Cook's Exchange | It's hot out there, so chill with these soups

While I was loading groceries in my car earlier this week, the woman in the next car said, "It's just too hot for shopping."

I had to agree; both supermarkets that I had been in must have had the thermostat above 80 degrees. It was hot in the stores and outside.

Now, it has to be hot for me not to want to shop. I was melting; all I wanted was my car's cool .

The thought of turning on my gas stove or cooking a full meal made my body temperature rise even higher.

My desire to keep cool ruled my menu selection: cold blueberry soup and smoked turkey sandwiches with schmears of cream cheese and mashed avocados.

Cold soups are the bomb. They are light, nutritious and can be made to accommodate low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets. For low-carb, home cooks can use heavy cream or half-and-half. Low-fat dieters can use nonfat half-and-half or evaporated skim milk. They all work in these predominantly vegetable or fruit soups.

I have been making cold soups for years, so I am somewhat surprised when someone has never eaten soup cold, especially in the South where we swelter during the summer months.

Here are a few easy cold soups that are high on flavor and keep the heat out of the kitchen.

CHILLED BLUEBERRY SOUP

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 slice lemon

1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups water

2-4 tablespoons of sugar, depending on desired sweetness

Pinch salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Water to dissolve cornstarch

1/4 cup heavy cream (can use fat-free half-and-half)

Frozen orange juice concentrate to

taste

In saucepan, combine blueberries, lemon, cinnamon and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Add sugar and salt. Combine cornstarch with a little water and add to mixture. Bring to a boil again and simmer 1 minute.

Remove cinnamon stick; puree mixture in blender until smooth. Add cream. Taste if a stronger flavor is desired add frozen orange juice, 1 teaspoon at a time until desired flavor is achieved. Cool and chill well. Serves 4-6.

-- From "Cordon Blue Grass"

CHILLED AVOCADO SOUP

3 ripe avocados, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup half and half cream

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon onion salt

White pepper to taste

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Lemon slices to garnish

Purple onion slices to garnish

Combine avocado and chicken broth in blender container. Cover and blend until smooth. Remove from blender and stir in half and half, salt and white pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Stir in lemon juice before serving. Garnish with lemon and purple onion slices. Serves 4-6.

-- From "Lone Star Legacy"

COLD SQUASH SOUP

1/4 cup butter

1- 1/2 cups finely chopped onion

4 cups chopped summer squash

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon sugar

2 cups whipping cream

Salt to taste

White pepper to taste

Nutmeg to taste

Parsley or chives to garnish

In saucepan, melt butter, add onion and cook on low heat until soft but not brown. Add squash and chicken broth. Cook until squash is tender. Add sugar. Put the mixture through a sieve or puree in a blender. Cool. Add cream and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Serve well chilled and sprinkled with chopped parsley or chives. Yields 10-12 servings.

-- From "Lone Star Legacy"

ASPARAGUS-TOMATO COOLER

2- 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and washed

3 medium tomatoes, peeled

2 teaspoons basil

Salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Dash cayenne pepper

6 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup sour cream

Half-and-half to thin soup

Cut 2-inch tips off 20 asparagus spear and cut the rest of spear into 1-inch pieces.

Cook asparagus, tomatoes and seasoning in 2 cups chicken stock, removing tips when they are just tender. Reserve tips for garnish.

Continue cooking mixture 20 minutes more or until stems are tender. Puree in blender.

Combine remaining stock, flour and sour cream with puree. Cook and stir until slightly thick. Force through a sieve. Thin with cream. Chill thoroughly.

Adjust seasonings. Garnish with asparagus tips.

-- From "Cordon Blue Grass"

More pepper recipes

Donna Johnston of Long Beach has an abundance of bell peppers, and she asked readers for recipes. Another Florida reader shares her favorite.

"You asked for additional pepper recipes. I'm attaching one that I made for a vegan friend," said Ellen J. Nyberg of Bradenton. "I have had the recipe for vegetable stuffed peppers for some time so not sure of the origin."

VEGETABLE STUFFED PEPPERS

Cook in 2 tablespoons butter 5 minutes, stirring constantly:

1/4 tablespoon chopped onion

1/4 tablespoon chopped green pepper

1/4 tablespoon sliced carrots, cut into bits

Add 2 tablespoons flour mixed with:

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon mustard

Few grains of cayenne pepper

Pour on 1/2 cup milk and stir constantly until it boils. Add 1 cup canned corn and cook slowly for 5 minutes. Add 1 egg slightly beaten and 2/3 cup buttered breadcrumbs.

Parboil 4 peppers for 10 minutes; drain; cut in halves lengthwise; remove seeds; stuff with corn mixture and cover with buttered crumbs. Bake or heat in microwave just until warmed through.

-- Submitted by Ellen J. Nyberg

A community correspondent with whom I worked in Orange, Texas, gave me this recipe many moons ago. It is so good and makes use of fresh gulf shrimp.

SHRIMP STUFFED PEPPERS

1- 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen, peeled and deveined shrimp

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 cup minced celery

1/4 cup minced onion

3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon salt

6 medium green peppers

Boil shrimp. Reserve several shrimp for garnish and cut remaining shrimp in half lengthwise. In a bowl, toss together shrimp, crumbs, celery, onion and eggs.

In a small bowl, make dressing by combining mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, mustard, thyme and salt. Stir dressing into shrimp mixture and set aside.

Cut tops off green peppers and remove seeds and membranes. Precook green pepper cups in boiling water about 5 minutes. Drain. Sprinkle inside of cups lightly with salt.

Spoon shrimp filling into green pepper cups and place in baking pan. Prop up peppers if necessary. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with reserved whole shrimp. Serves 6.

-- Recipe by Virgie Scales of Bridge City, Texas

This story was originally published July 15, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Cook's Exchange | It's hot out there, so chill with these soups."