The other night it actually got cold. The temp dipped down into the 40’s before 10pm and put me in a cozy kind of mood. See, here in North Carolina fall teases us. October can offer an 80 degree day while the next is in the 50’s. It’s a wacky area of the country, climate wise that is, so when we actually get some real autumn weather I head for the stove, get a pot out and make soup.

I looked in my produce bowl and saw I had one sweet potato and one small winter squash and wondered if this would make enough for two. I scrounged around the produce drawer in the fridge and  spotted a little clementine. “Orange soup it is!” I thought, and as it turned out, it was the perfect compliment to a bottle of Spanish Tempranillo wine we had just purchased from our friend Craig at Wine Authorities.

Warming, luscious and topped with a bit of buttered & candied hazelnuts and crispy sage leaves, it completely said ‘Fall’ to me.

It’s a beta carotene Party!

Saute all the veggies in a bit of olive oil until slightly browned.

Add veggie broth.

Fall spices I love…

After you add the spics to the pot add some water so that all the veggies are covered. Simmer on low heat until softened, about 15 minutes.

While the soup is simmering I melted a few dabs of butter and heated some hazelnuts in a sauce pan.

Then I added a bit of brown sugar to coat the nuts.

I added a touch of balsamic vinegar as well.

I also crisp fried a few sprigs of sage from the garden. I have to say, one thing I LOVE is crispy sage leaves.

Back at the soup pot, I added the juice of one clementine.

Then I pureed the soup until smooth. I also LOVE my stick mixer.

I then added a bit of half and half. You could use soy creamer as well. I seasoned with salt and pepper to taste and plated it up with the wine.

Although the days are getting shorter and winter is close to follow; soups like this make an evening’s dinner cozy and warm.

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David and I are getting ready for a 2 week trip to Mexico in May 2008…in prep for that trip we are hunkering down and really getting into the culture, language and of course, the FOOD of Mexico!

I received Rick Bayless’ newest cookbook, called Mexican Everyday,for Xmas (Thanks Dawn!!!) and David and I have tried 3 recipes thus far from that book.
Simple and fabulous, easily converted to Vegetarian and not TOO many steps (like his last book.)

The following is a photo journal of what we made last night for our Friday Night Date Night Dinner (something new for us, as David usually gets too flustered at my hap-hazard cooking style,”It says 1 CUP!…YOU DIDN’T MEASURE THAT!”, he says…”Oh, I just EYED it…it looks good!”…) If you want the recipe let me know. IT’s actually pretty simple.

The Menu was:
*Creamy Corn Soup w/ Roasted Poblanos
*Spinach & Mushroom Enchiladas w/ Tomatillo Verde Sauce

We had this meal with a nice bottle of Argentinian wine.
It was a wonderful meal.

Creamy Corn Soup:

Roast Poblano Peppers in oven first, peel and leave in a bowl

Process corn, garlic, arrowroot powder (or corn starch) & soy milk until smooth.

Next strain corn mixture through a sieve… mine is way too small…it’s embarrassing…I need a larger one.

Super Creamy!

Next up…
Spinach & Mushroom Enchiladas w/ Tomatillo Verde Sauce

Place tomatillos, cilantro, serrano pepper, garlic & salt in a food processor.

Now cook for 20 minutes…reduce, reduce, reduce…

Add soy sour cream and let your sauce simmer.

A quick lesson in how to cut an onion…(I though everyone knew how to do this, but David didn’t and wanted me to let everyone else know…

Cut Onion in half (from root end to top end)

Cut off bottoms and tops then peel off outer skin.

Slice, chop, dice, whatever…I had to slice.

Okay, back to our meal….

Next slice up the mushrooms.

Sauté onions and mushrooms and then add the spinach.

Heat the tortillas in the oven…I used corn tortillas.

Dunk the tortillas in the tomatillo sauce and coat well.

Place 3 tortillas on plate and top each with a bit of the sautee’d veggies. Fold over with seam side down.

Top with the sauce spinkle with some soy cheese. Add the chopped roasted poblanos to the soup and plate it up.

Then….Dinner was served!…estaba muy delicioso!

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