Hi everyone- Welcome back to Soupin it Up w/Sped. I had to take a few weeks off due to some traveling I was doing but now I'm back. Tonight I'll be sharing some of my favorite soup recipes and don't forget to vote in the poll at the end of this diary to vote on the theme for next's week diary.
Bacon Tomato Soup
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: ~8
Ingredients:
3 bacon strips, diced
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 dash ground nutmeg
1 2 cups chicken broth
12 roma tomates, diced
2/3 cup half-and-half cream
Directions:
- In a saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain. Discard drippings.
- In same pan, melt butter. Stir in flour and nutmeg until smooth. Gradually whisk in broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
- Stir in tomatoes; heat through. Reduce heat; stir in cream. Heat through (do not boil). Add bacon.
Cucumber Soup
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Servings: ~8
Ingredients
2 cucumbers
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
2 tablespoons margarine
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon farina
salt to taste
1/8 tablespoon dried tarragon
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
- Peel, seed, and chop 2 cucumbers.
- Cook the chopped scallions in the margarine until soft. Add the chopped cucumbers and the wine vinegar.
- Pour in the broth, and stir in the farina. Salt to taste, and add tarragon.
- Let the soup simmer for 20 minutes, or until the cucumbers are soft.
- Put the soup into a blender, and puree it.
- Pour the puree into a bowl, and whisk in the sour cream. Taste the soup for seasoning. Pour the soup into bowls, and garnish with cucumber slices and chopped parsley.
Garden Cheese Soup
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Servings: ~8
Ingredients:
2 medium leeks, chopped
1 stalk celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons margarine
4 cups water
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
6 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
3 cups milk
Directions:
- In a 6-quart pot, saute celery, onion, and garlic in butter or margarine until soft.
- Gradually add vegetable stock, and then vegetables and chives. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat. Cover the soup, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in cheese and milk, and stir until melted. Do not boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Crab Soup
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Servings: ~8
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Old Bay
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup half-and-half cream
8 ounces crabmeat
4 drops hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions:
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Stir in Old Bay seasoning and Worcestershire sauce.
- Gradually stir in chicken broth, wine, and half-and-half. Simmer 15 minutes.
- Stir in crabmeat, and season with hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Simmer half hour.
Broccoli Leek Soup
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Servings: ~8
Ingredients:
2 heads of broccoli, cleaned and chopped
3 large leeks, cleaned and sliced
Pound of mushrooms, rubbed clean with a paper towel and sliced
12 medium size potatoes washed, peeled if desired (I don't) and cubed
4 tsp. olive oil
garlic, basil, salt, pepper, marjoram and chives - to taste
16 cups of chicken borth, vegetable broth and/or a combination
1 cup of sour cream (lite is OK) and some shavings of fresh parmesan cheese
Directions:
- In a large soup pot saute the mushrooms and leeks in the butter or olive oil, seasoning with garlic, etc. to taste.
- Meanwhile, in the microwave, steam the broccoli. Add the broccoli to the soup pot, along with the broth and the potatoes, bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes (until potato cubes are cooked) - Remove from heat.
- Pureee the soup in a blender, food processer or food mill. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a dab of sour cream and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
Spinach and Zucchini Soup
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Servings: ~8
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
big pinch of salt
2 medium POTATOES cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium ZUCCHINI, loosely chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
4 cups fresh spinach leaves, loosely packed
1 cup cilantro, loosely chopped
one lemon
Directions:
- In a large, thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot (but not smoking) add the garlic and onions and saute for a few minutes along with pinch of salt - just until they soften up a bit.
- Stir in the potatoes and zucchini. Add the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft throughout, roughly 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in the spinach, and wait for it to wilt, just ten seconds or so.
- Now stir in the cilantro.
- Puree with a hand blender until smooth. Whisk in a big squeeze of lemon juice. Now taste, and add more salt if needed. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.