Sometimes planning is good, but sometimes cooking something on a whim is even better. A friend brought over what she had on hand - lamb stew meat, bacon, sweet potatoes, and onions - and this stew was born. It’s rich, sweet, a little smokey, and packed with flavor thanks to an array of spices and plenty of garlic.

Lamb and Sweet Potato Stew

• 1 lb chopped lamb stew meat

• 12 oz bacon, chopped

• 3 small sweet potatoes, chopped

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1/2 cup wine (both white or red are fine)

• Beef broth (enough to cover the meat, approximately 2 cups)

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 2 teaspoons za’atar

• 1 teaspoon oregano

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• Pinch of coriander

• 5 cloves of garlic, minced

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Red pepper flakes (optional, to taste, if you’d like a spicy version)

• Optional herbs, for garnishing (cilantro and mint are great here)

Preheat the oven to 325.

In a dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon. Remove the bacon once it’s cooked through, placing it on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside. Drain the excess bacon grease from the pot, leaving just enough to sauté the onions and potatoes with.

Add the onions and potatoes to the pot along with the tomato paste and garlic, tossing to coat. Add the spices and wine, scraping all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan while you stir, and allow the wine to simmer and reduce a bit before adding the lamb. Add the lamb, a bit of salt and pepper (you can add more later if needed), and the cooked bacon, then pour in the broth until the meat and vegetables are just covered.

Put the lid on the dutch oven and place in the preheated oven. Cook for 1hr 45mins. This is a long cook time, but simmering it in low heat for a long period of time will tenderize the meat.

Remove from the oven, and serve hot. This is even better with some herbs scattered on top and paired with rice, some flatbread, and a light salad.

This butternut squash soup is not too heavy (no cream) but heavy handed on the herbs and generous with the garlic. The result is something savory and comforting with plenty of flavor, but healthful and plant based. I like to top the steaming bowlfuls with some greens to take the nutrition side of it further, but you can also top with a drizzle of cream, croutons and a dusting of parmesan or pair it with guyère grilled cheese sandwiches.

Garlic and Herb Butternut Squash Soup

• 1 medium butternut squash

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 yellow onions, chopped

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 cup finely chopped herbs (I prefer rosemary and sage)

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 4 to 6 cups water or vegetable broth (depending on desired consistency)

• Salt, to taste

Preheat the oven to 420 degrees. Slice the butternut squash lengthwise, drizzle the cut sides with olive oil and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until it’s easily punctured with a fork.

While the squash is roasting, sauté the chopped onions in butter on the stove in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Once translucent and soft, add the garlic, herbs, and nutmeg and cook slowly over low heat until the squash is done (you don’t want to burn the garlic).

When the squash is cooked through and cool enough to handle, discard the seeds and scoop the squash out and spoon it into the pot. Add the water or broth, and bring the heat up to medium. Blend with an immersion blender, add salt to taste, and serve.

A good dose of rain over the past few weeks blessed my little town with lush green hillsides and blooming backyard roses, spurring a craving for meals that warm you from the inside out after a day’s worth of rain boot stomping and umbrella wielding. As we’re now teetering on the edge of springtime and looking towards summer, perhaps a whopping bowl of hot soup may not be a viable option for this week’s dinner due to a sunny locality, but for the unexpected June thunderstorm and the last rainy days of spring, this makes for a comforting meal when the weather turns. Keep this recipe tucked away for when you find yourself craving soup, for now and for six months from now, whether it’s the way the clouds are rolling in or a simple pang of wanting.

Tomato Soup

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 white or yellow onion, chopped

• 1/2 cup red wine

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/4 cup tomato paste

• 2 28 oz cans whole San Marzano tomatoes, with juices

• 8 cups filtered water

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• Pinch of nutmeg

• 2 generous teaspoons herbes de Provence

• 1/2 cup whole milk (optional)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot, melt the butter and add the olive oil. Add the onion, cooking over medium-low heat until translucent, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook until the mixture begins to brown on the bottom of the pot. Then, add the wine and the balsamic vinegar, scraping up any bits at the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Allow the wine to simmer for about 5 minutes or until it’s reduced a bit.

Add the San Marzano tomatoes with their juices, 8 cups of filtered water, the sugar, nutmeg, and herbes de Provence. Bring to a gentle boil, then turn the heat down and allow the soup to simmer for 1 hour, uncovered.

After the soup has simmered for 1 hour, it should be reduced by about 1/4th of its volume. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until there are no bits of tomato or onion left and it’s quite smooth. Add the milk (optional, and if you do, be sure not to allow the soup to boil after adding it), and the salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with torn pieces of toasted bread and a sprinkling of cheese on top.

This soup is autumn in a bowl. Blended with warming spices and slightly sweet, each bite makes me wish that butternut squash was in season all year long. Perhaps, though, it’s the seasonality of it that makes it just so delicious. It contains only vegetables and vegetable stock, and no heavy cream. That makes it a healthful, light sort of soup, and the squash when well blended transforms into a velvety texture. However, I like to swirl some cream on the top on occasion, as pictured. You can also add a bit to the whole pot of soup, if you fancy a butternut squash soup that sports a bit more richness. Carrots add a bit of flavor, substance, and color to the soup, but you may omit them if you don’t happen to have a few large ones on hand for a soup that focuses only on the squash.

Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup

• 1 butternut squash, halved and seeds discarded

• 4 large carrots, peeled and chopped

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves finely chopped

• 2 teaspoons honey

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ginger

• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

• 6 cups vegetable stock

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Cream, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds, for topping.

  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rub the butternut squash with the olive oil and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the squash is very soft and starting to brown.

  While the squash is roasting, heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter, then the carrots, onion, and rosemary. Sauté until the carrots are softened and the onion is translucent. Add the honey and spices and stir until fragrant, about one minute. Add the vegetable stock, and simmer until the squash is done roasting.

  When the squash is cooked, scoop it all out of the skin and place into the pot with the vegetables and stock. Using an immersion blender, blend the vegetables, stock, and squash until the soup’s texture is smooth and velvety (you may also use a blender, working in batches and placing a towel over the top of the blender to allow steam to escape, returning the mixture to the pot when finished). Serve hot, drizzling the bowls with some cream if you like and topping with pumpkin and sunflower seeds for a bit of crunch.

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