Soups

[Outfield]

It's been requested for a soup link -- some good recipes for tomato soup have been posted under Sandwiches -- but let's start a soup thread.

I rarely make soups but it's something I would like to learn in my future.

Here is a recipe I have and enjoy for vegetable soup. I make this in the crockpot (slow cooker) and I add or omit ingredients -- but it always turns out good. It is important to cook a few veggies before adding them -- you will read in the directions:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, pressed

2 large carrots, chopped

2 small celery stalks, chopped

1 medium turnip, chopped

2 cups green beans, cut in 1-inch pieces

1/4 head cabbage, chopped

2 small russet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1/2 teaspoon thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained

6 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until nearly translucent, then add the garlic. Don't let the garlic brown and saute another couple of minutes.

Add the rest of the chopped veggies, sauteing for just a minute or two; the extra tablespoon of olive oil is if you need it for the rest of the veggies. Remember — you're not cooking them, just sauteing them for the wonderful flavor this quick step will infuse in your soup.

Add the thyme and salt and pepper while sauteing.

Now put the veggies in the Crock Pot, add the tomatoes and broth.

Cook on low 7-9 hours (depending on your Crock Pot) or high 4-6 hours.

Just before serving, gently mash some of the potato chunks against the side of the Crock Pot to thicken the soup. Then give it a stir and serve.

Quick Fixes for variations on the Basic Veggie Soup

*Now remember, don't do these to the whole pot of soup! Just the little bit you pull out to fix yourself for lunch so that you can do all the Quick Fixes.

Quick Fix No. 1: Tex Mex Veggie Soup. Add some (eyeball it — how much do you want?) canned black beans (drained and rinsed), a little bit of cumin and chopped cilantro. Top with some tortilla chips and cheese, or serve with a quesadilla.

Quick Fix No. 2: Tuscan Veggie Soup. Add some (eyeball it again) canned cannellini (white kidney beans) or white beans (drained and rinsed), a little bit of Italian seasoning and some chopped kale. Cook until heated through and the kale is tender.

Quick Fix No. 3: Minestrone Veggie Soup. Add some cooked pasta, a little dried basil and top with a fresh grating of Parmesan cheese.

Quick Fix No. 4: Autumn Veggie Soup. Add some diced acorn squash or butternut squash, a handful of cooked brown rice, a sprinkling of nutmeg and some chopped parsley.

Serving Suggestions: Grilled cheese sandwiches on whole grain bread and a spinach salad.

Nutritional Data: 88 calories; 4 g. total fat; 5 g. protein; 2 g. dietary fiber; 9 g. carbohydrate; 0 mg. cholesterol; 658 mg. sodium. Food Exchanges: 0 grain (starch); 1/2 lean meat; 1 vegetable; 0 fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 other carbohydrates.

[anotherDan]

sounds good!

[ChasUFarley]

BEEF STEW

1lb of stew beef or ground beef or leftover steak

3 cloves of fresh garlic - chopped

1 small onion - chopped

1 - 2lb bag of frozen mixed veggies (corn, greenbeans, peas, carrots)

2 med taters - cut in bite size pieces

1 lg can of V8 juice

2 tbsp of A1 sauce (or similar steak sauce)

2 tbsp of cooking sherry

2-3 Bay leaves

1 cup of mashed potato flakes

Spike

Brown the beef (if it's not leftovers) in a skillet with the garlic and onion. Drain grease.

Put beef, frozen veggies, V8 juice, seasonings, etc. in a slow cooker.

Cook for 4-6 hours on low.

About an hour before serving, gradually add and stir in the mashed potato flakes to thicken the stew.

Remove bay leaves, if you can find them.

Serve with biscuits.

