Monday, February 13, 2006
Warm up in a hurry with soup
Winter weather may be uncomfortable at times, but nothing brings comfort to cold and dark days like a steaming bowl of homemade soup. And when paired with a salad and thick slices of bread, soup can satisfy even the biggest of appetites. Since these recipes take less than a half hour, you can delight everyone at the dinner table in a hurry.
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Chinese Chicken Soup
3 14.5-ounce cans chicken broth
1 16-ounce package frozen stir-fry vegetable blend
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 teaspoons dried ginger
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
In a large saucepan, combine broth, vegetables, chicken, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until heated through, about 15 minutes. Makes 6 servings.
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Butter Bean Veggie Soup
3 celery ribs, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 14.5-ounce cans chicken broth
2 15-ounce cans butter beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes, undrained and cut up
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon pepper
In a large saucepan, sauté the celery, carrots and onion in oil until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually add the broth. Stir in beans, tomatoes, basil, parsley, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until heated through, about 10 minutes. Makes 8 servings.
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Quick Salmon Chowder
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1-1/3 cups milk
1 7.5-ounce can salmon, drained, bones and skin removed
1 15-ounce can cream-style corn
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
In a large saucepan, sauté onion in butter until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in condensed soup, milk, salmon, corn, and parsley. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until heated through, about 10 minutes. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
If soup tastes sweet, add a little salt. If soup is too salty, add raw cut potatoes. Discard them after they cook as they will have absorbed the salt.
If soup is too thin, try adding instant mashed potato flakes to thicken. Add a little at a time, stirring thoroughly, and continue adding until desired consistency is reached.
Another way to thicken a soup that contains vegetables or beans is to remove some of them and puree in a blender. Return to the original soup mixture and stir.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com