Hi, All!

Okay, we're all used to eating things that come packaged in cans. What are some recipes that you like to use for homemade soups, please?

Also, what is the real function for using a soup bone?

Thanks!

I'm going to love this one:D

I love just throwing chicken, veggies, and chicken stock together! Maybe adding a little bit of cream to make it creamy... Mmm...

I love soup!

I love just throwing chicken, veggies, and chicken stock together! Maybe adding a little bit of cream to make it creamy.... Mmm...

I love soup!

When you mentioned cream, do you mean the kind that can be poured?

I'm going to love this one:D

I'm glad for that! :)

When you mentioned cream, do you mean the kind that can be poured?

Sure do... heavy cream. Just a few tablespoons... or, as much as you like! :D It adds a little bit of creaminess to the soup... mmmm

What's heavy cream? I really don't know...

Consider me clueless!

Thanks!

That's OK! I don't really know how to describe it other than "thicker than half and half"... it adds more creaminess to anything, but you can also use half and half. To me, the creamier the better.

You can buy a half pint carton of heavy cream for very little cash. And, if you don't like it, you're not wasting much.

What is heavy cream? (http://www.ochef.com/412.htm)
Horizon Organic Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 Pint (http://www.organicdirect.com/product_info.php?products_id=144)

I'll check it out, HC! You're adding a new dimension to the variety in what I and others eat! :)

I'd still appreciate information about the usage of a soup bone...

Soup bones add flavor and gelatin to the soup... which can provide a "silkier" or "richer" texture

I've a few recipes

Celery leek soup
Vegetable beef stew
Butternut squash soup
Turkey and tortellini soup

Do soup bones have to have meat or poultry substance on them to be used? Also, what do you mean by "gelatin", please?

I do a lot of cooking without measuring and by instinct, so sorry if its vague... not running off recipe cards here...

Celery leek soup
A couple tablespoons of butter
2 med to large leeks
Half a stalk of celery
A big can of chicken stock
Several potatoes

So... cut the dark parts off the leeks and discard, split the pale part down the middle and rinse under water to remove any residue/sand. Chop it up. Clean the celery, discard the tops, chop it up also.

Melt the butter over med heat in a dutch oven or medium sized pot. Add the celery and leeks, stirr occasionally. Drink a nice glass of pinot noir. When its softened some... lets say ten minutes or so, next step.

Add a large (64oz? I don't know.) can of chicken broth. I've used homemade stock also, but don't think its needed here. Bring to a simmer and let it go for 20 minutes covered. Ill usually add a few bay leaves. Sometimes ill have added in minced garlic to the celery when it was softening in the butter. Anyway, simmer for 20 minutes.

Then add several small red potatoes or two med russets that have been peeled and diced into bite size pieces. This soup can be served puréed (my preference) or not. If not, use red potatoes. They won't fall apart so much when cooked through. If you are going to purée, it doesn't matter which you use, tho' the russets tend to fall apart more. Also, I suppose I should have mentioned this above, but if you aren't going to purée, you should also think about the celery and leek pieces being cut to bite sizes.

So simmer until the potatoes are done. Maybe another 20 minutes. If you are going to purée, do it in small batches and remember it is hot liquid. Be careful.

You can add more liquid if needed. A little half and half can make it creamier. Salt and pepper is good.

You can change this soup by just changing the amount of components. Hold back some on the potatoes and the celery and leek are more up front in taste. The puréed form seems heartier and is thicker.

I like this soup a lot.

I'll have to give that soup a try, kp2171!

Sounds like an excellent variety of things in there!

Do soup bones have to have meat or poultry substance on them to be used? Also, what do you mean by "gelatin", please?

It comes from collagen... essentially connective tissue from animals. No plant sources. Many soup bones are just the bones with marrow in the middle, with no meat on the bone, tho' you can cook with meat on the bones.

I use beef bones a lot to make beef stock. You can buy them in the stores or save them from things you have cooked.

I also use ham bones/hocks for soups and beans. (I'm making beans with a big a$$ monster ham bone left over that I froze a couple months ago.) My brothers birthday is today and we always have beans and buns to honor him.:)

I save my chicken/turkey carcasses for stock

I just recently made some fish stock from left over fish bones and shrimp shells. So far only used it for Shrimp bisque, but it was great.

Before I had a pressure cooker/canner... I used to make a vegetable soup with just regular beef broth. I was trying to re-create a soup that I had in Madrid.

Basically...
Brussel Sprouts
Green Beans
Black and Green Olives
Onions
A little shredded cabbage
Beef broth, probably much better with stock or a bone shoved in the pot.
I think you can add whatever veggie you like, but olives are the key.

This is great with crusty bread and a good red wine.

I love soup also, but don't get much time to make it, for my husband needs more than just soup.:)

Are you writing about a soup made from fish? If so, I don't think that I've ever had one!

What's your idea of shrimp bisque, please?

Also, happy birthday to your brother! If we were communicating by phone, I would play and sing for him a special Happy Birthday song!

Are you writing about a soup made from fish? If so, I don't think that I've ever had one!

What's your idea of shrimp bisque, please?

Also, happy birthday to your brother! If we were communicating by phone, I would play and sing for him a special Happy Birthday song!
Thank you so much for the birthday wish for my Brother, it made me tear up. He is not here at my home, but traveling for his job, which he always does. He always seems to be alone on his Birthday:( his daughter is with us tonight. (she came to visit for spring break) Illinois/California

Shrimp Bisque for me is a thick soup, some times with small chunks... but not quite a stew.

