Soup night revisited

[shoyski]

I just wanted to pop on and encourage all of you who have been considering hosting a soup night to do so. I hosted one this month and we had a ball! :) I invited all the famlies on our cul de sac. We only had 11 adults and 12 kids but I know as the weather turns colder we'll have more of a turnout. Plus, not all the lots are sold and built upon. The weather was not conducive to soup (89 degrees), but thanks to air conditioning, everyone enjoyed the soup.

I made the Chicken Tortilla Soup and my MIL's potato soup. Both went over well. One person brought wine, another bread and another brownies. I encouraged people to come with or without something in hand and emphasized that being together, sharing a sense of community, was the object at hand.

We were the first to move onto this street back in December and I hope this will help us all get to know each other's kids and be there for one another, especially since most people don't venture out in the colder months. We plan to host this every second Tuesday of the month through March.

Go for it!!!!! :D

[bethchef]

That's a really good idea, and I'm glad it turned out so well for you! I did a soup party for my husband's birthday last year with like 4 different soups and it was so much easier than doing other main courses. Plus, everyone really enjoyed it, especially because it was something different.

Thanks for sharing!
Beth

[heavy hedonist]

I used to have something similar, X-files night, when any number of friends and whoever they had hanging around would come to my house for dinner, and to watch the show, every sunday night! Not too many people ever brought anything, come to think of it. But because it was at least four and usually 8 or more of us, with no knowing beforehand, I often made soup or stew, and homemade bread. It's affordable and good, right? I loved it. What a great idea to help grow your neighborliness. It's really wonderful. --mari

[catharine]

I have done this a few times already and have invited my whole street. It has been a huge success. People are still talking about it, and the last one was back in February, I think. I need to start getting organized to do it again. My neighbors have been great about bringing side dishes and such, including great stuff for the kids.

In case anyone is interested, the recipe that seems to have been the most successful is the Cooks Illustrated Sweet Potato-Peanut Soup. Here is the recipe in case you missed the thread when I posted it:

Sweet Potato-Peanut Soup
Serves 4-6
Time: 50 minutes

Although the recipe was developed with standard sweet potatoes (called Beauregards), Jewel and Red Garnet sweet potatoes also work well. Do stick to the orange-fleshed varieties; white-fleshed sweet potatoes, in conjunction with the peanut butter, would blend to an unappetizing color. Ground coriander seemingly loses its flavor even faster than most ground spices, so give yours a taste prior to making this recipe; you may want to pick up a fresh supply. If you have a spice grinder, grind whole coriander seeds for the best flavor. Both smooth and crunchy peanut butter work fine here, as the soup is pureed. You will need 2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth for this recipe. This soup can be prepared in advance (it will hold for 2 days in the refrigerator), but don’t add the cilantro until just before serving.
[This soup freezes beautifully.]

2 T. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced fine
Salt
1 t. light brown sugar
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed (about 1 T.)
½ t. ground coriander
1/8-1/4 t. cayenne pepper
3 ½ cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 pounds sweet potatoes, (about 3 medium), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and sliced thin
3 T. peanut butter
Ground black pepper
1 T. minced fresh cilantro leaves

1. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the foaming subsides, add the onion, 1 t. salt, and brown sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion softens and begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander, and cayenne and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the broth, sweet potatoes, peanut butter, and 2 cups water. Cover, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and partially uncover the pan. Cook until the sweet potatoes begin the crumble and are easily pierced with a knife, 25 to 30 minutes.

2. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth [I use a stick blender.] Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the cilantro. Serve.

[Kathy F]

I have just talked my husband into doing this over the fall/winter this year! I'm really excited about it. I did a sort of mini version last fall with a small group of friends -- we made the All-American Chili and the White Turkey Chili, and it worked out really well. I think the plan will be to make two different soups, one with meat and one without, and then either make or have people bring bread, cookies, etc.

I'm considering the Golden Potato-Leek Soup with Cheddar Toasts from the October issue for the first meatless soup next month. I just got my issue today, but I see it's already in the recipe finder!


