"Rule of Thirds" Soup for a Warming #SundaySupper

Have you noticed the chill in the air? I know we are around here - just putting groceries into the car both my mom and I lost feeling to the tips of our fingers! As soon as our thermometers dropped all I could think about was the people either still without power or who just got it back after the storm - more than anything, they need this soul (and body!) warming #SundaySupper at their tables. Even here in the safety of our heated, electricity-fed home, that biting wind and constant icy drizzle outside slams the cold right into your bones, and it takes very fuzzy PJ pants and several cups of tea to thaw them out again.

But when it comes to warming, stick-to-your-ribs main dishes, the bowls have it. Whether it's a hearty pot pie, a scoop of casserole, a tureen of rich soup or a serving of simple stew with a hunk of crusty bread, few things are so comforting to both eat and make! The time and love it takes to prepare something hearty enough to stand up to Old Man Winter is soothing to the souls of diners worldwide, and the very crafting of the meal is a very zen-like experience for most cooks on a Sunday morning. The smell of dinner cooking, intensifying with every passing hour, calls kids, parents, friends and visitors to the table, all ensured a fabulous reward for having waited so long.

After our Thanksgiving meal back in October, I wanted to re-harness all the roasted goodness the turkey had given to the holiday table. The first thing I did was make stock, sticking the bones into a mesh produce bag with a half head of garlic, a chopped onion, some backyard carrots, 4 stalks of celery, half a sliced lemon, a few bay leaves and peppercorns and a pinch of salt. After simmering all day, all I had to do was remove the bag and reduce the liquid a touch! The next day, I set about making a more or less "traditional" turkey and vegetable soup. With a brilliant shade of yellow from vibrant (and healthy!) turmeric, the broth soon filled with scents of rosemary and thyme. Carrots, peas, leeks, celery, new potatoes and a White Swan squash rounded out the mix before I added the leftover cooked meat.

While I was writing out what was going into this most recent soupy incarnation, I noticed that (almost) everything that went into it was divisible by 3! I didn't even realize I was doing it at the time, but go figure - my OCD must be acting up again! I decided, as a result, to name the final product the "Rule of Thirds" Soup, which photographers and artists out there will appreciate but still makes total sense to us lay people!

We have over 50 contributors to our warming #SundaySupper (hosted by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen) this week, bringing you their best warm you up dishes. We have everything from stews, soups, main entrees and even some hot drinks and desserts. Just look at the list below that is coming to the #SundaySupper table this week!

Main Entrees: 

• Carrot, Parsnip and Lentil Casserole  - Happy Baking Days
• Chicken with Herbed Dumplings – Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Chicken pot pie – Gotta Get Baked
• Cholula Chicken Enchiladas – Kwistin’s Favorites
• Eggplant Parmesan – The Hand That Rocks The Ladle
• Roasted Roots and Fruits with Sausage – Shockingly Delicious

Chili/Stews:

• Beer-Braised Beef – Sustainable Dad
• Bigos {Authentic Polish Hunter’s Stew} – From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Brunswick Stew and Rice – Big Bear’s Wife
• Calico Beans – Home Cooking Memories
• Carbonnade Flamande – The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Chicken Cacciatore {Hunter Style Stew} with Easy Creamy Polenta –Webicurean
• Chicken & Mushroom Stew On Egg Noodles –  Galactosemia in PDX
• Cowboy Beef Stew - Comfy Cuisine 
• Ham and String Beans –  Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Hearty Moose Meatball Stew – Mrs. Mama Hen
• Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili - Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Lentil and Chorizo Stew – Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Seafood Gumbo and Soul Warming #SundaySupper Wine Pairings - ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
• Soul Warming Hearty Beef Stew - In The Kitchen With KP

Soups:

• 30 Minute Black Bean Soup – Supper for a Steal
• Black Bean Soup – Basic and Delicious 
• Black Bean Soup with Hot Roast Pepper Cream - The Lovely Pantry
• Canadian Beer Cheese Soup – Juanita’s Cocina
• Chicken Soup with Dumplings – The Messy Baker
• Chicken Tortilla Soup – Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Coconut Curry Chicken Soup – Damn Delicious
• Easy Chicken and Dumplings – My Catholic Kitchen
• Easy Italian Wedding Soup – Family Foodie
• Easy Wonton Soup – Soni’s Food
• French Onion Soup – Momma’s Meals
• Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings – I Run For Wine
• Lasagna Soup – Cravings of a Lunatic
• Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup – Mangiamo
• Lentil and Bacon Soup – Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Lentil Soup with Spinach – Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Peppery Mulligatawny Soup with Cherry Tomatoes & Cilantro – Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Pozolillo Verde {Green Chicken & Corn Pozole} – La Cocina de Leslie
• Red Lentil Soup with Crispy Aromatic Coriander – Chattering Kitchen
• Roasted Jalapeno Soup – Chocolate Moosey
• Rule of Thirds Soup - What Smells So Good?
• Seafood Chowder – Noshing with the Nolands
• Spanish Garlic Soup – Pippi’s In The Kitchen Again
• Spicy Gumbo Z’herbes – Pescetarian Journal
• Spicy Korean Brisket Soup {Yukgaejang} - Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup {Jjamppong} – Kimchi Mom
• Spicy Udon Noodle Soup – My Trials In The Kitchen
• Turkey Noodle Soup – Magnolia Days
• Tuscan Bean Soup  - The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Twisted Chicken Noodle Soup – The Meltaways
• Warm You Up Spicy Bacon Cheeseburger Soup - Daily Dish Recipes

Desserts/Beverages:

• Hot Fudge Pudding Cake – That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• White Hot Chocolate with Orange – GirliChef

White Swan Squash

Join on us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper. In the evening we will meet at 7pm EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat. All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat. We’d also love to feature your Sunday Supper Soul Warming Recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers, too.

"Rule of Thirds" Soup 
 Serves 8 as a lunch main
1 tbsp olive oil
3 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, sliced thinly
3 leeks, sliced thinly (white and non-fibrous green parts)
1 white swan squash (or small acorn squash), peeled, seeded and diced
15 new potatoes, quartered
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne (to taste)
8 cups homemade turkey broth
12 oz cooked turkey, chopped
1/3 cup frozen peas

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the celery, carrots, leeks, squash and potatoes. Stir well, cover and cook 8 minutes.
3. Uncover, stir again and cook 1-2 minutes longer, then add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, turmeric, salt, pepper and cayenne.
4. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
5. Add broth, stirring well, then bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 40 minutes.
7. Add turkey and peas, re-cover and cook 10 minutes longer.
8. Serve immediately or cool, portion and freeze.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 207.8
Total Fat: 4.6 g
Cholesterol: 27.5 mg
Sodium: 1,636.7 mg
Total Carbs: 28.8 g
Dietary Fiber: 4.6 g
Protein: 12.6 g