Kale, White Bean & Butternut Squash Soup

Kale, White Bean and Butternut Squash Soup

1 2 1/2 to 3 pound rotisserie chicken
2 T olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
Salt & pepper
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 T tomato paste
1 medium butternut squash (about a pound) peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 bunch of kale, stems and thick ribs discarded, leaves chopped
1 15-oz can low-sodium white beans, drained and rinsed

1. Remove and discard the skin from the rotisserie chicken. Shred the meat into a bowl and set aside. Place the carcass and bones in a medium pot. Add 8 cups water, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, season with 3/4 t. salt and 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Add celery, garlic and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly golden brown around the edges, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
3. Strain the chicken mixture into the vegetable mixture and discard the bones. Add the squash and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the squash is just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the kale, beans and shredded chicken. Cook, stirring until the kale is just tender, about 3 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs before serving. Serves 4 with about 262 Calories per serving.

CQ Notes: Okay, remember yesterday's recipe for broth? If you had that tasty broth on hand, this soup would go together in minutes. On the weeks when split chicken breasts or chicken thighs are on sale (the ONLY time you should buy them, btw), I buy the large family pack or two. I pack my trunk for the ride home with the chicken close to the front so I can grab it easily. I carry in that bag while my son or husband brings in the rest of the groceries. I fire up the oven and get the entire package or packages of that sale chicken roasting right away. Buy the time I have the rest of the groceries put away and the kitchen set to rights, the chicken is done. I cool it and debone it and freeze it in ziplock freezer bags 2 cups at a time. This is saves both time and money because it makes 30 minute meals possible.

Soup starters: By now you've noticed that most recipes start with some combination of chopped or shredded veggies sauteed in a bit of olive oil. The classic combinations are "celery, onion, garlic" or "carrot, onion, zucchini" or "green and red pepper and onion" It is time consuming to chop those veggies every evening for just one dish so what I do (and most cooks do) is fire up the cuisineart (or whatever food processor you may own) and chop or shred a large batch of these veggie combos and saute them in a large pan, cool, portion out (I usually freeze them in one cup portions) and freeze for easy use. If you enjoy using your crock pot, you do not even have to defrost these starters. Just put them in the bottom of the crock pot and assemble you ingredients on top of them. Same goes if you are making your soup or whatever on the stovetop. Just put them in your pan and add the rest of your ingredients. They will quickly defrost and add delicious flavor to your recipe.

Tomato paste: A small can of tomato paste has about 6 Tablespoons or so of rich, sweet tomato paste. Recipes often call for only 1 to 2 tablespoons so what I do is take a piece of waxes paper and spoon out about a 1 tablespoon portion of tomato paste in blobs like laying out cookie dough. Then I freeze the whole sheet of blogs. After they are frozen I twist up the blobs of frozen paste in waxed paper (like a cough drop is wrapped) and package them together in a ziplock freezer bag. No wasted tomato paste. I can take out just what I need.

Butternut squash: This is the most time consuming part of this recipe. Peeling and chopping this squash is difficult. If you aren't up to the challenge, most produce sections now sell packages of butternut squash already peeled and cubed. Be aware, though, that you are paying a premium price for the convenience.

Don't like celery? Consider substituting the Italian vegetable "Florence Fennel". I am not talking about fennel seeds sold in the spice isle but rather the unique fresh vegetable found in the produce section. It looks like a slightly flattened celery bulb with feathery green fronds sticking out the top. Delicious flavor and crunch plus blends well with chicken dishes.