"Spring" Escarole, White Bean & Tomato Soup (Plus a Giveaway!)

I know it's spring. But this "spring" we're having is more like 34 degrees/snow/rain/sweater/boots days that require soup/bread/stew/pasta nights. So I think it's perfectly acceptable to still be making soup. Especially when it is filled with greens and comforting white beans but still has a light enough tomato broth that you can get warmed up without really feeling like it's the dead of winter. It's a good "spring" soup, if there is such a thing.

The tomato/escarole/white bean combination is nothing new - I've been eating it since I was a kid, when my mom and grandmother started teaching my sister and I to have a great love for those curly greens, but I like this version since it's a bit lighter than your typical pasta fagiole. It's also quite quick and you can throw it together last minute if you use canned beans rather than dried beans.

It's also good for when you have a head of escarole sitting in your fridge that you ordered in your produce box with no plan for it and then forgot about it until it was near wilting to death, but you couldn't bear to throw it away so figured SOUP(!) was the way to go. It's good for those times too.

I served these particular bowls with crispy little baguette toasts since I happened to have some leftover bread in the freezer. But it would also go really well with fresh homemade whole wheat bread fresh out of the oven, or homemade biscuits, or these pesto scones (whiiiiich I am totally making this weekend).

The Giveaway!

But for this giveaway. So as I've mentioned before, I often use Tuttorosso tomatoes when I'm cooking Italian food because that's how my mama (and her mama) taught me. I buy almost 100% organic ingredients for our regular eating (if I can find it organic, I buy it organic), but canned tomatoes is one place where I will make an exception. If I'm not canning my own, I'm usually using Tuttorosso. And one lucky reader will win a gift pack of tomatoes and other goodies to make this recipe in your own kitchen!

All you need to do is leave a comment below, and you'll automatically be entered to win. I will randomly select a winner on April 16. You can get extra entries by liking Some Sugar Added on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - links are at the top of the blog (just leave an extra comment telling me you did so). The gift pack will include:

- Springtime tomato recipes
- 28 oz. Tuttorosso Crushed Tomatoes with Basil
- 28 oz. Tuttorosso NSA Peeled Plum Tomatos
- 28 oz. Tuttorosso Diced Tomatoes
- Inspiralized cookbook
- Tuttorosso coupons

Tuttorosso is actually also teaming up with Inspiralized (hello super easy zucchini noodles!) for another spring giveaway, which you can enter on Facebook here. That giveaway will include weekly prizes and a grand prize of Spiralizers, Inspiralized cookbooks, aprons, a picnic basket and kitchen gadgets. The contest will run through April 15. A free Spiralizer sounds awesome. Try your luck!

And now let's all pray to actually get some spring weather to go with our spring soups and veggie noodles.

Escarole, White Bean & Tomato Soup

Ingredients
1 head escarole, washed and torn
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. cracked black pepper
28 oz. can of plum tomatoes, broken up with your fingers (I use Tuttorosso, Muir Glen Organic or homemade)
2 cups white beans (if using dried beans, soak first; if using canned, rinse first)
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. coconut sugar (can sub cane sugar if you don't have coconut sugar)
1 cup vegetable broth

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat, then add escarole, garlic, salt and pepper. Saute about 5 minutes, until escarole is wilted and garlic is fragrant but not browned.

Add tomatoes, white beans, crushed red pepper, sugar and vegetable broth. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Foodie Favorites 2

Time for Foodie Favorites round 2! I'm really excited to see that our local ShopRite seems to be carrying more organic foods every time I go in there, and I've come across some great new finds lately. This round is pretty much all about convenience. We try to stay away from packaged foods as much as possible, but being two full-time working parents, it's super helpful to have some stuff on hand for those busy days/nights.

1. First up is tomato soup! 

I picked up a box of Pacific Organic Creamy Tomato Soup at Trader Joe's a while back, and kept it in the pantry for a rainy day - both literal and metaphorical. ;) There are about 4 servings in the box so I got several lunches out of it. I really like this soup; it's creamy and flavorful, and a cup of it goes a long way on the side of an arugula & grilled cheese sandwich on sprouted wheat. There's also only 100 calories per cup.

