Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook: A Love Story Told Through 150 Recipes (Fool's Gold #12.1)

Fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub cut sides of squash with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Place squash, cut-side down, on a baking sheet. Roast 45 minutes, until soft. Remove from oven; let cool slightly.

2. Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven or a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots and onions; cook 8 minutes, stirring. Add garlic, cumin and coriander; cook 30 seconds, stirring. Stir in wine; cook 2 minutes until alcohol cooks off. Spoon squash purée out of the skin and add to the pot, smashing squash against the sides of the pot. Stir in broth until blended. Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Working in batches, transfer soup to a blender and purée until smooth. (Alternatively, purée soup in the pot using an immersion blender.) Return soup to the pot. Stir in coconut milk; cook 5 minutes, until blended and warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro.

TIP: This is a great squash roasting method to commit to memory for an anytime side dish.

FALL

Black Bean Soup with Lime Cream

Chipotle chilies add a smoky heat to this satisfying soup. You’ll find them in the Mexican food aisle, packaged in adobo sauce. Make sure to seed the peppers before chopping and adding to the soup.

Serves 6

Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large red onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1–2 teaspoons canned chipotle chilies, seeded and chopped

1½ tablespoons ground cumin

1 bag (16 ounces) dried black beans

3 cans (14¾-ounce size) reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Salt and black pepper

Lime cream garnish and chips

Sour cream

Lime juice and lime zest

Lime-flavored tortilla chips

For soup:

1. Warm oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and bell peppers; cook 6 minutes, until softened, stirring often. Stir in garlic, chipotles and cumin; cook 30 seconds, stirring. Pour mixture into 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in beans and broth. Cover and cook on high until beans are very tender, about 5 to 6 hours. (Alternatively, bring to a simmer in same pot and cook 2 ½ hours over medium-low heat, adding water if mixture seems too dry.)

2. Working in batches, transfer soup to a blender; purée until smooth. Return purée to cooker. Stir in lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.

For cream:

1. In a small bowl, whisk sour cream, lime juice and zest to taste. Garnish servings with cream. Serve with lime chips.

MAKE-AHEAD TIP: This soup tastes even better the next day. It will keep for several days in the fridge and freezes perfectly.

FALL

Homemade Chunky Vegetable Soup

The rind from a wedge of Parmesan cheese adds rich flavor to this soup. The next time you’ve grated all the cheese from a rind, secure it in a resealable plastic bag and freeze it for your next soup.

Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 leeks, thinly sliced and washed

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

1 small zucchini, diced

1 small yellow squash, diced

1 can (28 ounces) whole plum tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 can (14½ ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 rind Parmesan cheese, about 3 inches by 1 inch

Salt and black pepper

4 cups water, plus more if needed

1 bunch or bag (5 ounces) spinach, chopped (about 4 packed cups)

6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated, for garnish

1. Warm oil in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and celery; cook 5 minutes, stirring. Add zucchini, squash, tomatoes, broth, cheese rind, salt and pepper. Add 4 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 30 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally and adding water if needed. Remove cheese rind. Garnish servings with grated cheese.

MAKE-AHEAD TIP: This soup is a great make-ahead meal. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3 days or freeze for 1 month.

FALL

Day-After Turkey and Wild Rice Chowder

Make this satisfying soup with turkey after Thanksgiving or with chicken anytime. Don’t have a carcass? Use legs, wings or other meaty bones.

Serves 6–8

Broth

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 turkey or chicken carcass, cut into 4 pieces, or any large poultry bones

3 cups white wine

5cups low-sodium chicken broth

Soup

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup wild rice

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

¼ teaspoon dried sage

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¾ cup half-and-half

¼ cup all-purpose flour

3 cups chopped cooked turkey

1½ cups frozen peas, thawed

Salt and black pepper

For the broth:

1. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook onions, celery, and turkey carcass until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add wine and chicken broth and simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour. Strain broth, discarding solids. You should have about 6 cups.