Potato Leek Soup is Excellent and Easy For Winter Meals

How often do you look at the bunches of leeks in your market's produce section and wondered whatever you would do with them? They look kind of like over-sized bizarre green onions, but the green part is very thick and tough. They are members of the same family as onions and garlic (the Alliaceae family). And they are not very expensive.
The important thing for you to know about leeks is that they taste very good and they make an excellent soup, especially when paired with potato. Vichyssoise, which you may have heard of, is actually just cold leek and potato soup -- it just sounds more elegant.

Leeks require a little bit of work; they have to be cleaned very carefully, because they usually have sand in them between their layers. So the first thing to do is to trim the top dark green tough leaves away. I usually discard anything much above where the color starts getting lighter. Then you'll want to trim away the bottom root end. Cut the leek in half lengthwise, and you'll be able to start separating the layers. Put them into a colander and clean them thoroughly with running water. There isn't a dining experience much worse than having sand grate when you take a bite of something.
Once they're cleaned well, you want to chop the leeks into smaller pieces, 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices. Now you're going to saute them slowly in some butter. I generally use a lot of butter, just because we really like the taste and feel this is one dish worth the splurge, but a small amount is okay -- or use a little olive oil. You want to cook the leeks over medium to medium low heat, and you want to cook them for awhile so that they soften well, but you don't want them to brown.
Once the leeks are good and soft, you'll want to add stock or water. I prefer a good chicken stock. For a couple of good sized leeks, I'll use 2 quarts of stock. You'll also be adding 4 or 5 potatoes that you've peeled and quartered. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer, and cook until the potatoes are done (no resistance when you put a fork into them).
Remove your pot from the heat. Now is when you'll puree your soup. This can be done in a blender, a food processor, or by using a stick blender immersed in the soup. With any of the methods, be sure that you take care from the heat of the soup. If your puree is too thick, you can dilute it with more stock or water. You'll also need to check the seasonings, adding more salt if necessary. I sometimes finish the soup with a 1/2 cup cream, but it is delicious without it, too.
You can start with a simple salad, then add a nice warmed baguette with butter to spread or olive oil to dip, or some nice crusty garlic bread, and you have a delicious filling meal. Your friends and family will applaud your taste and talent.

Chef Judi is a graduate of culinary school and has worked as a professional chef and caterer. She recently rediscovered the utility of countertop toaster and convection ovens. Check out her new site at http://www.besttoasterovens.org

Vegetable Soup Recipes - Nourishing and Satisfying

You do not always need meat, fish, or poultry to make soup. In fact, some of the best soups are vegetarian. Whether you are a vegetarian or simply trying to increase the amount of vegetables you eat, there is no denying that vegetables are healthy as well as very tasty, and there are lots of different herbs, spices and seasonings you can use to liven them up even more.

There are all sorts of vegetable soups you can make. You can make vegetable broth by simmering vegetables past their prime with vegetable peelings in water. Throw in some herbs and garlic and you will have a wonderful broth in a couple of hours, after you simmer the mixture and sieve it.
To make your vegetable broth into a delicious vegetable soup, you will need to add some chopped vegetables and simmer them until they are soft. Noodles, rice, potatoes, and lentils add another flavor and enough texture to make the soup satisfying and wholesome. Add these when you add the raw vegetables and they will cook together.
Vegetables Which are Good in Soup
There are lots of vegetables you can use to make soup recipes. If you are on a tight budget, just grab whatever is on special offer in the grocery store and you can make soup from it. Even if you only have vegetables, which are a bit soft and past their prime, you can make a nice soup from them.
Carrots, zucchini, eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower, turnip, parsnip, rutabaga, bell pepper, pumpkin, tomato, onion, potato, yam, and beans are just some of the vegetables you can use in soup recipes. Some ingredients are seasonal and some are available throughout the year, but there are a lot of soups you can make in bulk and freeze.
Curried Parsnip and Potato Soup
The following recipe is healthy, wholesome, easy to make and serves two people. Serve it with crusty bread for a satisfying lunch or warming supper. If you can get organic parsnip and potatoes, this soup will be even tastier.
The spices give it a subtle curry flavor and you can make double the amount and freeze half if you want to. If you are not cooking for vegetarians, you can use chicken broth instead of the vegetable broth.
Veggie Parsnip Soup Recipe with Potatoes
What you will need:

• 1 potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 8 oz parsnip, peeled and sliced
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

How to make it:Put all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring them to the boil. Simmer the soup for about 15 minutes, stirring it occasionally. Let the soup cool a bit, and then liquidize it in the blender in batches. You can use a potato masher if you do not have a blender. Push the soup through a sieve with a wooden spoon if you want it finer. Serve it hot with fresh, crusty bread and butter.
Great food has always been a way of life in our household and having lots of different easy recipes to choose from is very important. After all, between work and the kids' activities it seems there is hardly any time left to think about eating let alone eating health. I mean who has time to make a full fledge sit-down meal in today's rat race? We know this all too well with our family of six time is preciously short!

Vegetable soup might not sound like a substantial, filling meal but it really is! Also, vegetable soup is a great dish to make in bulk because it freezes so well, meaning you can thaw portions out for an ultra quick lunch or supper. Try an easy canned pumpkin soup recipe for a speedy, nutritious meal.
Pumpkin is a wonderful ingredient for soup at any time of the year and the crockpot is a great way to cook pumpkin soup recipes. If you are looking for a creamy pumpkin soup recipe, a canned pumpkin soup recipe, a spicy pumpkin soup recipe or some other kind, you will love the comprehensive soup recipe collection we have for you at PumpkinSoup.org

Potato Leak Soup - The Soup Recipe Handed Down by My Mother That Never Ever Fails!

