It was happenstance, said Beckye Parker and Roger Carswell, that each had the wherewithal to pass on soup recipes at Iola Public Library’s first cooking class for adults.
When Parker decided a year ago to eat healthier, a butternut squash she toted home from the grocery languished. She looked online, found a recipe and converted the squash to soup, which soon disappeared.
Tomato soup generally never struck Carswell as particularly appealing — until he tasted that served at a small restaurant in Peabody.
Parker, special needs consultant for the Southeast Kansas Library System, and Carswell, director of Iola Public Library and the SEK system, made their specialties for six women at “Soup Two Ways” in the Flewharty-Powell Library Annex kitchen Saturday afternoon.
Parker cited the health advantages of the butternut squash. It has generous quantities of vitamins A, E and B6 as well as potassium, manganese and magnesium — a veritable nutrients closet wrapped in a chunky goose neck shaped shell.
After citing its health advantages, Parker gave a detailed demonstration of how to make it into soup.
Carswell said adult cooking classes could develop into a series of programs and encouraged the six participants to recommend other topics.
“We have this nice kitchen and we need to take advantage of it,” he said.
Parker said the Internet is a treasure trove of recipes, many of which also include dietary information about such things as calories, cholesterol, carbohydrates and fat content.
The recipes are:
Ohio Tomato Bisque
2 thick slices of bacon
1 No. 2 can stewed tomatoes
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon minced green onion
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
1 small can tomato soup
1 1/2 cup half and half
Cut bacon in half-inch pieces and fry. Cut tomatoes and with spices add to bacon. Simmer 5 minutes. Add tomato soup and simmer another 5 minutes. Don’t boil. Slowly add half and half.
Serve with cheese or croutons for additional flavorings.
Butternut Squash Soup
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 butternut squash, baked and tender
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cube chicken bouillon
1 pinch ground cumin
1 pinch ground allspice
3/4 cup cream (optional)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Saute onion and thyme in butter until tender.
Cut squash in two and discard pulp. Brush with olive oil and roast 20 minutes in 400-degree oven. Remove meat with fork.
Add squash to chicken broth. Add spices and cream. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Puree in electric blender and serve.
