Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Tell Me your Favorite Soup Recipe and you might win a Silver Soup Ladle

                Souptureen

                Photo: Hot soup tureen awaits the chestnut soup.

Chestnut Soup

In a large heavy soup pan, saute in olive oil a chopped large strong yellow onion, a three tall thin carrots, and the heart of the celery with their tender tops.

Toss in 30 or so *cooked chestnuts,  stir around until they are coated with the sauteed mixture.

Add several (6-9) cups of cold water. Bring to a boil, then turn the burner down to simmer for an hour or more.

Add a glass of white wine, and a shot of vermouth or bourbon.

Nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.

Blend a cup of soy cream (or cream of choice) until smooth. Serve hot.

(*Frozen or canned whole cooked chestnuts will do.) Note: I never use stock in my soups.

                Img_2629

Chelsea is home for a few days, I am so glad she doesn't live in another country anymore. I asked her what she wanted for dinner tonight and she said, "Chestnut soup."

 

Ladle

 

What is your favorite soup? Can you share the recipe? I'll pick one of my favorites tomorrow in the comment section and send the winner a French antique silver soup ladle (similar to the one in the photo.)

Comments

55 responses to “Tell Me your Favorite Soup Recipe and you might win a Silver Soup Ladle”

  1. Sheri

    Glorious Soup
    Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a pot
    Saute 1 C chopped onion and the white part of one leek, if available.
    Add:
    8 C broth, (vegetarian or chicken)
    1 C green beans, drained
    1 C lima beans or butterbeans, drained
    1 C+ cubed potatoes or sweet potatoes
    1 C tomatoes, fresh or canned, peeled and chopped
    1 C peas or black beans, if desired
    Cook until tender.
    Add 1/2 C spagettini, broken into 1” pieces
    Cook again until spagettini is tender.
    Season with 1 tsp salt or a little more and 1/8 tsp pepper.
    Pistou:
    2 Tbsp tomato sauce (or puree)
    2 Tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
    2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil
    1/2 tsp dried thyme or 2 tsp fresh thyme
    2 gloves finely chopped garlic
    Mix and whisk into soup. Cook for another approx 10 min. Serve topped with parmesan cheese.
    Easy and delicious!!

    Reply
  2. Diane

    My favorite recipe:
    Saute garlic, onion and diced squash in olive oil(any kind of squash will do.) I used about four cups of diced squash, one onion and six garlic cloves. Dice up a handful of fresh sage and add to the saute. Add pepper and salt to taste (I use a lot of pepper, not much salt.) OR, if you are using winter squash, add nutmeg and a dash of cinnamon. After maybe ten minutes of stirring the squash, etc., add one cup of broth (chicken, beef, vegetable are all fine) and one cup of white wine. Let simmer until squash is soft. Remove from heat and let cool. When cool enough, blend until velvety smooth. Reheat until warm enough to serve.
    Serve in small bowls with a swirl of creme fraiche and homemade garlic croutons or crisp bread sticks.
    It’s still warm here in Northern California. I am eager for soup weather.
    Diane

    Reply
  3. Evelyn in NYC

    I LOVE a recipe by Rachel Ray for Mini Meatball Soup, aka Italian Wedding Soup. Here is a link to the recipe:
    http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/mini-meatball-soup-recipe/index.html
    It looks like a lot, but it goes together really quickly and is so good.

    Reply
  4. Christine

    Danish Kale Soup
    This is a cross between Danish Kale Soup and Caldo Verde. Don’t skip the cinnamon, it “makes” the soup, promise!
    2T. unsalted butter
    1 onion, finely chopped
    3-4 cloves garlic, minced
    ⅛ t. ground cinnamon
    1 lb. kale, stems removed, finely chopped
    6 c. beef stock (or chicken stock which I now prefer)
    1 – 2 white rose-type potato, peeled, quartered and parboiled
    ½ lb. smoked sausage, sliced into ¼ to ½ inch rounds (i.e. Keilbasa, Linguica, etc.)
    Pepper, to taste (I rarely add salt since the sausage has enough)
    Melt butter in a Dutch oven (I use a 5 quart Le Creuset) over medium-low heat. Add the onion, cook 5 minutes. Do not brown. Add the garlic, cook 2 minutes longer. Stir cinnamon into onion mixture. Add the kale, tossing to coat it well. Add the stock. Heat to boiling, reduce the heat. Simmer, covered, 20 minutes.
    Add parboiled potato, cut up into 1/2 inch cubes, and the sliced sausage to the soup mixture. Heat until hot, 15-20 minutes, and serve.
    Great with a crusty, rustic bread.
    Notes: Over the years I’ve added a wee bit more cinnamon but not up to 1/4 teaspoon. Sometimes I double the kale and then add more stock as needed. Every time I make this I’m always surprised at how good it is. Serves 4-6.

    Reply
  5. Lauren

    Living in the South Pacific I have grown a love for Dhal soup and for pumpkin soup with coconut cream! If either of those sound interesting to you I can type it up and e-mail it to you!

    Reply
  6. marlis

    My favorite cold weather food: Chicken Chili Stew-p
    6 chicken breasts, no skins, no bones, cut into bite size pieces
    1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    1 medium onion, chopped
    2-3 cloves garlic, minced
    1 medium green pepper, diced
    2 cans stewed tomatoes, chopped
    1 can pinto beans, 15 oz.
    2/3 cup Pace Picante sauce – medium
    1 teaspoon chili powder (to taste)
    2 teaspoons cumin (to taste)
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1-2 small cans tomato sauce
    Toppings:
    cheddar/jack cheese, grated
    chopped green onions
    sour cream
    chopped avocados
    Brown chicken pieces in oil and add onion and garlic. Saute until glazed. Add the rest of the ingredients except toppings. Depending on your likes, I usually add 1-2 small cans of tomato sauce for a soupier mixture. Cook for about 1 hour to give flavors time to mingle, then serve garnished with toppings.
    Good luck to all and thanks for chance at the wonderful soup ladle!

