All About Soup!
- Thread starter SparkleNana
- Start date
First: there are ALL KINDS of soups..... appropriate for many different goals!
For example.... there are light, delicious soups.... eaten 20 minutes before dinner.... that satisfy your hunger and make you feel pampered.
There are soups.... that are designed to be "meals".... and have all kinds of healthy things cooked into a tasty, satisfying combination. AND... some fresh, uncooked things on top.... to add life and pizzaz!
AND... there is the traditional, been-around-forever "diet soups". The "miracle diet soup".... with tons of vegetables.... that you "kick off a diet with". (Eating this soup all-day-long..... and, sadly, nothing else.)
So... NO "one soup" can be all things to all people. Please.... don't be disappointed by that.
For example.... there are light, delicious soups.... eaten 20 minutes before dinner.... that satisfy your hunger and make you feel pampered.
There are soups.... that are designed to be "meals".... and have all kinds of healthy things cooked into a tasty, satisfying combination. AND... some fresh, uncooked things on top.... to add life and pizzaz!
AND... there is the traditional, been-around-forever "diet soups". The "miracle diet soup".... with tons of vegetables.... that you "kick off a diet with". (Eating this soup all-day-long..... and, sadly, nothing else.)
So... NO "one soup" can be all things to all people. Please.... don't be disappointed by that.
I LOVE soup!
It's nutricious- can fill it with all kinds of veggies
It's economical!
And it can feed a lot of people!
Annie
It's nutricious- can fill it with all kinds of veggies
It's economical!
And it can feed a lot of people!
Annie
Yep.... it is SO good!
Dh is heading out for an appointment.... so I am going to cook onions! For some reason.... it really irritates his eyes when onions are being cut and sauteed.... even though he is NOT in the kitchen!
So... I think there are TWO ways to saute onions.... please ALWAYS jump in... with ideas... experience... thoughts.....
If you sautee on a medium to low heat.... you can keep the onions light in color... as they taste "sweet". Do NOT cook for too long. Taste to see when they are cooked enough.
If you sautee for a long time..... stirring..... they "carmelize"... turning a rich brown... and having a deep "meaty" taste. (Vegetarians NEED this kind of taste variety.... but everyone loves it.)
So... I am going to "carmalize" most of the bag of organic onions that I got on sale this weekend. Add lots of garlic (do NOT burn the garlic... I add at the very end.) And make an onion soup. Now... the best part of onion soup is the toasted bread and gloopy melted cheese on top. We do not have gluten free bread. I think I will experiment with gluten-free crackers.. covered with cheese & melted under the broiler. (Carefully.)
THIS soup will NOT be a "meal soup". So... I don't know what else I will make.
Dh is heading out for an appointment.... so I am going to cook onions! For some reason.... it really irritates his eyes when onions are being cut and sauteed.... even though he is NOT in the kitchen!
So... I think there are TWO ways to saute onions.... please ALWAYS jump in... with ideas... experience... thoughts.....
If you sautee on a medium to low heat.... you can keep the onions light in color... as they taste "sweet". Do NOT cook for too long. Taste to see when they are cooked enough.
If you sautee for a long time..... stirring..... they "carmelize"... turning a rich brown... and having a deep "meaty" taste. (Vegetarians NEED this kind of taste variety.... but everyone loves it.)
So... I am going to "carmalize" most of the bag of organic onions that I got on sale this weekend. Add lots of garlic (do NOT burn the garlic... I add at the very end.) And make an onion soup. Now... the best part of onion soup is the toasted bread and gloopy melted cheese on top. We do not have gluten free bread. I think I will experiment with gluten-free crackers.. covered with cheese & melted under the broiler. (Carefully.)
THIS soup will NOT be a "meal soup". So... I don't know what else I will make.
Kim Loves Snow.... yes, please! Please DO share the recipes.... and also.... share HOW these soups are used!!!!
The onions are now nicely carmalized.... and are cooling. I have been "thinking". I THINK if I add hamburger meat (veggie stuff).... then this soup COULD be a main dish. What do you think?
The onions are now nicely carmalized.... and are cooling. I have been "thinking". I THINK if I add hamburger meat (veggie stuff).... then this soup COULD be a main dish. What do you think?
Snowey... do you guys love the kind that comes in an individual crock..... filled to the brim with rich soup.... and covered with lots of melted cheese... browned under the broiler?
I like the kind that is LOADED with carmalized onions.... and covered with tasty cheese!
