9 Soups for the Fall Transition

 

Fall Soup Favorites to Try 

The scorching summer temperatures won’t last forever. They will eventually give way to the cooler days of fall. Soup and sweater weather is on the way. Fall is the perfect time to indulge in the comfort of a heart-warming bowl of soup. If you are like me and you love soup, here are some delicious, cozy, southern soups to help to delight your taste buds and keep you warm during the autumn months.

Vegetable Soup

Vegetable Soup is a favorite soup for most southerners. This soup is definitely a classic. Vegetable soup dates back as far as ancient times. Its main ingredients are vegetables, and these can be found in any gardens. The most common ingredients for vegetable soup include carrots, celery, tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, corn, and onions. You can add additional vegetables and herbs. You might even want to add some chicken or beef to the mix. I prefer mine with chicken.

Here's how to create this fall favorite. You start with some scrumptious vegetables being added to a pot. After you have sweated onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil and tomato paste. You create more flavor with garlic, pepper, and salt. You pour in vegetable and/ or chicken stock, a can of diced tomatoes, potatoes, and bay leaves. Simmer until the veggies are tender. Then, comes the frozen peas. Add your favorite spices and let them cook until done. When you finish, you have created a simple, time-honored autumn soup.

Potato & Shrimp soup

Potatoes are one of the cheapest vegetables that you can buy. Potato soup was first introduced in France, and the main ingredients were leeks, onions, potatoes, cream, and chicken broth. Here’s the part I love. Add in seafoods like shrimp, crab, and lobster to give plain potato soup a new life.

It all begins with the potatoes. Simmer and cook the potatoes. Add the milk, chicken bouillon or chicken broth. Cook the shrimp. Add the half-and-half, salt, pepper, and then, add the shrimp. It should only take about 3 minutes for the shrimp to cook. Then, I get to eat one of my favorite soups.

Corn Soup

It’s a great time to enjoy some corn soup. What is corn soup? Corn soup is soup made using corn, butter, chicken broth, and the fresh herbs of your choosing. You can opt to add other vegetables like potatoes or carrot to the mix to help make it thicker. You can even add cream to your soup if you like.

Heat butter until it melts. Add onion, red bell pepper, and jalapeno (if you want some heat). Cook until soft. Stir in flour. Gradually add in broth. Add potatoes and bring to a simmer. Next, add chicken, corn, and salt. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and remove from heat. No matter what you add to your corn soup, it is a great soup to celebrate the beginning of the fall season.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

It’s an ole’ but goodie. Most of us have eaten chicken noodle soup at one time or another. Even though it’s best in colder weather or when we are sick, now is a great time to start enjoying some homemade chicken noodle soup. This time-honored soup dates as far back as 2^nd century China. The key ingredients are chicken, chicken broth, wide egg noodles, salt and pepper. You can add as many other ingredients as you like to create your own homemade chicken noodle soup.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Butternut squash and apple soup is a quintessential fall favorite. It blends the earthiness of squash with the sweet-tartness of delicious apples. This creamy, fall favorite is rich in flavors and textures. It is an ideal comfort food.

To prepare this delightful “sweater weather” soup, roast butternut squash and sauté onions until golden brown. Add apples, vegetable broth, and warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of ginger. After simmering, blend the ingredients until smooth. Garnish with a drizzle of maple syrup or a dollop of crème fraîche to enhance the flavors. This soup is a cozy dish you won’t want to miss this fall.

Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup

Tomatoes are some of the best things about summer, and you can continue to enjoy them even during the fall season. Use those last juicy summer tomatoes to create a hearty soup.

Start by roasting those tomatoes. Roasting the tomatoes will bring out their natural sweetness, and the addition of fresh basil provides a hearty taste. Begin by roasting tomatoes, garlic, and onions until they are caramelized. Then, blend them with vegetable broth until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar to balance the flavors.  Add a few sprinkles of olive oil and chopped basil. Then, bon appétit.

Wild Mushroom and Barley Soup

I confess. I love mushrooms. And, I especially love eating them in soups. So, it only make sense that I would celebrate the fall harvest with a mouth-watering, wild mushroom and barley soup. This earthy delight is a combination of mushrooms in a creamy mix with barley.

Begin by sautéing a mix of wild mushrooms in butter. These can include shiitake, oyster, and cremini. Add onions, carrots, and celery for extra depth of flavor. Pour in vegetable or mushroom broth and simmer until the barley is tender, and the sensual flavors have blended. Sprinkle some fresh thyme and parsley to elevate the dish. Now, it’s ready to eat.

Pumpkin and Lentil Soup

Pumpkins….pumpkins! Fall screams pumpkins. And, pumpkins can be used to make a delicious fall soup. Incorporating pumpkin into a hearty lentil soup can be just the thing for fall. Start by sautéing onions, garlic, and ginger until fragrant. Add diced pumpkin, red lentils, and vegetable broth. Simmer until the lentils and pumpkin are tender and well-cooked. For added creaminess, blend a portion of the soup and mix it back in. This wholesome and nourishing soup will become a fall favorite in no time.

