“The Soup” Basic Vegetable Soup Recipe

1 Peter 5:7  Casting the whole of your care (all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all), on Him, for He care for you……”

“The Soup” is a basic vegetable recipe that has been requested many times on my Facebook page.  This is whatever you want it to be and is a great way to clean out your freezer.  The only items that really don’t freeze well are:  potatoes, pastas and rice.  Plan on adding these when you defrost.  I make only vegetable soup recipes and you can add whatever protein you wish:  shrimp, meatballs, chicken, fish, beef, beans, grains, etc.  The amounts are per your taste.

Basics-Picture is of The Soup with Shrimp

Crushed tomatoes – canned or fresh

Celery

Onions

Carrots

Turnips

Seasonings:  salt, pepper, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, red wine, parsley, bay leaves, thyme, etc.  Whatever you like.

You should chop the vegetables into bite size pieces and cook them in the tomato stock until they are tender.  To freeze place a freezer bag over a large mouth glass and spoon in the soup per single serve sizes.  Squeeze out as much air as possible and close the bag.  Lay the bags flat to freeze.  This takes up less freezer room and is quicker to thaw.

 

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Peanut Butter Pie-Pudding Style

Isaiah 32:18  My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undistributed places of rest.

This is what I made for my hubby this Valentine’s day.   Peanut butter is one of his favorites.  There are plenty of peanut butter pie recipes with the cream cheese and cool whip, but I wanted a pie that had a pudding filling.  This one is easy to cook and is really good.  Feel free to add more peanut butter if desired.

One 10 inch pie shell or two graham cracker crust pie shells (regular or chocolate)

3/4 cups sugar

1/3 cup corn starch

pinch of salt

4 cups milk

4 egg yolks

3/4 cups peanut butter

3 T. butter at room temperature

1 t. vanilla

Blind bake the pie shell if using a pastry style crust.  If you are using the graham cracker style crust there is no need to bake it first.

Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Mix together well with a whisk.  Combine the milk and the egg yolks and whisk together until bell blended.  Add the liquid mixture to the sugar mixture in a saucepan.  Cook over medium heat stirring constantly.  After mixture boils (this will be a low boil), let it boil for one minute.  Remove from the heat and add the peanut butter, butter and vanilla.  Allow to cool slightly and then pour into pie shell(s).  Refrigerate for about an hour to allow the pudding to completely set.

Serve with ice cream, whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce or all of these.

 

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White Chicken Chili

Proverbs 13: 20  He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

One of my son-in-love’s favorites and so easy.  Next time you have chicken for dinner poach an additional chicken breast.  Season the water with season salt and pepper.

1 cooked chicken breast (can use rotisserie chicken) – chopped or shredded into small pieces

1 16 oz. can of chicken or vegetable broth

2 16 oz. cans of cannellini beans (can use navy or great northern beans)

16 oz. can of crushed or diced tomatoes – optional

Add these ingredients into a slow cooker.  Do not drain the beans.

Add seasonings to your taste.  I suggest:

1 T. chili powder

1 t. cumin

1 t. celery flakes

2 T. dried chopped onions

1 t. parsley flakes

1/2 t. cayenne

1/2 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. pepper

1 t. salt – optional if on a low sodium diet

Heat together and taste broth for flavor.  Add more of any of the above to taste.

Add additional chicken or vegetable broth if you want a thinner soup.

This soup freezes well.  You can add cilantro and/or sour cream when you serve the soup.

 

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French Onion Soup

Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker: for he is our Go and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.  Psalm 95: 6-7

If you love French Onion Soup, but don’t have the time to stand and stir until the onions are brown, etc.  this is the soup recipe for you.This uses a crockpot or slow cooker.

3 lbs. yellow onions – sliced

3 lbs. red onions – sliced

1/2 – 1 stick of butter (do not substitute margarine)

1 teas. thyme or several sprigs fresh thyme

2-3 bag leaves

Place the butter in the bottom of the slow cooker.  Add the onions, thyme and bag leaves.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

After the onions are cooked add 3-4 15oz. cans of good quality beef broth or about 6-7 cups.  The amount you add depends on the broth to onion ratio that you like.  Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Recover and allow to heat through.

