Roasted Pepper Soup

I've enjoyed making this flavorful sweet and spicy soup as an appetizer or lunch. You can make it vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. I like it either way.

Ingredients:

• 4 sweet red peppers
• 3 sweet potatoes or yams
• 1 large onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp Italian herb seasoning (rosemary and basil mix)*
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups cold water
• 2 cups chicken broth

Method:

1. Cut peppers into into 1-inch strips. Peel and slice yams. Coarsely chop up onion.
2. Toss vegetables, peeled garlic, oil, Italian herbs, salt and pepper in large roasting pan.
3. Roast (covered)  in 400 F for 45 - 60 minutes. Until tender.
4. Stir 1 1/2 cups cold water into roasted vegetables to cool slightly, then blend in blender or food processor (in batches) to puree.
5. Pour into cooking pot. Add chicken broth and a bit more water, to desired consistency. Bring to boil and simmer 5 minutes.
6. Serve with sour cream. Serves 4-6

* I use Pampered Chef Rosemary Herb seasoning mix

Andersons' Pea Soup

This recipe comes from the famous Andersen family.. Somewhere down the line...it's been referred to as Andersen's Pea Soup. I looked this up on line....and now I realize it's been around for years. I still remember my mother in law coming home saying that she had the recipe to Andersen's Famous Pea Soup.

We love this recipe and on a cold day, there's nothing better than a hot bowl of soup, which brings a spirit of wholesome family warmth around the table.

Ingredients

• Two quarts of water
• 2 cups green split peas
• 1 stalk of celery chopped
• 1 large carrot chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 pinch of cayenne
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Fill pot with water, add bay leaf and bring to a boil.
2. Add split peas and boil hard for 20 minutes, then turn heat down until peas are tender.
3. It suggests to strain through fine sieve and reheat to boiling point. I skip this process.
   
4. Add celery, carrots and onion to pot and continue to simmer slowly for 1 hour.
5. Add about 1/2 pound farmer sausage.
   
6. Add spices.
   
7. Add extra boiling water if it becomes to thick.

I do not strain my soup as I love the chunky peas the way they are...and it becomes quite tender while adding the other ingredients to the stock.
I love to add farmer sausage or bacon to this soup....It just adds that extra smoked flavor.
I served it for supper tonight...and the bowls are all licked empty, once again.

Turkey Bean and Kale Soup

Did someone say they wanted to eat something healthy?

We've been enjoying this soup since Christmas and when it was gone I went right back to town to buy more dried beans.

If you cleaned up your turkey carcass after Christmas dinner by putting it in the freezer,

it is a good time now to pull it out and try a new soup.

This Turkey Soup is full of nutrition with a dose of goodness in every spoonful with dark leafy greens and beans.

I always keep dried beans in my pantry and Kale is readily available during the winter months.

• 1 turkey carcass
• 4 litres of water or about 1 gallon
• 1 500 gram bag of great northern beans (about 2 cups)
• 3 stalks celery - diced
• 1 large onion - diced
• 4 carrots - diced
• 1 large bunch of kale - torn into bite sized pieces  ( to make about 6 cups)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme

1. Put the turkey carcass in a large stock pot and cover with water.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer several hours.  (If you have a very large turkey carcass you might want to double the amount of water and then reserve half of the stock for another soup.  Freeze it in a ice cream pail.
3. Put the dried beans in a large saucepan and cover with water that is several inches above the beans.
4. Bring to a boil.  Boil 2 minutes and turn off heat and let sit an hour.  Strain.
5. Turn off the heat and strain the soup into another large pot.  Let the bones cool and pick of the meat and return it to the stock.  Discard the bones.
6. Turn the heat back on and add the beans and seasonings.
7. Simmer for an hour and a half and then add the vegetables, and simmer an additional hour or until the beans are tender.
8. Taste the soup and if necessary add a chicken bouillon cube to bring the flavour to your liking.