This hearty "Potato Leek Soup" is an amazing comfort soup in the winter months. I like to share this easy recipe that reminds me of my childhood memories with my mother.
These simple ingredients that yields amazing results that bought back memories each time I made it -- and no left overs!

The leek, is a vegetable which belongs, along with the onion and garlic, to the Alliaceae family. Leek has a mild onion-like taste, less bitter than scallion.
The edible portions of the leek are the white onion base and light green stalk. The dark green portion is usually discarded. You may not know that the leek is one of the national emblems of Wales and they have come to be used extensively in that country's cuisine.
How to Prepare and Clean a Leek Properly
Leeks are dirt magnets and must be carefully cleaned. Here is a simple, effective way to clean your leeks before adding it to the soup. To prepare the leeks; cut off the root end and then cut off the darkest green portion of the leaves down to the light green, which the more tender portion. Remove any ragged or course outer leaves and discard. Slice the leeks down the center and rinse the cut leeks in a bowl of cold water, drain in a colander, and rinse again with running water. All the dirt and sand and inedible leave will be gone, leaving you the perfect leek to use in this soup.
The Secret My Mom Will Kill Me if She Knew I Was Telling You...
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter and sauté 3 medium leeks cut into 1 inch slices (remember only white and pale green portions) in a large saucepan over medium heat (preferable a Ceramic Dutch oven style; which does not burn the bottom when cooking) and you want to sauté the leeks for awhile so they are soften well; but do not want to brown them.
Then my mother's secret ingredient in this recipe calls for adding 6 Celery stalks cut in 1 inch slice to the soup saucepan.
Add potatoes 6 medium (Yukon Gold or Russets potatoes) peeled and diced. Add 8 cups of chicken broth. Although we always make the soup with chicken broth, this can easily become a vegetarian soup by simply using vegetable broth instead. Bring the soup to a boil; then reduce the heat to medium to simmer, place cover on saucepan and cook until vegetables are tender about 20 to 30 minutes.
Puree vegetables in batches with some liquid in food processor, blender or I prefer to use the immersed stick blender into the soup saucepan (less cleaning for me). Return puree to saucepan blending well and place over medium heat. Add salt to taste, and add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp.of pepper (preferably white) to blend into soup. (Note: This portion of the soup can be made day ahead)
Reheat soup, and finish the soup by adding a splash (1/4 cup of cream) and enjoy this amazing soup with your family.

For years and years I've enjoyed my mother's potato leak soup. So much so, that I begged her to give me the recipe so that I could make it myself.
But this is her secret recipe and if she knew I was giving it away like this, she'd kill me. Of course all of the best recipes are the most secret one's right.
If you'd like more secret recipes not just like this one, but secret recipe's that all of the best restaurants in the world don't want you to know about then click here now!

Easy Soup Recipe - Minestrone Soup

Minestrone soup is a classic Italian dish and this is a great idea for a starter recipe. Minestrone soup freezes well so you can make extra and freeze it in individual portions if you want to.
One reason why soup is such a good idea to use as a starter recipe is that it is not too filling. If you have spent hours making an elaborate main course, you will not want people to be full up before they get to that course! Soup can be thick and chunky, of course, but a lot of soups are light, refreshing and tasty.
Save the rich, filling soups for lunchtimes and make something lighter like the following minestrone soup recipe, for an appetizer or starter recipe.

What to Serve with Soup
If you are serving soup as a starter, try serving it with crusty bread and butter. This is probably what your guests will be expecting. Offer both white and brown bread, so people can choose whichever they prefer.
Other options include flour tortillas, crackers or a dollop of sour cream with some chives. Since minestrone soup is an Italian dish, what about serving it with some soft, fluffy Italian bread, to keep things authentic?
Traditional Minestrone Soup
This recipe makes enough soup to serve six people, so you can halve it if you want, or make the same amount and freeze some if you will not have that many guests.
This is a healthy soup recipe as well as a highly delicious one and the vegetables, beans, tomato puree, stock and other ingredients all blend perfectly to make the most wonderful soup.
What you will need:

• 3 peeled, chopped carrots
• 2 litres vegetable stock
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 chopped onion
• 400g can butter beans
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 chopped celery sticks
• 2 tablespoons tomato puree
• 2 peeled, diced potatoes
• 140g spaghetti, broken into small pieces
• 1/2 head shredded savoy cabbage

How to make it:
Blend the celery with the onion and carrots in a food processor until they are in small pieces. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot and add the garlic, potatoes and vegetables. Cover the pot and cook the mixture over a high heat for five minutes or until soft.
Stir in the tomato puree, tomatoes and stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Let the soup simmer for ten minutes on a low to medium heat. Add the spaghetti and butter beans and cook the soup for another ten minutes. Add the cabbage and cook it for two minutes, then ladle the soup into bowls and serve it immediately with crusty bread.

You can find plenty of wonderful starter recipes at StarterRecipes.co.uk - recipes which suit every occasion and palate. Soup recipes are an especially good choice.

