Soups

[Mike Schutz]

Esther and I are eating a lot healthier these days. She can no longer eat gluten, and has also cut out dairy, soy, and some other things. One of the things I am exploring is making healthy soups. Today I made a chicken and kale soup that is really delicious.

What are some of your favorite soup recipes?

[Marian Schwaller Carney]

Butternut squash soup made with pureed steamed or roasted squash, vegetable or chicken broth, and homemade applesauce. Add some cinnamon. No gluten or added sugar products needed. Now I guess I'll just have to make some myself!

[Jim Chabot]

Soups are my favorite food group!

Sadly I must admit that my soup making experience is limited to adding the extra can of water to Campbell's condensed soups. I have learned that they are better when you only add a half can of water. I suppose that doesn't qualify as a recipe though?

[Mike Schutz]

Chicken and Kale Soup Makes 5 quarts

Place in soup pot and sweat a mirepoix of onion, celery and carrot (or bell pepper - for a more cajun flavor) until soft. In separate pan, prepare 3-4 lbs of chicken. (I like thighs. Of course, if you are using leftover chicken, that is great.)

After mirepoix is ready, add freshly chopped garlic. Add 2 lbs of fresh kale. Mix with other ingredients and sweat until fully combined and kale is reduced. (This sweating will make sure your kale is not bitter.) Add fresh herbs as desired. (I use a couple of bay leaves.)

Add 4 quarts of chicken stock.

Add cut up chicken to pot. Season to taste. I like sea salt, ground black pepper, and Old Bay. After a few moments, add a bit of a vinegar-based hot sauce.

Cook until soup has reduced in the pot by at least two inches.

At serving, I like a bit of apple cider vinegar in each bowl. It brightens up the flavors and provides a bit of acid for the kale. (This is especially necessary if you did not use the hot sauce, or if you are reheating.)

[Jim Franklin]

I have a cheese soup recipe out of an old Better Homes and Garden cook book that I will be taking for the Fall Festival event at church this Saturday evening. I made it for theThanksgiving potluck for the staff at Sun Valley Indian School in 2005 and Wisconsin native, Miss Ellen, a member of Kevin Rector's congregation at the time, gave me her approval. To get an approval from a Wisconsin native for cheese soup is praise worthy in my book.

[Susan Unger]

Minestrone with Arugula
1 T oil 2/3 cup each: celery, carrot, onion
2 T tomato paste 1 t light brown sugar
1 t smoked paprika 1 bay leaf
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes 14 oz veg broth
1 cup uncked elbow macaroni 15 oz cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1.5 cups water 3 cups arugula leaves, thinly sliced [sprinkled on top of soup]
Cook oil and mirepoix first, add paste to coat [cook 1 minute] then add diced tomatoes , water, broth, beans and macaroni.

[Susan Unger]

Asparagus Soup with Thyme
4 pounds asparagus 2 T oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt 3 garlic cloves minced
2 yellow onions chopped 3 leeks chopped
3 carrots finely chopped 1 celery stalk chopped
2 cups vegetable broth 1 teaspoon thyme
Pepper to taste

Roast in 450 oven the tips in 1 T oil for 15 – 20 mi. Reserve for garnish. Cut asparagus into 1 inch pieces. In frying pan, heat oil and garlic for one minute then add onions, leeks, carrots and celery. Cook about 7 min. Add asparagus, broth, and seasonings. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover & simmer gently until stalks are tender 25 0 30 min. Purée in blender. Pour into dishes using the tips as a garnish.

[Gina Stevenson]

Susan, you've made me soo hungry! Well, guess maybe I should be ... haven't eaten since lunch ... sort of forgot b/cit was a rather late one.

Actually, it was late brunch ... woke up late, so didn't eat (I'm an I've-gotta-have-breakfast, person, too!) b/c it was getting close to going to lunch on ma's b'day.

So, I had bunch, and then nothing else. Time to eat, tho' late ... a light bedtime snack?

