With the fall leaves dropping and chilly temperatures setting in, supper club decided to make three different soups this week as well as celebrate someone's birthday.

Minestrone Soup

• 1 tablespoon pancetta chopped up

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 carrots, diced

• 1 celery stick, diced

• 1 zucchini, sliced or chopped

• 1 yellow squash chopped

• 1 potato, peeled and diced

• I container of chicken stock

• 1 can whole tomatoes drained and chopped

• 1 teaspoon oregano

• 2 bay leaves

• Salt and pepper

• Parmesan cheese

• Fresh basil

• Can of cannelloni beans, drained

1. Sauté pancetta for 2-3 min in tablespoon of olive oil.

2. Add onion, celery and carrots and cook until softened 5 min

3. Add chicken stock, tomatoes and drained beans

4. Add bay leaf

5. Add diced potato

6. Add zucchini and squash

7. Add salt and pepper

8. Cover and simmer on low for 1 hr

9. Stir occasionally

10. After 1 hr add 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese grated and fresh basil and cook for another 5-8 min

Serve with fresh Parmesan and bread.

Chicken Noodle Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced thin

• 2 celery stalks, sliced thin

• 1 onion, peeled and diced small

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 8 cups chicken broth, plus more if desired

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 teaspoon thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste

• 12 ounces noodles

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken

• 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

• salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil and heat and add the carrots, celery, onion, and sauté for about 7 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften.

2. Add the garlic and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, pepper, and bring to a boil. Allow mixture to boil gently for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are fork-tender

4. Add the noodles and boil mixture for about 10 minutes, or until noodles are soft and cooked through.

5. Add the chicken and parsley, and boil 1 to 2 minutes, or until chicken is warmed through and serve.

Spicy Black Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 yellow onions, chopped

• 1 celery ribs, finely chopped

• 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

• 3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

• 1 tablespoons ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (use ¼ teaspoon if you’re sensitive to spice)

• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained

• 2 cups (32 ounces) low-sodium vegetable broth

• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Optional garnishes: diced avocado, extra cilantro, thinly sliced radishes, tortilla chips…

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the olive oil . Add the onions, celery and carrot and a light sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetable are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Stir in the garlic, cumin and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the beans and broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook, reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, until the broth is flavorful and the beans are very tender, about 30 minutes.

3. Transfer about 4 cups of the soup to a stand blender, securely fasten the lid, and blend until smooth (never fill your blender past the maximum fill line, and beware the steam that escapes from the top of the blender, it’s very hot). Or, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup.

4. Return the pureed soup to the pot, stir in the cilantro, vinegar/lime juice and salt and pepper, to taste. Serve.