Heart Healthy Carrot Soup Recipe

For people that have a heart disease or high blood pressure, removing fat in the food they eat is crucial. But it is not always a simple task! In fact, for the most part, the traditional American recipes almost always contain fat of some sort.
Unlike Asiatic people, we, American people, are used to eat a lot of Highly caloric, very fat food. We therefore suffer a lot more from heart diseases, something that is very uncommon in China, or Japan. Fortunately, our society is slowly changing: more and more of our traditional recipes are replaced with fat free versions.
In this short tutorial, I will give you a delicious carrot soup recipe that is good for your health.

The recipe is called Carrot and Coriander Cream Soup.
Ingredients:
* 1 pound carrot
* 1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1 medium onion, diced
* 4 cups chicken bouillon
* 4 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
* 1/4 skim milk
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* Salt & Pepper
* 1 teaspoon olive oil
Method:
In a large cooking pot, heat olive oil over medium heat, and cook the carrot, ground coriander, onion and garlic for 5-6 minutes then add the chicken bouillon and the rest of the seasoning. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Add the skim milk.
Now that the vegetables are tender, process the soup in a blender. You will have to repeat this step several times, so you will need a large bowl to contain the processed soup before transferring it back to the cooking pot. Serve Warm
Additional note: If you want the soup to be completely fat free, use 1/5 cup water instead of olive oil.

Bonus Recipes!
Here is a bonus recipe you might want to try: Carrot and Courgette Cream Soup
Another bonus recipe, with a tasty ginger kick: Carrot & Ginger Soup
Enjoy!

Try This Tangy and Spicy Beef Soup and it is Okay For the Diabetics, Too!

I am a person who could eat soup everyday all-year-round. If you like soup, too, try this Tangy and Spicy Beef Soup for something new. This soup is made with steak, vegetable broth, vegetables, pasta, spices, etc. Served with a crusty bread, cornbread, or assorted crackers, it is good no matter how you serve it. If you have family members, like my husband, who think they need steak instead of soup, well here you go. They get their steak in their soup! For a healthier soup, or if there are diabetics in your group, I recommend you use whole-wheat pasta.

TANGY AND SPICY BEEF SOUP
3/4 to 1 lb beef round tip steak
1 can (approx. 14-oz) vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup julienned carrots
3 tbsp lite soy sauce, divided
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper or red pepper flakes
1 oz uncooked angel hair pasta, (about 1/4 cup broken up)
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sliced green onions
Cut the steak lengthwise in half then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips.
In a 3-quart saucepan, combine the broth, 1 1/2 cups water, mushrooms, carrots, 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, the vinegar and red pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet in 1 tablespoon olive oil, if needed, stir-fry the steak pieces to brown lightly.
Add the angel hair pasta to the broth mixture and simmer for another 5 minutes. Mix the cornstarch and the 1/4 cup water until smooth; stir into the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the beef to the soup and remove from the heat. Cover the saucepan and let stand for 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the remaining soy sauce and the green onions. Serve immediately while still hot.
Yield: 4 servings.
Enjoy!

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com
For her old fashion recipe collection visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

Ham Soup Recipes - 5 Delicious Ways To Use That Hambone

Do you have a ham bone in your freezer but you're not sure what to do with it? Here's a fun assortment of five recipes with crock pot and stovetop instructions. These range from the traditional split pea to the creative wild rice and ham chowder.

Lentil Soup
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: see below
Pams-hams bone
½ pound dried lentils
6 cups water
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small can V8 juice
¼ cup oil
1 t. basil (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Rinse lentils thoroughly. Combine all ingredients.
In crock pot, cook on low 8-10 hours, Remove bone from soup. Cut up ham, return chopped ham to soup
On stove top: Combine ingredients and bring to a boil. Then cover and simmer for 2 hours or until beans are tender. Remove bone from soup. Cut up ham, return chopped ham to soup
Split Pea Soup or Navy Bean Soup
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: see below
Pams-hams bone
2 cups dried split peas or dried navy beans
6 cups water
2 chopped carrots
1 large onion, chopped
1 t. thyme (optional)
1 t. basil (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Rinse peas thoroughly. Combine all ingredients
Recommended: In crock pot, cook on low 8-10 hours. Remove bone from soup. Cut up ham, return chopped ham to soup.
On stove top:
Soak beans overnight with ¼ t. baking soda if possible.
Combine ingredients and bring to a boil.
Then cover and simmer for 2 hours or until beans are tender.
Remove bone from soup.
Cut up ham, return chopped ham to soup
Mixed Bean Soup
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: see below
Pams-hams bone
1 pound dried mixed beans
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
4 cups of water
2 stalks celery - chopped
2 carrots – chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 t. basil (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Rinse beans thoroughly. Combine all ingredients
Recommended: In crock pot, cook on low 8-10 hours. Remove bone from soup. Cut up ham, return chopped ham to soup.
On stove top: Soak beans overnight with ¼ t. baking soda if possible. Combine ingredients and bring to a boil. Then cover and simmer for 2 hours or until beans are tender. Remove bone from soup. Cut up ham, return chopped ham to soup
Broccoli cheese soup
Prep time: 20 minutes, Cook time: 30 minutes
Pams-hams bone
1 bunch broccoli, chopped (I use tops mainly)
1 – ½ cup milk
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1 cup water
1 lb. Shredded cheddar cheese or Velveeta
5 T. butter
4 T. flour
salt and pepper to taste
Steam the broccoli in the microwave.
(1/2 inch of water in casserole dish, cook about 3 minutes or until you just start to smell it)
In large soup pot, melt butter and stir in flour. Slowly add remaining ingredients, stirring constantly. Add ham bone last. Cook on low 30 minutes or more. If it is thicker than your desired consistency, add more milk. Remove bone from soup. Cut up ham, return chopped ham to soup
Wild Rice and Ham Chowder
Pre Time: 30 minutes, Cook time: 45 minutes
A. 1 ½ cups water, ¾ cup wild rice
B. ¼ cup butter or margarine, ½ cup chopped onion, 3 cloves garlic, minced, ½ cup flour, 4 cups of water and 4 chicken bouillon cubes
C. 1 ½ cup peeled, cubed potatoes, ½ cup chopped carrots, ½ t. thyme, ½ t. nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste
D. 1 (17 oz.) can whole kernel corn, undrained, 2 cups half n half (or milk), pams-hams bone
Cook A. Set aside. B. Combine butter, onion and garlic. Cook until onion is crisp-tender. Stir in the flour. Cook 1 minute stirring constantly. Add water and bouillon.
Add C. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15-30 minutes. Add D and simmer 20 more minutes. Remove bone from soup. Cut up ham, return chopped ham to soup
For more of my recipes and cooking tips, go to [http://www.pams-hams.com]. An inviting place for sugar and honey glazed baked ham, dinners, gifts and clever conversation.

