Soup Recipes

When Winter has arrived in all it's snowing, windy glory, thoughts turn to having a quick meal of soup, accompanied by bread, crackers or cheese.  There is just something good about being inside a warm house with a pot of soup simmering on the stove. 

CHICKEN CREAM SOUP

1/2 pound chicken pieces
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 quarts cold water
1 cup diced potatoes
2/3 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped cabbage
2 cups cream, or scalded milk
2 tablespoons butter

Allow chicken, salt and water to come slowly to a boil then simmer for 45 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots, celery and cabbage and cook until tender. Remove chicken and dice. Return to soup. Add cream and butter. Serve at once.

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CREAM OF SPINACH SOUP

1 pound spinach
1 pint milk
1/4 cup butter

Cook spinach until tender; put through a sieve; heat milk to boil. Add sieved spinach, salt to taste, pepper to taste and serve.

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ASPARAGUS SOUP

1 can asparagus
1 bouillon cube
1/2 lemon
celery
onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
soup bone

Use 1 quart stock from soup boiled with pieces of celery and onion. Add bouillon cube, juice of 1/2 lemn, then add chopped asparagus tips and juice, salt and pepper.

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ONION SOUP

2 small onions sliced
1/2 tsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
5 rounds bread
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 pint boiling water
pepper
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Brown onion in the butter and cook for one minute. Sprinkle with flour. Pour on boiling water, add salt and pepper and boil ten minutes. Place roound of bread in hot tureen and pour soup over it. Sprinkle cheese over top or serve separately. Buttered toasted bread crusts may be usbstituted for rounds of bread.

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PEA SOUP

Use dried peas or split peas. Wash and soak for about 1 hour. Measure. Add four times as much water as peas. 1 small onion and ham bone. Simmer until soft. Season with salt and pepper and add 1 cup scalded milk or cream. Cook 5 minutes more and serve.

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CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP

2 tsp butter
1/2 cup milk
2 tsps flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup strained tomatoes
1/2 tsp baking soda
Few grains of pepper

Melt butter, add flour, when well blended add milk gradually, stirring constantly. Cook until thick and smooth. Heat the tomatoes, add soda and allow to cook until tomatoes cease to foam. Add to cream sauce and season with salt and pepper. Serve at once.

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CORN CHOWDER

2 tbsp butter
2 medium onions
2 cups boiling water
2 cups diced, raw potatoes
2 cups corn, canned or fresh
2 cups milk

Melt butter, add minced onions, cook until brown. Add water and potatoes. When well done, add corn and milk. Thicken, season with salt and pepper.

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CREOLE SOUP

1/4 cup rice
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp bacon drippings
2 cups tomatoes
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp paprika
1 tbsp chopped parsley

Cook rice in 3 cups boiling water until tender. Saute onions in bacom drippings until tender but not brown; add tomatoes and cook 10 minutes. Rub through strainer into boiled rice and water; add seasonings and sprinkle with parsley.

Vintage Recipe--Chili Con Carne

3 Tbsp fat
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper,chopped

1 pound hamburger

2 1/2 cups tomatoes
1 can condensed tomato soup
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 clove garlic, mashed
 1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups kidney beans

Heat fat in a large skillet. Add the onion, green pepper and meat. Cook until brown, stirring occasionally. Add next 6 ingredients. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add additional water if mixture gets too thick. Combine garlic and salt; add to mixture along with the beans. Stir well, heat to boiling. Pour into a large serving bowl and garnish with onion rings. Serve with hot corn bread. Makes 6 servings.

Corn bread: Generously grease a 9x9 inch baking pan. Heat it in the oven while mixing batter. Beat 1 egg in a bowl. Beat in 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 cup sifted flour, 1 1/2 cups corn meal, 1 tsp sugar, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 cup soft shortening. Pour batter into heated pan. Bake in 450 degree oven for 10 - 15 minutes or until golden brown and done.

Vintage Recipes--Creamy Vichysoisse

4 leeks

3 cups peeled and sliced potatoes

3 cups boiling water

4 chicken bouillon cubes

3 Tbsp butter

1 cup half and half

1 cup milk

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp minced chives
1/4 tsp paprika

Cut leeks with 3 inches of green tops into fine pieces. Cook leeks and potatoes in water, covered, until tender, about 40 minutes. Press, without draining through a fine sieve into the top of a double boiler. Add next 6 ingredients; stir well. Heat over hot water. Serve hot or thoroughly chilled, garnished with chives and paprika. Makes 6 servings.

Vintage Recipes--Black Bean Soup

Cover 2 cups black beans with cold water; soak overnight. Drain; measure liquid. Add water to make 2 quarts; pour into kettle. Add beans, 1 large onion, sliced, 1/2 cup diced celery, 1 tsp salt, 4 peppercorns. Cover; simmer 3 hours, or until beans are tender; add water if necessary. Put through food mill or sieve. Add 1/4 tsp dry mustard. Blend 3 Tbsp butter and 1 1/2 Tbsp flour; stir into soup slowly. Heat thoroughly. Garnish with lemon slices. Makes 6 servings.

Vintage Recipe--Split Pea Soup

1 cup dried green split peas

Beef knuckle, cracked or ham bone

2 1/2 cups tomatoes

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

1 1/2 quarts water

1 bay leaf

1 tsp salt

Dash of pepper

Wash and pick over peas to remove any non-peas. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. If the soup thickens too much, add additional boiling water. Remove bone. Press soup through a sieve or food mill. Serve hot with crutons. Makes 6 servings.

Vintage Recipe--Cream of Carrot Soup

3 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp chopped onion

3 Tbsp flour

1 tsp salt

Dash of pepper

3 cups milk
3 cups shredded carrots

2/3 cup boiling salted water

1/3 cup half and half
Paprika and chopped parsley

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add onion and cook until soft. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk; cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Cook carrots in water for 10 minutes; add to milk mixture. Just before serving add half and half. Garnish with paprika and chopped parsley.  Makes 6 servings.

Vintage Recipe--Oyster Stew

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Dash of paprika

1 quart raw oysters (or) 2 pkgs quick-frozen oysters
1 1/2 quarts milk

1 1/2 tsp salt

Dash of pepper

Melt  butter in deep pan. Add Worcestershite and paprika; stir until smooth. Add oysters and oyster liquor; cook over low heat until edges of oyster curl. Add milk, salt and pepper; heat thoroughly over low heat but do not boil.  Makes 6 servings.

Vintage Recipe--Beef and Vegetable Soup

1 pound lean stewing beef, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 beef knucklebone, cracked
6 cups water
2 1/2 cups tomatoes
2 cups diced potatoes (2 large)
2 cups diced carrots (6 medium)
1 cup diced celery (2 large stalks)
1/2 chopped onion (1 medium)
1/4 cup pearl barley
6 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup diced, white turnips (2 small)

Place all ingredients in deep kettle; cover. Turn heat high; heat soup mixture to boiling. Turn heat low; simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until meat is tender; remove bones. Chill overnight. Skim off fat. Reheat. Serve piping hot. Makes about 4 quarts.

Vintage Recipe--Onion Soup

2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp dry mustard
4 cups hot water
6 beef bouillon cubes
4 slices buttered french bread
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a large saucepan; blend in sugar and mustard. Add onion; cook over low heat, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes, or until tender but not brown. Pour in water; bring to boiling. Blend in and dissolve beef bouillon cubes. Simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes. Pour into individual heat-proof bowls. top with slices of bread; sprinkle with cheese. Broil, 3 inches from the heat, 2 to 3 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.