2. Organic Valley "American" Cheese

We're suckers for American cheese in this house, but I rarely buy it because I feel like I don't really know what it is. Processed definitely, and probably fake colors, maybe fake flavors? A few weeks ago I spotted Organic Valley American Singles "unprocessed" cheese and I was so excited. Now I can make Riker grilled cheese sandwiches with American cheese and no guilt.

3. Mango & Kiwi

Mango was on my list last time too, but it's still a nearly daily favorite, along with kiwi now too. The fruit I'm getting from my Door to Door Organics delivery is insanely good, and with spring finally here I'm loving eating fresh fruit cups for a snack or dessert.

4. Suzie's Saltines

When I'm pregnant, crackers are my nemesis. Every time I need a snack, my mind first goes to crackers & cheese. I really have searched high and low for healthy crackers, and I swear they are so hard to find. Even the crackers at the natural food store have ingredients I can't read. It's my mission to start making my own, but really, who has time for that?

This past weekend I stumbled across these new crackers by Suzie's at ShopRite, and really wish they'd been around when I had that crazy stomach virus last week! They still have one questionable ingredient (sodium citrate) so they aren't perfect, but for a cracker they're about as good as you can get.

5. Hilary's Veggie Burgers

And last but definitely not least is Hilary's Veggie Burgers. Similar to the cracker situation, and the jam situation, it is really hard to find a good store bought veggie burger. I used to love Morningstar Farms, but then realized they are filled with GMOs and other crap. Then I switched to Lightlife, which contain non-GMO soy, but not non-GMO vegetables. Gah! I thought I'd never find a good one. And believe my I've tried making my own, and the texture just never is as good. 

A few weeks ago Food Babe, who's my go-to resource for what's healthy and what's not, posted that these burgers were on her "approved" list - no GMOs, all organic ingredients, and sustainable farming practices - and I couldn't wait to try them. Luckily Door to Door Organics carries them so I was able to get a packet right away, and have to say, they are awesome! The texture is crispy on the outside, they hold together well while cooking, and they have a nice flavor. They're a bit on the pricier side (only 2 in a packet!) but they're well worth it in my opinion.

And with that, I'm about to take a homemade pizza out of the oven and curl up with the family for a Friday night Disney movie. Enjoy your Friday evening!

Warming the Core

Well yesterday was my first day back at work after two long, very relaxing weeks off. It was so nice to have such a long break at home so I could really unplug my mind and come back in the new year completely relaxed and rested up. I'd gotten quite used to bumming around and doing whatever I felt like doing all day, so I'd be lying if I said I was excited to set an alarm for 5:30 am and go back to reality, but in all honesty it wasn't bad and felt good to get back into a normal eating routine.

Matt must've known I'd need a delicious hot meal after my first day back and coming home at 8:20 PM from the city in 5 degree weather, because I came home to the house smelling of insanely good Indian spices last night. Talk about a surprise feast!

He made yogurt curry marinated tofu kabobs, spiced veggie kabobs, whole grain basmati rice and masala chic peas and peppers. I was totally stuffed after eating this meal and left one of my tofu kabobs for the next day. So, so good! Tonight's dinner - after work day #2 - was a little less exciting and reminded me more of our usual weeknight dinners...Lightlife non-GMO veggie burgers with avocado and homemade pepper jam, and baked butternut squash fries. Yep, basically a healthified version of burgers and fries. It was still good though, and hit the spot after staring at the computer screen all day.

***

It's been pretty frigid here the last few days, as it is pretty much everywhere, so our weekend was mostly spent indoors. Mostly. We had to get out and sled for a bit since we got all that snow last Friday, but we only lasted two runs down the hill before all three of us were frozen stiff.

After sufficiently freezing our inner cores, the rest of the weekend was spent warming them up. Homemade soups, board games, movies, yoga, puzzles. You know, things you do when you're 80. 

On Sunday we did venture out and over to Heather and Kevin's house to watch the playoff games. The weather warmed up that day and Heather and I were both feeling a little cabin fever so decided we should get together so the kids could play and we could hang out and watch football. 

We both made snacks for the bunch, and I came with a big pot of homemade veggie chili with fixings. I don't use a recipe for my chili and usually just throw in a bunch of veggies (onions, carrots, garlic, zucchini), beans (pinto, black, kidney, chic peas), tomatoes and spices, so it comes out a little different every time. This time I added some of the smoked paprika I got at Sur La Table last summer, and it added great aroma and flavor. Love that stuff!