Golden Potato-Leek Soup with Cheddar Toasts
From Cooking Light

Yukon gold potatoes are the key ingredient to give the soup rich, buttery flavor.

Soup:
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups thinly sliced leek (about 3 medium)
6 cups cubed peeled Yukon gold potato (about 2 1/4 pounds)
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 (14-ounce) cans organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
2 thyme sprigs

Cheddar Toasts:
8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut sourdough French bread baguette
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Remaining Ingredients:
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Thyme sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°.

To prepare soup, melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leek; cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally (do not brown).

Add potatoes, water, salt, broth, and 2 thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.

To prepare cheddar toasts, place baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 7 minutes or until toasted. Turn slices over; coat with cooking spray, and sprinkle 1 tablespoon cheese over each slice. Bake 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Sprinkle evenly with red pepper.

Remove pan from heat; discard thyme sprigs. Partially mash potatoes with a potato masher; stir in cream. Sprinkle with black pepper. Serve with cheddar toasts. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.


Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup soup and 1 toast)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 299(25% from fat); FAT 8.6g (sat 4.7g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 7.5g; CHOLESTEROL 25mg; CALCIUM 113mg; SODIUM 660mg; FIBER 3.9g; IRON 2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 48.4g

Mark Bittman
Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2005

[shoyski]

Kathy, you'll have to report back on that soup. It sounds great. I have yet to get my October issue.

Catherine, your Sweet-Potato soup sounds like a good one to try. Thanks for including the recipe. Do you use any toppings on it since it is smooth and not chunky? It kind of reminds me of CL's African Peanut Chicken Soup which I happen to think is one of their best soups yet! :)

Mari and Beth, I think I will also lean this way towards serving soups with toppings when I entertain friends and family. Easy, different and usually kid friendly. ;)

Thanks all for reporting back! Maybe we should make this a regular thread, reporting back on our soup nights and what soups went over well. :D

Have a great weekend!

Shelley

[jem927]

AH!!!! Soup Night!!!!!

Since fall "arrived" (and actually before) - still high 80's here - I have been pondering starting another Soup Night here.

I did it a couple of times last year for friends, and it worked out great! It was pretty simple, everyone enjoyed it, and the food was fantastic! And with the latest issue arriving, I have been seriously trying to plan another one.

Last year, I typically served 3 soups - usually a chilli, another soup (the Chicken Tortilla Soup was a hit), and then a vegetarian soup. Even though my house was packed, I still had leftovers for quite awhile! YEAH!

I'm definitely interested in hearing about others' Soup Nights! So keep us posted!

Jamie

[MISSINDI]

I'm planning on starting Soup Nights this Fall too. Had hoped we'd be starting them in our newly expanded house, but since the contractors aren't starting until the Spring, well, you know how that goes .... and I decided I just didn't want to wait any longer.

The first one is going to be in mid-October and I'm going to make my Beer-Cheddar Soup, Rachael Ray's Manly Manny's Chili ... just need one other. Maybe the Chicken Tortilla one for something a little lighter.

I think a Soup Night thread would be great - count me in! :D

[Kathy F]

I'm in for a Soup Night thread, too -- would love to hear more about what works for you guys! And I will definitely report back once I try the potato-leek soup. I think I'd probably do a test run before making it for a crowd.

Kathy

[landk]

Rachael Ray's Manly Manny's Chili

I remember seeing the show where she made this. It looked good to me. Have you made this before?

[MISSINDI]

I remember seeing the show where she made this. It looked good to me. Have you made this before?

Yes, many times. I've tweaked it a bit, but it's very delicious.

[Judy/AZ]

When you have a large group, do you serve the soup in large mugs or soup dishes? I'm thinking of people sitting whereever and doing the balancing act.

[biondetta]

That sounds like a great idea! Some of our neighbors have invited us over a few times and I've been wanting to do something in return, and this sounds like such a fun idea.

I spent today making the white bean and smoked gouda soup today and will be eating it for the next few days since I'm on my own for a few days. I can't wait for dinner!