Italian Wedding Soup

This soup is a delicious alternative to Chicken noodle soup. We’ve enjoyed it at several Italian restaurants and I thought I’d try to duplicate it at home.

Here’s the recipe I came up with. You can easily double it to serve 10-12 people.

• 10 cups home made or purchased low sodium Chicken broth, divided
• Italian style meatballs (recipe follows)
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup uncooked Orzo (rice shaped pasta)
• large handful of chopped kale or spinach
• the rind of a piece of fresh parmesan (if available)*
• several large leaves coarsely chopped fresh basil

For the Italian Style Meatballs:

• 1 cup fine breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup beef broth
• 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/2 lb. ground pork
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. Montreal Steak Spice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup grated Romano cheese

1. Mix breadcrumbs, milk, beef broth and egg together.
2. Add ground beef, ground pork and remaining ingredients.
3. Form into small meatballs. (about 3/4”) I use a tablespoon to measure the amount for each meatball.
4. Cook meatballs 10 at a time in 2 cups of chicken broth. This will only take a few minutes for each batch. Cut one in half to see if it is done.
5. In another pot, cook sliced carrots until just tender.
6. Cook orzo in a separate pot of boiling water until “al dente”. (do not overcook)
7. Add cheese rind to chicken broth in a large soup pot and bring to a boil.
8. Turn heat down to a simmer and add meatballs, cooked carrots, cooked orzo pasta and chopped kale and basil.
9. Heat until kale is wilted.
10. Serve with a sprinkle of grated parmesan and chopped basil if desired.

Notes:

As with any soup recipe this one can be adapted to your taste. Some like it with garlic added to the broth. I’ve also seen it made with different leafy greens (arugula, curly endive, escarole)

Making the small meatballs is the tedious part of this recipe but you can prepare and cook them ahead of time and refrigerate them. The carrots and orzo can also be cooked ahead of time so they are all ready when you assemble the soup.

*I’ve noticed from my reading that Italians often add the rind or heal of Parmesan cheese to their soups. This not only uses up that last bit of cheese but adds flavour to the soup. And, it’s a a delicious mouthful if the melted cheese turns up in your bowl.

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is a easy Crock Pot soup my high school girlfriend Nancy shared with me that is filling and will warm you up.
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup chunky salsa (mild, medium or hot)
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 Cups frozen corn
1 can (approx 15 oz.) black beans rinsed and drained
2 cans (10-3/4 oz. each) cream of chicken soup
1 can (approx 15 oz.) diced tomatoes with jalapenos or green chilies ( choose according to the spice level/heat you prefer)
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 or 2 6inch corn tortillas cut into strips
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 Cup chopped fresh cilantro
1. Stir the salsa, chicken, corn and beans in a 4 quart slow cooker/crock pot.
2. Stir the soup, tomatoes, water, cumin together in a separate bowl. Pour over the crock mixture.
3. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours or on high for 2 to 2-1/2 hours.
4. Stir in tortilla strips, cheese and cilantro. Cover and cook an additional 15 minutes.
Enjoy with warm tortillas or corn bread!

Beef and Barley Soup

Make a pot of soup early in the week and you will have something nutritious in the refrigerator for that supper that you might be tempted to go grab a bite.  My mom in law makes this soup often and we enjoyed it there one evening.  While we ate. . .she recalled what she puts in it. . and I jotted it down.  If you have a large family, you can easily double this recipe in a very large stock pot.

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 large onion diced
• 2 sticks celery, diced
• 1/3 cup pot barley
• 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups water
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 1 large potato, diced
• 1 small head cabbage, chopped fine
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 bay leaf
• a small handful chopped parsley
• 6 peppercorns
• 6 allspice
• 1 tablespoon dill weed

1. Brown the ground beef in a large stock pot.
2. Use a mandolin to prepare your vegetables or chop while your meat is browning.
3. Add the onion and celery and fry until translucent.
4. Add the remaining ingredients. 
5. Put your spices in a spice ball or tie it in cheesecloth.
6. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer.
7. Simmer several hours.