I had some of the leftover chili for lunch yesterday and it was just as good - if not better - the next day. Yum.

We're back on the cold snap now so I'm wrapped up in sweats and about to prep another soup for tomorrow night's dinner - an Indian lentil soup from my Eat Clean cookbook. Cold weather and Indian food just seem to go hand-in-hand for me. All that spice warms ya up!

Stay warm, wherever you are!

Tomato, Escarole & Macaroni Soup

Well it's not quite Christmas yet, but it's Recipe ReDux time and this month we're focusing on "lucky foods" for the new year.

I have to admit, when I saw the theme I was a bit perplexed as to what to make. I've never thought of foods as being lucky, so I had to Google around until I found a list of traditionally lucky eats in different cultures. Here's a list if you're interested - I bet some of the things you already eat are on there. There certainly were for me. When I saw "leafy greens" on the list as a lucky food since they resemble money and supposedly can bring prosperity, I knew I'd be cooking greens today. Thankfully I already had a bunch of kale, mesclun greens and escarole in the fridge, because I definitely did not prep ahead for the challenge this month!

This soup comes together in about a half hour and resembles pasta fagioli, but without the beans and sausage you traditionally see. It's brothy, full of escarole and is super hearty without being too filling. Great for a Saturday evening on the couch!

Tomato, Escarole and Macaroni Soup

Serves 3-4

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 package button mushrooms, sliced
1 head escarole, washed and roughly chopped
1/2 jar organic tomato sauce
3 cups water
1 vegetable bouillon
4 oz. whole wheat macaroni
Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a stock pot, saute onions, garlic and mushrooms in the olive oil. Once soft, add the escarole; stir to combine and let cook until escarole wilts down.

Add the tomato sauce, water and bouillon. Bring to a boil, then add the macaroni, red pepper flakes and salt & pepper. Cook for approximately 15 minutes (depending on cooking time of the pasta).

Serve with parmesan cheese on top.

Parmesan Cauliflower Soup with Kale Chips

Our ridiculous little heat wave of 80 degree weather is finally over. It's time for fall, time for boots, time for SOUP!

When I was little, my mom used to make this creamy cauliflower soup that I just adored. When I mention it these days she says she doesn't remember making it, and doesn't really like cauliflower soup, so thinks I'm making things up. Um, no. I remember. I remember it being creamy, cheesy and delicious and always asking for it.

So now that fall is here and I'm starting to make soups again, cauliflower soup was one of the first that popped into my head. I picked up a head of cauliflower at the grocery store last week along with a bunch of kale to eat on the side, but didn't really have a plan for how to recreate the soup from my childhood.

Thankfully, after just throwing some things together in a pot after work last night and tweaking a bit as I went along, it came out perfectly. It was silky smooth, full of flavor and actually quite hearty. Matt and Riker both loved it and we devoured almost the whole pot. It's also low in carbs, made without cream and can be made in about 30 minutes - bonus!

So you might be wondering about the addition of kale chips on top. Well, with such a smooth and creamy soup I like to have something crunchy. But since we try to eat low carb during the week (meaning no crackers to crush on top or bread to dunk) and I felt we needed a green veggie (you know my feelings on kale), crispy kale chips sounded like a great idea. And they were. They were salty, super crunchy and were great crumbled on top (where they simultaneously stayed crunchy and got chewy as they seeped into the soup), as well as eaten on the side.

These things are majorly addicting.

Parmesan Cauliflower Soup with Kale Chips

Serves 3-4

Ingredients - Soup
1 head cauliflower, cut in large chunks
3 cups water
2 cubes vegetable bouillon
1 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. pepper
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Ingredients - Kale Chips
6-7 large kale leaves, washed and torn into big pieces
Olive oil
Sea salt
Pepper

Directions - Soup
Put the chopped cauliflower and 1/2 cup water in a stock pot; cover and bring to a boil, and cook over medium heat until cauliflower is fork tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Add bouillon, salt, pepper and remaining water. Stir to combine, then puree with an immersion blender (alternatively, puree in a blender). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Add milk, cheddar and parmesan, and simmer on low another 10 minutes until cheese is melted and flavors are combined. Top with kale chips and serve.

Kale Chips
Preheat oven to 415 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil, and lay the kale on top. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Massage gently until kale is completely covered with oil.