You can buy broth. Carmalize a LOT of onions... and fill the individual dishes. crocks, cups... whatever you have. Traditional is... floating a slice of toasted bread on top of the soup.... covering the bread with a generous amount of cheese.... and melting it under the broiler!
Personally.... I use recipes as "guidelines"... and make things to fit the tastes that dh and I have.
I like the kind that is LOADED with carmalized onions.... and covered with tasty cheese!
You can buy broth. Carmalize a LOT of onions... and fill the individual dishes. crocks, cups... whatever you have. Traditional is... floating a slice of toasted bread on top of the soup.... covering the bread with a generous amount of cheese.... and melting it under the broiler!
Personally.... I use recipes as "guidelines"... and make things to fit the tastes that dh and I have.
Thinking I need to go get some onions. I'll have to make some bread for the top. I usually cube it so it's bite size. Toast it a little in the oven, dump on a bunch of butter and then roll the cubes in parmesan cheese. Then add some shredded mozzarella to the soup. Somehow I do something to the healthy part. lol
I use to have a wonderful easy recipe. Of course I didn't write it down and I've forgotten it now.
I use to have a wonderful easy recipe. Of course I didn't write it down and I've forgotten it now.
I love French Onion Soup too but have never attempted to make it.
I made this recently and it was DELISH! I want to make it again. Teachermomof2 has a similar recipe:
Zesty Potato Soup
1-14oz can chicken broth
½ c. water
4 large potatoes
1 Teaspoon dried onions
1 garlic clove, minced
Pepper to taste
1 cup milk (I use can milk)
1 can green chili
4 oz cheese (I used American slices...4-6 of them)
1 pkg kielbasa- diced and browned
Peel and dice potatoes. Add onion, garlic. Cook in broth and water until tender. Do not drain. Mash potatoes, leave some chunks. Add milk, green chili, pepper, kielbasa and cheese slices. Simmer for 10 min. Makes 6 servings.
I made this recently and it was DELISH! I want to make it again. Teachermomof2 has a similar recipe:
Zesty Potato Soup
1-14oz can chicken broth
½ c. water
4 large potatoes
1 Teaspoon dried onions
1 garlic clove, minced
Pepper to taste
1 cup milk (I use can milk)
1 can green chili
4 oz cheese (I used American slices...4-6 of them)
1 pkg kielbasa- diced and browned
Peel and dice potatoes. Add onion, garlic. Cook in broth and water until tender. Do not drain. Mash potatoes, leave some chunks. Add milk, green chili, pepper, kielbasa and cheese slices. Simmer for 10 min. Makes 6 servings.
Girlsinmo.... NO strong onion taste. Because you are cooking and stirring and cooking and stirring the sliced onions (in olive oil).... until they turn rich and brown and WONDERFUL tasting. (At least half an hour for this. Usually more.) Actually.... it is a LOT of work!
However... here are some good things about this soup: the cooked onions (and garlic) are really healthy for you. And... very low in calories.... because the soup is broth (beef broth gives a rich taste; vegetable broth works fine). The melted cheese on top adds protein and richness. And looks great! I didn't have gluten-free bread... so I used crackers to hold up the cheese... and they worked fine.
We ate this soup when dh got home from his meetings. On a cold, rainy day.... it was very nice. I have one bowl left over for another day.
I would rate this as very healthy. NOT something that children would enjoy.
However... here are some good things about this soup: the cooked onions (and garlic) are really healthy for you. And... very low in calories.... because the soup is broth (beef broth gives a rich taste; vegetable broth works fine). The melted cheese on top adds protein and richness. And looks great! I didn't have gluten-free bread... so I used crackers to hold up the cheese... and they worked fine.
We ate this soup when dh got home from his meetings. On a cold, rainy day.... it was very nice. I have one bowl left over for another day.
I would rate this as very healthy. NOT something that children would enjoy.
SN, have you ever done the onions in the crockpot? I wonder if they would have the same deep rich taste.
oil
http://www.shockinglydelicious.com/crock-pot-caramelized-onions-slow-and-steady-does-the-trick/
or butter
http://southernfood.about.com/od/vidaliaonions/r/blbb287.htm
oil
http://www.shockinglydelicious.com/crock-pot-caramelized-onions-slow-and-steady-does-the-trick/
or butter
http://southernfood.about.com/od/vidaliaonions/r/blbb287.htm
Ahorsesoul: i LOVE the site you connected us to! I could stay there for hours!