Butternut Squash Soup

It's that time of the year. The squash is fresh from the garden...and the cool fall days make soup a favorite.

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger root, minced
• 3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
• 2 apples, cored and cut into chunks
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced
• 4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• dash of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup cream

1. Melt butter in large pot, over medium heat.
2. Add garlic, onion and ginger root.  Cook and stir for about 10 minutes, or until soft.  
3. Add broth, squash, apples and carrot.
4. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until very tender. 
5. Purée soup using a handheld immersion blender.  (Can also be done in a regular blender in small batches.)
6. Return pot to stove and re-heat on medium-low heat.
7. Add seasonings and cream and heat until steaming, stirring as necessary.

Serve with savory cheddar scones (pictured) for a delicious lunch. 

Red Pepper Cauliflower Soup

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion
  
• 1 red pepper chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 medium carrot sliced
  
• 4 medium potatoes thinly sliced
• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
• cracked pepper
• 1 tsp. curry or to taste (optional)
  
• 6-8 cups of low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup of milk or cream
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1-2 cups of old cheddar cheese
• 2 small turkey pepperoni, smokey or farmer sausage (optional)

1. Saute the onion, peppers, garlic in oil til soft. (You may add the farmer sausage or pepperoni at this time, if you are using it.)
   
2. Add the remaining vegetables, and broth.
3. Cook about 20 minutes till all the vegetables are tender.
4. Puree if you have an immersion blender (my favorite, so much less clean up than a blender).
5. Add the milk or cream.
6. Stir in the cheese. The stronger the cheese the more flavorful the soup.
   

Enjoy as a meal with a salad and any homemade bread,
very filling and satisfying. (I enjoy it cold too.)

Tuscany Soup

The artisan bread was in the oven...and called for some soup to go with it. Here's my version of Tuscany soup...adapted from an Alpha recipe.


Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 clove garlic
• 3/4 pound smoked sausage, sliced
• 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 can kidney beans
• 4 cups broth (chicken or beef)
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
• 300 grams cheese-filled tortellini
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Saute onions, celery, carrots and garlic in oil in large pot.
2. Add sausage slices and stir until meat is browned and veggies are tender.
3. Add tomatoes, stock, kidney beans...along with seasonings.
4. Bring to a boil....then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Stir in spinach and tortellini.
6. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes or until pasta is done.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning.
8. Serve in individual bowls...sprinkled generously with shredded Parmesan cheese.
9. Makes 8 servings.

* Use fresh basil and oregano instead of the dried herbs if available.
**Use the meat of your choice...ground beef works well in this soup.

Hospitality Soup/ Chicken Vegetable Chowder

There is nothing as comforting as a good and hearty soup/chowder/stew.
It welcomes family and friends around the table, with little effort or a big chunk of your grocery budget. When it is time to clean out the fridge before your next grocery shopping trip. You can create a new and interesting soup every week.
Allow me to share how you too can create a soup, when you thought you had nothing to good to eat at home.

First check what you have in your fridge, left overs or vegetables that look a little limpy, like carrot, celery, broccoli or cauliflower, you may not want to eat them as is, but for a soup it is just fine. What about a little left over roast beef/chicken or meatballs/spaghetti sauce.
Rinse out your nearly empty bottles of ketchup or bbq sauce into the soup.
Check your pantry. Do you have a can of beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, vegetables. A bag of pasta or rice that barely has enough in it to use as a meal. How about a can of soup that really won't stretch to feed a family on its own, you can use that as a base and make it stretch.

It really isn't that complicated to create "something" from "nothing" and make your budget stretch. Years ago a women came and spoke to our mom's group at church about "hospitality" and her tip to us was to have a container in the freezer for those little left overs from a meal that isn't enough to keep as meal, like rice, pasta, meat, vegetables or what ever it is. So instead of dumping it in the garbage, or eating it because you don't want to waste it, place it in the container and when you have enough, add it to your soup pot at the end of the week.

