Hearty Comfort Soups
It’s the tail end of February in Vermont and we are having a miraculously sunny and 40°f day. While 40 sounds very chilly to lots of our warm weather friends, it is summery and liberating to our fellow Vermonters. We are out in t-shirts...well, some of us! 40 is the new 60 this time of year in New England,
It’s been an interesting last couple of weeks in Vermont with the sky dropping a couple of inches of snow on us every couple of days. While we revel in this little tease of spring-like air today, we are in for at least another couple of months of brisk weather in the Northeast.
There is nothing so comforting as a pot of soup on the stove or a crockpot that has been simmering tasty goodness all day! We have started with a couple of our favorite Harvest Barn hearty soups and added some twists to make them even more flavorful. Be creative with your own additions, and please share some of your favorites with us!
VEGGISTRONE SOUP
It’s sometimes hard to create a flavorful soup without the addition of a lot of salt. Halladay’s Harvest Barn Farmhouse Minestrone Soup Mix has lots of classic robust Mediterranean Flavor. While we love it with ham or sausage, we have created a Veggistrone version that is perfect for Meatless Mondays or just to up your veggie intake in a delicious way!
10 cups water
1 package Halladay’s Harvest Barn Farmhouse Minestrone Soup Mix
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 (28 oz) can chopped tomatoes
3 cups assorted chopped veggies (cabbage, green beans, cauliflower)
1 package fresh or frozen spinach (optional)
Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
In a stockpot, combine water with beans and spice mixture from Minestrone soup mix, reserving pasta for later. Simmer on the stove for 2 hours or in the crockpot on low for 4 to 6 hours.
Sauté carrots and celery in olive oil until just tender. Add to soup along with the chopped tomatoes and assorted veggies (except for spinach). Simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, until all vegies are tender. Add pasta and cook additional 10 minutes, or until pasta is cooked to desired doneness. Add spinach just before serving, if desired. Top with grated parmesan cheese, if desired.
TURKEY & KALE MINESTRONE
For an updated take on the classic Minestrone, try adding ground turkey and kale. It is very hearty but with less fat than the traditional version with ham or sausage added. The kale soaks up all the delicious tomatoes and spices. Serve with some warm French bread or a loaf of our Beer Bread, hot out of the oven.
10 cups water
1 package of Halladay’s Harvest Barn Farmhouse Minestrone Soup Mix
1 lb ground turkey
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 (28 oz) can chopped tomatoes
2 to 3 cups kale, deveined and chopped
In a stockpot, combine water with beans and spice mixture from Minestrone soup mix, reserving pasta for later. Simmer for 1 ˝ to 2 hours.
In a skillet, cook the ground turkey until lightly browned. Add celery and carrots to the skillet and cook until slightly tender.
Add the turkey and veggies to the soup, add chopped tomatoes. Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Add in the pasta and kale and cook until the pasta is done and the flavors come together.
LEMON SPINACH LENTIL SOUP
I am a super fan of lentil soup. This version has some spinach added and little lemon juice at the end gives the soup an additional pop of flavor. Its all about getting the vegetables in!
2 Tbsp olive oil or butter
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
4 cups vegetarian or chicken stock
1 (14.5 oz) can chopped tomatoes
1 package of Halladay’s Harvest Barn Farm Market Lentil Vegetable Soup
1 package fresh or frozen spinach
Juice of 1 lemon
In a stockpot, sauté carrots and celery in olive oil or butter until tender. Add stock, chopped tomatoes and Lentil Soup package contents to vegetables; simmer for 35 to 45 minutes or until lentils become tender. If soup becomes too thick, add a small amount of water to reach desired consistency. Just before serving, add in the spinach then add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
BARLEY VEGETABLE STEW
Farmhouse Barley Vegetable Soup is my favorite go to soup. It makes a whole crockpot full of soup with no fuss. Its enough for a hearty dinner and makes plenty to share with the neighbors. The basic mix is delicious, but there are lots of ways to change it up to keep it fresh and interesting.
1 lb lean beef, cubed
8 cups water
1 (14 oz) can chopped tomatoes
1 package Halladay’s Harvest Barn Farmhouse Vegetable Barley Stew Mix
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
In a skillet, brown the beef on all sides. In a stockpot, combine browned beef, water, chopped tomatoes and Vegetable Stew package contents. Cover and simmer for 1 to 1 ˝ hours (4 to 6 hours in the crockpot). Add carrots and celery and simmer for additional hour, or until tender.
VARIATIONS:
Add a package of frozen mixed veggies (carrots, green beans and peas) in the last 10 minutes.
Add one pound of sauteed sliced mushrooms in the last 10 minutes (may omit beef, if desired).
Add 2 cups of butternut squash (cooked and cubed) and some kale, substitute regular or turkey sausage for the beef.
Substitute one pound of ground turkey or TVP (textured vegetable protein) for Beef.
Simmer away and enjoy some comforting soups on these chilly days. Stay well and enjoy everyone!
If you try any of these recipes, we want to see your pictures! Post to Instagram or Facebook and tag us @halladaysharvestbarn and use the hashtag #halladaysathome so we can see them.
-Kathleen Govotski, Owner Halladay’s Harvest Barn