Serve in a soup bowl with a piece of crusty bread and a piece of Provolone cheese on top.  Melt the cheese under a broiler or in the microwave.

This soup freezes very well.  This is one of the best I have ever had.

 

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Lentil Soup

Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  Matthew 6:20-21

Tomorrow will be “soup day”.  Making soups for my son-in-love to have on hand for lunches and some for us.  It is really great to have something frozen that you can thaw out and have a good meal.  I haven’t made Lentil soup in a long time, but this recipe looks really good.  It is really difficult to make something that is gluten free, low fat, low or no sugar that tastes good.

3 T. olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped carrots

Saute these veggies in the olive oil until the onions are translucent.

1/4 cup chopped parsley or about 1 T. dried parsley

2 quarts low sodium chicken stock

1 lb. brown lentils

2 cloves garlic chopped or 1 t. garlic powder or 1 T. refrigerated chopped garlic

8 springs fresh thyme tied into a bundle or 1 t. dried

1 dried bay leaf

pinch crushed red pepper

Combine all in a large pot with the sauteed veggies.  Heat to boiling and then reduce to simmer and cook for 45 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

4 sweet Italian sausages that are cooked and chopped

1/3 c. red wine (optional)

Add the sausage and wine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Discard the bay leaf and thyme bundle if using fresh thyme before serving.  This makes about 12 cups or 8 servings.  435 Cal. 28 g. protein, 41 g. carbs, 19 g fat, 14 g. fiber and 735 mg. sodium

This soup would freeze great.  Freeze in bags and lay flat.

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Vegetable Beef Soup to feed 75

Ephesians 4:2  Be completetly humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Looks like I posted this earlier also.  So sorry about the duplication, but it is a great recipe and wonderful in the winter.

This was served at one of our Church’s Free Meals – Manna Meal, and was a great success.

6 lb. beef roast – cooked and diced into 1/2 inch pieces – Save the broth that is rendered and add to the soup mixture.

2  # 10 cans (large restaurant size cans) of Mixed Vegetables for Soup – Larger pieces than the Mixed Vegetables, but you could use the smaller ones if you wish.

1 #10 can of diced tomatoes

1 pkg. Beef Gravy – pkg. should make 1 gallon

2 C. quick cooking barley – cook in about 4 cups of water until tender.

Mix all together in a 5 gallon container.  Add enough water to bring the mixture to the 5 gallon measure.  Heat until hot throughout.

Five gallons should serve 75-100 people.  Great served with pimento cheese/ham salad sandwiches.

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Vegetable Beef Soup

Cook a beef roast.  Sear the outside of the roast in a skillet on the stove.  High heat to just brown both sides.  This seals in the juices.  Place the roast in a slow cooker.  Cook on 250 – 300′ for 3-5 hours.  Can cook longer.  You may want to add about 2 cups of water to the cooker.  Add 1 potatoe per person to the slow cooker apporximately 2 hours before serving.  Drain the broth from the roast into a pan.  Bring to a boil and thicken with cornstarch/water mixture.

Vegetable Beef Soup

Cut cooked beef into bite size pieces – 1-2 cups

2 cans mixed vegetables

1 can diced tomatoes

Any leftover vegetables in the fridge

Leftover gravy

Additions welcome:  cooked cabbage, sauteed onions, quick cooking barley and/or macaroni or other pasta shapes.

If there is no leftover gravy or not enough add 1 T. of Beef stock paste. Many different brands found in the grocer’s section where boullion is found.  This stock is in a round jar and is a paste.  There are beef, chicken and ham flavors.  Tone’s is a good brand.

Add enough water to make a soup.

Heat until heated through.  Serve with cornbread/crackers.  Great meal with a salad.  Wonderful comfort food on a cold night.

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