I have heard of this kind of soup referred to as garbage soup. But I refuse to call it that. I believe it is a privilege to have so much food in our country, that it should never be referred to as garbage. That we should be wise with it, not wasteful and bless others with what we have, even we don't have a big food budget. Hence it is now called HOSPITALITY SOUP. I hope you can refer to it that way as well.

Our family enjoys soups and I make it every week. It is never the same, but always tasty and satisfying with a batch of biscuits or fresh bread, you are ready to call everyone to the table.

This is just one of the soups that we have enjoyed. Remember if you don't have all the ingredients on hand that is OK, use what you have and be creative. You can make it your own.



This is what I did for the picture above.

I call it a chicken/vegetable chowder.
Chowders are often dairy based and a little thicker than a broth based soup.
I used-

• 6 slices bacon
• 2 cups of leftover chicken/turkey/or try ground chicken instead. I used leftover roast chicken.
  
• 5 cups of chicken broth ( it can be homemade, canned or powder based)
• 1 onion
• 2 celery stalks chopped fine (to hide it from my daughter)
  
• 1 or 2 carrots, sliced
• 1/2 - 1 red or green pepper
• sliced mushrooms
  
• 5 medium potatoes, skin on if the potatoes are fresh, peeled if not
• 1 cup of frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen beans
  
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup of flour/ or 2 heaping tbsp. of cornstarch
• 1 small can of skim evaporated milk/or if you prefer you can use cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp. of ** secret ingredient**

1. Chop up the bacon and cook until crisp. Drain all the fat.
2. add onions and celery and saute til soft.
3. add the broth, thyme and bay leaf and cook until potatoes are done
4. mix the cornstarch or flour with the milk and whisk into the soup until smooth.
5. cook for a few more minutes until thick.
6. add frozen veggies, since they don't take much time to cook.
   
7. add ** secret ingredient**........Dijon mustard. Yup that is right, I had an almost empty container of it that wouldn't squeeze out any more, so I rinsed it in the soup. It was so good, now I intentionally add a tablespoon of it to soup. :^D.
   

You never know what you can create with what is in your nearly empty fridge or pantry.
Have fun creating, and let us know how it went.

Chicken Noodle Soup

When I make homemade Chicken Noodle Soup I use a whole fryer or broiler chicken. I don't use all the meat for the soup. Once the broth has simmered several hours I allow the broth to cool enough to handle the chicken. Remove the chicken using a small colander with a handle. Take off the two breasts and use them for another meal that needs chopped chicken. The options are endless. You could make a casserole or just use it for sandwiches or for wraps. Since the chicken had simmered in the seasoned broth. . .it will be flavorful for another use. With the rest of the chicken I remove from the bones from the meat and put the meat back into the broth. If we are not eating the soup that day .. .I refrigerate the broth and then before reheating .. .I remove all the solid fat at the top of the broth.

• 1 chicken
• 2 bay leaves
• 10 peppercorns
• 1 star aniseed
• 5 cloves
• a small handful chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon Maggi seasoning ( optional )
• salt to taste

1. Put your chicken in a soup pot and cover with water.
2. Bring to a boil and add the spices (not the parsley) which you have tied into a bit of cheesecloth.
3. Simmer for 2 -3 hours.
4. Remove from heat and take chicken off the bones when it is cool enough to handle.
5. Remove the breasts and refrigerate for another use. Remove the rest of the meat from the bones and put back into the broth.
6. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and the Maggi seasoning and parsley.
7. Simmer for 1/2 hour and taste and adjust the salt and Maggi seasoning if needed.
8. Serve the broth over cooked fine egg noodles. (Do not store leftover soup with noodles. .keep them separate)

January Skiers Soup

I think it was the name that appealed to me originally...though I wasn't much of a skier, I could could cook soup. The recipe came from a church cookbook published in 1985...put out by the gals from the Kelowna Mennonite Brethren Church...and given to me by my sister-in-law way back then. It is basically a hamburger soup...and was submitted by Gloria H. Over the years I have cooked it often...and changed it up a little. It's a hearty winter soup...combined with some fresh bread it makes a great meal after a day on the slopes...or anywhere, for that matter. January is officially soup month...so here's a recipe you might want to try.

