Soup, Soup and More Soup

Many of you south of the Equator must be tired of us Northerners complaining about the cold and you probably aren't that interested in our hearty, body and soul warming dishes these days, and frankly, I for one, am jealous of your hot and sunny days and salads.

That said, this is definitely a time for rib sticking dishes that start to work way before we ever put the first spoon to our lips. A pot of slow cooking goodness fills the room with warmth of both the physical - "heat-up-the-room" kind and emotionally as well. Nothing warms me up more than inhaling all those herbs and spices that do their magic to the ordinary. I mean, no matter how much you love root vegetables in November, by now ....well...as my niece used to say when she was four "I got enough!" Plus, there's nothing like holding a hot bowl of steaming goodness to warm your hands and your heart.

The other day I "threw together" a tasty Bean, Sausage & Mushroom Soup by just opening my fridge and checking my pantry. Last week's star soup was Roasted Butternut Squash & Garlic that was amazing.

And last night's winner...from Rouxbe.com was an amazing version of Mushroom & Barley Soup...a real "stick to your ribs" meal all by itself. In fact, I actually made some Cod Provencal (also from Rouxbe.com) that will have to wait until tonight....the soup was perfect all by itself.

Now that I've used up all my chicken broth (my own and boxed variety), it's time to replenish the fridge, freezer and pantry.