Homemade soups - what do you make/like?

[BethM]

Valerie, I am definitely going to try that chickpea spinach soup. Two things I really love!

Today was rainy and cool, a perfect day for soup. I made a huge pot of "minestrone" soup. (I don't know how much it resembles real minestrone soup, but that's what I call it.)

1 can each of red kidney beans, cannellini (white kidney) beans, and chickpeas.
2 cans of diced tomatoes
3 cans vegetable stock

--I put all of those in a big pot and got it to boiling. In the meantime, I chopped up some assorted veggies I had floating around in the bottom of my refrigerator:

2 large carrots
2 large cauliflower florets
1/2 of a large zucchini
1/2 bunch fresh spinach

--I tossed the carrots in as soon as the soup started boiling, and turned it down to simmer. I put the cauliflower and zucchini in at 5-minute intervals. I then added:

about 2 cups of "mini bowtie" pasta

--Simmered for 7 minutes, until pasta was al dente. I then stirred in the spinach, and immediately turned off the heat. (The zucchini was a bit soft, so next time I'll add that at the same time as the pasta.)

I usually stir in some thyme, but I forgot this time. I also really like it with fresh green beans, but I didn't have any.
I serve this topped with a bit of shredded Parmesan cheese, and sometimes a drizzle of olive oil. Tonight I also toasted some lightly-buttered baguette slices.
This makes a huge amount, we'll have soup again twice this week. I like that I can toss in just about any combination of beans and veggies that I have around.

 

[BethM]

The other soup I love to make is Portabella Mushroom Bisque. I love this soup! It's super mushroom-y, and other than getting the mushrooms, onions, and leeks chopped, it's super easy. It does require an immersion blender.

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 pound portabella mushroooms, chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
6 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

--In a large pot, melt the butter. Add the leeks and onion, and saute over medium heat until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms, stir to combine, cover and cook for another 10 minutes.
--Raise the heat to medium, stir in the flour, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the thyme, bay leaf, stock, salt, sugar, and pepper. Simmer, partially covered, for about 10 minutes.
--Cool the soup slightly, then discard the bay leaf. Puree the soup with an immersion blender. Stir in the heavy cream. Cook over low heat until just heated through (do not boil).
--Serve garnished with parsley.


I also make a mean Salmon Bisque, but it's got tons of cream and isn't very healthy, so I only make it once a year or so. (It's great with dill bread!)

I frequently experiment with lentil soups, I especially love it with yellow lentils. Quick and easy.

I've made a nice carrot soup with Madras curry powder.

My SIL recently gave me a cookbook with a soup I HAVE to try. It's got Thai red curry paste, butternut squash, and tofu. Sounds fabulous.

 

[BethM]

Brandy456 wrote:

I don't really like home made soup.
Seeing as I don't make it, so whoever makes it usually adds something I don't necessarily like

Brandy, I never really cared for homemade soups until I started making my own. The soups my mom and grandma make are just......ICK!

When I was a kid, the only soups I would eat were tomato, cream of mushroom, and cream of chicken. All Campbell's condensed soups. (I don't remember there being the "heat and eat" soups back then, just condensed. At least that's all there ever was in my house.)

 

[Elf Mommy]

JimD wrote:

Elf Mommy wrote:

I have a crock pot

:bunnydance:

Chicken Tequila Soup (crock pot)

3-4 boneless chicken breasts cut into 1" cubes, season lightly with salt & pepper
1cup frozen corn, thawed (canned will do if ya ain't got frozen...drain it first)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tequila (top shelf...sample twice before using...drink the rest during dinner)
1tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice (approx 1/2 lime)
1 can (10 oz)"Rotel" (diced tomatoes and chilies)
3cups chicken broth

~ Cover bottom of crock pot with onions, Rotel, garlic, and corn.
~ Put chicken on top.
~ ***optional step: Sample tequila again to make sure it's still fresh***
~ Mix chicken broth, lime juice,and tequila in bowl.
~ Pour mixture over chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours

This made me laugh! I've never actually tried just plain tequila. I think I've had it in mixed drinks before (that's what's in a margarita, yes?), but never straight.

 

[cheryl]

My goodness,my all time favourite is minestrone soup...ohh yum,and i love pea and ham soup as well ...home made soups are really just the best.

 

[Brandy456]

BethM wrote:

Brandy456 wrote:

I don't really like home made soup.
Seeing as I don't make it, so whoever makes it usually adds something I don't necessarily like

Brandy, I never really cared for homemade soups until I started making my own.  The soups my mom and grandma make are just......ICK!

When I was a kid, the only soups I would eat were tomato, cream of mushroom, and cream of chicken.  All Campbell's condensed soups.  (I don't remember there being the "heat and eat" soups back then, just condensed.  At least that's all there ever was in my house.)

Cream of Chicken is amazing
Haha.
But i'm not necessarily allowed to cook.. haha, once you catch the oven on fire so many times... you tend to get restrictions

 

[mouse_chalk]

Mmmm, this thread has made me seriously hungry- it's 11pm and I've skipped dinner and am now seriously regretting it!

I want to try the chilli, definitely the tequila soup (never had tequila in food before but it sounds yummy!) and the spicy sausage and potato soup. I have been wanting some more soup recipes to add to my collection for a while now

Here's my recipe for carrot and roasted butternut squash soup. I used to make it with just carrot and it was just as nice- if you do that, just skip the squash stage and leave the sage out. Measurements are pretty slapdash- I tend to just eyeball everything so I've tried to approximate it!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup:

1 butternut squash
olive oil
6ish cloves of garlic (sounds like a lot but it makes a lot of soup!)
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
approx 8 large carrots, sliced
approx 6 cups vegetable stock
4 cups water
Fresh thyme- couple of sprigs
about 4 leaves fresh sage
tablespoon of tomato puree/paste
salt and pepper


Cut the squash up into wedges, removing the pulp and seeds. Drizzle each wedge with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven on a medium-high heat for 45 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, add 4 whole cloves of garlic, skins on.

Meanwhile, fry the remaining garlic cloves (minced), onion, and celery in about 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the fresh thyme and sage leaves (chopped) and cook until the onion etc is softened. Add some salt and pepper.

Add the carrot slices, water, stock and tomato paste.

Cover, bring to a simmer and cook for 45minutes, until the carrots are tender.

When the squash is done, remove the skin- it just peels off, and add it to the soup. Remove the paper from the garlic and add this too.

Simmer for another 5 minutes, and blend the whole mixture.

I sometimes add a spash of cream at the end, but it's just as nice if you don't.


I'm being pressured into making this for dinner sometime in the very near future!