January Skiers Soup

• 1 pound ground beef
• 6 cups water
• 3 sliced onions
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• 3 medium potatoes, diced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 large can diced tomatoes (28 oz.)
• 2 cups sliced cabbage (optional)
• 1/4 cup rice
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet basil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• dash of cayenne pepper (just to add a wee zip)

Method:

1. Brown ground beef in heavy pot...with 1 tablespoon oil. Use a potato masher to stir while browning...it's great for crumbling the beef.


2. Add remaining ingredients except rice and seasonings, and bring to a boil.


3. Add rice and seasonings.


4. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.


5. Serve with a dollop of sour cream...and fresh bread.

Enjoy!

Roasted Carrot Soup

Just before Christmas I was doing a bit of entertaining with small dinner parties. I had baked a ham for one dinner and was left with a ham bone for making soup for the next dinner party. I made a broth with the ham by . .

• putting the ham bone in a large soup pot and covering the ham bone with about 8 cups of water . . .bringing it to a boil and simmering it for several hours.
• I added a cheesecloth packet of 10 pepper kernels and 5 whole allspice.
• I added to the pot 2 bay leaves and
• 1 tablespoon summer savoury.

You wouldn't have to use roasted carrots but it adds another level of depth to the flavour of the soup. The soup will stay a brighter orange if you don't roast the carrots and I wasn't that pleased with the appearance but it tasted fabulous.

• 2 pounds carrots scrubbed clean cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 large onion cut into 8 pieces
• 6 -7 cups of ham broth (add additional broth later if you find the soup too thick. .because the broth is already flavoured it will not bother the soup to add more later)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• a dash cayenne pepper
• a few dashes hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (you do not need salt if you are using a ham broth)
• the juice of half a lime
  

1. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spread the carrots and onion evenly.
2. Bake in a 375 degree oven until the carrots and onions are very tender and just beginning to caramelize.
3. Put the broth, the carrots and the onions over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
4. Add the seasonings and simmer 30 minutes.
5. Add the lime juice.
6. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup to the consistency you want. If you do not have an immersion blender. . .put it a few cups at a time into a blender. .be careful not to fill your blender too full. .hot liquids tend to explode.
7. Serve with a teaspoon of sour cream.

Mushroom Leek Soup

Happy New Year to you all! May 2010 be a year of blessing and peace in your family. We'll start the year with a bowl of soup. After all the big dinners and appetizer evenings of the Christmas season. . .we're all ready for a bowl of satisfying soup with some crusty buns.

• 4 leeks
• 1 pound white button mushrooms
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 cup milk
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup sherry or madeira wine (optional)
• a dash or two of ground cayenne pepper to taste
• a small handful fresh chopped parseley. .about 1/3 cup chopped
• chopped chives for garnish
• salt and and pepper to taste just before serving

1. Remove the green parts of the leeks.
2. Slice the leeks and rinse well in water and drain in a colander.
3. Slice the mushrooms.
4. Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
5. Add the leeks and saute until wilted but not browned. Remove from pan.
6. Add the mushrooms to the pan and simmer until all the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms have browned a bit about 30 minutes on medium low.
7. Add the leeks back into the saucepan.
8. Add the flour and thyme and stir well and simmer a minute or two.
9. Add the milk and the broth and stir until well combined.
10. Leave the soup chunky for main course or for a soup course .. use an immersion blender to chop it up a bit. Either way .. .it is delicious. If you don't have an immersion blender you can put a few cups at a time in a regular blender .. don't fill too high. .hot liquids tend to be explosive in a blender and you'll end up with soup on your cabinets and clothes. ..(speaking from experience.)

