A nice and healthy vegetable soup to enjoy on a cold day. Adding leftover turkey would be a nice touch. This recipe is from USA Weekend.

• One 15.5-ounce can cannellini or other small white beans, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
• 1 Tb. olive oil
• 1/2  large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium carrot, diced (about ½ cup)
• 2 stalks celery, diced (about ½ cup)
• 1 small zucchini (about ½ pound), diced (about 1½ cups)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)
• 1 Tb. chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried
• 2 tsps. chopped fresh sage or ½ tsp. dried
• 1/2  tsp. salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4  tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• One 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juices
• 2 ounces baby spinach leaves (2 cups lightly packed), chopped
• 1/3 cup freshly grated 1/3 Parmesan cheese (optional

In a small bowl, mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon; set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil.

Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves; cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.

Serve topped with the Parmesan, if desired.

Serves 6

Thanksgiving is next week and certainly pumpkin pie is on your menu. Why not make them with puree made from fresh organic pumpkins? Here’s how as published by The Arizona Republic.

A 5-pound pumpkin yields about 1 1/2 pounds of puree.

Once cooked, leftover cooked pumpkin can be frozen up to 16 months.

When cutting pumpkins, use a serrated knife and a sawing motion.

To make by steaming, cut pumpkin in half, remove seeds, pulp and stringy portion. Cut into small pieces and peel. Place in a steamer or metal colander that will fit in a covered pot. Steam for about 50 minutes or until tender. Puree in a blender or food processor or put through a food mill.

To roast, cut pumpkin into quarters, remove seeds, pulp and stringy portion. Place the pumpkin quarters in a baking dish. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover pan with a lid or foil. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 45 to 60 minutes. Allow pumpkin to cool slightly and scoop out flesh. Puree in a blender or food processor or put through a food mill.

This dish looks impressive and is especially wonderful when you use fresh organic vegetables and herbs. This recipe is from The Reluctant Entertainer.

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 small shallots, finely chopped
• 4-5 medium red potatoes, sliced
• 1 medium zucchini
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 8 eggs
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 3 green onions (or use the greens from the shallots)
• 2-3 fresh tomatoes (I used heirloom)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil to oven-proof skillet. Heat on medium-high and add finely sliced shallots and the potatoes. Salt and pepper; add paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally until brown and tender (about 10-12 minutes). Add the sliced zucchini and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until tender.

Add in the fresh chopped basil, removing the pan from the heat.

Create 4 evenly spaced wells in the potatoes and add 1 tablespoon of butter in each well.

Crack 2 eggs in each well, making sure you don’t break the yolk. Salt and pepper.

Place the skillet in the oven, without a lid, and bake for 8-10 minutes (until egg whites are baked through but you want the yokes to be runny).

Remove the skillet from the oven and sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Place back in the oven for 2 minutes.

Garnish with sliced green onions and freshly sliced tomatoes. Service while hot.

Serves 8