[shoyski]

Hi Judy, we served the soup in bowls. It seemed to work fine because people didn't all arrive at the same time. We set our table up to be a six top and people also ate at the kitchen island. I know I actually ate while standing and talking, holding my bowl, and I think I saw a few other do that as well. :)

I read through a bunch of older soup night threads and someone mentioned the possibility of using mugs. Another person mused that mugs might be awkward to eat out of.......I'm sure whatever you have on hand will work fine. I happened to find a bunch of decent looking bowls at WalMart for 68 cents. :D

[beckms]

Do you all have big stockpots on hand for making multiple soups? What size pots do you have? I'm just thinking about the logistics of cooking multiple soups on one stove top.

[mom2garret]

I have done a couple of soup nights. The first time I set the table and was going to have a sit down soup night and do something along the lines of appetizer, salad, 1 soup/bread, 2nd soup/bread, dessert. Plans changed awful fast when the guests grabbed mugs and went to it! It was so much more fun that way. IMHO, the mugs work much better then bowls (balancing reasons).

Here's my question: my next soup night I want to provide bread bowls. What is the most inexpensive/easy way of doing this (FYI: I do not own a bread machine). There are at least 8 adults present so I would want to buy individual breads.

Jodi

eta: I do use stock pots but this yr I think I will do 3 soups and use crockpot for 1 of them

[LivingLowfat]

I love soups too, just made a huge batch of chicken noodle soup to welcome fall! :) I have a whole section of my website devoted to soups:

http://livinglowfat.com/recipebox/?cat=17

[sharris315]

people didn't all arrive at the same time.

How did you word your invitation? Was it like an open house--between certain hours?

Shar

[shoyski]

Shar, here's what our flyer looked like.......
Soup!
Yep, you read that right. Soup! Nothing quite says “Party” like soup!
Well.. ok… maybe not. But with the cold weather rapidly approaching, we want to ensure that all of us on Clevenger Court continue to socialize and we thought a monthly family soup night was just the ticket.
We’ll be hosting the soup nights on the second Tuesday of every month from 6 to 8 PM throughout the winter in an open house kind of manner. Show up when you can; leave when you have to.
We’ll provide the soup (and bowls, we might add). Please bring a beverage of choice. Any type of side item is welcome but certainly don’t feel obliged.

We then added our address, phone number, my email and dates we planned on hosting.

LivingLowFat, thanks for the website. I look forward to checking it out! :)

Rebecca, I used a stockpot and a Dutch oven to prepare my soups. I made the chicken tortilla soup a day ahead and put it in a crockpot. This crockpot is cool because you can put it directly on the stove and heat up the contents before setting it on the warming element. The day of the party I made the potato soup and put it in another crockpot. I felt like the crockpots would do a great job of keeping the soups hot/warm but not cook and dry out the soups like the stove.

Jodi, glad to hear the mugs worked well. :) I'm pretty sure this party could escalate to many people and it would be much easier to pluck the mugs from the cabinet than go out and purchase more bowls. Great input!!!

[beckms]

OK, next question: How much soup do you make for how many people?

[catharine]

Catherine, your Sweet-Potato soup sounds like a good one to try. Thanks for including the recipe. Do you use any toppings on it since it is smooth and not chunky? It kind of reminds me of CL's African Peanut Chicken Soup which I happen to think is one of their best soups yet! :)


No, I haven't served it with any toppings. I never thought of that. I really like it the way it is. If you think of anything, let me know and I will try it out.

[catharine]

When you have a large group, do you serve the soup in large mugs or soup dishes? I'm thinking of people sitting whereever and doing the balancing act.

I have purchased plastic/styrofoam bowls (gasp!) since I have had a lot of people. It worked great and cleanup was a cinch. I bought cute kiddie bowls for the little ones. People just stand around the island or kitchen table and eat with no problem.

Do you all have big stockpots on hand for making multiple soups? What size pots do you have? I'm just thinking about the logistics of cooking multiple soups on one stove top.

I have a huge Le Creuset dutch oven, and two stock pots.

OK, next question: How much soup do you make for how many people?

