Comfort Foods: Super Soups

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

12 Mar 2009 07:02 AM

Canned soups can come in handy when you are pressed for time and need to get a meal on the table fast. But, what most people don't realize is that homemade soup doesn't require a ton of time to prepare, and it's so much healthier than the canned version. The following recipes prove that.

Tip: Double the recipe and you can have delicious and nutritious leftover soup for lunch or dinner the next day.

SIMPLE POTATO SOUP

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, diced

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

4 tablespoons butter

1 (32-ounce) bag frozen Southern style hash brown potatoes

3 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 pint heavy cream or half and half

Shredded cheddar cheese

Chopped green onions

Bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

Saute onions and celery in butter until soft. Season with salt and pepper. Place celery and onions in a slow cooker. Add hash brown potatoes, chicken broth and seasonings. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours. Add cream and continue to cook for another hour.

Garnish each soup bowl with chopped green onion, cheese and bacon before serving.

SIMPLE SPICY BLACK BEAN SOUP

Ingredients:

2 cups dried black beans

2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 cup red onion diced

2 ribs of celery, diced

1 carrot peeled and diced

1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons coriander

1 dried Ancho chili

1 dried Chipotle pepper

1 quart chicken or vegetable stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Sour cream for garnish

1/2 cup shredded cheddar

2 green onions, chopped

Fresh cilantro

Directions:

Simmer the dried black beans in the chicken or vegetable stock for 1 hour or until cooked.

Saute carrot, onion, celery in olive oil. Add cumin, coriander, and chilies and toast the spices. Add black beans, canned tomatoes, cilantro and stock, simmer for 45 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour half the soup into another pot and puree with hand blender. Add pureed soup back into original soup pot with the unpureed soup. Mix.

Garnish with green onion, sour cream and cilantro before serving.

Related Articles:

Comfort Foods: Casseroles

Comfort Food Recipes

Comfort Food Recipes: Soup's On

C is for Comfort Food

Warm Up with Homemade Chowder

More Hearty Winter Soup Recipes: Turkey and Rice and Tropical Chicken

Tips for Hosting a Winter Soup Party

Hearty Homemade Winter Soup Recipes

Super Soups

Easy Taco Soup

Unique Soup Recipes

More Soup Recipes

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger