Soup Swap!

This picture makes it look like we weren't having fun. But we were, I promise.
Angela is on the phone trying to figure out where our friend Rhonda is.
Answer: in the ER with her son. [He's fine, but she missed the party.]

On Sunday, Letitia and I hosted a Soup Swap! for some of our friends. Everyone brought 6 quarts of soup, and left with 6 different quarts of soup. We set all of the soups out and took turns choosing. We got the idea from a swap her sister Julie went to, and from Apartment Therapy.

It was a really nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Letitia made The Pioneer Woman's Olive Cheese bread, as well as chocolate fondue (chocolate soup!) and oatmeal cookies (and the flower arrangements). I set out some grapes, strawberries and pretzels, and made Granny's Lemon Pound Cake (which I overbaked, alas). There was also some chèvre with Letitia's cranberry-ginger preserves and crackers. Best of all, our friend Sophia made the best Sangria I've ever had, ever ever ever. [It's really light and almost floral. One should not underestimate its effects, however. You know who you are. (And you are very cute when you are drunk.)]

The soups were:
Chicken Corn Chowder -- Angela P.
Taco Soup (1) -- Biz
Mrs. Bernice's Beef Vegetable -- Claudet
Chicken & Sausage Gumbo -- me
Santa Fe Chili (aka Taco Soup 2) -- Katie
Peanut Soup -- Letitia
Sunshine French Onion Soup -- Letitia
Pumpkin Soup -- Lisa
Taco Soup (3) -- Patty
Italian Sausage and Kale Soup -- Sophia
Black Bean Soup -- Sophia
Tom Ya-- Veronica

So I'll try to post some of the recipes, but here's the most important one:

Sophia's Sangria

It's adapted from a Cook's Illustrated recipe.

Ingredients
2 large oranges: 1 juiced; 1 cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 large lemon, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup sugar
1 (750-ml.) bottle Pinot Grigio
6 - 8 ice cubes
Optional: 2 tablespoons triple sec

Instructions
1. Add orange and lemon slices and sugar to large pitcher; mash gently with wooden spoon until sugar dissolves and fruit releases some juice but is not completely crushed, about 1 minute. Stir in orange juice, wine and triple sec (if using). Refrigerate for at least 2 and up to 8 hours -- the longer it sits, the mellower the drink.
2. Before serving, add ice cubes and stir briskly to redistribute settled fruit and pulp; serve immediately.