Too bad I don't like soup...

Okay, so I just can't let the sarcasm be...Obviously, I LOVE soup. Though there's not a single canned soup that I can stomach, I believe I could eat good, homemade soup every single day.

And, I have been doing just that. With the unusually cold weather we've been having (it hasn't been above freezing in over a week and that's not normal for us Tennessee folk), soup has been my lifeline, my comfort, my sore-throat-soothing bowl of relief!

We've had French Onion, Cream of Broccoli, Shrimp Bisque, Lentil, Tomato Dill, Mustard Chicken Stew, and something I'm calling "Rock City Soup" (this was the soup I made one night after a trip to Rock City and has nothing to do with rocks. Or cities).

So here you have it, four recipes for the price of one. I do want to post some of the other soups that I mentioned above, but am choosing just four today, as I don't want to be overly ambitious! I hope you'll take some of these ideas, add a bit of this and a bit of that (as is always the case with soup since it's all about quickly and easily throwing things in a pot), and enjoy a hot bowl of soup on one of these cold nights.

OH- ONE MORE THING....

AS WITH MOST SOUPS, THESE ARE BETTER WHEN MADE A DAY IN ADVANCE!

Rock City Soup

• 1 head cauliflower
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into chunks
• 3-4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 5-6 large fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp. unbleached flour
• 2-3 cups skim milk
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• plenty of kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• a pinch or two of citric acid (to taste)

In a large pot, simmer cauliflower, carrots, onions, and sage in chicken broth (covered) until veggies are tender. Be careful to watch; heat needs to be low so that liquid doesn't evaporate too quickly and scorch veggies on bottom of pot. May need to start cooking with 3 cups of broth and add more if neccessary. Once veggies are tender, puree in batches in a blender or food processor and set aside.

Clean out your pot and return to heat. Melt butter and slowly whisk in flour. Cook roux over medium heat for a minute or so. Whisk in milk and simmer, whisking often, until cream sauce is nicely thickened (start with 2 cups of milk...can add more later if necessary. You want this cream sauce to be pretty thick). To thickened cream sauce, add parmesan cheese and whisk until smooth. Add vegetable puree into cream sauce and add remaining ingredients. Simmer for a while, if you have the time. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche.

Awesome Shrimp Bisque

• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3 leeks (white parts only)-washed well, roughly chopped
• 3 large stalks of celery, roughly chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 tbsp. unbleached flour
• 1/4 cup sherry
• 4 1/2 cups seafood stock (a 32 oz. box)- can sub chicken broth if desperate
• 1 bay leaf
• couple bunches of fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1-2 lbs. raw shrimp, tails removed, peeled, and deveined
• 1 cup heavy cream
• zest of 2 small/medium oranges
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• couple pinches of cayenne, add more if you like heat
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 1/2 cups white shoepeg corn
• fresh parsley or chives for garnish, if desired

In a large pot, over medium heat, sautee leeks in butter for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Add celery and carrots and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Add flour and cook for another minute, stirring often. Add sherry and deglaze pan. Add stock, bay leaf, and thyme bunches. Cover and simmer over medium/low heat until veggies are tender. Remove bay leaf and thyme stems and discard. Add tomato paste. Puree in batches in a blender or food processor and then return puree to pot over medium/low heat. Chop up raw shrimp. Add shrimp pieces and remaining 8 ingredients to pot. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes or so.

Ada's Favorite Lentil Soup

• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 tbsp. olive oil (I used extra light)
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 4-5 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 large stalks celery, diced
• 1 1/2 cups french lentils, sorted and washed (make sure to use FRENCH Lentils)
• 1 tbsp. fresh sage
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Caramelize onion in olive oil over low heat (will need to cook for about 30-45 minutes). Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer over medium/low heat for 45 minutes-1 hour, or until lentils are tender. Be careful to watch...don't let liquid evaporate too quickly and scorch bottom of pot.

Easy French Onion Soup

• 2 lbs. yellow onions (app. 5 large onions), sliced into 1/4" thick pieces
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup sherry
• 1 1/2 cups white wine
• 8 cups good beef stock (64 oz.)
• kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Use a food processor, if you have one, to slice onions...it's much faster. Otherwise, slice by hand. I like to cut onions in half and then slice, so the pieces aren't too long, but you can really cut them however you prefer. In a large pot, sautee onions with butter and bay leaf over medium/high heat, stirring often, for about 15-20 minutes. Onions should be nicely browned. Add sherry and deglaze pot. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add white wine and simmer for another 10 minutes or so. Add beef stock, salt, and pepper. Simmer for another 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

You can serve the authentic way (topped with a round of french bread and gruyere and then baked in the oven), but I think it's easier to eat with homemade croutons (made with day old ciabatta) and freshly grated parmesan cheese.