    Reply
  7. jeannine

    My family’s favorite is potato leek~ Begin by sauteing 2 large whole onions chopped, 4 stalks of celery with leaves chopped, peeled and diced potatoes (5 or 6 large), 4 cloves of garlic chopped, and a large bunch of leeks (at least 4) chopped–saute in a good amount of olive oil. Continue to saute until the onions and leeks are soft and the potatoes are browned. Transfer to soup pot and add water to cover the veggies. Add salt and pepper to taste. Also add a stick of butter for added flavor. Bring mixture to a boil and then lower temperature and allow to simmer until the potatoes are beginning to fall apart. At this point, the mixture can be pureed if preferred, but a nice chunky rustic soup is also nice 🙂 Check for seasonings and add more if needed. Return mixture to a very slow simmer and add a quart of heavy cream. Continue to stir and allow to thicken. A splash of brandy adds a depth of flavor before serving. Garnish with grated cheese of choice (Gruyere is always delicious), crumbled crispy cooked bacon, fresh chopped green onion slices or chives, a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche, and always a handful of crispy homemade rustic croutons 🙂 Happy to share the “recipe” for my croutons if desired. Enjoy~

    Reply
  8. Bev

    My favorite soup is from Lynn Rosetta Kasper
    “Simple Garden-in-a-Pot Soup”
    Virgin Olive Oil
    2 medium carrots, thin sliced
    2 medium onions, thin sliced
    top third of 2 celery stalks with leaves, thin sliced
    6 garlic cloves, thin sliced
    Salt and Pepper
    2 Tablespoons tomato paste
    2 teaspoons dried basil
    2 teaspoons sweet paprika
    2 small zucchini thin sliced
    A handful of spinach leaves
    1 portobello mushroom chopped
    1/4 of large cabbage chopped
    6 to 8 cups water (I use chicken broth)
    1 1/2 cups shredded Fontinella
    Film bottom of heavy pot with olive oil. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes. Stir often and don’t let anything burn.
    Uncover and stir in tomato paste, basil and paprika. Cook for 1 minute. Then add all other vegetables with water. Bring the soup to a simmer and let partially cover the pot and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
    Serve the soup in deep bowls and sprinkle with cheese.
    I have served this soup to so many people and everyone without exception LOVES it.

    Reply
  9. judyo

    Thanks for all the great recipes! We are having a Soup night fundraiser for a local non profit. Which one will I make? Hmmmmm

    Reply
  10. Laurie SF

    2 pounds of whatever is left in the vegetable bin of your cupboard or fridge
    1 large onion
    5 to 6 cups of water or stock
    Fresh herbs
    Salt to taste
    1/2 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream (use caution here)
    Saute, cook and simmer all in a heavy soup pot. Cooks’ note: I use my Grandmother’s pot.
    Puree soup in batches in a blender until smooth, return to pot, stir in creme and salt to taste.
    Serve hot..xo

    Reply
  11. Kathie B

    My first cousin told me that our paternal grandfather told him he’d come from the island of Flores in the Azores as a lad with his parents, but my cousin didn’t recall Grandpa mentioning specifically where on the island. So when I visited Flores 10 years ago, I didn’t know which village to make a special point of visiting — till I was chatting with the director of the island’s Tourism Post and told him of my family’s heritage Watercress Soup. He immediately declared that Grandpa must’ve come from around Fajãzinha of Fajã Grande, because the only place on the island where watercress grows wild in abundance is in the riffles above the waterfalls that cascade down to those villages. Two years later when I visited the Horta, Faial, archives where the old records for Flores are stored, sure enough I discovered that Fajãzinha was in fact the village where Grandpa and a considerably younger brother (who immigrated to California much later) were born. So this recipe is much, much more than just a way to make soup — it’s a clue to part of my family’s history!
    MY FAMILY’S WATERCRESS SOUP (“SOPA DE AGRIÃO”)
    INGREDIENTS:
    1 bunch watercress* (also works with spinach)
    4 cups (= 1 quart) soup stock**
    1 Tablespoon butter or vegetable oil
    ½ cup onion, peeled and chopped
    1 clove (segment) garlic, peeled and chopped
    ½ lb. potatoes, peeled and sliced ⅛” thick
    Salt and pepper to taste
    Crusty French bread, torn in chunks
    DIRECTIONS:
    In large saucepan saute chopped onion and garlic in butter or oil. Add broth and heat. Add sliced potatoes and watercress, then cook 15-20 minutes, or till potatoes are done. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in individual bowls, over chunks of crusty French bread.
    NOTES:
    * Watercress must be washed VERY THOROUGHLY. Separate leaves from stems, discarding spoiled pieces. Chop leaves coarsely, stems finely.
    ** The family recipe calls for water. You can instead use vegetable or chicken broth, or water + 4 bouillon cubes, or soy-based imitation chicken broth.
    COMMENTS:
    My mother occasionally made this soup as a treat for my father. When we’d visit her parents in the Redwoods region of far Northern California, she’d pick wild cress along the banks of a rivulet in the meadow. My father’s sister and nephew told me that my Azorean grandfather and even my 80+ great-grandmother loved it so much they would help Grandma thin-slice the potatoes and wash the cress (a loathsome task), respectively, to lighten the burden of making a large batch (there were 8 people in the household back in the 1930s, so they needed about 4 times the recipe listed here).
    Judging by Internet citations, this seems to be a variant of traditional “Caldo Verde” (literally, Green Soup), typically made with kale or Portuguese cabbage instead of watercress. This version of Watercress Soup is characteristic of the rainy island of Flores in the Western Azores.

