddar cheese, shredded
• 230 g brie, cubed

1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium hear. Add onion, pinch brown sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened (8 min).
2. Add apple cider and cook until onions are caramelized (15 min).
3. Add apples and thyme. Cook until softened (10 min).
4. Add beer, broth, and cayenne pepper. Bring to simmer and cook for 10 min.
5. Whisk flour into milk.
6. Puree the soup until smooth. Return to heat and bring to a low boil.
7. Whisk in the milk & flour mixture and boil for 5 minutes.
8. Stir in the cheeses until melted. Puree again for a nice smooth texture.
9. Simmer soup for 5 min, then enjoy!

While the onions were cooking in the cider I made the pecan crumble topping. To make it you will need:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups pecan pieces
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 6 tbsp softened unsalted butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Grease a glass pie plate. Add oats, pecans, flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon.
3. Cut butter into 1 inch cubes.
4. Incorporate butter into the mixture using your hands until everything is moist and evenly distributed.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, then crumble over soup.

This soup is really heavy and I was surprised by how spicy the bit of cayenne pepper makes it. I know it would probably be best suited for a gorgeous autumn day using fresh picked apples... but it was good last night! I love the crumble recipe and will probably try to find other things to put it on in the future.

Spicy Corn & Avocado Soup

So I bought too many avocados and decided to head to the internet and make a meal out of the last lonely one. I should warn you now, this will be a cilantro free zone. It tastes like dish soap, so it will never be invited to anything I eat again. I don't care how good you think it is. Now that's taken care of, I present to you... my soup:

I consulted a couple recipes (here and here) and decided they both seemed kind of boring on their own, so mashing them together might be a good idea! It turned out really delicious, and I am scarfing it down between sentences now. If I wasn't trying to be healthy, I would say it needs some heavy cream, so do that if you prefer creaminess over unblocked arteries. Instead I will recommend more avocado (I only had one, but if I did it again I would add another).

To make this soup you will need:

• 1/4 olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 12 oz can of corn kernels
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups of chicken broth (veg if you swing that way)
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and sliced
• 1/2 orange pepper, chopped
• 1/3 cucumber, chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• as much salt and pepper as your heart desires

1. Cook onion in olive oil until translucent on medium heat (about 10 minutes)
2. Add corn, garlic, and broth. Simmer on high for 10 minutes
3. Add everything else & blend until even and creamy in texture
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Now my soup is all gone. That didn't last long. I will resist going back for more, but just know I want to. The lemon here is the unsung hero I think, and if you want to kick up the spice just let a few jalapeno seeds make there way in. I didn't end up adding any extra salt to mine since my broth was salted, so make sure you try yourself and decide. This made 6 cups, so I'm sure it won't last too long overall and really didn't take long to make. Currently accepting any recommendations for improvements, except cilantro!

UPDATE: Scott got home from work and suggested the perfect additions! A scoop of low fat sour cream and light drizzle of sriracha in each bowl. So it's all gone now.