Bachelor Soup ~ leaning toward Italian Minestrone |
It is back to being cold & snowy today. Ugh. I really thought we were done with the winter weather ~ no such luck. Soup sounds like a good choice for dinner tonight & since I'm getting out the soup pot, I thought I would share some pictures of soups that I have made this season & give you a little back story as to how they come into being...
Bachelor Soup is something my hubby has been making for years ~ long before he met me. He would clean out his fridge on his days off & make a big pot of soup. When he was getting low on soup he would add a can of Chunky Soup to stretch it out. I actually found a post on Bachelor Soup on the net. I guess great guy minds think alike. :) So, whenever the husband makes a pot of soup it is called... Bachelor Soup.
'Odds & Ends' Turkey Soup |
The recipe for this kind of soup is culinary improv at it's finest. If you want your soup to have a Mexican flair ~ just use your favorite Mexican spices, like cumin/chili powder/taco seasoning/cilantro & rice or pinto/black beans & maybe some tortilla chips for a topping. If you want more of an Italian flavor ~ use your favorite Italian herbs like basil/oregano/marjoram & add some pasta, kidney/cannellini beans or tomatoes.
However you make it ~ be it an all veggie soup or an 'one of a kind'
mix of ingredients ~ using what you have available in the fridge is
such a perfect way to stretch-a-buck & feed your family something
healthier than takeout. I like to serve the soup with bread, corn
muffins or crackers. Dress it up any way you want ~ make it your own
& enjoy your soup masterpiece. It might become a weekly event,
just like it is in our house. Anyone want a bowl of soup? Bon Appétit
Tonight I am calling it...
Odds & Ends Soup
8 cups favorite broth
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp mix of favorite herbs/spices, salt-free
herb mix (or to taste)
~ salt & pepper, to taste
~ as much stuff in the fridge as you need to use up
- leftover cooked veggies, cut up small
- leftover cooked meat, cut up small
- leftover noodles
- leftover rice
- uncooked veggies that need to be used
up, cut up into small pieces
~ optional add-ins, mix & match to your heart's
content
- can of fire roasted tomatoes
- can of beans - like kidney, navy, pinto,
black or cannellini beans, with juice
- chopped cabbage, 3 cups
- can of cream of mushroom soup,
condensed
1) put first 5 ingredients in a large soup pot and any
uncooked veggies you are using & simmer for 10 minutes
2) add in as many cut up leftovers & optional add-ins as you wish
3) simmer all for 20 minutes
4) add salt & pepper to taste ~ enjoy with corn muffins, bread or crackers
'Veggies Need Using Up' Soup |
'It's Trash Day' Soup |