    Reply
  12. Stubblejumpin Gal

    Fagioli (pronounced Fawj-OH-Lee) Soup
    -from Jean Paré’s “Company’s Coming” Pasta cookbook
    1 c dried navy beans
    8 c water
    1 tbsp ketchup
    1 tbsp salt
    1/4 tsp pepper
    1/2 tsp garlic powder
    1/4 tsp oregano
    1/4 tsp basil
    1 bay leaf
    Combine these ingredients in lg saucepan and bring to boil. Cover and simmer slowly for about 2 hrs, til beans are tender. Discard bay leaf.
    Add 1 c tiny pasta shells (or any pasta, as far as that goes). Simmer till tender, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. If too thick, add water.
    It’s simple and it’s delicious, particularly if you are a bean-lover, as I am.

    Reply
  13. Kathie B

    Hey, that’s Pasta e fagioli (pronounced “pasta fa-ZHOOL”) — “That’s Amore,” to quote Dean Martin’s classic hit from the ’50s!
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasta_e_fagioli

    Reply
  14. martina

    Corey-you are brilliant. All of these recipes look great and are making me hungry!

    Reply
  15. Gail Lannum

    Forgotten Jambalaya….chop everything up, throw it in the slow cooker, and “forget about it”. It is amazing…especially on the second day.
    1 can 14-1/2 oz diced tomatoes, undrained
    1 can 14-1/2 oz beef or chicken broth (I use chicken)
    1 can 6 oz tomato paste
    2 medium green peppers, chopped
    1 medium onion, chopped
    3 celery ribs, chopped
    5 garlic cloves, minced
    3 tsp dried parsley flakes
    2 tsp dried basil
    1-1/2 tsp dried oregano
    1-1/4 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
    1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
    1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
    1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
    1/2 pound medium shrimp
    Hot cooked rice
    In a 5-qt slow cooker, combine all ingredients except the shrimp. Cook on high for 5-6 hours. Stir in shrimp and cook for 30 minutes longer. Serve over the rice.

    Reply
  16. kim

    I love Laurie SF’s recipe!! — That’s how I make soup. But I like a good old fashioned potato soup —
    cut up potatoes into bite sized pieces
    some bacon
    sautee onion
    salt
    pepper
    Make egg dumplings by mixing one egg with a bunch of flour and spoon little balls into the boiling soup…
    add a bit of cream or cream fraiche
    It’s filling and hearty and delicious.

    Reply
  17. Linderhof@classicnet.net

    We eat soup summer or winter. Especially love cream vegetable soups in summer — and they’re a quick easy summer lunch —
    LINDERHOF CREAMY SUMMER VEGETABLE SOUP
    Saute onion (one whole onion, diced) in butter or olive oil until transluscent. Add vegetable of choice (we like leeks or corn or carrot or broccoli or asparagus or butternut squash especially but you can also do it with potatoes) — whatever amount you like or if it’s a dinner leftover so much the better — making a second use of a vegetable. Add chicken broth (until vegetables are covered by an inch or two) and simmer until vegetables are done. You can throw in a few herbs here — I like basil with the corn and thyme with the leek and carrot and curry with the carrot or butternut squash). Then add cream until it’s the consistency of creaminess that you want. Salt and pepper to taste. Heat until the soup is hot but do not boil. Serve in big bowls. Especiallly good with a baguette for lunch!

    Reply
  18. Marilyn

    This soup is just new to me this year, but I am loving it. We have had so many tomatoes this year in the garden, that it was been perfect.
    Chilled Tomato Soup with Avocado Salsa
    from Williams-Sonoma
    2 Tbs. olive oil
    5 large shallots, finely diced (about 1 cup)
    4 lbs. (8 or 9 medium) ripe, juicy tomatoes, cored and cut into big pieces
    3 fresh thyme sprigs
    1 cup tomato juice (water or chicken broth works too) I used 2 cups
    1 tsp. sea salt
    Freshly ground pepper, to taste
    For the salsa:
    1 ripe, firm avocado
    1 shallot, finely diced
    2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
    1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh cilantro
    2 tsp. olive oil
    Sea salt, to taste
    Sour cream or creme fraiche for garnish
    Directions:
    In a wide heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the shallots and cook,
    stirring often, until softened but not browned. about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, thyme, tomato juice,
    salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.
    Pass the soup through a food mill (I put it in blender). If the taste and texture are a little thin, return the soup to very low heat and cook, stirring frequently, until thick and flavorful. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours or overnight.
    To make the salsa, peel, pit and dice the avocado. In a medium bowl, toss the avocado with the shallot,
    lime juice, cilantro and olive oil. Season with salt. Ladle the soup into individual bowls. Top each with a spoonful of salsa and a spoonful of sour cream. Serves 4 to 6.

    Reply
  19. Gypsy Threads

    Soup is one of my favorite things and difficult to find as a dining experience. I should qualify that to say soup that is actually created in house, sans sodium overload, with actual spices. I love a Red Pepper soup. Soooo easy! 8 roasted, peeled and chopped red peppers, three jarred roasted red pepppers, chopped. One medium onion, chopped, two carrots, chopped, a nice sized potato. Sauté onion, carrots. Once the onion is translucent add the potato and peppers. Three cups of vegetable or chicken broth get added next, along with one teaspoon salt, two dashes of favorite red pepper sauce (optional), 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, pinch of thyme. Cover and let simmer thirty or so minutes. Use an immersion blender and purre until everything is smooth. I like to fix it and eat it a day later – if I can resist! If it seems thin when it is reheated (over a medium heat) just let it heat without a lid and it will thicken up. It is terrific with cornbread, or an open faced toasted cheese sandwich. A dollop of plain yogurt is lovely on the top before eating,

    Reply
  20. Heidi

    My favorite quick and easy soup for winter is homemade seafood bisque. I start with a basic roux (2 Tbs butter, melted in pan, 2 Tbs flour added and stirred together), then add 2 cups milk and stir to thicken. To that I add seafood seasoning (i.e. Old Bay) to taste along with salt and pepper, and also a little shredded cheese (cheddar is very good). After this has cooked to desired thickness, I add some chopped up sea legs (fake lobster/crab) and stir to heat. Very easy and very satisfying!