Bake for 10 minutes. Then flip and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Remove and serve immediately.

Curried Butternut Squash & Carrot Soup

'Tis the season for all things orange.

The minute the weather turns cool I immediately start thinking butternut squash soup. I make it in loads every fall/winter and we can't get enough. I love the stuff.

I made a big pot of this last week and it was perfect for a few late work nights and pre-packed lunches. I felt like giving things a twist this time, so instead of making the usual recipe with cinnamon and nutmeg, I went with curry and cumin. I've made it with curry before, but not with all the other spices and the hot pepper. The flavor combo was fantastic. It was a little sweet, spicy and tangy all at once.

The ingredient list may look a little long, but if you invest in a few of these spices for your spice cabinet, you will use them over and over again, I promise! Ginger, curry, cumin and turmeric are staples in my spice rack and I use them everywhere, especially during the cold months. They just taste so warm.

As we were eating the soup I thought about swapping coconut milk for the cream and adding a sprinkling of toasted coconut on top next time I make this. Then today I saw Jessica from How Sweet It Is had the exact same idea with a Thai Butternut Squash Soup, and I start salivating as I looked at all the curry coconutty soup pictures. The next squash that lands in my grocery cart is destined for curry, coconut and peanuts.

And if you're feeling like you need a sandwich to accompany this bowl of deliciousness, might I suggest a smoked cheddar & green apple panini. (More melty cheese pics here). Yum.

Curried Butternut Squash & Carrot Soup

Serves 6-8

Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash
2 large carrots
3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 vidalia onion, chopped
3 Tbsp. or 1 medium knob of fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp. yellow curry
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. cumin
6 cups water
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
4 tsp. sea salt
2 shakes crushed red pepper
Black pepper to taste
Splash of heavy cream
Chopped cilantro and Greek yogurt OR parmesan cheese for topping (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Cut squash in half, scoop out the sides and place on baking sheet. Peel carrots and cut into large chunks, and add to baking sheet. Bake vegetables for about 40 minutes, until tender. Once baked, scoop the squash from the flesh and set aside.

In a large pot, melt butter and add onions. Cook over medium low heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add fresh ginger, curry, turmeric and cumin and stir to combine; cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.

Add the cooked squash and carrots, then add 4 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring and breaking up the squash. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth (if you don't have an immersion blender, puree it in a blender).

Add final 2 cups of water, ground ginger, salt, crushed red pepper and black pepper. Simmer an additional 5 minutes. Add splash of cream and stir.

Serve hot topped with fresh chopped cilantro and a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Accidental Cookie Truffles

Ah, Sunday. It's been a pretty relaxing weekend so far, which is just what I needed after a hectic work week. I'm sitting here sipping on my special dark roast coffee, listening to John Mayer and watching Riker play with Butters and laughing his face off, thinking life is pretty good. Riker's been sick so often over the last few months, so when he's feeling well and running around laughing and jabbering and playing fetch with the dog, it melts my heart.

Yesterday after breakfast Matt and I split up for the weekend. His sister and her husband just bought a house on Thursday and they're tearing up floors and refurbishing everything, so he headed there to help with demo work and I headed to his parents' to handle cooking for the gang.

I would've like to help them with the house overhaul, but I was on Riker duty and definitely couldn't let Riker run around unattended in there. I figured the next most helpful thing would be to supply the workers with hot meals so they wouldn't have to leave every time they got hungry, or resort to ordering pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I did the cooking at Matt's parents' house so I could hang out with MomMom while I worked, and we had fun chatting together through the day. I made a big batch of pasta fagioli with plum tomatoes, celery, carrots, escarole, white beans, Lightlife soy crumbles, parsley and ditalini pasta. I reserved a bowl of the soup for myself before I added the ditalini. The stuff is super hearty even without the pasta.