Minestrone Soup

It has everything! Minestrone soup is packed with vegetables, beans, and greens. This soup has it all. And, it is a wonderful soup for fall and winter.

In a large pot, sauté the chopped onion, garlic, carrots, and celery until softened. Add the diced tomatoes, broth, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Mix in the cooked kidney beans and pasta. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes until the pasta is tender. Adjust seasoning if needed. Then, dive into this hearty autumn soup.

As the weather cools down and the leaves start to fall, there's no better way to embrace the season than with a steaming bowl of delicious soup. These five soups, each unique in its flavors and textures, are the perfect embodiment of autumn's bounty. From the velvety butternut squash and apple soup to the robust wild mushroom and barley soup, these comforting delights will surely

keep you warm and satisfied during the fall months. So, grab your ladle and prepare to savor the heartwarming flavors of the season

The weather may still be hot outside, but fall is rapidly coming. Make soup a part of your fall transition. You can begin with these “sweater weather” favorites.

YouTube videos to watch:

How to Make Potato Soup

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHq0RXIjAfk

How to Rebuild Trust in Work Relationships

 

 

Ways to Rebuild Trust After a Violation

How do you rebuild trust? How do you move forward in a friendship or even a company when there has been a breach of confidence? In this article, we will discuss the ways to rebuild trust within our school, within our school district, with our parents,  and with our students.

Acknowledge that there is a problem

Once trust has been broken within your school, the first thing you need to do is to acknowledge that there's a problem. Then, find out what caused the problem. Next, move forward with trying to fix that problem. Now is the time to go ahead and have those hard conversations. No, they are not pleasant, but you have to do it if you are going to rebuild trust within your organization.

Create an Atmosphere of Safety

Make sure that everyone involved feels comfortable to be open and honest. They have to know that they are safe to talk about their feelings. They have to feel safe to talk about what happened and what needs to be done in order to fix the situation.

Admit Mistakes

Be willing to admit any mistakes. Be willing to acknowledge the indiscretion. Discuss ways to move past it.

Don’t Play the Blame Game

Don’t assign blame to anyone unless it is you. Allow the man or woman who caused the violation to own up to their part in the incident.

Respect Guideline

Respect the opinions of those involved in those tough conversations.

We are not all going to get along. We are going to have to accept that. Other people have different opinions and/or different beliefs. We are not identical duplicates of each other. Everyone needs to respect each other’s opinions. You can do that by establishing guidelines of respect.

Consistency is Key

You also must make sure that you are consistent. You are going to have to do what you said you are going to do when you said you were going do it. And, you are going to have to do it over and over again. You can’t be consistent for a day or a week or even a month. You have to remain consistent every time.

Be Willing to Forgive

Hurt has been caused. Wounds have been inflicted. Chaos has ensued. Nevertheless, you have to be willing to forgive. You have to be willing to leave those hurt feelings in the past and move forward so that healing can begin.

However, I am not asking anyone to forget. The reason that you are not going to forget is, so you don't make the same mistake again. But, you have to forgive this person. You have to forgive the company…you have to forgive whatever it is.

Move Forward

You have to move forward. You can't be held hostage by the past. Once you have identified the problem and had those difficult conversations, you have to be willing to think beyond myself. You have to look at the whole picture.

Things Won’t be the Same

Accept that things are not going to be the same. You are going to have to rebuild. You are going to have to reestablish trust.

It can be difficult to rebuild trust. However, it can be done. It will take time. You start by identifying the problem and working with your team to discover ways to fix the problem.

A Southern Tradition: The Infamous Teacake

 

Teacakes a Southern Tradition

Who would have thought that ingredients as simple as butter, flour, sugar, and vanilla could create one of the South’s greatest delights…a teacake. Most of us have memories of eating these tasty treats. Whether they were made for a special occasion or as a part of the Sunday dinner, they evoke feelings of warmth and comfort. So, what the story behind the “Southern Teacake”?

Tea Cakes were originally from England. These delicacies were served along with tea. The English teacake is different from the ones that most southerners are familiar with. Our teacakes are made similar to a sugar cookie. However, the original teacakes from England were more of a like a bun with some type of fruit. These teacakes were cut and served with butter.

It seems several countries have their own version of “teacake”. The Scottish teacake is more like a biscuit. Its top is mainly a chocolate covered marshmallow with a biscuit base.

It does matter how teacakes are made in other places. Here in the south, our beloved teacake is generally understood to be a buttery, sweet cookie. It’s history here is long, and it’s roots run deep.

Have you enjoyed a “teacake” lately? Regardless, be sure to preserve the family recipe.

Check out the following:

How To Make Southern Tea Cakes / Old-fashioned Way

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER60o101y0E