================

TATER SOUP

6-8 taters - cut into bite size pieces (peeled or unpeeled)

1-2 cups of mashed tater flakes

1/2 stick of butter

2-3 cloves of garlic - chopped

1 small onion - chopped

1-2 cups of milk (maybe more, if you like your soup thin...)

salt

pepper

bacon bits

cheddar cheese - shredded

sour cream

diced scallions

Boil taters until very soft. Mash with butter and milk. If you like your soups very smooth you can put the cooked potatoes in a blender with milk.

Use less milk if you like your soup thick - use more milk if you like your soup thin.

(If you make it too thin, you can thicken it with the mashed potato flakes.)

Return tater mixture to soup pan.

Saute garlic & onion - add to soup.

Season with salt and pepper - to taste.

I like to make this thick and garnish it like a loaded baked potato - bacon bits, cheese, sour cream, scallions - whatever you like!

[coolchef]

don't get me going on soups!

it is my favorite thing to cook!

i will return when i am not haveing a rhine wine melt downthis, time of year is for cold soups like cantalope or strawberry and champaingor gespacho{sp}

i will return with simple but great soups

how about a 5 onion soup?

[Belle]

French Onion - Quick & Easy

1/2 to 1 whole thinly sliced onion

Add 2 to 4 cups of beef broth

1-3 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

Dash Red Wine (optional)

Toast

Shredded Swiss, Fontina or Gruyere cheese

Sautee onions in butter over med-low heat till transparent but not carmelized

Add all other ingredients at the top

Simmer for about 15 minutes

Add cheese to top of bread and toast

Put cheese covered toast in the bottom of the soup bowl then add soup on top of the toast

Voila' - cheap, easy variation

[likeaneagle]

Today I will be making this soup for my daughter's friend (30yrs) who has Breast Cancer..this is a great comfort food.

Potato Soup

Sautee sm chunks of Italian Sausage with Leek(chopped)

boil 3lbs of chunked potato in 3 large cans of chicken broth

when tender remove and slightly mash

add back to broth/if you need to thicken-use a little instant potato flakes

drain meat/add to broth.

add Italian spices

let simmer

s&p

turn off flame and let cool

add 1/2 cp of sour cream

when reheating, do not boil-it will curdle the sour cream

Edited September 6, 2007 by likeaneagle

[coolchef]

sorry shell but that just aint onion soup {but it would do in a pinch}

here is the real thing

5 onion soup

you will have to wing the ingredence as the recipe i have is for about 4 gal. remember i was a chef

ok white onion red onion leeks shallots scallon garlic

carmelize onion

except scallion

add a good splash of sherry

thyme

beef base or stock

chicken base or stock

onion base

salt pepper

cook a while longer

add water

when done add scallions and the the secret ingredient.......add duck drippings if you have some

i alwas did in the resteraunt

[coolchef]

here is another i came up with

swiss herb and onion soup

this is for 3 gals. so just modify

12 large white onions

1/2 gal chix stock

1/2 gal beef stock

parsley,dill,thyme'fresh garlic {1 tbs}

2 cups sherry

black pepper

1/2 gal heavy cream

rouix to thicken

mop

ssautee onions til carmelized

add herbs

cook 4 min

deglaze with sherryand cook a few more mins

add stock and cream bring to a fast boil simmer and add rioux seaso with white powder and garnish with love

[coolchef]

and try this on a hot day with a cukecumber sandwitch for lunch

cold mellon coup

1 large cantalope

1/2 tsp cinnaman

2 1/4 oj

2 tbs lime juice

mop

place diced melon,cinnaman,1/4 cup oj in blende puree

add rest of oj and lime and puree a bit more

chill thoroughly

garnish with fresh sprigs of mint

enjoy!

[likeaneagle]

Great Day for Stew- So I decided to make your stew recipe Chas...everyone is commenting on how good is smells and cannot wait to eat. :)

[GrouchoMarxJr]

Groucho's home made turkey soup:

Good for after thanksgiving or whenever you cook a turkey...

Take left over turkey meat...(about two pounds)

Throw it into a large pot, add chopped onion, celery, fresh garlic, carrots, fresh green beans, mushrooms, a bay leaf and season with salt, pepper, and oregano/basil mixture...

