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Hearty Winter Soups

© Jerri Brooker

There's nothing more soothing in the cold of the winter than a nice, piping-hot bowl of soup. Homemade's the best. It's chilly outside and the ground has a winter carpet of white, so soup is on the menu.

As I write, a pot of what will soon be a complete soup is on the stove simmering, awaiting its final ingredients, a roux to thicken, and some willing diners!

When I make soup I just decide what will be the base, chicken broth, milk, beef broth - with meat sometimes, without other times. I use a lot of vegetables.

Today I am inspired by a bowl of soup my husband had in a restaurant yesterday; it was cream of chicken with vegetables. I don't plan on putting any chicken in this soup, but I do plan on making it creamy. I've used chicken broth and milk as the base.

I'll have to really concentrate as I make it to give you the right ingredients, as each soup I make is generally a bit of this, a bit of that. I put in whatever tickles my fancy.

Join me, won't you, as I put some soup together?

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Creamy Vegetable Soup

1 T. olive oil
An onion, diced
Three potatoes, peeled and diced
Frozen mixed vegetables, whatever amount you like
2 cans of chicken broth
1 tsp. granulated chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp. of minced garlic (optional)
1 tsp. of poultry seasoning
½ teaspoon of spicy chicken seasoning (or any seasoning you prefer)
1 tsp. of celery seed
Salt and pepper to taste
1-1/2 cups of milk

Prepare onion and potato. Brown in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add frozen veggies, chicken broth and seasonings. Simmer until the vegetables are done. Add milk.

Make a roux (equal parts of butter and flour - I used 1/4 c. butter and 1/4. flour this time) by melting butter and stirring in flour. Use a whisk to smooth it out. Then add to your soup to thicken. If you want a richer, browner soup cook the roux until it is golden brown. I use the microwave for this, but you may do it on the stove. Just be sure not to burn it or your soup will taste burned.

Adjust seasonings to taste; I added a bit more salt and pepper to taste.

Well, there you have it.

I just finished my soup and now it will simmer until we are ready for lunch, about an hour and a half.

Yum! Lunch will be delicious today.

I make beef soup a lot, with tomatoes in it. My mother made it as I was growing up and I have adapted it to our tastes. I love it. Here's the recipe:

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