Soups To Warm You Up

Soups in my opinion are easy to make and always comforting. In the winter they warm you up, in the summer they cool you down (if you are making gazpacho or something similar). Given that it’s winter time and apparently is raining everywhere right now, I’ve been making hearty and homey soups. Although I’m not giving a play-by-play rundown on how to make each soup, here are some ideas to get you going.

Chicken Soup – everyone’s favorite

Combine water, chicken legs and/or thighs, a couple of diced carrots, a couple of diced celery sticks, one diced onion, pinch of salt & pepper, and a couple of dried bay leaves. Let the soup simmer for about an hour until the meat falls off the bone. Add cooked pasta to the soup if preferred or serve as is.

Creamy Vegetable Soup – perfect for a meat-free meal

Combine 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock, one diced carrot, one diced onion, 1 cup of trimmed string beans, 2-3 dried bay leaves, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a pot and boil for 15 minutes. Blend 2 cups of milk and 1 can of corn (liquid drained) in a blender or food processor and add to the soup. Turn the heat to low and let the soup warm through before serving.

Romanian Meatball Soup – family favorite

Combine 10-12 cups of water, a couple of diced carrots, a couple of diced celery sticks, one diced onion, 3 beef bullion cubes, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2-3 dried bay leaves and bring to a boil. In a bowl, mix half a cup of uncooked white rice with 1 pound of ground beef, an egg, a dash of paprika, salt, pepper and dried herbs (whichever you prefer). Form golf ball-size balls and line them up on a plate. Turn the heat to low so the soup does not boil and gently lower the meatballs into the soup. Turn the heat up a bit and let the soup simmer for at least two hours. Taste the broth occasionally and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Add more water if it’s too salty from the bullion cubes or add more salt if necessary. Also, skim the foam and fat that rises to the top until the soup finishes cooking. Serve in big bowls.

So here are pics of the chicken and the veggie soup. Sorry, didn't get around to making the meatball soup to take a photo but will post it next time I make it.

Chicken soup

Veggie Soup