With the recent snow and dip down into freezing temperatures, I decided to whip up a big batch of soup. What kind, you ask? Well, this is one of my original recipes for a hearty soup and it appears in Grudges, Goldenrods, and Ghosts, the third book in my Petal Pushers Cozy Mystery Series. It’s a family favorite, easy to make, and uses a potato in a different way to give this soup a creamy texture. Enjoy!
Betsy’s Hearty Soup
Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 cups spinach or your favorite greens, coarsely chopped
4 TBSP butter or margarine
1 large potato, whole and unpeeled
2 cups cooked pinto beans, drained
4 cups vegetable stock
3 cups water
1 can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup corn, fresh off the cob or frozen
1 TBSP dried thyme
1 TBSP dried oregano
2 or 3 dashes of ground red pepper, to taste
1 to 1-1/2 TBSP salt, to taste
Pepper to taste
Green onions, for garnish
Directions: Melt the butter or margarine over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven. Add onion and carrot, then cook until the onions are transparent. Add the spinach and garlic, cook about a minute or so to start wilting the greens, then add the vegetable stock, water, pumpkin, whole potato, beans, corn, the spices, and 1 tablespoon of the salt. Cook until the potato is done, about half an hour or so, and then take it out of the pan. When the potato cools just enough to handle, peel it and mash the potato good with a fork, and then add it back to the soup for a nice creamy texture. Taste it and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Pour the soup into serving bowls, sprinkle with chopped green onion, and serve with toasted chunks of bread.
Tina DC Hayes 