6 Late Summer Soups

I’ve been making a big pot of soup at least once a week. I know, we often think of soup as cold-weather comfort food, but soup is also convenient to have around during busy times, no matter what the season. And, soup doesn’t have to be hot, either. I present here a list of 6 soups, hot and chilled, that are great at the end of the summer. They feature late summer ingredients, and, if made ahead of time, all can be satisfying centers of quick meals during busy times. I know, because I’ve taken advantage of some of them myself lately.

Just because it’s September and everyone is posting selfies with their paper cup of PSL, doesn’t mean it’s getting cold outside. If you need your soup to cool you off, make Gazpacho with the end-of-the-season tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers. This version is light, refreshing, and a little bit spicy.

If you’re overwhelmed with summer squash, you can enjoy some in a bowl of Chilled Summer Squash Soup. This recipe features the yellow variety of squash, but I think green zucchini would be a reasonable substitute. The squash is cooked with carrot and onion in vegetable broth. The resulting mixture is pureed, chilled and enriched with yogurt.

If you don’t mind a little warmth, these last 4 soups are for you. Creamy Cabbage and Potato Soup is rich and hearty enough to be a meal unto itself, with a thick slice of rye bread on the side. You should see plenty of fresh, sweet cabbages in the markets to feature here.

Chard Soup with Cilantro and Lime is a great way to use an abundance of leafy chard. I think you could substitute some spinach or maybe even kale for some of the chard if you like. Just be sure to include the perky combo of cilantro and lime to give yourself the flavor burst you deserve.

 

I’ve found September to be the month of bell peppers in my part of the world. Roast a few red or yellow or orange ones to feature in this Tomato and Roasted Pepper Soup. If you have an abundance of fresh tomatoes on hand, you can use them in place of the fire-roasted canned tomatoes in the recipe. Smoked paprika and lots of garlic give this soup a Spanish twist, but you can season up your tomatoes and peppers however you like.

 

If you planted herbs this year, and are now wondering what to do with them, you can make this White Bean Soup with Fresh Herbs. Just bundle up your well-washed herb branches (I particularly like sage, thyme, and rosemary) and tie them with some kitchen twine. Cook them with your beans and vegetables, then fish them out when the soup is done. Chop up tender herbs like basil and parsley to stir in at the end of cooking. Enjoy this soup with some Rosemary Focaccia.

Finally, this Black Bean Soup with Salsa is a great bridge from late summer into fall. It’s enough like chili to get your tailgating season into full swing. It’s really simple to make if you just pour in a jar of your favorite salsa, but you can saute fresh peppers along with the onions and stir in some fresh tomatoes, effectively deconstructing the salsa, and making fantastic soup. This hearty soup is great with cornbread (perhaps this Zucchini Skillet Cornbread, if you’re overrun with zucchini) or Cheddar Jalapeno Scones.

Soup doesn’t have to be for sick days or frozen days. A little planning is all you need for it to be the remedy for the dinner problem on busy days. And some late season garden abundance can make soup a simple and satisfying celebration of September.

Coming soon: Cheddar Bacon White Bean Salad!

One year ago: Rosemary Raisin Tea Cake with Lemon

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Here’s one more summer fruit recipe before things get all apple-y and pumpkin-y and cranberry-y. I had plenty of blueberries that I froze earlier this summer, and I wanted a quick and easy cake to stir them into. I thought this favorite Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake might be adaptable, so I tried it out.

In my first attempt, I left the cinnamon in the cake, and found it, while good, not quite as welcoming to the blueberries as I would like. I tried it a second time with lemon zest in the batter instead of cinnamon and it was a hit. Deliciously sweet and fruity, fragrant with lemon, and moistened by just enough blueberries.

I used a different streusel topping for this blueberry cake than I did for the apple cinnamon cake. I wanted a richer, crumblier one, like the one I used on these muffins. In fact, it’s exactly like that one with just a pinch of cinnamon in place of the ginger. It was just as fabulous on the cake as it was on the muffins.

Not only do I have a simple blueberry cake to add to my brunch repertoire (and afternoon snack arsenal as well), but I also now know how easy it is to adapt this recipe for whatever fruits or spices are in season. I can’t wait to make it with orange zest and cranberries, or Pumpkin Pie Spice and dried fruit. It was tough to snap a few photos of this cake before we ate it all, and I think I can come up with some variations that present the same problem.

Blueberry Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar Crumble Topping

Frozen blueberries are just fine in this cake. Do not thaw them before stirring them into the batter.

For the topping:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch fine salt

For the cake:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

1 large egg

¾ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1. To prepare the topping, combine the 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, cold butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and pinch of salt in a small bowl. Work in the butter pieces with a fork or with your fingers until the mixture is crumbly and forms clumps when squeezed together. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (This can be made a few days ahead.)

2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan or dish with cooking spray or grease it with butter or oil.

3. To make the cake batter, melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Set aside to cool.

4. In a medium-size bowl, combine the 1 ½ cups flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Whisk together to combine well. Set aside.

5. In another medium-size bowl, lightly beat the egg. Slowly whisk in the melted butter. Whisk in the milk and vanilla extract.

6. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until most of the dry ingredients have been moistened. Stir in the blueberries.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the top.

8. Bake at 350 F for 40-45 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Cool on a wire rack until cool enough to cut and enjoy. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 9-16 servings.

Other recipes like this one: Blueberry Muffin Cake with Crumb Topping, Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Cherry Almond Loaf Cake

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

A lot of my recent meal choices and recipe adventures have been informed by my overstuffed pantry closet. Of course, such shelf-stable abundance increases the chances of Synchronicity when perusing a recipe collection. That’s pretty much the way it was with these delicious oatmeal bars.

These are kind of like a fat and moist oatmeal cookie with lots of chocolate chips and a good, crunchy dose of pecans. The original recipe called for quick-cooking oats, and I stuck with that, simply because there are so many of them. I really think the more tender quick-oats form a better foundation for these bars. Regular oats might be too coarse, crumbly, and harder to palate.

 

A quick look at the recipe below will reveal how simple it really is, and the resulting treats are remarkably satisfying for as little work as a they require. They are sweet and moist, but still a bit chewy from the oats. Chocolate is always good in a place like this, and I really liked the slightly sweet crunchiness of the pecans (I had some left from making these muffins). You could use walnuts, or no nuts at all, if you prefer.

I was surprised by how good these bars are, and we almost ate the whole pan before I could get photos. They are as satisfying to enjoy as any oatmeal cookie, and, with all that oatmeal, they’re even kind of breakfast-able. Well, I like to have them with my morning coffee, anyway. And my afternoon coffee. And for dessert after supper. I may have to keep my pantry overstuffed with quick oats, pecans, and chocolate chips 

forevermore!

Oatmeal Pecan Chocolate Chip Bars

Adapted from Pillsbury: The Complete Book of Baking

3 cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 ½ cups light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 cup butter (2 sticks) at room temperature

2 tablespoons molasses

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 cup chopped pecans

1 (12-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray, or grease it with butter or oil. Set aside.

2. In a medium-size bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir together to combine well. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer), combine the brown sugar and butter. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses, vanilla, and eggs until very well combined.

4. Slowly add the oat mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips.

5. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking pan. Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and set in the middle. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars of desired size. Can be served warm or completely cooled. Leftovers, covered tightly, are good for several days.

Makes about 3-4 dozen bars, depending on size.

Other recipes like this one: Maple Date Oatmeal Bars, Oatmeal and Dried Cherry Bars, Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Energy Bars, Whole Wheat Butterscotch Pecan Bars