A Wesley Seminary class came to Seekers for a field trip and I was asked to cater and talk about what it was like growing up in the community.
I decided on a Roasted Vegetable Minestrone from the Pioneer Woman. However I didn’t want to deal with the pasta because I was afraid it’d get soggy sitting in a large pot of soup. So I left out the pasta and added some extra beans. I love roasted vegetables, so I had high hopes for this soup and it didn’t disappoint.
Roasted Vegetable and White Bean Soup
Serves 25
Adapted from the Pioneer Woman
- 5 zucchini, diced
- 5 summer squash, diced
- 24 oz white mushrooms, chopped
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Kosher salt to taste
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 onions, diced
- 6 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 head of celery, sliced (can include leaves)
- 20 cups low sodium vegetable broth (5 32oz boxes)
- 4 large cans (28oz) cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cans (14oz) diced tomatoes in juice
- 1 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 1 bag frozen cut green beans
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spread zucchini, summer squash, and mushrooms onto jelly roll pans and drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of Kosher salt. Be careful not to overcrowd the pans or the vegetables will steam instead of roasting (if this happens it will take about twice as long to get yummy browning on the vegetables). Allow vegetables to roast for about 20-30 minutes, until browning.
Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat and add garlic and onions and saute for a few minutes. Add chopped carrots and celery and cook until beginning to soften, about 10 minutes. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, turmeric, and green beans; simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Add roasted vegetables and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and crusty bread.
I also made a Lime Vinaigrette to go with the salad. I didn’t measure my ingredients, but I whisked together the juice of 3 limes, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, dill, and sugar until it was to my liking. I actually wasn’t thrilled with how it turned out until I actually ate it on the salad and then I thought it was pretty great. The lime juice really brightened up the salad.
We had rolls and more Garlic-Herb butter. But for me, the real star of the show was dessert. I made Key Lime Blueberry Swirl Cupcakes with Lime Cream Cheese Frosting. Quite the mouthful!
Key Lime Blueberry Swirl Cupcakes
Makes 24 cupcakes
Adapted from Here
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 5 Tbsp key lime juice
- 2 Tbsp lime zest (about 3 regular limes)
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- about 1 cup blueberry syrup (I had leftover syrup from Fat Tuesday)
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy, add the eggs one at a time making sure each is well incorporated before adding the next. Add the zest and key lime juice and mix well.
Add the flour to the butter in thirds, alternating with buttermilk and ending with the final third of flour. Mix until just combined.
Spoon the batter into muffin tins and then spoon about 1 Tbsp of blueberry syrup on top and use a toothpick to swirl the syrup into the batter. Bake until tops are springy and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool briefly in the pan before removing to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Lime Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 oz (2 packages) cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 c. butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 Tbsp lime zest
Using an electric mixer, blend all ingredients except lime zest together until well mixed. Add the lime zest and mix thoroughly.
I loved these cupcakes. They’re a great combination of tangy and sweet. The cupcakes were very moist and tender. Can’t wait to make them again!
Yum! This soup does look delicious.
I’d love to make this soup but I’m single and this is just too large. I’d be eating it for a month. I am not an experimenter or cook but I can follow a recipe. Can you post a scaled down version for maybe 6 to 10 servings? Thank you.