Warm Inspirations

So here we are, it's January, the cold winds are blowing,  we've got the medicine cabinet stocked, and Kleenex for those sniffly noses.  And in some cases struggling to fight off the winter blues. With the busyness of December behind us it's probably time for some major motivation and inspiration.

 After all that turkey and stuffing, it would probably do us all some good to make January the month for soup. There are few other things that bring comfort like a hot bowl of soup can. Nothing quite warms a person from the inside out like a nice hot bowl of soup. Maybe a cup of tea but that's  not nearly as fun to eat as a bowl of soup ;) 

Noodle soup, restaurant soup, sommerborcht, green bean soup, butta soup, bunte butta soup, hot white bean soup, sauerkraut borcht, tomato basil soup, beef barley soup, baked potato soup, corn chowder soup, shrimp soup, pisole soup, garden vegetable soup, pasta fagioli soup, minestrone soup, nacho soup, cream of broccoli soup, tortilla soup, fish soup, chicken enchilada soup, just to name a few.

Chicken soup is good for the soul they say!  But does it actually help you when you're sick, or is that an old wives tale? Scientists agree that there's something in chicken soup called  "carnosine" that is proven to fight off early stages of the flu. Even if there is no scientific reason but its just all in your head, what ever works right?And there is no better proof than finding out yourself that soup really does help bring comfort in the winter.

So I would like to "inspire" you to try having more than usual soup this January. Have your family favourites and  try something you've never tried before. I would like to share with you a chicken base soup, a beef base soup, a pork base soup, and soup without any meat base, soup I've never made myself but tried soup and soup I've never made but want to try this January.

This first recipe is a popular recipe in our church cookbook, only I tweaked it.

Nacho Soup

8 cups of water 

3 boneless skinless chicken breast

1 cup of salsa

1  can of corn

1/2 pound of Velveeta cheese

1  onion chopped

2 jalapeño chopped

1 tbsp. butter

1 tsp. chicken base 

1 tsp. seasoning salt 

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 cup cream

Cook the chicken in 8 cups of water until done. When the chicken is done remove from water, cup into cubes.  Fry the onion and jalapeno in butter for 5 min. Return chicken to water, add the onion and jalapeño  and the rest of the ingredients  except cream to the water. Simmer until cheese is melted. Then add the cream. Serve with fried rice and tortilla chips.

Pasta e Fagioli Soup

2 Ib Ground beef

1 onion chopped 

3 carrots sliced

 4 stalks of celery chopped

 2 cans of diced tomatoes  

1 can of red kidney beans 

1 can of great Northern beans 

3 cans of beef broth 

3 teaspoon oregano 

2 teaspoon pepper 

5 teaspoon parsley 

1 jar spaghetti sauce 

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

 1 cup of pasta

Brown beef in a skillet. Drain fat and place meat in the crockpot or large stockpot. Add everything but the pasta.

Crock pot: Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high 4-5 hours. Stovetop. Simmer on low for 2  hours. Just before serving cook pasta and add to the soup. Enjoy!

My favourite restaurant is the Olive Garden and I always order this soup. I found this recipe online and I've tried it once. It's almost as good as the Olive Garden.

Hot White Bean Soup

10 cups of water

2 cups of white navy beans

4 tablespoons of salt 

1  bunch of summer savory

1 bunch of parsley

4 bay leaves

Half package of bacon

1 onion 

6  potatoes

 2 tablespoons of chicken powder

3/4 cup ketchup

Buffalo picante to taste

Bring the water to a boil  with the navy beans and salt. Cook on medium for half an hour. Add that herbs in a spice ball, together with the half a package of bacon and onion. Then add the six potatoes cubed. Simmer on low until the potatoes are done. When the potatoes are done add the chicken powder the ketchup in the Buffalo picante to taste.

Bunte Butta Soup

1 onion chopped

1 cup of corn

1/2 cup of peas

2 carrots sliced

4 potatoes diced

1/2 head of cabbage chopped

 1 tomato diced 

1/2 cup of cream 

1/4 cup of butter

 10 stems of parsley 

10 peppercorns 

pinch of ginger

4 cloves

1/2 piece of star anise

3 bay leaves 

2 tablespoon salt 

2 tablespoons chicken powder

 2 tablespoons tomato powder

In a larger pot bring 10 to 12 cups of water to a boil at the salt and spices in a spice bowl. Add all the vegetables except the potatoes simmer for 10 minutes and then add the potatoes. Simmer on low until veggies are tender. Add chicken powder and tomato powder cream and butter. Add toasted and cooked noodles at the end.

This recipe you won't find anywhere else! (Except in the LGC Delights cookbook) 

I believe my mom invented it. She is the queen of soup!

Baked Potato Soup

3 medium baked potatoes

 3 teaspoons butter

 1 cup diced onion

 2 teaspoon flour 

4 cups of chicken stock

 2 cups of water

 1/4 cup cornstarch

 1 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes

 1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon basil

 1/4 teaspoon thyme

1 cup half-and-half cream

Garnish: 

1/2 cup shredded cheese 

1/4 cup bacon bits

2  green onions

 sour cream

Melt butter in a large sauce pan and sauté onions until light brown. Add flour and stir gently. At stock water cornstarch mashed potatoes and spices to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for eight minutes. Cut potatoes peeled in small pieces. Add chopped potatoes half and half cream and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with shredded cheese, bacon bits, green onions and sour cream.

I've never personally made this soup by myself but I've been in the presence of someone who made it and tasted it. Hmmmm 

Chicken Enchilada Soup

2 chicken breast 

2 teaspoon olive oil

 2 tablespoons cumin

 3 bay leaves

 2 small cans of enchilada sauce 

 1 large can of stewed tomatoes

 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro

 1 box of chicken broth

 1 onion chopped

 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Boil your chicken with salt added until thoroughly cooked. Remove chicken and set aside. In 2 teaspoons of olive oil fry the onions until tender. Add to stock.  Add cumin, garlic powder, bay leaves, enchilada sauce and stew tomatoes. Cook for half an hour.  Pull apart chicken breast with a fork and add to soup and bring to a boil. Serve with crushed tortilla chips and shredded cheese.

This recipe is in our newest recipe book on page 24.

I hope all this talk of soup has "inspired"you to get out your pot and cook some today. I would love to hear of some of your favorite soup recipes.

(I looked for pictures online that closely resembles these soups so your finished product may not look exactly as it appears)

- Margaret Reddekopp