Sunday, December 30, 2012

Soup Sundays

In my post of last Friday, I rambled on a bit about how January seems to be a good month to try out some new soup recipes.  In the comment section, Tami (500 Dollar Tomato) suggested all of us who are interested share a soup recipe on the weekend so we'd all have the opportunity to try it in our own kitchens.  (Okay, so maybe that wasn't exactly what she said.  I admit I'm kinda putting words in her mouth.)

What say we try to post a soup recipe (one of our own favorites or something new we've stumbled upon) every Sunday for the month of January?  Just imagine all the new, yummy soups that could end up as keepers in our recipe boxes!

I know it's not January yet (however, watch out, 'cause it's approaching on waxed sleigh runners!), but I'll kick off Soup Sundays by posting this soup I made yesterday.  It's adapted from the More-with-Less Cookbook, Suggestions by Mennonites on how to eat better and consume less of the world's limited food resources.  I tried the recipe once before but wanted to tweak it a bit before giving it another go.  And lo and behold, I actually took the time to write in the book the changes I wanted to make so throwing it together was fairly simple.

Guess I'll deem the revised recipe a resounding success because even Mr. I-Need-Meat-to-Stay-Strong (aka Papa Pea) said more than once how hearty and flavorful his bowlful of soup was.

I used homemade turkey broth (thanks to that big, ol' turkey carcass at Thanksgiving time) and I'm sure that added part of the good, rich taste.

Don't tell my hubby (we wouldn't want him to get overly excited) but I'm going to add some chunks of turkey meat to the ample amount of soup we have left.  Ham or crumbled bacon would also be very good.

So here's my recipe for Vegetable-Rice Chowder.

* * * * * * * *

VEGETABLE-RICE CHOWDER

1/2 cup rice, uncooked (I used white Basmati)
5 cups broth
3/4 cup sliced carrots
1 cup cubed potatoes (I just used a medium-sized potato)
1 medium chopped onion
3/4 cup sliced celery
1 cup canned tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt*
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dill weed

1 cup milk

* * * * * * * *

Put all ingredients (EXCEPT milk) in large saucepan.  Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.

Before serving, add 1 cup milk and heat until very warm, but don't boil.

Serves 6.

*Note regarding the 2 teaspoons of salt.  My homemade broth is never very salty so the 2 teaspoons of salt in the recipe was just right.  If you use commercial broth, which is usually on the salty side, you might want to reduce the amount.


I served the soup with (fake) Boston Brown Bread and slices of dill pickles.

Without meat, this is a very inexpensive soup to make.  And as I said, even my hubby didn't object to the lack of meat in it.  But it would also be a great soup in which to use up that last half cup (or so) of ham chunks getting chilblains in the freezer.

If you have a hankering to join in on Soup Sundays, get your recipe ready for posting next Sunday.  This will be fun.  And tasty!

28 comments:

Tami said...

Looks good MP and Gluten Free for those of us avoiding...Count me in for Soup-er Bowl Sunday! @;0

Funny...SM asked for chili today, but everyone knows how to do that.

(I'll be making crock-pot pork tenderloin with sauerkraut for New Years. I wonder if there's a soup I can make with THOSE leftovers? Ha!)

Carolyn said...

Soup Sundays sounds Scrumptious!! Good idea you two!

Judy T said...

Umm... people use recipes for soup? Mine is never the same twice. It is usually a conglomeration of whatever is on hand.

Kelly said...

I am sitting here right now eating your cauliflower cheese soup! I give it five stars!!! Very delicious!!! My husband just said it needs ham LOL!!! He is also a I need meat to be strong kinda guy!!!! Thanks for sharing your recipes, I am going to try your veggie rice chowder next ☺

Sparkless said...

It looks yummy. Now hopefully I can actually cook a soup everyone will eat. Usually my soups go in the garbage because they taste so bad. No idea what I do wrong cause I follow the recipe. At least now I know the recipe you wrote is good so if I mess it up I know who to blame, me!

Mama Pea said...

Tami - Ooooh, pork and sauerkraut . . . YUM. Those are the kind of leftovers I eat cold! Weird? Just the thought makes my mouth water.

Looking forward to Soup-er Bowl Sundays!

Mama Pea said...

