The Southwest Seasoning is a blend I get from Penzey's but you can also get blends from your regular grocery store. Penzey's is: salt, sweet ancho pepper, onion, garlic, Tellicherry black pepper,Mexican oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, chipotle and cilantro. The seasoning is good but you could substitute black pepper and a kick like cayenne. Or, you could just leave it out and the soup is still very good. I like the tumeric mostly for the color...and it's good for you:) Sharon, thank you! We had the fresh salmon cakes last week for the first time since Spring. They are one of our Fall and Winter dishes. During warmer months we usually grill all our fish. (BTW, I've missed your pictures too...always beautiful!!!) Marilyn

Well, this thread made me hungry, so I madee this soup last night. All I can say is YUMMO! I didn't see your update, either, Marilyn. I used tortillas. I like that they are cooked and pureed in the soup rather than toasted and used as a garnish. Beachlily, here is a non creamy tortilla soup that I made for our annual soup party last fall. It's really good! Tortilla Soup with Chipotle Crema courtesy Emeril LaGasse 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup chopped onions 2 teaspoons chopped garlic 1 poblano pepper, and 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1 tablespoon tomato paste 6 cups chicken stock 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying 6 stale corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips 1 teaspoon Essence (recipe follows) 1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped, for garnish Chipotle Crema, accompaniment, recipe follows In a Dutch oven or large heavy pot, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, peppers, salt, cumin, and coriander for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and lime juice, and stir well. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm. Heat the oil in a heavy pot or electric fryer to 350 degrees F. Add the tortilla strips in batches and fry until golden and crisp, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with the Essence. Ladle the soup into 4 or 6 serving bowls. Garnish each serving with the diced avocado, the fried tortilla strips, and Chipotle Crema. Chipotle Crema 1/2 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce 1/8 teaspoon salt In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients. Process on high speed until smooth. Serve with the soup. Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika 2 tablespoons salt 2 tablespoons garlic powder 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon dried thyme Combine all ingredients thoroughly. I bought a jar of the Essence, already prepared, at the grocery store Linda

LynnNM, I made onion soup with your recipe and served it at a dinner party last night. It got rave reviews all around. I didn't need swim goggles. My 44 year old Oster Regency mixer/blender/food processor/meat grinder quickly cut the onions into perfect thin slices. Not a tear was shed. Thanks for the recipe. In return here is another soup recipe that I make that everyone loves Ina Garten’s Winter Minestrone Soup Ingredients: Good olive oil 4 ounces pancetta, ½-inch-diced 1½ cups chopped yellow onions 2 cups (½-inch) diced carrots (3 carrots) 2 cups (½-inch) diced celery (3 stalks) 2½ cups (½-inch) diced peeled butternut squash 1½ tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves) 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves 26 ounces canned or boxed chopped tomatoes, such as Pomi 6 to 8 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade 1 bay leaf Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 2 cups cooked small pasta, such as tubetti 8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves 1/2 cup good dry white wine 2 tablespoons store-bought pesto Garlic Bruschetta (see recipe) Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, 6 cups of the chicken stock, the bay leaf, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1-1/2 teaspoons pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Discard the bay leaf. Add the beans and cooked pasta and heat through. The soup should be quite thick but if it’s too thick, add more chicken stock. Just before serving, reheat the soup, add the spinach, and toss with 2 big spoons (like tossing a salad). Cook just until the leaves are wilted. Stir in the white wine and pesto. Depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock, add another teaspoon or two of salt to taste. Serve large shallow bowls of soup with a bruschetta on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and serve hot. Garlic Bruschetta 1 baguette Good olive oil 1 garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the baguette at a 45-degree angle in 1/2-inch-thick slices. Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and bake for 6 minutes, until lightly toasted. Take the slices out of the oven and rub the surface of each one with the cut clove of garlic. Here it is as a work in progress from when I made it in November This picture is from Ina Garten's website

Like Lars I like just about everything Pati Jinich makes. My recipe is similar. But I make and freeze 1/2 pint batches with roasted garden toms, sheet pan with more garlic, but similar to her method 'to-the-blender'. Freeze the puree. I can just add my frozen 1/2 pint to a quart of homemade stock. Simple and very brothy. Not at all like a stew. No celery or 'miro-poix'. In Mexico it is often a light vegetarian lunch/brunch with add-ons at the table. Always avocado and a crema but usually many small dishes that were prepped early in the day to go with all meals as desired. And often prepped for the day or weekend. No issues with tex-mix or American stew versions. Like Tamale pie or Taco stew. Hearty versions as one meal rather than a starter or light lunch/dinner/side salad meal. .