Pam is the owner of pams-hams.com and retired marketing director for Honeybaked in Michigan. As anyone with kids can understand, the move was made in order to have more flexibility with the family. Hobbies include cooking and entertaining and finding clever new ways to make a meal easier or better. Also fond of water sports, Samoyeds, cats and small red head children.

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup Recipe

If you are vegetarian but are also interested in eating a magnificent tortilla soup then this recipe is the right one for you, you don't need to do many things, all you have to is take this few steps and follow them very closely in order to have everything well done. Then you can enjoy from a vegetarian tortilla soup.

You will need:
Vegetable oil (2 tablespoons)
Frozen pepper and onion stir (1 pound)
Garlic (2 cloves, minced)
Crushed tomatoes (1 can or 28 ounces)
Green chili peppers (3 cans or 4 ounces, drained)
Vegetable broth (4 cans or 14 ounces)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Kernel corn (1 can or 11 ounces)
Tortilla chips (12 ounces)
Cheddar cheese (1 cup, shredded)
Avocado (peeled, pitted and diced)
How to do it:
You will need to heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and then stir in the pepper and onion so fry the mix, this is the garlic and cumin, and this you will cook for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender., then at this point you will mix in the tomatoes and chili peppers, and after this you can add the broth and season it with salt and pepper, then you have to wait until it reaches boiling point and reduce to a low heat in order to let it simmer for at least 30 minutes. Then you can add the corn into the soup and continue cooking until everything is done, this will happen in about 5 minutes more. To finalize you can add cheese and avocado.

If you would like to get more information on similar recipes, please visit our site at Tortilla Soup Recipes

Hot and Satisfying Cheese Soup

Cheese soup is thick, warming and delicious. If you love cheese you will love homemade cheese soup. You can combine cheese with another ingredient to make, for example, a broccoli and cheese soup recipe or a cheesy fish soup, or you can use several types of cheeses in one soup.

Try mozzarella, blue cheese, parmesan, provolone, cheddar or other varieties to make really delicious soup recipes. Finely grated parmesan is also nice for sprinkling over the top, as a garnish.
Perhaps you tend to stick to the same recipes when making soup and sometimes it can be nice to make an easy pumpkin soup recipe or another recipe for pumpkin soup. Other times it is good to try something new.
Soup makes a delicious filling lunch or an easy dinner. You might not be in the mood to cook dinner but often making an easy pumpkin soup recipe or another simple chowder or broth is as simple as adding ingredients to a pot, leaving the mixture to simmer and nothing more. Soup is such an easy dish to make and it is comforting, warming and delicious.
Famous Recipes for Soup
Cream often features in cheese soup recipes, to enhance the creaminess of the dish. You can base such a soup on chicken broth, lamb broth, veal broth or even beef broth but it is best to use a low-salt variety because some cheeses are quite salty.
Beef broth might sound like a very rich base for a cheese soup but think about French onion soup recipes and how a layer of melted gruyere is so perfect on the croutons used to top the meaty onion-flavored liquid. French onion soup is one of the most classic soup recipes. Cheese soup is also famous and many restaurants serve their own versions.
Recipe for Cheese and Potato Soup
This easy recipe makes a hearty lunch or a warming dinner. Make some crispy croutons for a garnish, if you like. You can adjust the quantities of each cheese too depending on your personal tastes. You can omit one type and double another, for example.
What you will need:

• 4 cups chicken broth
• Chopped green part of a leek
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup grated mozzarella
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan
• 3/4 cup grated provolone
• 3/4 cup grated cheddar
• 2 cups Half & Half
• 1 peeled, diced potato

How to make it:
Add the butter to a heavy pot over a moderate heat. Saute the leek for 5 minutes or until it is tender. Add the potato and broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat down and let it simmer for 25 minutes. Use a blender or food processor to puree it in batches, and then return it to the pot.
Add the Half & Half and bring the soup to a simmer. If you want to make it ahead, you can cover and refrigerate it at this point for up to a day. Add the cheese and whisk until it melts. Divide the soup between six serving bowls and garnish it with homemade croutons or serve some crusty bread on the side for mopping up the delicious juices.

