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Cold, crisp air nips outside and that can only mean one thing ...
It's soup season.
With winter here, it's time to pull out the blankets, warm beverages and family favorite soups!
I love making soups. There's something satisfying about throwing various things in a pot, and out comes a bowl of deliciousness! I make most any soups, but cheeseburger soup is a definite favorite, especially with my 8-year-old grandson, Grant.
Soup can be simple or extreme, but every spoonful must be delicious.
Remember, soups are made great by using quality ingredients and ample time. A long-simmered soup is usually a good soup. And remember that secret ingredient.
I have already added a few new amazing soups to my apron belt, and the family has definitely enjoyed each one.
Chicken corn soup is another one of their favorites! Since I freeze corn every summer, we get to enjoy many dishes with corn in it.
I bake a lot, but I enjoy sharing as much as baking itself. So here are some of my favorite soup recipes:
Cheeseburger Soup
Ingredients
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 tbsp butter
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 3 potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
• 3 c beef broth
• 3-4 c cheddar cheese or Velveeta
• 1 ½ c milk
• Black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
Directions
Brown ground beef until pink is gone. Drain and set aside.
In a soup pot, melt butter. Add chopped onion, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
Add potatoes and broth and simmer another 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
Add milk. Use equal parts of milk and heavy cream. Take soup off stove and slowly stir in cheese until melted.
Simmer on stove until serving time. The longer the soup simmers, the better it is! Use salted butter to cut back on salt measurement.
Use crispy crumbled bacon as a great topper for this soup!
Chicken Corn Soup
Ingredients
• 1 whole chicken, cooked soft
• 1 qt corn, fresh or frozen
• Salt and pepper
Directions
Bone off chicken. Strain out the broth. If you have time, you can chill the broth overnight to bring the fat to the top.
Pour broth in a soup pot. Add corn, chicken and seasonings and simmer for at least an hour, depending how hungry you are! Sometimes, I add noodles in the soup or a pound of browned chicken livers.
Ham and Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
• ½ lb bag of dried green split peas
• Water to cover peas
• 2 small smoked ham hocks
• ½ c shredded carrots
Directions
Pour peas in a large bowl. Cover with cold water and soak overnight.
Put ham hocks in crockpot, and cover with water on low overnight. In the morning, bone off the hocks saving the broth.
Drain off and rinse the peas. Add the peas, ham, carrots and broth back to the crockpot.
Cook on low for 6 hours. Add seasonings to taste.
Tip: A good ham hock doesn't usually need any additional seasonings.
Bev Kauffman of Lewistown operated a catering business in Juniata County for nearly 20 years. She has authored the cookbook, "Preserving the Past: In the Kitchen with Bev Kauffman" in 2013 and is currently working on a second cookbook.