Taco Soup

My family loves this soup..it will warm you on a cold day! Got this recipe from a friend although I changed it a bit.

Taco Soup

1 lb lean ground beef
1 finely chopped onion..that's what the recipe says..I omitted that because we happen not to like onions:)
1 cup finely chopped celery
Fry this together until beef is browned and onion and celery are cooked.
Add:
1 398 ml (14 oz)can tomato sauce
1 341 ml (12 0z) can corn, with liquid
1 398 ml can kidney beans, drained
1/3 cup salsa
1 tbsp chili powder..I use Mexican chili powder
3 tbsp taco seasoning
3 cups water
Simmer for 10 to 15 min.
This soup is fairly thick so add a little more water if you wish. Recipe can easily be doubled or tripled..I didn't but should have:)
Add taco chips, shredded cheese and sour cream to your individual soup bowls.

Moroccan Spiced Lentil Soup

The picture caught my eye in a Readers Digest magazine, where Bonnie and Fran regularly submit recipes. I enjoy any kind of bean dishes and I quite liked the exotic spices and flavors in this soup. The original recipe is vegetarian, but I made some minor changes to suit our likes.

Ingredients:

1 -2 Tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp chopped or grated gingerroot
1 pinch hot red chili flakes
2 tsp cumin
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 lg can (28 oz) plum tomatoes, with juices, pureed
6 cups chicken stock (or water and 2 -3 bouillon cubes)
1 can (2 cups) small green lentils, rinsed
1 can (2 cups) chickpeas, rinsed
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro

Method:

1. Heat oil and add onions, garlic, gingerroot, hot pepper flakes, cumin and cinnamon.
   Cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring.
2. Add carrot, celery and tomatoes. Bring to boil.
3. Add chicken stock, lentils and chickpeas and continue cooking another 30 – 40 minutes.
4. Add cooked chicken near the end. Season with salt and pepper according to taste. Add lemon juice and sprinkle with cilantro just before serving.

If you make this soup ahead, it will thicken as it stands – just add water or broth according to taste.

Corn Chowder Soup

It's the time of year where we are known far and wide for our high quality Chilliwack Corn.
Every fall I can't wait to dig in and pull the last of the fresh potatoes, carrots, onions and of course fresh corn. This year is been extra special, as we have our own fresh corn.
Corn Chowder Soup has been a favorite for years. It brings back memories to many ski vacations.
I will give you the original recipe, whereas I actually double all the vegetables. We all like our soup thick.
Ingredients

• 2 tins creamed corn ~ I use fresh corn from about 4 large cobs.
• 2 tins cream of celery soup
• 2 tins cream of mushroom soup
• 1 onion
  
• 1/2 green pepper
  
• 2 C. cooked potatoes ~ I add a few carrots and celery stalks.
  
• 1 large tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 pound bacon ~ I use Mennonite Farmer Sausage from Rempel's
• 2 quarts milk
• You need to add pepper and salt to taste.
  

While I cook my potatoes, I throw in a few carrots and celery. (Drain water) Meanwhile, I saute onions, green pepper and the sausage which has been cut into bite-size pieces.
Place all ingredients into large soup pan and heat slowly as milk tends to burn on quickly.

Cut, Chop and Saute'

You can almost taste this. Imagine the aroma in your kitchen.
Hope you can all get out there and find some fresh Chilliwack Corn.
I freeze this soup. No soup tastes as good as fresh, but when one does not have the fresh produce in winter, this is second best.

Gazpacho (fresh tomato soup)

This recipe comes from Better Homes and Gardens Grilling magazine.

I never thought I'd enjoy this cold tomato soup but after having had it recently, I changed my mind. It is cool, refreshing and different. A great first course for a summer meal.

1. 1 thick slice white bread cut into 1/2" cubes
2. 6 or 7 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3. 2 tbsp. cider or sherry vinegar
4. 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
5. 2 cloves garlic, minced
6. 1 medium or 2 mini cucumbers, seeded and chopped*
7. 1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onion*
8. 1 medium green pepper seeded and chopped*
9. 1 litre tomato vegetable juice
10. 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
11. 1 tsp. (or to taste )hot pepper sauce
12. Salt and fresh ground black pepper.

