Publix's All Natural Tuscan Minestrone

Well, I'm back.  It's been a sad and long couple of months since our beloved Bobbi passed away.  For 19 years she gave me and my husband such joy and happiness.  We are devastated and will miss her forever.

We now have a new member of our family and his name is Merlin.  He's an 8-month-old Maine Coon mix and is full of energy.  I didn't realize how much I missed having a pet around the house.  He's a good boy.

Okay, on to the review.  I went to Publix yesterday with my mom just to pick up a few things.  I wandered over by their premade sandwiches in the deli and saw the all natural soups in the same case.  I've known about their soups for a while but never really wanted to try it.  You see, I am the Soup Queen which means I make the best soups you will ever eat.  So, how can a store-bought soup be any good?   You'd be surprised.

I'm always looking for new things to try for lunch.  I'm usually not hungry during lunch but know I need to eat something or I will pig out at dinner.  I absolutely love soup but can't always make fresh soup.  Quite frankly, I have a problem with frozen soup also.  I don't know what it is but I feel like it has a strange taste after it has been frozen and is not as fresh. 

So, for lunch today I open up a can of the Publix All Natural Tuscan Minestrone.  Before I bought it, I searched the label for MSG or other nasty things and found none.  Then I noticed today as I was eating it, the container says "no preservatives."  Doh!  It is convenient too.  You open the container, slide the included safety sleeve over the container, and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes, stir, then another 1 1/2 minutes.  I like really hot soup, so I microwaved it 30 seconds more and it was perfect.

I have to say this is a fine soup.  It is very flavorful and full of veggies.  There is no weird aftertaste and it is very hearty.  I did add a pinch more salt and a tiny bit of onion powder.  I put onion powder on everything.

So, I'm impressed.  I was not expecting a store-bought soup to be this good. I can't wait to try their others.  I believe I saw cream of tomato and cream of broccoli.  This is a great lunch-time meal.  Oh, and I could only eat half the container.  There are two servings in a 16 ounce container which, for me, was plenty.  I'll give the rest to George for his lunch.

Here are the vitals on this awesome soup:

1 Cup serving size; total fat 3.5g; no trans fat; 140 calories per serving; 19g of carbs with 5 gm fiber; 460mg sodium;

CREAMY ASPARAGUS SOUP

I made the most delicious creamy asparagus soup the other day. I've made this dish before but decided to share it with you this time. It is very easy and can be made in under an hour. Here is what you will need:


1 to 2 pounds of asparagus (the more asparagus, the more creamy)
1 large yellow onion
3 tbsp butter
2 tsp of minced garlic
5 cups of chicken broth
Thyme
1/3 cup heavy cream
Lemon juice
Salt and pepper (you can also add onion powder)

Take the woody stalks off of your asparagus. The best way to do this is to bend the stalk on either side. It will naturally break off leaving the woody stalk which can be thrown away. Wash your asparagus and cut up into a little less than thumb-sized bits.
Next, cut up your onions into chunks. They don't have to be minced or cut up very small because you will eventually be blending the entire soup.

Add butter to a large cooking pot over moderate heat. Cook the onion until soft and then add the cut up asparagus. Salt and pepper and then cook for five minutes while occasionally stirring.

Add five cups of broth. I like to use a product called Better Than Bouillon. It has no MSG and has the best taste of any bouillon I've tried. Then, add thyme. Fresh thyme is the best, but if you don't have it, dried is fine. I add about a teaspoon. Place the teaspoon of thyme in your palm and crush it before adding to the soup. This releases the flavors of the herb.

Boil this mixture for 15 to 20 minutes or until the asparagus if very tender.

Now it's time to blend. I have stick blender which is a must for any kitchen. I use mine a lot. If you don't have a stick blender, you can use a regular blender by adding the soup to it in batches. Puree the soup until it is smooth. Turn the burner to low and return the mixture to the pot. Add the cream and lemon juice. I use about 3 tbsp of juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. And yes, it may make your pee smell. ENJOY! :)