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I may not be thrilled that summer is over but I'm looking forward to putting the soup pot back into action. On a chilly day there's nothing more warming than a bowl of soup. For lunch or dinner, teamed with a sandwich or a baguette, soup is a feel-good meal.
Besides being warm and comforting, soup can be budget-friendly and a great way to use up those bits of vegetables languishing in the crisper drawer.
I have mushrooms in my fridge and it just so happens I adore a good homemade cream of mushroom soup, rich with butter, cream, white wine and tarragon. The recipe reminds me of the delightful soup served at Longwood Gardens, located in the heart of Pennsylvania's mushroom country.
There are also carrots, celery, onion and green pepper in that drawer, just what is needed for flavorful tomato-based Italian pasta soup, as well as, a cheesy potato soup.
Creamy Mushroom Soup
3 (8-ounce) packages fresh mushrooms
1 small onion, finely chopped
4T. butter, melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half cream
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup dry white wine or sherry
1 tsp. dried tarragon
2 tsps. white wine Worcestershire sauce
Directions: Clean and coarsely chop the mushrooms. In large soup pot, saute mushrooms and onion in butter. Add flour and stir until smooth.
Add broth, both creams, wine, tarragon, Worcestershire sauce and about 1 teaspoon salt, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring often.
Italian Pasta Soup
1 1/2 -pounds ground beef
8 cups water
2 (14 1/2 -ounce each) Italian stewed tomatoes
2 cups diced carrots
1 1/2 cups diced celery
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 cups cooked elbow macaroni
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
Directions: In a stockpot, cook beef over medium heat till no longer pink; drain off any fat. Add the water, tomatoes, carrots, onion, celery, green pepper, tomato sauce, soup mix, sugar and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 1 hour.
Stir in cooked macaroni and beans; heat through. Remove bay leaves before serving. Makes 5 quarts. Tip: This large batch soup freezes well.
Potato Cheese Soup
4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 onion, finely minced
4 T. butter
3 T. chicken bouillon granules
1/4 tsp. ground thyme
1/2 tsp. crushed rosemary
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
4 cups half-and-half cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Directions: In large saucepan cook potatoes and carrots with enough water to cover until tender. Remove from heat, do not drain. Mash with potato masher or mixer; the carrots will be chunky. Set aside.
In small saucepan saute celery and onion in butter. Add to mashed potatoes in large saucepan. Stir in all remaining ingredients, except bacon, and heat just till cheese melts. Lower heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with bacon pieces sprinkled over individual bowls of soup.