Week 152: Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

Hello!!

My kids surprised me yesterday when they reminded me there's no school Monday... not sure how MLK day snuck up on me, but it sure did! And if you're like me, struggling to get back into the swing of things since winter break ... dinner delivery after the 3-day holiday weekend will be a huge help!

On the menu for TUESDAY, JANUARY 19TH is ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLE SOUP with ITALIAN HERB BREAD. This soup went over very well when introduced last winter ... it's delicious, chocked full of roasted vegetables that are pureed for added creaminess, and contains pillowy gnocchi that will melt in your mouth.

The soup begins with roasting carrots, small yellow potatoes, sweet potatoes, mushrooms and onion drizzled with olive oil and thyme in the oven. Once the veggies are tender and lightly browned, they are removed from the oven and pureed. A handful of the roasted veggies are not pureed, but diced, and then added to the soup at the end of cooking to help with the overall soup texture. The pureed vegetables, homemade chicken stock and thyme are added to the pot and brought to a boil. Next, the gnocchi are dropped in. Gnocchi are simple dumplings made with potatoes, flour and egg yolk that are pillowy and tender. The soup is garnished with fresh parsley.

The bread companion this week is my Italian Herb Bread. This tasty bread, filled with butter, garlic and fresh herbs, will be a perfect companion with this cozy soup.