Poor Man's Treasure Soup with Parmesan Herb Scones

A large pot of warm and hearty soup simmering on the stove is the ideal comfort food to come home to on a cold day. I call this recipe "Poor Man's Treasure Soup" because it is full of nutrition and has a delicious depth of flavor without costing a lot of money. At a time when people are tightening their belts and economizing, homemade soup is a wise meal choice. It goes a long way and keeps well in the fridge. During the long, cold months in Maine, I usually make one or two pots a week, then we return to it for other meals during the rest of the week and the taste just gets better as the flavors "marry." Even though it's certainly delicious on the first night, it's truly better a day or two later!

To accompany my steaming bowl full of healthy, I made some savory parmesan and herb scones. Scones are similar to a biscuit, but not as flaky. They are extremely easy to make, taking only about 30 minutes from start to finish. They don't require kneading or even a rolling pin, just pat them into a square shape and cut them to size. This recipe pairs beautifully with soup, but they are also delicious for snacking or topped with an herbed cream cheese spread.
Poor Man's Treasure Soup(Makes eight 1½ cup servings)
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ large onion, chopped
4 stalks celery (including leaves), sliced
3 carrots, cubed
2 chicken and spinach sausages, quartered lengthwise and cut into bite-size pieces
6 cups chopped kale
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 bay leaf
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
One 15.5 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
¾ cup frozen peas, thawed
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sprinkle with a little salt and continue cooking until onion is soft. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add celery and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.

2. Add sausage and continue cooking until sausage has begun to brown. Add herbs and stir to combine. Add chopped kale and cook until greens are wilted. Add stock to pot and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes. Add drained and rinsed beans and peas to pot, return soup to a boil and continue simmering for 10 minutes. Taste to adjust seasonings and add salt and pepper only if necessary. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Nutritional Information per serving (1½ cups): 156 calories, 19 g carbohydrate, 4.1 g total fat, 0.6 g saturated fat, 4.4 g fiber, 13.4 g protein
Original recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2009

Savory Parmesan and Herb Scones(Makes 32 mini scones)
1¼ cup almond flour (or finely ground blanched almonds)
½ cup all-purpose flour (or gluten free all-purpose baking mix)
¼ cup corn meal
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons mascarpone or cream cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons buttermilk (or milk that has been soured with ¼ teaspoon lemon juice)
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water for egg wash

1. Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Put butter in freezer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In food processor or in a large bowl, measure flours, corn meal, herbs, baking powder and salt. Pulse to combine or stir with a fork to break up any lumps and set aside while you measure out the rest of the ingredients.

3. When all ingredients are assembled, place cold cubed butter into processor and pulse a few times until butter is distributed and mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and mascarpone or cream cheese and pulse again to combine. Add Parmesan and pulse 2-3 times to distribute. Finally, while the food processor is running, add buttermilk one tablespoon at a time until a soft dough forms, then turn off machine. Do not over beat dough. (If not using food processor, cut butter into flour mixture with pastry cutter. Add remaining ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms.)

4. Turn dough onto a well floured counter or board (the dough will be sticky). Pat dough into an 8" x 8" square, about ¾-inch thick. Cut dough into 4 strips, and then cut across to create sixteen 2-inch squares. Cut each square into two triangles until you have 32 mini scones. (If necessary, dip knife into flour between cuts to prevent sticking.) Place scones on cookie sheet about 1-inch apart. Brush tops with egg wash.

5. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. These are best eaten warm out of the oven, or store in airtight container at room temperature.

Nutritional Information per mini scone: 75.6 calories, 3.2 g carbohydrate, 6 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0.6 g fiber, 3 g protein.

Original recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2009