After simmering it on the stove for a few hours, I transferred it to my new Stay or Go Crock Pot and drove it over to the boys. That way they could leave it plugged in and enjoy a hot bowl whenever they got hungry. Along with the pasta fagioli, I brought a hot loaf of crusty garlic & herb bread, a batch of peanut butter cookies for afternoon munching, and a basket full of plastic bowls, utensils, napkins and condiments (parmesan cheese, hot sauce, butter, salt & pepper). I felt like The Pioneer Woman bringing a hot picnic lunch to the cattle workers. All I needed was a flatbed truck and some cowboy boots. ;-)

For the cookies I used Julie from PBF's recipe for Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies, which are a huge hit because they are so moist and peanut buttery; they're also pretty protein packed since they only consist of peanut butter, eggs and sugar - a good treat for hard manual labor. I accidentally burned the first batch since I wasn't used to the oven, but the tops still looked great, so I scraped them off, rolled them into balls and called them "cookie truffles." They were the first ones gone out of the basket!

Matt had a bachelor party in Baltimore last night so left town around 2:00 and was gone for the night, so after the lunch delivery Riker and I came home and spent the afternoon hanging out just the two of us.

He was still not feeling well yesterday and was teething again so his mood was in and out, but I enjoyed the good moments when they came. He doesn't eat much when he's not feeling well, so he went to bed early and I was on my own for dinner. I don't do fancy when I'm cooking for myself, so it was a hodge podge veggie bowl eaten curled up on the couch watching DVR'd CSI episodes. Matt hates CSI, so I try to catch up on them when I've got the house to myself for the night. ;-)

In the dinner bowl:

- A crumbled up Ligtlife Portobello Mushroom Burger (love these - they are made from non-GMO soy and pack 20 grams of protein!)
- Sauteed mushrooms
- Spinach
- Fresh broccoli
- Grape tomatoes
- Garlic and balsamic vinegar

Not half bad for a thrown together meal. I was super lame and kept falling asleep through my second CSI, and finally gave up and went to bed at 10. #Oldlady!

***

This morning's breakfast looked strangely similar to yesterday's.

Riker and I shared a cheese omelet for breakfast, but this time with sautéed broccoli, garlic and fresh basil. It was yummy as usual. I used two of my favorite Trader Joe's finds when making it - bagged organic broccoli florets, and pasture butter.

Strange for two reasons: first, I prefer not to buy pre-cut veggies because they're often a waste of packaging and are more expensive. But the Trader Joe's florets were actually cheaper than a head of organic broccoli, and I can grab handfuls of it when I need it without chopping and getting those little broccoli bits absolutely everywhere.

Two: I rarely use butter because it's not the healthiest of fats, but I refuse to use margarine...if I'm using anything, it's gotta be the real deal. Matt spotted this Organic Valley Pasture Butter Limited Edition at the market and we were intrigued. It's says it's "made in small batches with milk from pastured cows", only from May to September "when organic grasses naturally provide the highest levels of CLA, omega fatty acids and beta-carotene". So basically, it's from happy cows eating natural things. And honestly, you can taste the difference...it's so sweet and fresh tasting! I sautéed my broccoli in it this morning, and it gave my omelet a punch of great flavor.

I don't have much on the agenda today besides getting a workout in when Riker naps, and doing a few things around the house. Matt will be home sometime this afternoon so I'm looking forward to some family time later today. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Crockpot Challenge Roundup

It's March 4th, and so concludes the Crockpot Challenge! The challenge, initiated by Julie at Peanut Butter Fingers, was to try 10 new crockpot recipes from mid-January to the end of March. I loved the idea of putting my crockpot to use more often than usual, and had a lot of fun trying out new recipes to get us through the coldest part of the year.

The last few months have been pretty packed with travel, events and celebrations so unfortunately I didn't quite make it to 10 new recipes. With only two adults in the house, crockpot cooking tends to leave us with leftovers for days, so over the 7-ish week period I made 6 slow cooker meals. That's an average of one per week, which is much more often than my usual, so if the goal is to use the crockpot more often and try some new dishes, I still consider it a win. :)

The overall theme of the crockpot recipes was definitely soups & stews, but two of my favorite new trials were the spinach lasagna and the cranberry applesauce. I loved using the crockpot for something other than a soup, and Matt and Riker both loved those two dishes.

So without further ado, here's the Crockpot Challenge Roundup!

Spinach Lasagna
Definitely a winner. This doesn't require any precooking and you can basically add any kind of veggie you want. The end result was cheesy pasta goodness without all the hassle of prepping a traditional lasagna. Bonus: A regular lasagna usually yields a huge pan, but in the crockpot, you can downsize to however much you actually want.