Whether you fancy making a cheese soup or a tasty recipe for pumpkin soup there is no doubt that soup is delicious, warming and very satisfying. If you just want to make something simple, you cannot go wrong with an easy pumpkin soup recipe.
Find all the best pumpkin soup recipes at PumpkinSoup.org

Creamy Potato Soup Recipe

I realize that it is summertime, right now but there are a lot of google searches for this recipe. My job is to fill a need and this needed to be done. If you spice this soup right, you can eat it cold and it is just as good as it is hot.


When I was a young boy my family lived in Massachusetts. It got really cold in the winter time and when you had a hot bowl of soup, boy was that the best. Soup for your soul, for energy and of course to keep you warm. My mom could sure make a mean bowl of soup. Yeah, she would make Campbell's but who didn't? It was the times that she made soup from scratch, that I remember the most. Because when its very cold outside and you come in to the house and the aroma of soup hits you, well it's indescribable.

When you had soup and maybe a grilled cheese sandwich, you had enough energy to play all day. That is exactly what I used to do, we would make snow forts and then bombard your friends with snowballs. And we would make killer moon pie trails, have you seen the Olympic sledding course, well we made a variation of that. Of course ours weren't as long but beyond that we had high embankments, twists and turns that were wicked.
Believe me if you didn't eat hardy then you didn't have the energy to build what we did. Homemade soup will sure give you all you need for energy. Well lets get to it.
The ingredients:
2 - medium sized potatos(peeled and sliced)
1 - large white onion(peeled and chopped)
4 - celery sticks(medium sliced,not too thin)
I like my vegetables slightly crunchy, definitely not slushy, so I boil the potatoes until tender. 1/2 teaspoon of salt added to water to boil potatoes. When potatoes are tender, pour out water and add 3 - tablespoons of butter. Mash the potatoes until chunky consistency, not smooth and creamy. Then add 1 & 1/2 - cups of light cream and 1 - cup of chicken stock. Add vegetables, salt, pepper and paprika. You can sprinkle fresh chopped parsley on top of the individual servings for a nice color and taste.

For more recipes please visit my website Successful Cooking From A-Z.

Grandma's French Onion Soup Recipe

I know I can't be helped and my addiction creates wonderful recipes that my family loves. I am guilty of being a perfectionist and that I always look for the perfect recipe for everything.
So after years of experimenting, I came up with a polished recipe for the best Onion Soup you'll ever had. I am guilty of mixing only the best quality ingredients like Gruyere cheese and the best butter money can buy.
I am also responsible in passing along this addiction to perfect soup. Write down or print this recipe and keep in mind that people who taste it will love it and will ask for more. After that, they will do whatever they can to get a hold on the recipe for them.
Try this at home. You will join my ranks.

Ingredients
10 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
3 Cups of shredded Gruyere cheese
1 quart beef broth
6 slices French bread, toasted
1/2 Tsp. dry mustard
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 Tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tsp. dried thyme
1/3 Cup of butter
1 (12 fluid oz.) can or bottle beer
1 bay leaf
Directions
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add the onions and cook them until brown. Careful not to overcook because soup will go bitter. 15 minutes will do.
Add the the garlic in and cook 1 minute. Now stir in the beer and beef broth and season with, thyme, the bay leaf, black pepper and mustard. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover the saucepan and let simmer 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 °F.
Remove bay leaf from soup. Get an individual ovenproof bowls ready and and ladle soup into them. Don't fill them to the top because we still have to add the cheese. Top soups with slices of toasted bread and pile generously with Gruyere cheese.
Put into the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.

If you would like to see more onion soup recipes like this one, then please check here: French Onion Soups

Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe - Easy Soup To Lose Weight

The cabbage soup diet recipe is a popular one that goes with the 7 day diet. This soup is very low in fat,calories and taste good this is very easy to make. This recipe will make you about 28 servings only has 40.2 calories and 0.5 grams of fat.
First you will the ingredients to make this soup you will need 6 large onions, 2 green peppers, 1 large green head of cabbage, 1 bunch of celery, 2 -16 ounce cans of stewed tomatoes, 1 eight ounce Lipton onion soup mix and 1 chicken bouillon cube.

Directions:
First you will need a large pot and you need to cut all your vegetables into small pieces to your liking. Next add ingredients and your water, vegetables, chicken bouillon cube, Lipton soup mix. Let boil on Hi heat for 10 minutes. After you let boil for ten minutes let simmer on low until you vegetables are tender enough for you to eat. That's it that is all that there is to it! One little tip if you want to you can use vegetable broth instead of a chicken bouillon cube also you can add minced garlic, thyme, and pepper.
As you can see this cabbage soup diet recipe is very simple to make and is also quite good for helping you lose weight. And gives you a chance to eat something healthy that is good for you and low in fat and calories most people eat this soup with the popular 7 day diet and claim to lose up to 10 pounds in a week!

To Learn more about the 7 day diet and get more information on popular weight loss products click here

Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

Any sort of soup makes for a great first dish at a dinner party for so many reasons. It's easy to prepare for a start. Usually the most that's involved is cutting up a few vegetables, throwing them into a pot and cooking them, adding some stock and blending it all up. Being so full of veg it's also incredibly good for you, and may contain more than one of your five a day, and lets not forget the fact that soup also is tastes great!
Below is the recipe for squash soup, curry style. I have been very middle of the road with my selection of spiciness but obviously increase or decrease the heat of the paste as you see fit.

