Sweet Potato and Apple Soup

It’s comfort week and I could easily spend our time together in this post complaining about the polar vortex snap that hit Canada, and most of the mid-west States, this week. However, it’s too obvious of a complaint and it’s also WAY too early for fussing about winter, especially since it’s not technically Winter yet. Instead I’ll get back to my regularly scheduled whining about the random circumstances in my day that make me cry. Recently, while I was doing a household chore that I dislike nearly as much as chipping ice from my windshield, I thought about how much extra time I’d have each week if I didn’t have to go back to the grocery store for that one thing I forgot or if I didn’t have to spend 30 minutes opening and closing the tray of our home printer to correct the mystery “error” that is causing the machine to hold the last few pages of Scarlett’s current events project hostage. You know, the copies of the articles we needed, like, yesterday. I bet I could fit in that manicure I so desperately need with all my found time. Now that’s what I call a comfort week!

I’m pretty certain I’d also have more time to make soup. I made this soup one afternoon when all I had lying around for dinner was a sweet potato and some apples. It turned into our family’s favourite cool weather dish. In fact, Scarlett said it was “the yummiest soup you have ever made, Mommy!” She’s over-selling but, I’m not gonna lie, it’s sweet and satisfying. We got so hooked on it, I started making it every week but, after a few busy weeks in a row, bam, no more soup. After my American Thanksgiving overeating binge next week (yes, it lasts a week), I’m going to get back to making soup. I figure if I give my husband the grocery list and make him do all the special school projects, I’ll have plenty of time for soup and, maybe, even my manicure.

Whenever I make this soup, I always like to have a grilled cheese alongside. However, not just any grilled cheese, one with sautéed pears. I just throw a pat a butter and half a pear cut into thin slices into a pan. Then I allow them to sauté a bit, remove them from the pan and set aside. Just before I add my grilled cheese to the pan I layer the pear slices over top the cheese and then cap with the bread. The combination is heaven, especially along with this sweetly rich soup.