Soup

You know what they say: if it's too good to be true, then it probably is. For a while, the weather was unseasonably warm, and I started to think there might not be a Winter in the Bay Area. But then this week hit, and boy, was I wrong. Not only is it cold, but the sky's poured rain incessantly, and the bleak forecast continues all week. So I did what I'm wont to do in cold weather: I made clam chowder.
I'm partial to the New England kind, the traditional version that calls for copious amounts of salt pork and more heavy cream than you want to know about. It tops tomato-based Manhattan and broth-based Rhode Island versions as my favorite, but recently I spotted another creative take on the soup that I just had to try.

Keep reading for the most creative clam chowder recipe you've seen yet.

It's still National Soup Month, and we're really thankful to hayleysf for posting this colorful, flavorful soup recipe.

This soup is a one-pot meal that's healthy and great for leftovers. Pair with a salad for an easy weeknight meal.

For the recipe, visit her blog. Then come back and upload your favorite soup recipes into our Savory Sights community group.

Old man Winter has blown in and brought with him an insatiable desire for warm, savory soups. This black and white bean soup with sweet potatoes is a twist on the classic black bean soup recipe, and it's under 300 calories a bowl.

Keep reading to see this simple recipe and find out how much protein and fiber is in one serving.

This month, we're celebrating all things soup. While there's nothing more I crave than a giant pot of yummy homemade soup, sometimes during the work week, the timing is just not there. And after a long day of work, there's nothing easier than putting up some canned soup on the stove.

In order to make it feel like a more elevated supper, over the years, I've gotten pretty crafty with the garnishes and toppings I've tried on my favorite soups. Take a chance and stray away from the typical shredded cheese and crumbled crackers. Mix things up tonight with these more unexpected soup garnishes that you probably have on hand already! For some ideas sure to bring a new sense of life to a seemingly bland weeknight meal, read more.

Until I watched Anthony Bourdain order green borscht from a restaurant in Ukraine, I had only ever thought of the soup as bright purple and made of beets. Considering it's National Soup Month, I set off on a culinary mission to learn as much as I could (in a couple of hours) about borscht. Here's what I learned in a nutshell.

Borscht originated from the trimmings of Winter vegetables, particularly beets, which were stored in a kettle outside during the cold months. They were then cooked up and turned into borscht after the first Spring thaw. The most popular rendition of borscht is a purple, beet-based soup that hails from Ukraine, although it's quite popular in many Eastern European countries. There are, however, several variations on the soup, including recipes that don't include beets at all! Orange borscht is tomato-based, and green borscht's main ingredient is sorrel leaves.

Borscht can be served both hot and cold. Hot borscht can feature hearty vegetables, like potatoes and cabbage. Meat may or may not be added depending on preference. Cold borscht has a creamy appearance because it is mixed with sour cream or kefir during its preparation. It's traditionally served with black bread (also called rye bread).

Do you have a favorite type of borscht?

Source: Flickr User Istelleinad

My new favorite weeknight meal is a soup recipe that comes together in minutes. It's a very abbreviated version of French onion soup, which traditionally begins with yellow onions, cooked down and reduced for hours until dark and sweet. This quick and dirty version begins with our butter-braised onions, which I always keep on hand, and calls for little more than broth, bread, and cheese. It may not be an exact replica, but this fast soup hits the spot on a cold Winter day, and it's an easily transportable work lunch, too. Read on for the recipe.

A good stock is the key ingredient which great soups are built upon. Whether you make your own stock at home or use store bought versions, the foundation of flavors provided by the stock is what keeps soups from being bland and uninteresting. Having stock on hand is really convenient if you're ever in a pinch for a quick meal. Grab the whatever leftover vegetables you have in your refrigerator, toss in some meat if you like, and you've got a heartwarming (and nutritious) meal in no time at all.

Homemaking stock is a simple and great way to make your leftover chicken carcass useful (and I love to find a purpose for seemingly useless items). Homemade chicken stock takes hours to make (a great weekend project idea) but the result is well worth the effort. Homemade vegetable stock takes much less time and is an important ingredient for vegetarians; it's so rewarding to make yourself. Stock freezes well and is easy to defrost making it easy to store and use.

A few basic stock-making tips include cooking the ingredients with cold water (to extract the collagen) and skimming off any scum in meat stocks. If you want to remove fat from your stock, cool it and spoon of the solidified fat that collects on top.

Do you have any stock tips that you swear by?

Source: Flickr User FotoosVanRobin

I'm a big fan of broth soups loaded with satisfying ingredients. CheesePlease offers this recipe for navy bean and kale soup with turkey sausage, and it sounds like the perfect meal on a cold January night.

A simple and healthy soup with navy beans and kale. A pinch of cayenne pepper and spicy turkey sausage adds a touch of heat. Grate some fresh parmesan into the soup and you're ready to kick off all those New Year resolutions.

If you've gotta have this recipe, go visit her blog, and upload your recipes and photos into our Kitchen Goddess group.