(Family Features) Celebrate the change of seasons with a change in the menu. These recipes for soups, salads and sides featuring seasonal foods will be a welcome addition to the table. And they’re simpler and quicker than ever when from-scratch ingredients are paired with convenient prepared options.
Soups: Cooler weather heralds the return to warm, satisfying soups. Versatile German Potato Salad Soup is an easy main dish that takes advantage of ready-to-use canned German potato salad. Simply combine the potato salad with sautéed bell pepper and onion, beer and a meat choice, if desired. Ready in 30 minutes.
Tip: Top the soup with crunchy rye croutons and crumbled bacon.
Sides: Roasting enhances the flavor of vegetables and fills the house with enticing aromas. Hearty Roasted Vegetables is a colorful mix of red onion wedges, baby portobellos, butternut squash, Brussels sprouts and herbs, plus a jar of whole pickled beets. The sweet-tanginess of the beets adds a delicious new dimension to the roasted flavor profile.
Tip: Vary the herbs … try sage and parsley, or other on-hand favorites.
Salads: Focus on seasonal textures, flavors and ingredients. Beet and Red Cabbage Salad is delicious and doubles up on nutrient-rich vegetables. Using jarred pickled beets and sweet and sour red cabbage, all of the pickling, slicing and shredding is already done. Crisp-tart apple and crunchy toasted pecans are added just before serving.
Tip: Try substituting pears for the apple, walnuts for the pecans. Or, sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese.
For more delicious seasonal menu ideas, visit www.auntnellies.com and www.READsalads.com.
German Potato Salad Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cans READ German Potato 15 ounces each
- Salad chopped*
- 1 can light beer 12 ounces
- 3/4 cup reduced-sodium fat free chicken broth
- 6 ounces 1 cup diced ham, smoked turkey or
- smoked sausage, sliced optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt optional
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- Rye croutons optional
- Crumbled bacon optional
Instructions
- Sauté onion and bell pepper in oil in a Dutch oven or 3-quart saucepan over medium heat until onion just starts to brown, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add potato salad, beer, broth and meat, if using; stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt, if desired, pepper and parsley.
- Serve topped with rye croutons and bacon, if desired.
Notes
Hearty Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 jar Aunt Nellie’s Whole Pickled Beets 16 ounces, drained
- 1 medium red onion cut into
- 10 wedges
- 2 cups baby portobello
- mushrooms cleaned and
- stems trimmed
- 2 cups butternut squash pieces
- 3/4-inch pieces
- 2 cups Brussels sprouts ends
- trimmed and scored with
- a cross cut
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh
- rosemary
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh
- thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place all vegetables except Brussels sprouts on a rimmed baking sheet (15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch) and drizzle with olive oil. Add garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper; toss to coat. Roast in oven 15 minutes.
- Add Brussels sprouts; stir and continue to roast until vegetables are tender and browned, about 30 minutes, stirring once. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Beet and Red Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
- 1 jar Aunt Nellie’s Pickled Beets 16 ounces, whole or sliced
- 1 jar Aunt Nellie’s Sweet & Sour Red Cabbage 16 ounces
- 1/3 cup red currant jelly
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1 cup chopped Granny Smith apple (about 1 small
- apple)
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans*
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Drain beets and cabbage, combining both liquids in a small bowl. Pour 1/2 cup of the combined liquids into a small saucepan; discard remainder. Add red currant jelly and cloves to saucepan; whisk to combine. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until liquid is thickened and reduced to 1/3 cup, about 10 minutes. Cool.
- Meanwhile, cut sliced beets in half, or whole beets into wedges. Toss beets, cabbage and green onions with cooled red currant dressing.
- Just before serving, stir in apple and pecans. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- *To toast pecans, bake in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet in preheated 350°F oven until fragrant, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from baking sheet; cool.