    Reply
  21. Nancy from Mass

    Vegetarian Tortilla Soup (nice and spicy)
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 pepper and onion, chopped, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 3 tablespoons ground cumin,1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, 3 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chile peppers, drained,4 (14 ounce) cans vegetable broth, salt and pepper to taste,1 cup corn
    fry the peppers, onion and garlic in the oil. add the cumin, chilis and borth. simmer 30 mins. add corn and simmer another 10 mins. serve with crumbled tortilla chips and top with cheese and/or avocado.

    Reply
  22. Lorrie

    I love soup! So many wonderful recipes! My latest favourite is Coconut Butternut Squash Soup.
    Peel and seed one butternut squash. Cut into 1 inch cubes. Place on rimmed baking sheet. Chop one onion and scatter on top. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Roast at 400 degrees F for about 45 minutes.
    Place into a saucepan, along with one apple, peeled, cored and chopped. Add 2 cups water or vegetable stock. Simmer 30 minutes or so, until everything is tender. Add one can of organic coconut milk. Puree with a stick blender. Heat through. Season to taste.

    Reply
  23. Beatnheart

    I want to try them all… Jeepers… would love that ladle but I don’t think anything I give you would compare to all these wonderful sounding receipes. What fun.. Looking forward to winter soups and bread

    Reply
  24. dru

    We had some fantastic German Watercress Soup at Xmas, it was so good, I made sure to book the same restaurant the next year just to have this soup. It was served in a huge tureen in the middle of the table, yum
    Watercress Soup from Frau Evans, at “zum Lowen” in Reilingen
    -fry onions in butter/oil til golden
    -add broth/stock (meat or vegetarian)
    -lots of sweet cream
    -add some watercress to cook with soup
    -bind soup with Mondamin and water (cornstarch)
    -before this last bubbles up, add:
    larger amount of watercress that has been pureed with milk
    -season with salt and pepper
    Amounts per person: 1/4 L broth, 1-2 littel boxes cress.

    Reply
  25. Becky F

    This is one of my favorite soup recipes. It was taken from Bon Appetite Feb 2002
    Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup with Sesame and Green Onions
    Ingredients:
    1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into thin strips
    3 tablespoons soy sauce
    2 tablespoons dry Sherry
    2 tablespoons oriental sesame oil
    3 garlic cloves, minced
    3 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
    2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
    1 tablespoon sugar
    1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
    1 1/2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce
    4 cups chopped Napa cabbage (from 1 head)
    6 green onions, thinly sliced
    8 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
    1 14-ounce package fresh yakisoba noodles or Chinese pan-fry noodles (I have also used regular linguine)
    1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
    Preparation:
    Stir chicken, soy sauce, Sherry, and 1 tablespoon sesame oil in medium bowl to blend. Let stand 20 minutes or refrigerate up to 2 hours.
    Whisk garlic, tahini, ginger, sugar, vinegar, and chili sauce in small bowl.
    Heat remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add cabbage and green onions and sauté until cabbage is tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Add chicken with marinade and tahini-garlic mixture. Reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly; cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)
    Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Add to soup in pot. Stir in half of cilantro. Season soup with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro.

    Reply
  26. momof5

    A timely post as I’m hosting our street’s monthly “Soup Night” in October. One home furnishes the soup and bread and the neighbors bring a salad or dessert.
    TOM YUM SOUP
    3-4 four cups chicken or vegetable stock
    1 stalk lemon grass (lower 1/3 finely chopped)
    3 kaffir lime leaves (if you can find them)
    14 medium/large shrimp
    2 TBS fish sauce
    1-2 small red chilies minced OR 1/2 tsp thai chili sauce
    3 garlic cloves minced
    handful cherry tomatoes
    handful shitake or oyster mushrooms
    1 sliced red or green pepper
    1/2 can unsweetened coconut milk (add more or less to taste)
    1/3 cup fresh coriander
    optional additional red chiles or Nam Prik Pao chili sauce
    optional 1tsp brown sugar
    Heat stock with minced lemon grass and upper part of stalk you didn’t cut up. Boil for 5 minutes
    Reduce heat and add garlic, chili, lime leaves and mushrooms and heat for another 5 minutes
    Add shrimp, bell pepper and tomatoes
    Turn down heat and add coconut milk and fish sauce. Taste test for spice and salt adding more chili and or fish sauce(instead of salt)as desired. If too salty add lime juice, if too spicy add sugar. Add more coconut milk as desired.
    Serve with fresh coriander and Enjoy!

    Reply
  27. Robin Williams

    If you ask Chap what his favorite soup was growing up, he would probably say, “Stone Soup”. Do you know the ‘recipe’? You start with a stone…..

    Reply
  28. Kathie B

    Note a salient difference between my Watercress Soup recipe and Dru’s German one: Hers contains “lots of sweet cream,” indicative of its provenance in a prosperous culture (not that it doesn’t sound delish, though!). My ancestors in the Azores were doubtless very poor, so the predominant ingredients for their version were free for the foraging — watercress and water — while potatoes, onions and garlic would’ve been grown in the kitchen garden but stretched as much as possible in the soup, and stale bread would never have been tossed out but instead re-softened in the broth-based soup.

