Ingredients

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 yellow onions, finely chopped
• 2 cups chopped carrots
• 6 tbsp tomato paste
• 4 tbsp red curry paste
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 butternut squash
• 8 cups (1 quart) vegetable broth
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 4 tsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp Sriracha
• Red chili oil
• Optional garnishes: toasted pumpkin seeds, cilantro, green onions, pomegranate seeds, chili oil, chili peppers

Instructions

1. Turn on the thinkkitchen Quickpot to the Sauté mode. Add olive oil or butter, then sauté the onion and garlic with the spices for 2 to 3 minutes until they are tender.
2. Add the butternut squash and carrot. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Pour in the vegetable or chicken broth to cover the vegetables.
4. Place the lid on the thinkkitchen Quickpot and lock it. Select the Pressure Cook mode and set it for 20 minutes.
5. When cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
6. Use the thinkkitchen Pro-Blend Hand Blender to puree the soup until smooth and creamy. If you prefer, you can also transfer the soup to a blender.
7. Add the coconut milk, maple syrup, and Sriracha, and garnish with fresh herbs or pumpkin seeds. Drizzle some chili oil and serve the soup in the Sandstone Salad Bowl.

While butternut squash may seem like a more autumnal flavour, its warmth and subtle sweetness is exactly what you need to put a smile on your face when it’s dreary outside. Enjoy making this comforting and aromatic soup anytime you feel you need something to brighten your day.

Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash, halved and seeded
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• ½ cup chopped shallot
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 to 2 tablespoons butter, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the butternut squash on the pan and drizzle each half. Rub the oil over the inside of the squash and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
2. Turn the squash face down and roast until it is tender and completely cooked through, about 40 to 50 minutes. Set the squash aside until it’s cool enough to handle.
3. Meanwhile, in a large stock pot, warm up 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add your chopped shallot and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until the shallot has softened and is starting to turn golden on the edges.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring frequently. Transfer the contents to your trustly blender. 
4. Use a large spoon to scoop the butternut squash flesh into your blender. Discard the tough skin. Add the maple syrup, nutmeg and some freshly ground black pepper to the blender. Pour in 3 cups vegetable broth or work in batches. 
5.  Stop blending once your soup is ultra creamy and warmed through.
6. If you would like to thin out your soup a bit more, stir in the remaining cup of broth. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil, to taste, and blend well. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Enjoy!

These were some of our favourite soups to get cozy and beat the winter blues. We hope that you recreate these recipes at home. Tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments to share your creations with us! Enjoy.

This version is an easier, less elaborate version of the Jewish classic, perfect for first timers. Serve it fresh, reheat it, or freeze and thaw it for the perfect make-ahead meal. With dumplings made of matzah meal (crushed unleavened bread) that beautifully absorb the classic chicken broth (or vegetable broth if you’d rather make a vegetarian version!), this hard-to-resist soup, dating all the way back to 1846, is sure to become a favourite in your household. 

Want to make it? Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients:

Broth:

• 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 stalks of celery, diced
• 1 boneless or bone-in chicken breast, about 3/4 lb, skinless
• 6 cups of chicken broth
• 2 cups of water
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• Fresh dill, to taste

Matzah Balls:

• 3 large eggs
• 3 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup matzo meal
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 3 tbsp water

Preparation:

• Make the matzo ball dough by whisking the eggs and the oil together in a medium bowl. Add the matzo meal, baking powder, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper and stir until well combined. Then, add the water and stir until smooth before covering the mixture and placing it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This will allow the matzo meal to absorb the moisture for the most delectable matzah balls ever.
• To make the broth, add the vegetable or canola coil to a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the garlic, onion, celery, and carrots for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent.
• Add the skinless chicken breast, plus the water, the chicken broth, freshly cracked pepper, and a couple sprigs of dill to the pot. Cover and let it come to a boil before turning down the heat to low and leaving it to simmer, still covered, for at least 30 minutes.
• Once the broth has simmered, remove the chicken breast and shred it with a fork. If using bone-in breast, remove and discard the bones. Place the shredded chicken back into the broth and add salt to taste.
• Take the matzo ball mix out of the fridge and use a portion scoop or your hands to create 1-inch balls. Carefully drop each one in the simmering broth as you finish shaping them, covering the pot with the lid each time. Once all the balls are in the broth, let simmer on low heat, covered, for 20 minutes. The balls will be ready once they float to the surface.
• Serve immediately by garnishing with one or two sprigs of fresh dill, or let cool and store in a hermetically sealed container for later enjoyment.

Easy and so delicious – we promise this matzo ball soup recipe will get bubbe’s approval! If you make this recipe and want to share it with us, tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons

Yellow onions, 2 medium (halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces)

Irish whiskey, 3 tablespoons

Granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon

Kosher salt, 1½ teaspoons and a pinch

All-purpose flour, 1½ tablespoons

1 clove of Garlic (finely chopped)

Guinness beer, ½ cup

Beef stock or broth, 6½ cups

Freshly ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon

Crusty baguette, eight ¾-inch-thick slices

Sharp cheddar , eight ¼-inch-thick slices

Preparation:

Here’s where your trusted Quickpot comes in! Start by selecting the high sauté setting. Add the butterl into the pressure cooker.. Once the butter has melted, add the onions, sugar, and salt, and whiskey, and stir with a wooden spoon, separating the onion layers and coating the slices with the fat.

Cover the pot and let the onions cook.

Stir occasionally, until the onions turn a darker shade of brown, 4 to 6 minutes.  Stir in the All-purpose flour and chopped garlic and  Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Then, while stirring, pour in the Guinness (or dark Irish beer of your choice), stirring occasionally, until the beer is reduced by one-third, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the broth and secure the pressure cooker lid in its sealing position, then select the manual setting, and set the time for 5 minutes at high pressure.

When it’s finished cooking,  let the pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes, then move the pressure release valve to “venting” to release any remaining steam.

At this point, the soup will stay hot on the “warm” setting for up to 10 hours, until you are ready to serve it.

Prepare an oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the broiler to high. Divide the soup among 4 oven-safe french onion soup bowls and set them on a rimmed baking sheet. To each bowl, add 2 bread slices Cover each slice of bread with 2 pieces of the: 2 pieces sliced sharp cheddar Set the rimmed baking sheet on the upper-middle oven rack and broil until the cheese is melted, golden and bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes

Remove from the oven and serve! Piping hot bowls of your Irish Onion Soup, perfect for St. Patricks Day!

If you make this recipe and want to share it with us, tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.

Ingredients:

Soup:
4 red bell peppers
3 large tomatoes
1 small onion
5 garlic cloves
6 ounces tomato paste
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 cups water or stock
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Garnish:
olive oil
black pepper
parmesan
fresh basil

Preparation:

Before you begin prepping, first turn the top broiler on in your oven.

Slice the red bell peppers, tomatoes and onion in half. Remove the seeds and stems from the bell peppers, the stems from the tomatoes and the outer peel from the onion. Then, place these all on a baking tray and drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Rub the oil and seasoning on both sides of the veggies.

Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until the top side has a nice black char on it.

Transfer the bell pepper to a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap for about 20 minutes, to steam.

When the other veggies are cool enough to handle, remove their skins and transfer to your blender.
Add the tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, dried basil and water (or stock) to your blender. Blend everything on high until smooth.

Before serving, top with optional garnish.

We love this recipe, so flavourful and unctuous and makes great company to a grilled cheese! If you make this recipe and want to share with us, tag us on Instagram @stokesstores and use the hashtag #StokesMoments.