Cold Weather Ahead...the all soups thread

I love to make chicken soup, and i usually just dump whatever in it as i go. I start with a pot of water, usually enough for 2 or 3, and add an OXO cube and a tsp of brown sugar. Boil them them together for a bit, add any raw veggies (potatoes, carotts, etc) and cook until they are about a quarter done, then add pasta; when the pasta is almost done, i add any frozen veggies for the last few minutes, as well as the precooked chicken.

Yummy!!

Here's a picture of some i made last May on my blog :

http://mmmhomecooking.blogspot.com/2010/05/chicken-noodle-soup-biscuits.html

WINTER SQUASH SOUP WITH GRUYERE CROUTONS

Soup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 14 1/2-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth or vegetable broth
4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh sage
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons sugar (or brown sugar)
Croutons
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
24 1/4-inch-thick baguette bread slices
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage

For soup:
Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, all squash and herbs; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.
Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Return soup to same pot. Stir in cream and sugar; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.)
For croutons:
Preheat broiler. Butter 1 side of each bread slice. Arrange bread, buttered side up, on baking sheet. Broil until golden, about 1 minute. Turn over. Sprinkle cheese, then thyme and sage over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until cheese melts, about 1 minute. Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with croutons and serve.
Serves 8.

I am making chili tonight too. Mine was based on a vegetarian chili but I added chopped steak and chorizo. Now my son is vegetarian and I have turned it intp a vegetarian one. I use black, pinto and garbanzo beans which are all used in Mexico. I put in Chipolte Chilies. Yes I love soups. My latest favorite recipe is Souffle though/ Broccoli Goat cheese Souffle. I thought they were harder but this really is not too difficult. But here is my favorite soup recipe from the Authentic Mexican Cookbook: Avocado Soup
Saute 2 T of chopped onions in butter or oil then add 2 T flour to form a paste. Stir in 4 cups of chicken broth a little at a time. then add a chopped tomato, salt and pepper as desired. Let this simmer. Puree 3 avocados with 1/2 cup of (low fat) sour cream. Pour the hot soup into boils and add 3 spoonfuls of avocado mixture to each bowl. Serves 4.

Ok I think I know what I am making this weekend after I get a chance to grocery shop....
Thanks all

I have a friend that will go to the store and pick up a variety of vegetables...often root vegetables that are in season and on sale. He goes home and cooks them, throws them into a big pot and seasons them with spices and often some red pepper. He blends them all up to a smooth texture and serves it with a dollup of sour cream or cream cheese in the middle. I know he has used various squashes, beets, turnip (which I never thought I would like, but was surprised), pumkins,... I thought it would be good with curry in it sometime depending on the vegetable, but Bob hates curry. A pumpkin soup would be good with a little nutmeg and cin.

Bump! Yummy!

bumping for later

these look sooooooo good. Fall food is my favorite food!

Hi
My favourite soup is below.

550g of carrots
1 large onion
50g red lentils
1 parsnip
1 clove garlic
Knob of fresh ginger
1 tbsp of bouillon powder (marigold reduced sodium)
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp cumin
Squirt of spray oil substitute or 1 tsp olive oil
1-2 litres water
fresh coriander

Blitz or grate carrot, onion, parsnip, ginger and garlic into little shreds. Squirt large pan with a spray or two of oil substitue or oil. Heat pan gently then add all the blitzed veg and the lentils and cook gently for 3-5 minutes until beginning to soften. Stir in spices and 1 litre of water mixed with the bouillon powder. Simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils are soft. Then you can blitz it again with a handheld blender or leave it nubbly. I generally add an additional 1/2 - 1 litre water or 'stock' at this point. Put it back on gentle simmer and adjust seasoning - it may need black pepper but probably not salt because of the bouillon powder. Serve with shredded fresh coriander. Makes 5 servings of around 110 cals each - more with olive oil though.

It works really well with the addition of some butternut squash, sweet potato and red pepper - obviously changes the cals though.

bump

I make a quick, easy soup using chick peas. It's my "I'm tired & don't have anything planned" diner. I always have the ingredients on hand.

15 minute Chick Pea Soup

1 Tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced (more or less to taste, I like a lot)
1 can of chick peas
4 cups water or stock
2 oz spaghetti, broken into 1-2" pieces

Sauté garlic in olive oil for 1-2 minutes. Add chick peas, including the liquid from the can. Add water or stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add spaghetti. Boil for about 8 minutes. Enjoy!

It's surprisingly good for so few ingredients.Sometimes I add a little tomato paste or spices to the broth.

bump

Cabbage Soup

1 large can of stewed tomatoes
1 large can or I use the plastic bags of sauerkraut
2 lbs of browned ground beef or turkey
1 onion, chopped

About 30 minutes before serving add the following:
1 large can of tomato sauce
1 Medium head of chopped cabbage

Very low-carb but high in sodium because of the sauerkraut

Not quick, but a MUST for great soups and stews:

Homemade Chicken/Turkey Stock

This is what you do with your leftover holiday turkey or a large chicken carcass (or two small freeze one until you have the second) ... make a fabulous stock!

8 quarts cold water
1 turkey carcass, meat removed, leaving some crisp skin on if possible
Mirepoix:
8 ounces onions, chopped
4 ounces celery with tops, chopped
4 ounces carrots, chopped
2 small heads garlic, cut in half horizontally

Spices:
1 teaspoon or so black peppercorns, cracked
6-8 parsley stems, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. dried tarragon leaves
1/4 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1/4 tsp. dried basil leaves
The above ingredients are placed into a 4" square of cheesecloth and tied into a sack, or use a metal tea ball. Or just put it in if you plan on straining the stock at the end.
Break up the turkey carcass, and chop some of the larger bones in half. Put the carcass in the stockpot with the water and bring slowly to a simmer. Periodically skim off any scum that forms, and if you wish use a skimmer to skim off the fat. (This stock simmering process makes your house smell REALLY good!) Let this simmer for two hours, or 4, or even 6.

Add the mirepoix and sachet; tie the sachet closed with some twine and tie the long end of the twine to the handle of the pot; this makes the bag easier to retrieve. (A tea ball also works well.) Simmer for one more hour.

Remember that during the simmering process, it's best not to stir the stock. The end result will be much clearer if it is not agitated while simmering.

Strain thoroughly; the best way to do this is to ladle the stock out and pour it through a strainer which has been lined with a couple of layers of damp cheesecloth. If you're using the stock immediately, skim off as much fat as you can with a fat skimmer or a piece of paper towel, otherwise cool the stock right away by placing the container into an ice-water-filled sink, stirring to bring the hot liquid from the center to the sides of the container. Don't just put hot stock in the refrigerator; it won't cool enough to prevent possible multiplication of harmful bacteria. To defat the stock easily, refrigerate overnight, until the fat solidifies on the surface, then skim off.

Makes about 6 quarts of stock.