    Reply
  29. carol

    These recipes all look so yummy!
    Here’s one of my vegetarian favorites:
    Cream of Potato Soup from The Farm Vegetarian Cookbook edited by Louise Hagler
    Scrub and cut 10 cups white potatoes. Boil until soft in 6 cups water and 2 t. salt. Meanwhile, saute 1 med. onion (about 1-1½ cups) in 1/4 cup oil. Add 1/4 cup flour to onions to make a smooth paste. Stir constantly.
    Drain potatoes, saving the water. Mash 2 cups potatoes & add to potatoes in pot, along with:
    4 c. potato water
    2 c. soymilk (I use regular milk)
    onion-flour paste
    1½ t. salt
    1/4 t. pepper
    1/4 t. dill weed (I usually do not use this)
    1 T. butter
    Cook over low heat 10-15 minutes. I love this with cornbread!

    Reply
  30. Linda R.

    A fun soup recipe when my children were little … and even when they went away to college:
    Place the following ingredients in a plastic baggie: one packet of powdered hot chocolate, a few mini-marshmallows and a candy cane.
    Add the following recipe:
    Snowman Soup
    “Was told that you’ve been good this year,
    Always glad to hear it.
    With freezing weather drawing near,
    You’ll need to warm the spirit.
    So here’s a little “Snowman Soup”
    Complete with a stirring stick
    Just add hot water and drink it slow.
    It’s sure to do the trick.”
    It isn’t quite yet the season, but the snow and chill are just around the corner.
    Joyeux Noel

    Reply
  31. Linda R.

    p.s. Here’s our family favorite:
    Cioppino
    A wonderful seafood stew !
    Serve with a loaf of warm, crusty bread for sopping up the delicious broth.
    Prep time: approximately 10 minutes.
    Cook time: approximately 45 minutes.
    The recipe says it will serve 12, but it is so good that I wouldn’t count on it !
    ¾ cup butter (I substitute ¼ cup olive oil)
    2 onions, chopped
    2 cloves (or more) garlic, chopped
    1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
    1 14.5-oz. can stewed tomatoes
    1 14.5-oz. can crushed tomatoes
    2 14.5-oz cans vegetable broth (or 2 bottles clam juice)
    2 bay leaves
    ½ Tblsp. dried basil (or 1 ½ Tblsp fresh basil)
    ½ tsp. dried thyme ( or 1 ½ tsp. fresh thyme)
    ½ tsp dried oregano (or 1 ½ tsp fresh oregano)
    ½ tsp. cumin (optional)
    ½ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
    2 ½ cups white wine
    1 ½ pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
    1 ½ pound bay scallops
    1 ½ cups crabmeat
    1 ½ pounds halibut, cubed
    (other seafood can be substituted or added, depending on your taste).
    Directions:
    1. Over medium-low heat, melt butter (or heat olive oil) in a large stockpot,add onions, garlic and parsley. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until
    onions are soft.
    2. Add tomatoes to the pot (break them into chunks as you add them). Add vegetable broth (clam juice), bay leave, basil, thyme, oregano and wine. Mix well. Cover and simmer 30 minutes (or longer – the longer the
    soup simmers, the richer the flavor.)
    3. Stir in the shrimp, scallops, and crabmeat or whatever seafood you are using. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes.
    Ladle soup into bowls and serve with warm, crusty bread.

    Reply
  32. Carolyn

    Oh Corey, the only soup I ever made was Navy beans and ham with nothing else.(No carrots.) That was over
    thirty years ago. No real recipe but serve with fried
    potatoes.

    Reply
  33. Sel

    I have to say ‘Tomatillo soup……
    8 nice medium tomatillos….remove husks and wash.
    1 medium onion chopped
    1-2 jalapeno pepper..clean out seeds if you cannot take heat..mince the peppers
    2 garlic cloves minced
    coarse salt and black pepper
    1/4 C. chopped cilantro
    4 boneless/skinless chicken thighs…cut into chunky pieces.
    1-15 oz can of hominy…
    1 cup of chicken broth
    1 TBSP of olive oil
    Cut chicken thighs into chunky pieces and season
    with coarse salt and black pepper. Brown chicken
    in heavy pot. transfer to plate.
    Puree tomatillo in food processer..
    Begin to saute chopped onions, minced garlic, and
    minced jalapenos for about 3-4 minutes.
    Stir in tomatillo puree
    Add the hominy if using
    add 1 cup of chicken broth…and the chicken
    pieces.
    Cover and simmer for 20 minutes til chicken is done.
    We love croutons… we make ours from corn tortillas.
    Take (5) corn tortillas and slice into thin strips..about 1/8 inch wide. Fry these in olive oil til crisp. Remove and place on top of towel paper and
    salt.
    When serving soup, use these as the croutons..add minced cilantro as well..
    Grated cheddar cheese is another yummy to add as part of the toppings…
    Enjoy 🙂

    Reply
  34. Peggy Pilapil-Lasa

    My daughter’s favorite is a traditional Filipino soup called sinigang. The beef version –
    2 tablespoons canola oil
    1 large onion, chopped
    2 cloves garlic, chopped
    1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
    1 quart water
    2 large tomatoes, diced
    1/2 pound fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
    1/2 medium head bok choy, cut into 1 1/2 inch strips
    1 (1.41 ounce) package tamarind soup base (or more if you prefer it more sour, or you can also use real tamarinds)
    Heat oil in medium stock pot. Saute onion and garlic until tender. Add beef to pot, and saute until browned. Pour in water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 to 30 minutes.
    Place tomatoes and green beans in pot, and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in bok choy and tamarind soup mix/tamarinds. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

    Reply
  35. Brother Mathew

    I like Kathie B’s Watercrest Soup and the stories too. Nothing like a great recipe and a good story. I’m I still in for the ladle?