I have had around 15-20 people each time and I have usually made three triple batches of soup. I have found that it is just too much, though. I think that next soup night I will make three double batches. Leftovers are great and I have a large freezer, but I find that while doubling a recipe doesn't entail that much additional effort or time, tripling seems to in my opinion.

[bobmark226]

Like most of you, I have a terrific and ever-growing repertoire of favorite soups of all kinds, and this thread is looking like it might provide me a simple and convenient way to meet my new neighbors, so I'm following closely.

Thanks for keeping us up to date, Shelley, as well as giving so many ideas for the invites, serving, etc. I'm planning on doing a lot more entertaining and this looks like a great way to start!

Bob

[erinl]

We're in our 4th season of Soup Night with one group of friends (I'm not the host). I told enough of the neighborhood about it last year that they thought it sounded like a lot of fun. So, the 3rd Thursday in October will be our first neighborhood soup night. Oh, and DH just realized he'll be out of town for the week. :rolleyes: Oh well, I'm doing Rachel Ray's Pumpkin Black Bean Soup which is crazy easy.

[DmOrtega]

We have been having soup for lunch on Sundays, now for over 2 years, with my parents. We have a total of 6 people, two of which are teenagers. We get together, play cards and make soup for lunch. One of the cookbooks that we like is Cooking Lights Soups and Stews.

Yesterday we made a CL favorite (I can't remember the name of the soup) but it is made with a large (6+ Cups) can of chicken broth, heated to simmer. Add a large package of ravioli (we always use tortillini). Simmer till almost done. Add 1 can rinsed black beans (we use 2 cans) and 1 cup salsa (we like a chipotle flavored salsa). Simmer till heated through. Top with sour cream and chopped cilantro. This is super simple and really, really good.

[Kathy F]

I have a huge Le Creuset dutch oven, and two stock pots.

Catharine, so are you saying I SHOULD buy myself that Le Creuset Dutch oven I've been eyeing as a potential early birthday present? I already have the two stock pots . . . :D

Thanks everyone for your thoughts on bowls vs. mugs. That's something I was wondering about. And thanks Shelley for posting the wording from your flier -- I'm planning to send out invites this week, so it helps me figure out what I'm going to say!

Kathy

[catharine]

Catharine, so are you saying I SHOULD buy myself that Le Creuset Dutch oven I've been eyeing as a potential early birthday present? I already have the two stock pots . . . :D



Ummm...yeah...that is what I am saying ;) I mean, why would you deprive yourself of such a useful gift. Plus, soup is good for you, and wouldn't it provide you an incentive to make more soup? And if you made soup for the neighborhood that would be beneficial to society in general as it brings everyone together. I am glad I thought to encourage you do buy that dutch oven.

Catharine (who is a pro at justifying her purchases).

PS - Thanks for spelling my name correctly, Kathy :)

[Chocolate Rose]

I made the Chicken Tortilla Soup

Would you share which Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe you used? Or can anyone recommend an awesome version that would appeal to a large number of people?

I'm thinking about doing this for our next big family gathering and am following this thread closely! :)
So far, I'm thinking of making:
* Rachel Ray's Spaghetti and Meatball "Stoup" (I think that it would appeal to the kids)
* Tuscan Chickpea Soup (I need a very low-fat, vegetarian soup)

I'd like to have 2 more soups, one being the tortilla soup. But, I can't decide between a cheese soup or a potato soup for the fourth soup. Or should I go in a different direction??

[bobmark226]

Would you share which Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe you used? Or can anyone recommend an awesome version that would appeal to a large number of people?



The "board favorite" seems to be the one from STOP AND SMELL THE ROSEMARY, the Houston Jr. League cookbook, and I'm in agreement. Made it just a week ago or so!

http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?t=31015&highlight=Stop+smell+rosemary

For the lowfat vegetable soup, you might consider the Moosewood "Gypsy" soup, also available from Jane Brody. Very versatile and a really great spice combo.

Bob

[Chocolate Rose]

The "board favorite" seems to be the one from STOP AND SMELL THE ROSEMARY, the Houston Jr. League cookbook, and I'm in agreement. Made it just a week ago or so!