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion - chopped, 1 red chilli - chopped (optional), 1 clove garlic - crushed, 2 butternut squash - flesh cubed, 1 tbsp medium curry paste, 300ml/ pint of good vegetable stock, 200ml/7fl oz coconut milk and 2 tbsp fresh coriander - chopped.
Steps
1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the sliced onion, garlic and chilli and toss so the oil covers them nicely. Fry for around five minutes until the onion has softened.
2. Add the squash and continue to fry for 5 minutes. Stir through the curry paste and fry for a further minute. Pour over the stock and coconut milk, bring to the boil, and cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the squash is tender.
3. Transfer to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Return to the pan, add the coriander, and season well. Serve with plenty of crusty bread.
Here's a tip (albeit a slightly obvious one) - the freshest ingredients makes for a better soup!! And you know what? In my opinion you can't beat ingredients that are home grown. If you are a keen chef then I recommend this as the results can be superb!

For more butternut squash soup recipes click the link!

Potato Leek Soup - An Easy Classic

Potato Leek Soup is arguably the one soup that every aspiring cook should have in their repertoire. Also called "Potage Parmentier," it is the first soup featured in Julia Child's iconic book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. In fact, it is the very first recipe of any kind in the book, and I believe it holds this place of honor for very good reasons. First, it is incredibly simple to make, having only four ingredients (five if you include water) and requiring only the most basic of kitchen equipment. Second, despite its simplicity it is very tasty comfort food. Just think of it as mashed potatoes in soup form. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, it is the start of many other recipes, each with its own distinctive flavor.

I used to think of Potato Leek Soup as a blank canvas, but now I consider it more like the culinary version of a "little black dress": it's simple and elegant by itself, easy to accessorize, matches everything, and works for nearly any occasion. But unlike the dress, potato leek soup is gender-neutral and completely edible.
If simplicity, good flavor, and creative inspiration aren't enough, there's another benefit: this soup is really easy on the tummy. Years ago I developed advanced symptoms of undiagnosed Celiac disease. I won't go into the gory details; suffice it to say I was ill for days and in constant stomach pain. I literally lived on this soup for a week because it was the only thing I could keep down. I have suggested this recipe to people with ulcers and other digestive issues that affected what they could eat, and so far no one has said it caused them any trouble. It's not a cure for anything, but comfort food is important when you are suffering.
You can use onions in this soup instead of leeks, but leeks have a milder flavor that won't overpower the milder potato. If you decide to use onion, reduce the amount slightly. If you decide to stay with the more classic leeks, then you'll need to clean them out first. Leeks shoot up through the soil as they grow, trapping grit in between their layers. No one likes grit in their potato soup, but fortunately it is very easy to avoid. Simply slice off the bottom half inch or so, and cut off the dark green part at the top. Now slice the leek in half length-wise. The layers easily separate, and all you have to do is run cold water over the leek, and pull the layers apart slightly to let the water run between them. After that you can slice the leeks into half inch sections.
As I mentioned previously, this soup is very easy to make. All you need to do is remember 4-3-2-1: 4 cups of chopped potatoes, 3 cups of chopped leeks, 2 quarts of water, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the potatoes, leeks and salt to the water. Bring it all to a boil, then reduce it to simmer partially covered for about 45 minutes. Remove from heat and blend using a immersion blender. You can use a regular stand-up blender if that is all you have, but do it in small batches. After blending, you can add a little butter or heavy cream. That's all there is to it!
Of course, there are a lot of ways to jazz it up. You can add some chopped fresh herbs, parsley and tarragon being favorites of mine. You can also use vegetable or chicken broth in place of water, but I really don't find it necessary. Some dried spices are nice as well, and cumin tops the list for me. But don't use too much or it will dominate all the other flavors. Watercress is a variation that Julia Child mentions in her book - just chop up a handful and add it five minutes before blending. Lastly, you can add about half a cup or so of whipping cream at the end, chill it, and voila: you have just made vichyssoise!
Trust me...learn this recipe by heart and you'll never be without ideas for any culinary situation. Whether it's for a dinner party or comforting a sick child, a simple snack or something to bring to a potluck, it's a recipe that's sure to please. For more soup ideas visit www.homemade-soup-recipes.com.

Erik Christensen
http://www.homemade-soup-recipes.com/

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

This butternut squash soup recipe is absolutely delicious. It is so easy to make and cooks in no time at all.
This soup is my moms creation and is really yummy and healthy too. Butternuts are so healthy, packed full of beta-carotene and vitamin C. They are also high in potassium which helps to lower blood pressure and folic acid which reduces the risk of heart attack and prevents birth defects if taken by pregnant woman. This soup is really high in fiber which is essential for intestinal health and helps prevents intestinal cancers such as colon cancer.
This soup is loved by my whole family - it often feels like such an accomplishment to find recipes that my children love so I make this soup often and always have some in the freezer for those days when I don't have time to cook a meal. I simply defrost, reheat and serve - it couldn't be easier!

Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients:
* 2 or 3 onions, diced
* 2 medium sized butternut squash (about 1.5kg), cubed
* 2 potatoes, cubed
* 2 carrots, sliced into rounds or grated
* 3 celery stalks, sliced
* 1 litre beef stock
* 1 litre water
* 2T soy sauce
* Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Put all the ingredients into a large pot and cook until soft - about 45 minutes.
2. Once the soup is cooked, liquidize until smooth.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve with love and crusty whole-wheat or rye bread and enjoy!
I hope you and your family enjoy this butternut soup as much as we do!