    Reply
  36. Karon

    Hi Corey my favourite soup is a very traditional Scottish favourite called Cullan Skink, it is so tasty and warming and to me the perfect comfort food.
    1 haddock fillet
    4 potatoes
    1 small white onion
    50ml cream
    saute the onion until soft. Chop the potatoes into rough chunks but not too small. Chop the fish fillet at well. Add these to the onions and then pour in 500ml of water. Bring to the boil and then lower heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper and add as much of the cream as you want. Serve with crusty bread. This will make enough for two.

    Reply
  37. Lorelei

    One of my family’s favorite soups is called POOR MAN SOUP. It starts with a large family-size can of condensed tomato soup with water added. Then you add one can of green beans, one can of yellow beans, one can of peas, one can of sliced carrots, and one can of diced potatoes. Be sure to drain all of the veggies before adding to the pot. Then season with oregano, rosemary, parsley, onion powder, and garlic powder. Heat to a slow boil and serve. This is called Poor Man Soup because it didn’t take meat and we usually had all the fixings just before payday! Sometimes we had more beans than the rest but no one complained. Brings back lots of memories of a house full of hungry children.

    Reply
  38. jen

    Leek & Fennel Chowder with Smoked Salmon- So Yummy!
    3 lbs. leeks- trim & discard root ends & coarse tops. slice lengthwise, rinse well, then thinly slice crosswise.
    2 heads fennel- rinse, trim & discard root ends & stalks. chop fennel heads. finely chop enough of the feathery leaves to make about 3 T. (reserve these & add the chives)
    3/4 cup sliced chives
    2-3 Tb. Butter
    5 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
    1 bay leaf
    3 lbs. thin-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes.
    smoked salmon, cut into thin slices
    cook veggies in melted butter until very limp.
    add broth & bay leaf. bring to boil. add potatoes, then simmer until tender (about 15 minutes)
    whisk 5 cups milk, 1/2 cup flour, salt & pepper to taste. add to potato-broth mixture.
    1 lb. smoked salmon, thinly sliced
    Place chowder in tureen & offer salmon per recipe. But, I just add the salmon in & sprinkle w/ the reserved fennel/chive mixture on top. enjoy!

    Reply
  39. pam in oregon

    Creamy Cabbage Soup
    2 C chicken broth
    1 medium onion, diced
    1 C celery, diced
    1 medium cabbage, shredded
    1 carrot, diced
    1/4 C butter
    3 Tbs. flour
    1 C milk
    2 C half-and-half
    2 C diced cook ham (optional)
    1-1/2 tsp. salt
    1/4 tsp. pepper
    1/2 tsp. thyme
    In a large pot, combine broth and vegetables. Cover and simmer until veg. are tender, about 20 minutes.
    In a saucepan, melt butter, then stir in flour, salt, pepper. Gradually add milk and half-and-half, and stir until thickened. Stir the sauce into the pot of vegetables and broth. Add the ham (optional) and thyme and heat through.
    Enjoy!

    Reply
  40. Vicki Malignaggi

    EGGPLANT SUPPER SOUP
    1 T Olive Oil
    1 T Butter
    1 sm Onion, chopped
    1/2 – 1 lb Lean Ground Beef ( I like to substitute ground turkey and ground Italian sausage)
    1lb Eggplant, diced
    1 sm clove of garlic, minced or pressed ( if you are a garlic lover added more to taste)
    1 carrot shredded
    1 can crushed tomatoes or 2 fresh chopped
    1 can beef broth, more if too thick ( I use chicken broth with the turkey/sausage)
    ½ t each, salt and sugar
    ¼ t each pepper and nutmeg
    2 T parsley, fresh is best
    To spice it up you can add ¼ t crushed red pepper
    Freshly grated hard cheese of your choice
    1.) Heat olive oil and butter in a 3 qt pan
    2.) Add onion, stirring until soft
    3.) Crumble meat into pan, stir over medium high heat until it looses it’s pinkness, skim off fat
    4.) Add eggplant, garlic, carrot, tomatoes and liquid, salt, sugar, pepper, and nutmeg (and crushed red pepper if desired)
    5.) Cover and simmer 10-15 mins
    6.) Serve in individual bowls and sprinkle with grated cheese
    This is so absolutely yummy, even if you do not like eggplant you will not be able to resist.
    Andiamo a mangiare, Ciao

    Reply
  41. Jeannie

    Hands down favorite is my version of Paul Prudhomme’s Corn and Shrimp Chowder. It makes a HUGE pot full so you can share it with neighbors on cold wintery nights.
    Combine: 2t dry mustard- 1.5t salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground pepper- .5t basil, thyme, oregano- .25t cayenne.
    In a blender combine and blend until smooth: 2 C evaporated milk, 6T nonfat dry milk, 1/4C nonfat mayo, 1/4C nonfat cream cheese
    Puree together: 1C chopped onions, 2C corn, 1/2C apple juice and 1T of the seasoning mix above.
    Pour into a pot and add another Tbls. of the seasoning mix. Cook on medium until a brown crust forms on the bottom (12 minutes or so)
    Add 1C chopped celery, 1lb. sliced mushrooms, 1t minced garlic, 1/2C apple juice, 1/2C stock (I used shrimp or clam juice)2C chopped onions, 2C corn, remaining seasoning mix.Cook, stirring and scraping bottom of pan so it doesn’t stick for 15 minutes. Add 1C apple juice, 1.5 pound prawns/shrimp, 1 C stock. Cook 3 minutes or until the prawns start to turn pink. Stir in creamy mixture from above. Add slowly so it doesn’t curdle. Cook another 3 minutes. Don’t let it boil. Serve with a little pat of butter and parsley. Yummers!!!! (1 cup=193 calories 2grams of fat) Yummers and good for the diet!!! Our widow neighbor likes it so much he begged me to teach him to cook it. He’s 94 and loves to learn to cook. 😉 Bon appetit!