Anyway, I'm getting cold ... it's already in the 30's think they said a few minutes ago (probably the heat's turned down; have t'look & turn it up a wee bit!) ... and I need something WARM! No soup sitting here to eat, so will maybe warm up w/tea & toast.

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr !!

[Susan Unger]

Susan, you've made me soo hungry! Well, guess maybe I should be ... haven't eaten since lunch ... sort of forgot b/cit was a rather late one.

Actually, it was late brunch ... woke up late, so didn't eat (I'm an I've-gotta-have-breakfast, person, too!) b/c it was getting close to going to lunch on ma's b'day.

So, I had bunch, and then nothing else. Time to eat, tho' late ... a light bedtime snack?

Anyway, I'm getting cold ... it's already in the 30's think they said a few minutes ago (probably the heat's turned down; have t'look & turn it up a wee bit!) ... and I need something WARM! No soup sitting here to eat, so will maybe warm up w/tea & toast.

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr !!

Our first freeze is tonight. The minestrone one is my favorite.

[Diane Likens]

Just had some delish!!!! 17-bean soup tonight. Started the pot with a couple of smoked turkey necks as the beans cooked. Added a large chopped red onion, three chopped tomatoes and about 3/4 pound of ham (cubed). Just a touch of creole seasoning and some fresh lemon juice. Yummy! The perfect meal on our first truly cold night of the season.

[Edith Thurmond]

Lentil soup is one of my favorites and can be made so many ways; it's hard to not make a good one. Below is a basic recipe that I add to all the time.

Basic Lentil Soup

* 1 cup lentils, washed and picked over
* 2 bay leaves
* Several sprigs fresh thyme
* 1 carrot, peeled and cut into small pieces
* 1 stalk celery cut into small pieces
* About 6 cups water or stock
* 2 tablespoons olive oil (EVOO)
* 1 onion chopped
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Yesterday I made this soup with a sweet onion and added:

* Chunks of butternut squash
* Cinnamon
* A strip of jalapeno pepper (w/o seeds)
* Several kale leaves (with stem removed)
* Additional water

After it was finished cooking, the bay leaves were removed, and I put the soup into the blender for a few seconds on a low speed. Most times I make lentil soup, I add whatever is in the fridge that would be appropriate for enhancing the flavor.

-et-

[Gina Stevenson]

Hungry for soup again ... (I see I had sev'l typos in last soup post!) ... have some broccoli & cauliflower in the fridge. Maybe I'll make one of them and add whatever I find (starting w/sweet onion) to have some soup.

The other day I was going to do this w/cauliflower. Well, got the whole head steamed, decided I'd eat some of it before making soup, as I was hungry right then. After I ate that, decided I was too tired to make soup, so put it in the fridge. Next day, instead of soup, I ended up warming it up and eating the rest of it.

No soup out of that head!

[Mike Schutz]

Made the above described Chicken and Kale soup today, but added sweet potatoes and chirizo.

[Katelynn Scott]

Here's my favorite soup recipe:

(1) get in your car
(2) drive to Panera Bread
(3) order broccoli cheddar soup in a sourdough bread bowl

[Marian Schwaller Carney]

[QUOTE=Edith Thurmond;106174]Lentil soup is one of my favorites and can be made so many ways; it's hard to not make a good one. Below is a basic recipe that I add to all the time.

Edith - thank you for a Lentil recipe. I just came across a bag of red lentils I've never used, I will try them in this recipe.

[Susan Unger]

Lentil soup with Bulgar Wheat

1/2 cup dry bulgar wheat
1 cup veg broth
.5 T toasted sesame oil

Bring to boil and then simmer for 14 min.

Add in one can of Muir Glen Savory Lentil soup warm up. Stir regularly to prevent from sticking.

Dairy and Soy free. Probably not gluten free. One serving. Lots of fiber!

Soooooo tasty!