Thanks, Bob!! I went and copied both of them. I think I'll try the tortilla soup recipe tonight. The Gypsy soup looks great, too! I bet it would be a better choice than the Tuscan Chickpea soup.


OK, another question: the 3 soups that I'm thinking about making all have tomatoes in some form in them. Would it be a mistake to make those recipes?

[Kathy F]

Ummm...yeah...that is what I am saying ;) I mean, why would you deprive yourself of such a useful gift. Plus, soup is good for you, and wouldn't it provide you an incentive to make more soup? And if you made soup for the neighborhood that would be beneficial to society in general as it brings everyone together. I am glad I thought to encourage you do buy that dutch oven.

See, that's just what I was thinking! I think I'll have to make a trip to the outlets soon. :)

Kathy

[shoyski]

Would you share which Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe you used?

I used the tortilla soup from CL September 1997. It's one of those things...we loved it when we made it and never tried another. Hey, maybe someone should develop a thread to those kinds of recipes! ;) :D

Erin, any chance you could post the pumpkin soup at your convenience?

Rebecca, I also made too much soup like Catharine. It wasn't a problem to freeze the tortilla soup but I had to use up the potato soup for another dinner and give some away. :rolleyes: This time I think I will just double both recipes and see how many people show up in October.

Canice, double thumbs up for your Chicken and Corn Chowder. I made that last night as a trial run. DH had two friends over and they all loved it. For those of you who want to try it, I put notes from Canice and me at the bottom of the recipe.

CHICKEN AND CORN CHOWDER

10 bacon slices, chopped
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
3 medium onions, chopped
2 cups chopped red bell peppers (about 2 large)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
9 cups low-salt chicken broth
4 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled seeded butternut squash (cut from one 1 3/4-pound squash)
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 16-ounce bags frozen corn kernels
1 cup whipping cream (used half/half)
4 cups diced skinned roast chicken
2 cups chopped green onions
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Cook bacon in large pot over medium-high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.

Pour off all but 1/4 cup drippings from pot. Add butter to pot; melt over medium-high heat. Add onions and 1 cup bell peppers. Sauté until onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add flour; stir 2 minutes. Mix in broth, then squash, potatoes, and thyme; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered until squash and potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Add corn, cream, and 1 cup bell peppers. Simmer until corn is tender, about 10 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Add chicken, 1 cup green onions, and 1/2 cup cilantro; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle chowder into bowls; sprinkle with remaining 1 cup green onions and 2 tablespoons cilantro.

Makes 10 servings.
Bon Appétit
October 2003
Entertaining with Style

Canice's notes
•I halved the recipe.
•I like lots of peppers in my corn chowder, so I also used one poblano, part of a green bell, and half a large jalapeño.
•I used fresh corn, not frozen. 4 cups for a half recipe.
•I put the diced bacon back into the soup at the end, rather than discard it.

Shelley's notes
- I halved the recipe. It fed three men, one woman and there's about 2 cups left.
- I used three pieces of bacon and only left one tbsp or less to
cook the veggies
- I eyeballed all the veggies
- I sprinkled dried thyme. Did not measure
- I used half and half
**** I made the recipe up until adding the corn, cream, etc. I turned off the stove, put the lid on and left it sit for 90 minutes. (took the kids out to play).
Came back and finished up. As I did so, I realized I forgot to divide the peppers so put all peppers in at the beginning.

Canice, thanks again for posting such a great tasting recipe. I will definitely be making this one for my neighbors in two weeks!

Shelley

[badunnin]

Hey, maybe someone should develop a thread to those kinds of recipes! ;) :D



Like... this (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?t=42801&highlight=recipes+good+stopped) thread? :D

[shoyski]

My DH is right....people don't get my humor. :D I WAS referring to that thread! :p

[badunnin]

My DH is right....people don't get my humor. :D I WAS referring to that thread! :p

Humour doesn't come across very well on the internet - mine didn't either! It was also a nice little segue for the newbies into a great thread from the past!