    Reply
  42. Sylvia

    My Favourite is Cream of Zucchini.
    Just slightly saute a chopped onion, 3 minced garlic cloves until lightly brown then add in 1 kg of zucchini slices. Gives a quick stir, seasons and add in 3 cups of water. Simmer for 30 mins, let cool and blend until creamy.
    Only few ingredients and not a single drop of cream but it’s so creamy and delicious!

    Reply
  43. Jenna

    Mine is far too simple to win. Roast a squash and peel it. Saute an onion and garlic in enough butter to brown them, and add chicken stock and cream. Blend the squash with the other ingredients and serve.
    Kids like a plain version of squash thickened with rice flour and dusted with cinnamon.

    Reply
  44. dianarupert@bellsouth.net

    This tomato basil soup recipe is absolutely delicious and a beautiful reddish-orange color perfect for the fall table. It’s tasty served cold, too, for lunch with a pasta salad.
    3 tbl butter
    ½ large onion sliced
    1 large carrot, peeled and grated
    4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
    ½ cup lightly packed chopped fresh basil
    ¾ tsp sugar
    1/8 tsp ground white pepper
    1 3/4 cups chicken broth
    Salt to taste
    Makes 6-8 servings*
    In 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and cook until onion is transparent, stirring frequently. Stir in tomatoes, basil, sugar, and white pepper. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Cool slightly. Pour into food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Return to pan and stir in the broth and salt. Heat until steaming. Ladle into individual bowls and float 1 thin lemon slice topped with a basil leaf in each bowl.
    Can be made ahead, refrigerated, and reheated.
    *For a first course for 5-6 people, I make 1 ½ times the recipe.

    Reply
  45. Dd

    Here in Maine the favorite is haddock chowder. Sauté a couple of slices of bacon, remove and drain on paper towel. Sauté one large onion in the drippings, add 3 or 4 good size potatoes cubed. Sauté for several min. U can add some olive oil if needed. Cover w some milk and simmer until potatoes are tender. In another pot, melt some butter, add flour and make a roux. Add enough milk to make it a thick soup consistency. Add to the soup pot, stir, add about a pound of haddock and simmer until opaque. Do not let it boil. Salt and pepper to taste.
    This is my version and when I cook, I make it up as I go along.
    My favorite place to eat this is Sarah’s in Wiscasset, Maine.
    Enjoy!

    Reply
  46. Zosia

    I love all kinds of soups. One of my favourite is sweet potato and pear soup, which I learned to make when I lived in Canada. It’s perfect for fall.
    Recipe by Lucy Waverman:
    1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
    1 small onion, chopped
    1/4 cup (50mL) chopped carrot
    1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped celery
    3 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
    2 pears, peeled and diced
    1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried thyme
    1 tsp (5 mL) paprika
    5 cups (1.25 L) chicken broth (low salt canned or homemade)
    1/3 cup (75 mL) whipping cream, optional
    2 tsp (10 mL) maple syrup, or to taste
    2 tsp (10 mL) lime juice, or to taste
    Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
    1. In a pot, heat butter on medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and sauté for 1 minute. Add sweet potatoes, pears and thyme and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add paprika and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until sweet potato is soft.
    2. Purée in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return to pot.
    3. Add cream, maple syrup and lime juice. Simmer for 5 minutes. If soup is too thick add a little extra broth.
    4. Season with salt and pepper, adding more syrup or lime juice as needed. Can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.

    Reply
  47. Chris M

    Pumpkin Black Bean Soup (I think this is a Rachel Ray recipe)
    1T oil
    1T butter (or skip butter and just use oil)
    1 medium onion (saute till wilted)
    Add 2 c. stock (vegetable, chicken–whatever you like)
    1 1/2 c tomatoes (fresh or canned)
    1 15 oz can pumpkin
    1/2 c milk or cream–soy, almond, whatever you like
    1 1/2 tsp curry powder
    1 tsp cumin (ground)
    cayenne to taste
    Salt to taste
    Simmer 5 minutes
    (I like to play around with different seasonings too)
    Thanks for doing this! What a great way for all of us to try out new soup recipes. Great comfort food:D

    Reply
  48. Sue Schlabach

    My favorite soup was taught to me by my dear friend Victoire. It is soup made from left over salad. Sounds odd, but it’s really delicious. The left overs of mixed salad, tossed with a simple vinaigrette are the basis for the soup. If they have gotten wilty in the fridge for a day or two, they are prime to make this soup. If there are other vegetables in the salad: mushrooms, carrots, peppers…all the better. The soup is never the same twice. Saute chopped onion and minced garlic in olive oil or butter until translucent. Add the salad and saute until wilted and soft. Add several cups of broth—chicken or vegetable. A splash of white wine doesn’t hurt. Grind in coarse salt and pepper. Then chop a potato or two and put them in to soften while it all simmers—30 minutes or so. In the last 10 minutes I like to add some chopped fresh herbs: parsley, tarragon, chives, thyme. Puree soup and eat with fresh buttered bread.