I have a crockpot that I have never used. (Blush). From that cooking site that you linked us to.... it sure looks like it would "carmalize onions" to use a crockpot.
Yesterday, I saw a "health" segment on some of the reasons "chicken soup' REALLY IS HEALTHY WHEN YOU HAVE A COLD. OR FEEL SICK.
I can't remember them all. One is... you don't feel like eating much when you are sick.... and chicken releases something (when it is cooked) into the broth.... that makes it easier to digest protein... so you get more benefit from what you do eat. Then... there is something in the broth that gets rid of mucous. (Sorry). There are lots of other reasons that is IS good for you when you are sick.
Sunday night... I was, gone, helping dd with a project. So... dh heated up two bowls of the soup-that-is-a-meal that I had made days earlier.
I bought a "chicken chipolte soup"... fresh-made... to try. (The stores have "soup bars" with fresh soup.)
It was MUCH too spicy for us. (Lips and mouth were on fire!) So... I used that as a base... with 32 ounces of vegetable stock. A package of frozen green peas (which soothes down strong things). And a package of frozen "soup vegetables" that were diced pretty small. Two cans of black beans (protein, fiber, lots of antioxidents and no strong taste). The resulting mix still had a light "Merxican" taste. Now here is what made it really good:
Avacados were on sale because they were ripe to use that day. I peeled and diced one, chopped fresh tomatoes, (separate bowls for each), crunched up a crunchy taco... and put out a bowl of vegetarian sour cream. (You could use unflavored Grerek yougurt).
You put the hot soup in a big individual bowl. The person... puts the fresh chopped up things on top. The hot spicy soup is mellowed by the avocado, tomatoes, crunchy corn taco and smooth sour cream.
Dh LOVED it! Me too.
The original fresh-prepared soup may not have been too healthy.... because who knows what they put in it (additives, preservatives).... but it was really diluted with all the good stuff you add to it.
I have a crockpot that I have never used. (Blush). From that cooking site that you linked us to.... it sure looks like it would "carmalize onions" to use a crockpot.
Yesterday, I saw a "health" segment on some of the reasons "chicken soup' REALLY IS HEALTHY WHEN YOU HAVE A COLD. OR FEEL SICK.
I can't remember them all. One is... you don't feel like eating much when you are sick.... and chicken releases something (when it is cooked) into the broth.... that makes it easier to digest protein... so you get more benefit from what you do eat. Then... there is something in the broth that gets rid of mucous. (Sorry). There are lots of other reasons that is IS good for you when you are sick.
Sunday night... I was, gone, helping dd with a project. So... dh heated up two bowls of the soup-that-is-a-meal that I had made days earlier.
I bought a "chicken chipolte soup"... fresh-made... to try. (The stores have "soup bars" with fresh soup.)
It was MUCH too spicy for us. (Lips and mouth were on fire!) So... I used that as a base... with 32 ounces of vegetable stock. A package of frozen green peas (which soothes down strong things). And a package of frozen "soup vegetables" that were diced pretty small. Two cans of black beans (protein, fiber, lots of antioxidents and no strong taste). The resulting mix still had a light "Merxican" taste. Now here is what made it really good:
Avacados were on sale because they were ripe to use that day. I peeled and diced one, chopped fresh tomatoes, (separate bowls for each), crunched up a crunchy taco... and put out a bowl of vegetarian sour cream. (You could use unflavored Grerek yougurt).
You put the hot soup in a big individual bowl. The person... puts the fresh chopped up things on top. The hot spicy soup is mellowed by the avocado, tomatoes, crunchy corn taco and smooth sour cream.
Dh LOVED it! Me too.
The original fresh-prepared soup may not have been too healthy.... because who knows what they put in it (additives, preservatives).... but it was really diluted with all the good stuff you add to it.
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All this soup talk!
I had to make some this evening... to bring in my lunch tomorrow. Just used some veggies I had cut up for a veggie tray this weekend... carrots, turnips, oignons, red bell peppers, with some of the turkey stock I got when I cooked the turkey, some more water, and some tiny pasta stars. Cooked the veggies in olive oil to give them some color before adding the liquid & stock. smells good!
I had to make some this evening... to bring in my lunch tomorrow. Just used some veggies I had cut up for a veggie tray this weekend... carrots, turnips, oignons, red bell peppers, with some of the turkey stock I got when I cooked the turkey, some more water, and some tiny pasta stars. Cooked the veggies in olive oil to give them some color before adding the liquid & stock. smells good!