...add 2 quarts of water and a large can of chopped tomatoes...simmer for about 2 hours...(if it gets too thick, add more water)...turn off stove and add a cup of red wine...stir.

Edited September 12, 2007 by GrouchoMarxJr

[Shellon]

Anyone have a recipe for Butternut Squash soup?

[Sudo]

Shellon,

What?? You got a bunch of butternut squash you're trying to cook up or something? It was 58° this morning here in Dixie so I'd say it was definitely becoming soup weather. I looked at Groucho's turkey soup recipe and I dunno... I have my doubts as to how that would turn out in my hands. Many times a delicious dish is not so delicious when prepared by someone else. Maybe the recipe was lacking a key ingredient or procedure when given out.

We've all had yummy soup but its usually the typical run-of-the-mill soup we come to expect in most restaurants and the like. But ah!! When we get that perfect savory soup that's so rare!!!

sudo

[Shellon]

I don't know about all that Sudo, just looking for a recipe for butternut squash soup

[bowtwi]

Here's one from www.cooks.com that looks pretty simple to me.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

6 to 8 servings.

1 med. butternut squash (approximately 1 lb.)

3 tart green apples, peeled & coarsely chopped

1 med. onion, peeled & chopped

1/4 tsp. rosemary OR marjoram

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 (10 1/2 oz.) cans chicken broth

2 soup cans water

1/4 c. heavy cream (OR half & half)

Chopped fresh parsley (garnish)

Peel squash and seed. Cut into chunks. Combine squash with apples, onions, rosemary, salt and pepper, broth and water in large heavy saucepan. Bring to boil and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Puree soup in blender or food processor. Return mixture to saucepan and bring just to boiling point, then reduce heat. Before serving add cream. Serve hot with chopped fresh parsley sprinkled on top. Can be made 2 days in advance and reheated.

[Shellon]

Thank you Box

[doojable]

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This recipe can be made in either a slow cooker or on the stove. If you make it on the stove, saute the veggies and chicken in olive oil first. I have a large (6 qt) cooker. Cut it all by half if you have a smaller one.

Extra Virgin Olive oil

2 lbs boneless chicken cut into 1' pieces (I used chicken tenders)

2 yellow onions - diced

5 cloves garlic

2 green bell peppers

2 cans (15 oz each) of diced tomatoes, including juice

1 qt chicken broth

2 cans water

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 bunch fresh celantro - chopped

1 lime

(2 Tbs tequilla - optional)

3-4 shakes of Tabasco sauce or to taste

4-6 corn tortillas, cut into strips

celantro for garnish

Saute onions, peppers, garlic. Add chicken and saute a bit longer. Add tomatoes, water and broth. Add cumin, chili powder, celantro and salt and pepper. Bring to a slow simmer. Simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.

About ten minutes before serving add tequilla, Tabasco sauce and squeeze lime into the pot. Simmer.

Put strips of corn tortilla into bowl and ladle soup over.

garnish with more celantro.

You can also add Monterey Jack Cheese and avacado slices when serving.

If you use a slow cooker - Cook on HIGH for 3 hours.

Edited September 25, 2007 by doojable

[RainbowsGirl]

NEW ENGLAND BOILED DINNER

Smoked Ham chunky pieces and bone (leftover from a dinner) {Beef is also used in place of the Ham with 1 to 2 Quarts of stewed Tomatoes}

1 large Cabbage

1 large Rutabaga peeled and diced in large pieces

1 pound package of Carrots peeled and diced in large pieces

8 pounds of Potatoes peeled and cut in eighths

6 medium Onions diced in large pieces

1 bunch of Celery diced large piece

Garlic (optional)

Put into large soup pot ingredients in the listed order. Add water and let it simmer until each ingredient is about half way tender before adding the next ingredient. Serve with hard rolls and butter.

Amounts of ingredients are optional.