October = SOUP MONTH!

Before I get into Soup Month, a few food photos:

Basic Marinara (from Cooking Light):

A very, very easy recipe (we're talking, 20 minutes of prep and an hour simmering virtually undisturbed on the stove,) which I haven't actually tasted yet! This past issue, Cooking Light ran a master recipe for "Basic Marinara" that could then, in turn, be used for upwards of 10 different recipes. Most of the recipes weren't vegetarian, but a few of them were, and the sauce also freezes well. Super-cheap, compared to buying bottled sauces all of the time, and I had the option of using FIRE-ROASTED TOMATOES intead of regular ones. (Mmmm . . . fire-roasted tomatoes . . . !) This recipe yielded four 2-cup packages for my freezer, plus a quart to keep in the fridge for now (12 cups total.) I think this recipe could also be easily adapted to use zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, or whatever other veggies you really like in your pasta sauce. I may never buy another jar of bottled sauce again! (P.S. It calls for fennel seed, which is just plain yummy.)

Coconut Rice Pudding (with Banana!):

This is a recipe that I significantly modified from this month's issue of Cooking Light as well. I would like to continue to tinker with it, since I used Arborio rice this time, but would prefer to use brown rice in the future. I also used a couple of eggs this time, since they have been hanging out in my fridge for a while, but I would like to come up with an eggless version in the future, too. (P.S. This has stored and reheated well for breakfast all week long!)

Roasted Tofu 'n' Veg:

Oh, how I love purple potatoes. :) This is just a total, cheater, go-to meal for me, but it still tastes good and gets those veggies in!

And now . . .

With all the power of my Food Snobbery vested in me, I officially declare October to be . . .

SOUP MONTH!

(At least in my kitchen, although you're welcome to hop on the Soup Month bandwagon.)

The idea for Soup Month began, away back in August, when it was still hot and humid. I love soup, and boy, did I miss soup when it was so hot out. I also have a mountain of delicious-looking soup recipes that I have never tried. SO, the idea of Soup Month was born -- not that I will only eat soup in October, but that I will try my darndest to try out a whole bunch of new soup recipes, and also, stock up my freezer with leftovers to last the winter through!

Soup Month will begin with a preview couple of recipes later this week. Let me know if you want to join me in Soup Month, and I'll link you in my next post!