Jan 21, 2013

Eats: Winter Soup


Eats: What's Cooking in the Kitchen?

I'm a frugal shopper, especially when it comes to yarn and food. In the yarn department, I'm often on the look out for sales and deals (this applies to patterns, too), and when it comes to food, I've become quite the comparison shopper. But this isn't to say that I don't have a healthy yarn stash (at last count, I have 96 skeins in my cupboard -- what?) and my food pantry is no different.

Over the last couple of trips to the grocery store, I couldn't resist some great sales on vegetables, canned goods, and dried pastas. I love a well-stocked pantry, but there are moments when I have to face the fact that my inability to close the cupboard doors is a problem.


I decided to set myself a goal this week to cook every meal ONLY from what's in my pantry and refrigerator. I have this sinking excited feeling that I'm not going to have any problem doing this. So, what's first up on the menu?  Everyone is a little under the weather in my house today so I whipped up my favorite winter soup recipe which is incredibly simple and healthy. All the ingredients were easily found in my kitchen ... potatoes, carrots, stock, beans, and orzo. 

Left-over carrots from a previous dinner 
Canned chickpeas

I'm known to sprinkle a handful of grated cheese on soup, and my winter soup is no exception. So, one meal down and (counting on my fingers) 14 meals to go!


Winter Soup
serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
10 baby carrots, diced
3 potatoes, diced
3 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
1 can of chick peas, drained
1 cup orzo

salt & pepper
shredded cheese of your choice for garnish
buttered toast or biscuits

In a large dutch oven, sautee onions and garlic in olive oil.  Add carrots and potatoes with a pinch of salt & pepper and cook for two minutes.  Add stock and let come to a light boil before lowering flame to simmer.  Add chick peas and orzo and let soup continue to simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve hot with shredded cheese (cheddar for creaminess; mozzarella for stringiness) and buttered toast.  Enjoy!



14 comments:

  1. we always always put cheese on our soup, it just adds that little extra yummyness. Good luck with your foodie adventures xx

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  2. Yummy, I love soup! I will try to remember to try that one! Thanks for sharing and good luck with your goal (seems like it will be easy for you!)

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  3. I like that challenge that you made for yourself, cooking from the larder..... (Sorry, Downton Abbet marathon has altered my vocab). I have been challenged in my grocery shopping since before Thanksgiving.... Our store closed, and having no car makes it a PITA. I was the type of shopper that chooses a recipe, walks to the grocery for ingredients and cooks from scratch.

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  4. awesome goal (and awesome looking soup, too!). i also have a (too?) well-stocked pantry and could benefit from your challenge as well. can't wait to see what else you come up with.

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  5. I love soup and will eat it year round. Your recipe looks really wonderful and how sweet it is to come only from your pantry. I do hope your all feeling better soon, I bet that soup will do the trick.

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  6. Mmmm, that soup looks yummy! I'm sure it didn't last long because every last drop was eaten up! I need to follow your lead and work from my pantry more, I frequently don't feel like cooking a meal after a long day.

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  7. Looks delicious! and cheese on soup? why haven't I thought of that! Might try that next time...

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  8. That sounds delicious. Good luck this week.

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  9. Chick peas are one of my favourite ingredients. The soup looks like just the thing for when you're not feeling wonderful. Hope you all feel better soon. I had to laugh at how you've translated "stashbusting" to "pantry busting". ;D

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  10. That looks SO GOOD !

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  11. Had to pop in and say I made this the other night and YUM! I used red potatoes, since it's what I had on hand, and also a sweet potato. Also quite a bit of butter, because I'm naughty like that. :D

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  12. This sounds like such fun!!! I often trawl through the top shelves and write down what I have lurking in there, find a bunch of recipes for it and try to use stuff up - but this is one step more.. Good luck!

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  13. That looks like great comfort soup. Hope it chased the germs away.

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  14. That soup looks delicious. Chickpeas are one of my favorite foods ever and I especially love them in soups!

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