Cioppino is (I believe) called a stew, but really thin.. so I consider it a soup (if I had to pick a name) I have a great recipe for that also, but expensive because of the seafood.

Thanks again for the Birthday wish for Mike, he would love it.:)

I don't have spell check on this spare computer, sorry!

If we did communicate with you and/or him by phone, I would be glad to give him a special birthday song!

I will be giving a special one to the wife of Stringer, tomorrow night!

If we did communicate with you and/or him by phone, I would be glad to give him a special birthday song!

I will be giving a special one to the wife of Stringer, tomorrow night!

She is a lucky woman.:)

I can see that you're looking at this thread, bleusong52!

Hot and Sour Soup.

Boil soup marrow bone for a beef stock, remove bone. Let cool.

* 1 cake tofu (fresh, if possible)
* 2 ounces pork tenderloin
* Marinade:
* 1 teaspoon soy sauce
* 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
* 1 teaspoon tapioca starch (or cornstarch)(optional)
* Other:
* 1/2 cup bamboo shoots
* 3 - 4 Chinese dried black mushrooms or fresh mushrooms
* 6 cups water (or 6 cups water and 1 cup beef stock )
* 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
* 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons red rice vinegar, white rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil
* 1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1 green onion, finely chopped
* White pepper to taste (no more than 1 tablespoon)
* Hot chili oil, to taste, optional

Shred pork. Mix marinade ingredients and marinate pork for 20 minutes.


Cut tofu into small squares. Cut bamboo shoots into thin strips and then into fine slices. Cut mushrooms,

Bring the water to a boil. When it is boiling, add the bamboo shoots, mushrooms. Stir. Add the tofu. Bring back to a boil and add the marinated pork.
Stir in the salt, sugar, soy sauce and vinegar and sesame oil.
Test the broth and adjust the taste if desired. (If using chicken broth, you may want to add a bit more rice vinegar).

Mix the cornstarch and water. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the soup, stirring while it is being added. Let the broth come back to a boil. As soon as it is boiling, remove the broth from the stove.


Slowly drop in the beaten egg, stirring in one direction at the same time. Add the green onion and the white pepper to taste. Drizzle with chili oil if desired. Serve hot.

KP, can I have the butternut squash recipe please??

I don't have the recipe in front of me... at the ex's, but its roughly this-ish... again, I cook a lot by instinct and what I have available, so amounts are guesstimated. I wouldn't hesitate to make it with the following directions.

In the end you will purée this... so what you toss is is flexible.

Two butternut squash, peeled and cubed
Ill often toss in a can of pumpkin (like you'd buy for making the pie)
I've also cooked it with some carrots tossed in. good to work off.
Onion... optional leeks, optional a few garlic cloves.
Butter
Chix stock... at least a big can... always have a couple small around to extend if needed.
If I have the time ill boost the stock by simmering some chix thighs ahead of time and work the chicken into whatever... they never go to waste.
Salt, pepper, nutmeg, cayenne or curry
Whatever dairy you want to use to adjust for richness... cream, half and half, sour cream,.

So... id start with softening a diced onion in butter... if I have leeks and want to use 'em, id toss those in too, but not necessary. You can skip the onions and all, but I like it better with, and I just like to start most recipes with butter and onions. A lot can go right after that.

So then id add the cubed squash. Some people bake it first because they don't like peeling it and cutting it... I don't care. I cut it laterally with a good knife into rounds and then cut off the outer peel (as opposed to the inner?)... if cutting up a fresh pineapple annoys you, you might look at the baking method for softening it first. I have good knives and I have no problem. I'm meaner than that damn squash.

Add any carrots if you want or any other veggies. I hold back on the pumpkin... I like to add it later. Add a bunch of chicken broth to cover and simmer until the squash is squashable. OK, softened. Wtfever.

Drink a nice pinot grigio while its simmering. Or whatever.

Then carefully transfer portions of the piping hot soup to a food processor or blender. Its hot. Do it in reasonable portions. Purée it smooth. It will be very thick. You can add more stock or start to work in some dairy... half and half, cream, some use cream cheese.

You'll want a reserve bowl that can hold the volume of soup as you empty the processor and purée the next batch. I don't think I've ever done more than three batches. Then return the soup to the stock pot.

Med low heat to warm. At this point I want to season it and add dairy for richness. Salt, pepper, nutmeg, some cayenne or curry. Cut it to the viscosity you want with the stock and/or cream. Extend the recipe to make more by adding some canned pumpkin. Or not.

This is a hearty soup. Its rich. I like it served in smallerish bowls with a warmed, great crusted bread alongside. If using a bigger bowl, don't fill it. Let them go back for more if needed. I like it, but a little goes a long way... and I really prefer to have that warm baguette alongside to dip in and give some texture.

Sprinkle a little nutmeg on the top. Maybe swirl in a little cream for color contrast or give a spoonfull of sour cream. Love the bold orange color against a crisp white dish.

I almost always make this at xmas, along with the celery leek soup, and give people the option of choosing. Its almost always about half and half, though more seem to favor the leek soup.

The most annoying part is probably cutting the squash and cleaning the food processor. You don't have that much prep, it is not something you have to watch constantly, and you can save seasoning mistakes easily.

:::drool::: Thank you! Copy pasted and printed, will let you know when I make it! Sounds absolutely delicious!

It works. Good ingredients make good food.

It reminds me of a tomato bisque without being tomato. Ish. y. ;)

Good flavor and rich, but you need something to give some structure and different texture... like the bread.