AN ODE TO SOUP & FALL FAVORITES
Yes, we love soup + our current obessions to help you get cozy this fall
The weather has still been a little too nice and warm lately for a true Fall day but I can’t wait any longer for the temps to cool and soup season to start. If it wasn’t clear before, I LOVE SOUP! 🙌🏻 🥣
First of all, there are endless amounts of different types of soups. You have your brothy soups, chilis, bisques, thick and creamy, pureed, full of vegetables or heavily meaty, noodly or with tons of rice, eaten with a big slice of crunchy bread… Whatever you’re craving, there’s most definitely a soup that will hit the spot.
Secondly, soups are great for both a large group of people or just for yourself. And there are almost always leftovers. Growing up, we froze ziplock baggies of our leftover soup, then our Mom would defrost them later for a delicious meal in a pinch.
Soups are also pretty low-maintenance… you basically just put everything into a pot and cook (yes there’s some prep, and perhaps some precooking). But if you know you’ll be tied up with other chores or activities while cooking, making soup is a great idea.
Soups are my favorite way to use leftover produce. When you have leftover veggies sitting unused in your refrigerator waiting to go bad, or even lettuce on its way out….just throw them in a soup!
Finally, and this may be very niche to me… nothing smells and sounds better in a kitchen than adding mirepoix (diced onions, carrots, and celery cooked slowly in oil on low heat to enhance the vegetables' flavors— aka the foundation for most soups) to a pot. It really warms my soul 😜. Cheers to soup!
Since I can’t pick my favorite soup (it really depends on my mood), let’s start this week with the newest addition to my soup repertoire— pasta fagioli aka pasta and beans. Do not be mistaken by the name, pasta fagioli is actually a soup. It is like a heartier thicker minestrone with beans, pasta, veggies, and sometimes ground meat (my version uses ground bison). It’s a simple, super filling, affordable, and most importantly delicious dinner.
A favorite nostalgic soup of mine for the fall or winter months is broccoli cheddar soup. I love incorporating seasonal veggies into my soup — broccoli season starts in October and goes through April. It also reminds me of being a little kid and ordering a bowl at Panera Bread with a half sandwich. While broccoli cheddar soup is known for being very rich and heavy, my version is healthier by using chicken broth and less cream. It still has that quintessential kid-friendly taste and is a great way to incorporate broccoli and veggies into a meal.
Fun fact, broccoli cheddar soup was also one of the first soups we learned to make in culinary school!
I love a soup that uses rotisserie chicken because it’s so much quicker! Tortilla soup is a classic and can be made extra spicy, tangy with lots of lime, vegetarian, or with rotisserie chicken for added protein. I love serving it on the side with a quesadilla.
Making a pot of my great grandma’s borscht is a fall tradition in my family. There must be something in the air that gets us craving it because we often randomly all make it on the same day. Our version is less purple and sweet and more tomatoey and savory (with a special ingredient…V8 juice lol). For the best flavor, it’s important to have a bone (I use a chuck roast with a bone). My mom prefers it less traditional and cuts up a filet for the meat. IMO, if you want the best of both worlds, I recommend buying a soup bone and adding cut-up filet meat separately (it’s a lot less work too). Beets are also in season:)
Fridge Clean-Out Soup is my go-to when the seasons start to change and I seem to have a lot of leftover produce in the fridge. The best part of this soup (besides its name 😊) is that you can really make it your own, and it’s always good no matter what you throw in it. This is also one of the reasons I like soup so much!
FALL FAVORITES 🍂🍄
BEESWAX CANDLE BOWLS
Once a month my favorite candle brand, Tatine, opens their showroom to guests. The vibe changes with the seasons and is always so beautifully decorated.
Throughout the showroom, she placed tiny bowls full of sand and small yellow and black beeswax candles for little pops of coziness. I loved it! It’s a beautiful and easy way to add warmth to your space. You can use whatever little bowls you have on hand, or visit a local antique store and find bowls there. She used brown sand (which you can easily purchase on Amazon or pick up from a nearby beach if you live near one). I had unused bath salts and they also made a great base for the beeswax candles. I am always looking for ways to use pure beeswax candles instead of soy or paraffin (the worst!) which contaminates the air.
For Thanksgiving, I plan on using these as part of the tablescape to add cozy candlelight. Because they aren’t very tall and have virtually no scent, they are a perfect accompaniment to a fragrant meal.
Note: The candles burn down quickly and are usually only good for one evening…but they’re inexpensive and you can purchase them in bulk.
LONELY GHOST BLANKET
The last thing I need is another throw blanket, but when I saw that this red checkered Lonely Ghost blanket was on sale…well, I needed it. It is sooo soft, plush, and cozy and the red color is nice and vibrant.
It also stays soft after washing, which is very important when you have a dog that sheds nonstop.
SELK BAG
We’ve been raving about the Selk Bags since my mom surprised us with them a few years ago. We use them almost all year round.
In the summer while watching movies on our deck, in the winter under our heat lamps when the days are sunny, and now bundled up outside during the chillier nights, cozy as can be. My friend and I even wore them to an outdoor movie last night (Hocus Pocus on Halloween…yes please), and they withstood temps in the 40s with blowing wind!
UGG VENTURE DAZE IN CERAMIC/CATERPILLAR
I bought these shoes last spring and I am not exaggerating when I say I get compliments on them every time I wear them. Last week, I was in an Ulta, and a woman in a chair getting her makeup done shouted across the store “What are those shoes?! I love them, who makes them?" Young and old, female and male (they are unisex) all ask about them. I personally like their unique color and style (not your average UGG). They are also the perfect airport slip-on, and not to mention they’re super comfortable (I’ve walked many miles in them).
THANKS FOR READING!
Cheers 🥂
Hil & Nat
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