Tomato Bean Soup
This was a pretty simple, basic soup. It was easy and I liked using dried beans (a rarity for me!), and while I wouldn't call this a dish for company, it was a filling, no-frills weeknight dinner or lunch for the fam.

Cranberry Applesauce
Loved this! The recipe came about by accident as I was attempting to crockpot my traditional baked apples, but the end result was fantastic. The cranberries gave the sauce a nice color and flavor, and this is by far the easiest applesauce I've ever made - no food mill required!

Spicy Potato Leek Soup
Potato Leek Soup is already a pretty easy dish to make, but "crockpotting" it was even simpler. I just dumped everything in, let it simmer away while I worked, then pureed everything up with an immersion blender at dinnertime. I liked the addition of hot peppers here since it added extra flavor without extra fat.

Cheesy White Bean & Cauliflower Chili
This chili was a huge hit in my house. It's super cheesy and spicy, and even Riker ate a full bowl. The cauliflower really bulked up the dish so it felt like a chunky chili without any meat and without the need for a lot of beans. It's not the healthiest crockpot meal on the list, but was great for football Sunday.

Spicy Eggplant Potato Stew
The resident Indian meal! I adored this stew. The one major issue I had though, was that it required cooking beforehand. The best thing about crockpot cooking is the fact that you can throw everything in raw and the slow cooker will do the work for you. This recipe was based on an old Slow Cooker Cookbook I had lying around, and I really disliked that every recipe in that cookbook required some kind of sauteing or cooking before the food ended up in the crockpot. That said, if you like curry, this one's worth a try.

And there you have it. A month's worth of crockpotting in the bag. Spring's right around the corner so I probably won't use the old Hamilton Beach for too much longer, so if you have any suggestions for must-try recipes before the cold weather ends, please share them!

Crockpot Spicy Potato Leek Soup

I have one more crockpot recipe to share with you before the challenge ends. I know it's now March (crazy, right?), but I made it a few days ago so technically it still counts.

Last week I happened to see a big bunch of fresh leeks at the grocery store and the thought of steaming, onion-y bowls of potato leek soup popped into my head. It's one of the easiest soups to make even without a crockpot, but crockpotting it let me throw it all together at lunch time during one of my work-from-home days this week, and then by the time work was done, dinner was already made.

I haven't had potato leek soup since I was a kid, but washing and cutting all those leeks really brought me back. Some of my cousins used to live in a big old farmhouse in Vermont on a large tract of land, and when we were kids we used to go foraging for berries and mushrooms and whatever else we could find. One time we found a whole patch of leeks growing wild, and came home with armloads of them. That day I made potato leek soup for the first time, in a warm country kitchen with my favorite cousin and her mom. Such a great memory, and I'd nearly forgotten about it until the other day when I stood over my own kitchen sink rinsing away the dirt from the leeks. That's one thing I love about cooking, all the fond memories that it can conjure up.

P.S. Leeks are really dirty. They look deceivingly clean on the outside, but a quick rinse definitely will not do. Make sure you pull the stalks apart and rinse them all individually like celery or you'll end up with clay and sand all through your soup.

Potato leek soup is typically pretty bland, so the addition of hot peppers and garlic really kicks up the flavor here. I roasted the garlic for this soup (baked in foil with a little olive oil at 400 degrees the night before), but it wasn't really worth the trouble since the hot pepper masked the roasty flavor. Regular garlic will work just fine.

It's a simple but heartwarming soup that pairs perfectly with a green salad for a full meal.

And with that, it's time for me to jump in the shower and get this weekend started. I have a bridal shower in north Jersey today, which means I get to spend the whole day with some of my girlfriends. Can't wait!

Crockpot Spicy Potato Leek Soup

Serves 8-10

Ingredients
6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and cut into chunks (do not peel)
3 leeks, washed and chopped
1 jalapeno or other pepper, chopped
2 bulbs roasted garlic OR 6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
6 cups vegetable broth or water
3 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
Cheddar cheese, for garnish

Add potatoes, leeks, hot pepper, garlic, salt and pepper to the crockpot. Pour broth over the top. Cook on high for 2-3 hours, or on low for 5-6 hours. Once potatoes are cooked, turn off heat and puree with an immersion blender (or add soup to a regular blender to puree). Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese.

Note: Soup may be stored in Tupperware containers and frozen if desired.