Shortcut Creamy Potato and Cheddar Soup with Asparagus Croutons

It's starting to get cold here on Long Island on these October Fall nights.   My throats a little scratchy with this change of weather and I'm just chilly all over, soup would surely hit the spot!  When food shopping the other day I was down the soup aisle replenishing my son's Ramen soup supply, (he's going through a picky phase) when I saw some soup mixes like this one:

So I bought it on a whim, thinking I'll doctor it up a bit to make it taste even more homemade then it claims on the package.  Well it tasted pretty darn good and the mix made it easy!  The addition of chunks of potatoes and carrots and garnishments give it depth and homemade flavor and make it a hearty and delicious meal.  This warmed me right up, and my throat was happy :) Here's what I did:

Peel and dice 1 large potato
Peel and dice 2 carrots
Chop 2 scallions for garnishing
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional- shredded cheddar cheese for garnishing

Optional - Roasted Asparagus for croutons.

Add 8 cups of water to large pot.  Add potato and carrots, bring to a boil and boil for 15 mins. In the meantime prepare the asparagus:  Use 1/2 bunch of asparagus.  Snap off the hard ends and place standing up in a small pot of boiling water, cook for 5 minutes.  Then transfer to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.  Drizzle with a mixture of melted butter and olive oil, and sprinkle on to taste: garlic powder, seasoned bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper.  Roast for about 10 minutes on 425 degrees until golden and lightly crispy.  Let cool and slice into 1 inch pieces, set aside

After cooking the potato and carrots, add the entire contents of soup packet.  Whisk to mix, bring back to boiling, and then lower to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.   Add a dash of salt and pepper to taste.   Serve soup and garnish with scallions, asparagus pieces and shredded cheddar.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake Muffins

Pumpkin and Cinnamon flavors just invoke the feelings of Fall and the Holidays.  These muffins are reminiscent of pumpkin pie flavors.   The cake part is moist and is flavored with pumpkin, spices and cinnamon chips!  The streusel is loaded on top (no skimping here)  and full of sugar/cinnamon/butter flavor, then its topped of with a drizzle of sweet vanilla glaze.  Comfort and goodness in every bite!!!

Recipe:

Streusel

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

3 1/2 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Batter

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp baking soda

t tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick- 4 oz unsalted butter at room temp

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temp

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup cinnamon chips, coated lightly in flour**  or 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Glaze

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1-2 tsps whole milk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Fill a 12 cup muffin pan with liners, or spray with baking spray.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the middle of the oven.  For streusel, in a medium bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Cut in the butter pieces into the dry mix with your fingers or a pastry cutter, until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.  Set aside.

For batter, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg and salt.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter and brown sugar on med speed until well combined.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.  Add the pumpkin and sour cream and blend.  Add the flour mixture and blend on low until combined.  Fold in the cinnamon chips with a spatula until distributed throughout batter.  Scoop batter into pan, filling a little over 1/2 way.  Then generously sprinkle streusel on top.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until toothpick cups out clean.  For glaze stir ingredients in a small bowl with a fork until smooth, drizzle over cooled muffins.

 

Enjoy!

 

**Cinnamon chips are available through:  www.kingarthurflour.com
Hersheys make them too, and are sometimes available seasonally in the fall/winter at grocery stores.  They are also available in my baking store,
http://astore.amazon.com/rosscoubak-20/detail/B004H6KM06