Catherine Zehrt is a freelance writer with an interest in healthy eating for the family. For healthy, quick and easy recipes as well as simple guidelines for healthy eating, visit her website Healthy-Family-Eating.com

How To - Making Chicken Noodle Soup in the Crockpot

Making homemade soup can take a long time, but with your magic crockpot, you can get a wonderful batch of chicken noodle soup while you are taking care of other tasks. While you are out and about, your soup will be happily simmering, creating a delectable bowl of comfort. This is a meal you can easily make whether you are an accomplished chef or if you only cook when absolutely necessary. Your chicken soup will turn out much better than any canned soup you can buy.

If You Use Only the Freshest Ingredients...
If you only use the freshest ingredients, the crockpot can still make your soup easier. Remove the skin from your chicken. You can use a whole chicken, parts or boneless breasts or thighs... whichever you have handy. Put the chicken in the crockpot with enough water to cover it. You can add a stalk of celery, an onion, a carrot, and some herbs if you wish. Let it simmer on high for three to four hours.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove it and let it cool off. Strain out the vegetables and herbs you may have put in with the chicken and toss them. Remove the cooled meat from the bones and cut it into small pieces before adding it back to the broth. Add some freshly chopped vegetables of your choice: perhaps some carrots, sweet potatoes, rutabagas, celery, or other favorites. Add a little garlic and some herbs if you wish.
Leave the crockpot on high and let it simmer a couple more hours before opening the lid. Taste the broth a little less than an hour before you want to serve dinner. Add any salt that is needed. Once it tastes the way you want, add your noodles. You can use egg noodles, linguine, curly noodles, or bowties. If you make homemade noodles, you can add them about 20 minutes before you serve.
Simply Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
If you prefer to keep it really simple, here is another method. This chicken noodle soup recipe is so easy a teenager could make it. You can use leftover chicken or one of those rotisserie chickens from the supermarket.
Put the chicken in the crockpot, bones, and all. Cover with a large can of chicken broth. Simmer the soup on high for three or four hours. This will add the chicken's flavor to the commercial broth. Remove the chicken and let it cool before deboning it. Cut up the meat before putting it back in the crockpot.
Add some vegetables. You can use fresh sliced carrots or other vegetables, or you can use frozen vegetables. To make it really easy, just put in some whole baby carrots from the market. No peeling, slicing or dicing! Let the soup cook for a couple more hours.
About half an hour to 45 minutes before you want to eat, add your favorite noodles. You can use any kind of noodles you like, from ruffly egg noodles to ramen. Large ribbon noodles are fun. This is also a great way to use up small amounts of noodles in your cupboard. Mix and match if you need to. Break up some spaghetti, put in a handful of macaroni. It is your soup, do what you want!

Everyone loves chicken noodle soup. It helps us feel better when we're sick, or just feeling blue. For more inspiration, check out ChickenNoodleSoups.com for recipes, cooking tips and fun facts about everyone's favorite soup.
If you are looking for some great recipes or tips on cooking chicken soups and stews of your own, the site will be very helpful. Whether you want a quick and easy soup, a creamy one, or an old fashioned chicken stew, you are sure to find it there. Recipes like our classic chicken noodle soup recipe and many more chicken soup recipes.
If you are in the mood for chicken stew with an international, flavor our any other type of wonderful chicken soup we have a selection that is sure to fit the bill.
Nothing but chicken soups of all kinds. Also find informative articles related to chicken soup's health benefits and other interesting information like soup cooking tips.
Look for our heart health recipe guide to find soup recipes that can help you with your fight against heart disease. All recipes include nutritional information to help you make informed healthy choices about your next recipe decision.

Papa's Simple Lentil Soup

Ahhh, a hot bowel of lentil soup. What could be better on a cold winter day than digging into a delicious bowl of lentil soup?
Actually, when it's cold and wintery outside, my wife always says, "This is good weather for soup." And I always say, "Any weather is good for soup." Soup does not have to be relegated to wintery days to be good. I can enjoy a bowl of this delicious soup on any day...and so can you.

This soup is easy to make, so why not give it a try?
8 SERVINGS
2 quarts water
1-1/2 cups brown lintel beans
1. Put the water and beans in the pressure cooker. Bring the soup to pressure and cook it for 7 minutes. Release the pressure in the cooker and remove the lid. You don't have to use a pressure cooker, but it's a lot faster than the conventional soup pot. If you use a regular pot, let it cook until the beans are tender.
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1-1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoons fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 lemon, juice of
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2. Add the above ingredients to the pot and cook them under pressure for 8 minutes more, or use a regular pot and cook the ingredients until the onions are translucent and tender.
3 ounces lean ground beef or turkey, browned well in extra virgin olive oil
3. Remove the lid from the cooker and add the browned meat with it's juices to the pot. Also add more water or a can of chicken broth to the soup if needed to make it brothy enough. Enjoy your soup while it is still hot.

For some great information on buying a KitchenAid Immersion Blender or the Best Smootie Maker, just click the links and enjoy.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

My wife and I love soup...or I should say good soup. I love good soup, but I just can't tolerate bland, flavourless soup. Enter, my delicious and simple to make Creamy Broccoli Soup.
You would expect to find this delicious cream of broccoli soup in a gourmet restaurant. It is not only delicious, but has a beautiful presentation. And it is so easy to make!