* How much red onion, cucumber and green pepper you add will depend on how thick you want the soup. I used 1/2 a red onion, 1 mini English cucumber and 1/2 large green pepper.

• Spread bread cubes in a baking sheet and bake at 300º F oven for 10 minutes or until cubes are dry. Cool.


• In a food processor, combine bread cubes, tomatoes, vinegar olive oil and garlic. Process until almost smooth. Add a bit of the vegetable juice if necessary.


• Pour into a bowl.


• Add red onion, cucumber and green pepper to food processor and process until finely chopped. (I did the onion in the chopper so that it was finely chopped and did the cucumber and green pepper by hand in a fine dice.)


• Add vegetables to the tomato mixture. Stir in remaining vegetable juice, parsley and hot pepper sauce if desired.



• Season to taste with salt and pepper.


• Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
• Garnish each serving with chopped or sliced cucumber and chopped fresh parsley.

Cream of Leek Soup

I have made a variation of cream soups quite often because they are so quick and easy. However, unlike soups that get better the longer you cook them, it is best to serve cream soups without cooking them too long. Acid, heat and salt can cause milk to curdle, and even more so if you use a low fat milk. In order to avoid this problem, do not boil the soup hard or long and add the bouillon cube flavor at the end of the cooking process, without bringing the soup to another boil. I have revised my written recipe here, specifying to add the bouillon flavor (salt) at the end, but personally, I just throw it in with the rest of the ingredients near the beginning.

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. margarine or butter
3 Tbsp. flour
3 cups milk
2 cups water, divided, OR 2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp cheez whiz
1 small bunch leeks, chopped
2 baked potatoes, coarsely grated
2-3 Tbsp cooked, crumbled bacon pieces or Real Bacon Bits
1 ½ chicken bouillon cubes (omit if using broth)

Method:

Make a white sauce by melting margarine and stirring in the flour with a whisk. Gradually stir in milk and 1 cup water (or broth) and keep stirring until it comes to a boil.
Add cheez whiz, chopped leeks potatoes and bacon. Simmer on low for about 5 – 10 min, until leeks have changed to an olive color.
Add bouillon flavoring dissolved in 1 cup boiled water, OR rest of broth. Also, some pepper if you like. Stir and serve. Keep warm on very low heat, if you must. Refrigerate left over soup immediately and re-heat without boiling.

Turkey Vegetable Chowder

Although we are entering spring according to the calendar, it feels more like winter around here and so we are still enjoying our winter soups and fresh breads. I got this recipe for turkey chowder from a friend of mine many years ago...when she still had five children to cook for...and this was one of their family favorites. What's not to like about it? It has become one of our family favorites as well...and so I will pass it along for you to try.

Turkey Vegetable Chowder

• 2 turkey legs
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 stalks celery (with tops), chopped
• 4-5 potatoes, cubed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 can cream-style corn
• 1 can corn whole kernel corn
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup grated cheese
• chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Put turkey legs in a large stockpot with ten cups of water. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until turkey is very tender. Using slotted spoon, remove turkey legs and set aside to cool.

Add onion, potato, carrots and celery, salt, pepper, and basil...and simmer for about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Cut turkey into bite sized pieces (discarding skin and bone) and add to the soup pot along with the corn.

Using a wire whip, combine flour and milk and stir mixture into soup. Add grated cheese and cook, stirring constantly, until soup returns to a boil. Cook several minutes longer to melt cheese and thicken slightly. Sprinkle with parsley.

Notes: I buy turkey drumsticks in the frozen meat section of the grocer...and prefer the smoked turkey drumsticks. They are more pricey, but give the soup a bit a smokey flavour. I have also used turkey leftovers to make this soup. Fresh basil is a wonderful addition.