Carolyn - Can we look forward to you jumping in, too?? Huh? You say, "Okay." GREAT!

Mama Pea said...

Judy T - Oh, how I envy cooks like you who CAN successfully throw things together and have it come out good. I've been called a good cook (once or twice) but sure do need my recipes!

Mama Pea said...

Kelly - Hey, hooray that you like the soup! I'm so glad. What is it with these men? Maybe they really do need more protein than we weak, widdle women. (That was a joke! About us being weak, I mean.) Hope the Vegetable-Rice Chowder is enjoyed, too.

Mama Pea said...

Sparkless - We may have to all chip in and send you to soup making school! ;o)

Anonymous said...

Yay... soup Sundays... I'll plan on starting with your posted soup next Sunday. And, I'll post my simple potatoe soup then. Do we post on our page or yours??

Mama Pea said...

Ruth - Great! I think it would just be easier for everyone to post on their own blogs, no? I look forward to your recipe!

Erin said...

I love that idea and I love soup, but I'm the no-recipe girl so I don't think anyone would find my how-to's very helpful LOL but maybe I'll just post a picture :)

Tombstone Livestock said...

I only have one homemade soup recipe ... Remember I only have a Kitchen 'cause it came with the house ...... but I will join in for at least next Sunday (so long as I don't forget) with my Corn Chowder. It is so easy even I can make it. That is if I can find my recipe, but I have a full week .............

Susan said...

This is such a great idea! And I am going to make this soup tomorrow - I have everything, including some turkey languishing in the freezer. I will have to put my thinking cap on for next Sunday...I tend to do the same as most commenting on here and throw this and that in a pot.

LindaCO said...

I thought you were having soup, pickles and chocolate cake for dinner and I was applauding!

I have one soup recipe that I make a lot that I'll try to remember to post.

Carolyn said...

Most soup-a-licious-definitely!

Mama Pea said...

Erin - You're no fun at all! I know you're a good cook and your blog pictures of your foods always look soooo good. Be a sport and at least give us "guesstimates" of the amounts of the ingredients. I'd give it a go from there.

Mama Pea said...

Tombstone Livestock - Yummmm, Corn Chowder sounds wonderful. I know we'll all look forward to having your recipe to try. (Now go start looking for that recipe!) ;o)

Mama Pea said...

Susan - Boy, all you creative cooks are making me feel like a real dummy! Why can't I just do that? Throw this and that in a pot and have it come out tasting good?

Mama Pea said...

LindaCO - Hey, a nice, moist, rich slice of chocolate cake would not have been a bad thing! (I'd even eat a piece right now!)

If you make that soup recipe a lot, it's gotta be a winner. It will be great to have it.

Jenyfer Matthews said...

My favorite soup is what I call Junk soup - a combination of a sauteed onion and garlic with whatever I happened to have in the fridge and a can of tomatoes. Last time I threw in a leftover baked sweet potato as a thickener and it was a huge hit :)

Jenyfer Matthews said...

Mama Pea, I saw a suggestion a while ago that you should keep a plastic tub in the freezer and every time you have a little of this or that left over from dinner you put it in the tub - then when the tub is full you put that in a big pot and boil it for a Junk soup :)

You soup recipe looks fantastic - I think I'd be tempted to throw in some wild rice for fun and texture though :)

odiie said...

Soup sounds so good today. Maybe some turkey noodle with all that leftover turkey we have.
Hope you had a great (and restful ;) ) New Year's. May you be blessed in the coming year.
From Glory Farm,
Rhonda

Leigh said...

I love this idea. And I love the More with Less cookbook. Of course, I have one of my own "I-Need-Meat" guy, so occasional veggie soups are okay, but scraps of meat do help with male morale. :)

Mama Pea said...

Odiie - Thank you so much, Rhonda, for the nice wishes. Sending the same to you and your family. Look out 2013, here we come!

Do you have a recipe for that turkey noodle soup? If so, I'd love to have it.

Mama Pea said...

Leigh - Isn't that a great book? Simple ingredients but recipes producing great taste.

If only we could cook vegetarian to our heart's content and just throw scraps of meat to them!! Hahahaha.

Unknown said...

Good ideas! I just added one on my blog-
Little Homestead In Boise
Nancy