6 SERVINGS
1-1/2 pounds broccoli
1. Clean the broccoli and chop the stems and florets into 1/2 inch pieces. If stems are thick, slice them in half. Set the broccoli aside.
3/8 cup olive oil (regular, not extra virgin)
1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan, and cook the garlic without browning. Cooking it too much will give your soup a harsh flavor.
3/8 cup orzo pasta (the little ones that look like rice)
2-1/4 cups chicken broth (low salt, if canned)
3/8 cup cream (use milk if you prefer)
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon pepper
3. Add the set-aside broccoli to the sauce pan and stir it for about 1 minute.
4. Add the above ingredients to the sauce pan and simmer all for around 15 minutes, or until the orzo pasta and the broccoli are tender.
Place the soup in bowls.
5. For garnish, sprinkle paprika around edge of bowl and a little on top of the soup, and then place a sprig of parsley on top in the middle of the soup.
This makes a beautiful presentation that you would be proud to serve to any company. Cook up some good baked or fried chicken (my favorite...oh it won't hurt occasionally), throw in a nice potato dish and start your dinner off with this soup. You can't go wrong.
Enjoy!

For some great information on buying a Thermador Gas Cooktop or Downdraft Gas Cooktops, just click the links and enjoy.

How to Make Easy Pumpkin Soup

As Halloween is approaching, this is the perfect time to make some pumpkin soup. If you are wondering how to make pumpkin soup I have attached a very easy recipe below. So, what do you need?

Ingredients
Pumpkin
2 onions
2 carrots
1 pepper
2 vegetable stock cubes
Water
Seasoning - salt, pepper, mixed herbs
Instructions
You will need a sharp knife to chop the top off the pumpkin. If you are planning to use the pumpkin afterwards to make a scary pumpkin head then be careful cutting off the top of the pumpkin, in case you incur the wrath of the children!
Scoop out all the pumpkin seeds and either throw them away or set them to one side to make some delicious pumpkin seed snacks.
Scrape out the pumpkin and put all the fleshy bits into a pan.
Cut 2 onions into quarters and add these to the pan
Slice up 2 carrots and add to the pan
If you have a spare pepper you can add this to the mix as well but it is optional
Add 2 vegetable stock cubes to the pan
Pour over a jug of water until the contents of the pan are just covered. You do not want too much water as this can make the soup extra watery so if you are unsure of the amount use less rather than more. You can always add more water if it is needed.
Add salt, pepper and mixed herbs seasoning
Put the pan on the hob to cook and boil the mixture for 20 minutes.
After this time take the pan off the boil and add the contents to a liquidiser. Depending on how big your liquidiser is you may have to do this in stages.
Liquidise the mixture until you are happy with the consistency for the soup.
Transfer the contents back to the pan and warm through on a medium to low heat for 5 minutes or so. If you find the mixture is too thick you can add a bit more water at this time.
The soup can be eaten straightaway or can be stored and eaten at a later date.

Written by Cat Scrivens
Please visit my website http://www.baby-solutions.co.uk

Homemade Soup - Easy Pea Soup With Ham

If you are looking for comfort food recipes, chicken noodle soup is often the first dish to spring to mind. There is something intrinsically comforting about a chicken soup recipe and this dish is popular all over the world in different forms.
Another comfort food is pea soup. This smooth yet chunky concoction is great on a chilly evening and you can serve it with crusty bread and butter for a really satisfying and substantial snack. This kind of soup has been eaten for hundreds of years and the ancient Romans and Greeks used to cultivate peas in 400 BC. Street vendors in Athens were selling hot pea soup at the time.

This recipe is quite nutritious because of all the vegetables in it and the whole family will love the flavor of this dish. It is up to you whether you leave it quite chunky or puree it but it is nice to puree half the finished broth then add it back to the pan, so it is both smooth and chunky. The texture is a big part of this enjoyable recipe.
Whether you are suffering with a cold or the flu or you just fancy something hot and tasty, easy pea broth with ham is a great recipe to make. You can use a big pot or Dutch oven to make it.
Let this tasty broth simmer away and make the house smell wonderful. If you have cooked a bone-in ham, you can use the bone for this recipe instead of using a ham hock. This recipe makes enough to serve eight people.
What you will need:

• 2 finely diced carrots
• 2 finely diced celery ribs
• 1 lb smoked ham hock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups dried yellow split peas or dried green split peas
• 4 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 2 minced cloves garlic
• 2 cups water
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 3 thinly sliced green onions

How to make it:
Remove the skin and fat from the ham hock and discard them. Heat the oil in a big pot over a low to moderate heat, and then add the celery, carrots, onion, ham hock, salt, pepper, garlic, and bay leaves. Cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the peas, broth, and water and bring the mixture to a boil. Skim any foam off the top. Cover the pot and let it simmer for about an hour and three quarters, or until the meat is tender enough to come off the hock and the peas break down.
Take out the ham hock and take the meat off it. Shred the meat and discard the bone. Also, discard the bay leaves. Puree half the soup in a blender, and then put it back in the pot with the ham. Alternatively, you could use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it is chunky.
If you want to make this recipe ahead, let it cool for half an hour and then refrigerate it in an uncovered container until it is cold. Cover the container. The broth will keep for up to two days, so just reheat it to serve. Garnish the hot soup with green onions just before serving it.

Different people have different ideas about comfort food but a chicken soup recipe is guaranteed to cheery you up and brighten your day. What about making an unusual recipe like chicken tortilla soup to make a change from classic chicken noodle soup recipes?
Look for Our Heart Health Recipes at ChickenNoodleSoups.com