    Reply
  49. Carolyn

    Hearty Tomato Soup (Like Campbell’s Never Dreamed Of)
    Ingredients:
    2 tablespoons oil for sautéing
    1 clove garlic, minced
    1 onion, chopped
    1 stalk celery, chopped (optional)
    1 carrot, chopped
    2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
    1 ½ cups cooked rice (¾ cup uncooked)
    One 28-ounce can tomatoes, chopped and mashed with a spoon.
    Salt to taste
    4 white peppercorns or lots of freshly ground black pepper
    1 teaspoon each oregano and basil
    3 cups hot milk
    1 tablespoon margarine
    Steps:
    1.Heat oil in a heavy pot and sauté garlic, onion, celery and carrot until onion is translucent.
    2.Add flour, stirring until toasty.
    3.If using uncooked rice, add it with the flour and sauté, stirring, until it’s a little toasty.
    4.Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, herbs, and cooked rice (if you are using it) and cook at least 15 minutes (about 45 minutes with raw rice; cook until rice is done).
    5.Remove from heat.
    6.For an elegant soup, puree in the blender or put through a sieve.
    7.Add milk and margarine and more salt and pepper if needed.
    8.Heat through but do not boil.
    Variations—from Myra Levy and Charlie Varon of San Francisco:
    Substitute 1 ½ cups uncooked rice-soy shells or other noodles for flour and rice.
    Add 1 small eggplant, cut into ½-inch cubes.
    Add chopped broccoli and zucchini.
    Makes 6 servings.

    Reply
  50. kurt

    Although a autumn chill is in the air, we here in Palm Springs are chillin’ at 103F today! Pozole fits the bill on both accounts, hearty autumnal fare topped with a cooling salad. A meal in one. That is why Pozole is my favorite soup.
    Pozole
    1 1/2 lbs tomatillos
    2 jalapeño chile peppers, halved, seeded
    1-2 pasilla chiles, halved, seeded
    2 Tbsp lime (or lemon) juice
    1 teaspoon sugar
    Remove papery husks from tomatillos. Rinse well. Cut tomatillos and peppers in half and place them cut-side down in roasting pan. Broil for 5-7 minutes until blackened in spots. Allow to cool.
    Roughly chop tomatillos and peppers, Reserve any juice released. Add lime juice and pinch of sugar. Set aside.
    1 roast chicken
    2 garlic cloves
    1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
    Simmer a roasted chicken with garlic and oregano in 2 quarts of water.
    Remove chicken and shred.
    Reserve liquid. Cool and remove smaltz.
    1 onion, chopped
    2 garlic cloves
    16 oz. hominy, canned
    2 tbsp. salt
    2 quarts chicken stock (see above)
    Cook onions and garlic. Add hominy, chicken, tomatillos and broth. Simmer for ½ hour for flavors to meld. Adjust seasoning.
    6 radishes thinly sliced
    3 green scallions, chopped
    chopped cabbage
    cilantro – finely chopped
    6 lime wedges
    Garnish soup with cabbage, scallions, cilantro and radishes. Squeeze lime wedge over soup.

    Reply
  51. Lr.

    This is a hearty kale soup that is perfect for fall.
    1 chopped onion
    3 carrots, diced
    3 ribs celery, diced
    1 large potato, diced
    saute vegies at low(ish) heat in 1/4 cup good olive oil.
    add 1 1/2 quarts stock;
    2 or 3 sprigs marjoram
    ground black pepper
    salt
    2 whole cooked sausage (I oven roast several at a time then freeze for later use. Can use mild or spicy, meat or vegetarian.
    3 or 4 handfulls of baby kale
    Simmer until vegies are tender
    to serve: remove sausages and cut into pieces lay in bottonm of soup bowl ladel in soup top with “curly peels” (I use vegetable peeler) of any nutty wonderful flavorful cheese ( I like Parmigiano Reggiano). Yum!

    Reply
  52. Kristin McNamara Freeman

    Potato Leek Soup
    Ingredients:
    3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
    3 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced (about 4 1/2 cups)
    2 large russet potatoes, peeled, diced
    4 1/2 cups (or more) chicken, vegetable stock, or water
    chopped fresh chives or parsley for garnish
    Instructions:
    1. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks; stir to coat with butter.
    2. Cover saucepan; cook until leeks are tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes.
    3. Add potatoes. Cover and cook until potatoes begin to soften but do not brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes.
    4. Add 4 1/2 cups stock. Bring to boil.
    5. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.
    6. Puree soup in batches in processor or uising an immersion blender until smooth. Return to saucepan. Thin with additional stock if soup is too thick. Season with salt and pepper.
    7. Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Garnish and serve.
    For a creamier flavor and texture, try adding a drizzle of cream. For a heartier version, consider adding some real, cripsy bacon bits or a sprinkling of grated cheese.
    this recipe is from the Kitchen Garden Network in 2005 and is a family favorite

    Reply
  53. Zosia

    Love this idea. It’s Clean the Fridge Soup. I like the idea of using whatever is left and not throwing food out. Thanks Laurie.

    Reply
  54. Judy

    I apologize ahead of time because this recipe is NOT vegetarian. Bill loves the soup/stew and I love the veggies!
    Vintner’s Stew
    2 lbs. stewing beef
    3 T. olive oil
    1/2 t. chopped garlic
    1 large onion, sliced
    1 1/4 cups red wine (Burgundy, Merlot or other red dinner wine)
    2- 10 1/2 oz. cans of beef consomme
    1 t. salt
    1/2 t. garlic salt
    1/4 t. pepper
    1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
    1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
    You can add any veggies you like: I usually add 2 large potatoes, 1 cup carrots/chopped, 1 cup chopped celery
    Combine beef with olive oil, chopped garlic, and onion. Simmer for a couple of minutes. Add wine, consomme, salts, pepper and veggies. Mix flour with crumbs and stir into casserole mixture. Cover and bake in slow oven (300 degrees) for 3 hrs. or until meat is tender. I sometimes add a little water after about 1 hr. if needed.

    Reply
  55. Ellen at American Homestead

    I know I’m too late for the contest but this soup is great especially as the weather is turning colder here in the eastern US.
    http://americanhomestead.blogspot.com/search?q=recession+soup

    Reply

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