no oven, no problem

Carrot and squash soup with coriander. Our oven is broken!

I pretty much freaked out when it happened and even more so when I learned it wouldn't be fixed for a couple of weeks. Fortunately, the stovetop still works, so I've been making skillet meals but also relying heavily on my slow cooker. This is the second batch of soup I've made (the first being a delicious split pea soup that somehow missed its moment in front of the camera), and it's really hit the spot during the past few nippy days.

I used lots of carrots but also threw in a kabocha squash that came up volunteer in our garden this year. We got two pumpkins and two kabocha squashes from last year's compost--isn't that awesome? They're a bear to peel, so I heated it in the microwave for about 5 minutes so I could cut into it and scoop out the flesh. It blended in with carrots quite nicely, both flavor-wise and in appearance!

I used heaps of ground coriander in this soup, a spice I've only recently started using. I also added cumin and ginger, and all told, I think the medley was ideal--warming, spicy, and very aromatic. Plus, you can't top that color!

Orange Soup
(printable recipe)

Serves 4-6
Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 to 2 pounds carrots (about 8 large), peeled and sliced
• 1/2 to 1 pound winter squash, cut from the skin, seeded, and coarsely chopped (I used kabocha, but any will do!)
• 2-3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
• 1 tart apple, cored and chopped
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 cups chicken stock, plus more if necessary
• 1-2 tablespoons lime juice

Directions:
In slow cooker, stir together carrots, squash, celery, apple, onion, bay leaf, coriander, cumin, salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes.
Add enough stock to cover everything and stir until well combined.
Cover and cook on high 4 hours or on low 8 hours.
Remove bay leaf and puree soup with an immersion blender until smooth (or transfer soup to blender in batches and puree).
Return soup to slow cooker bowl and stir in lime juice.
Taste and season with additional spices, salt, and pepper as needed.
If you're feeling fancy, serve with yogurt or sour cream and garnish with fresh cilantro.