The Soup Whisperer

Hey! Guess what?! I have been cooking good meals! Like, really good meals. I know, I know, it sounds crazy, right? But listen, I think I just needed to find my niche, and boy have I! I am good at making soup. There I said it.

This all started awhile ago when I spotted the most delicious looking corn soup on one of my favorite blogs: http://www.goinghometoroost.com/2011/seasonal-recipes/craving-corn/

The author specializes in healthy alternatives to some of the most popular dishes and this one caught my eye, because I LOVE CORN. LOVE IT. SO MUCH.

Yesterday Andrew and I were enjoying a day of relaxation and I decided to give it a go. I tweaked the recipe just a little, by adding some sweet potatoes and using jalapenos for my choice of pepper. I also added some brown sugar at the end. And let me tell ya...this was the best dinner I have ever made. Even Andrew said so. The sweetness of the corn mixed with the spice from the jalapenos was magical. All the other veggies were delicious as well and each bite was a burst of fresh, warm, hearty, goodness. And in true soup fashion, it was even better re-heated today. Success! I successfully cooked something other than scrambled eggs! I am like a grown ass woman. Here is a picture of my finished product:

Naturally, after creating a masterpiece, I was jonesin' for another go around. So, tonight I researched and found a soup calling for sweet potatoes and pears. Yum! I even added my own additional ingredients, since last night pumped up my impromptu skills. The original recipe included sweet potatoes, onions, and pears, Cinnamon, salt, and pepper. I also threw in 2 small jalapenos and brown sugar. The best decision I made, however, came after I had been cooking the soup for awhile. I still had a pear left over that I wanted to use, so I googled "brown sugar pears" and found a perfect idea. I basically mixed butter, brown sugar, and some more Cinnamon in a glass until it turned into a syrup type consistency. Then I peeled and cut the pear into large pieces. I threw those into a baking pan and drizzled the "sauce" on top. After baking at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, the pears looked amazing! I then tossed a pear on top after serving the soup. Here is the finished product:

I am kind of a bad-ass! All kidding aside, I am actually really thrilled to have found something I am good at in the kitchen. I love making soup and I can't wait to see what kind of soup adventures I encounter! You can find the original recipe for the sweet potato and pear soup here: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Sweet-Potato-and-Pear-Soup

It was a little bland for my taste as is, which is why I added some jalapenos. It's a pretty simple base, so I am sure you could play around with even more ingredients.