Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Want To Save More On Your Grocery Bill? - Eat Soup!


Soup is not only healthy for your budget but for you as well.  Homemade soups are by far the best for nutrition and sodium content because you have full control over what you put in them.  Plus you can make as much or as little as you like.

I like to make a big pot of soup and freeze some for a meal later on down the road as most soups freeze really well.  For soups with pasta or rice I like to freeze some of the soup base before adding the rice and pasta then just add it fresh to the reheated soup so it doesn't get mushy.

I thought I'd share some of my favorite soup recipes with you again from a previous post I did called Soups On!  If you are in need of some inspiration or want to try something new perhaps one of these will fit the bill.

Taco Soup

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups cooked pinto beans
1 15oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15oz can whole kernel corn, undrained
1½ cups warm water
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 envelope taco seasoning
½ c. grated sharp cheddar cheese (optional) 

Brown beef and onions in large soup pot.  Drain fat and add all remaining ingredients except cheese.  Stir and bring to a simmer.  Cook 15 minutes on low heat.  Serve garnished with cheese on top if desired.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

I love to serve this with a dollop of sour cream too.  Goes nicely with a fresh garden salad and warm cornbread.

Egg Drop Soup

8 cups chicken broth
4 scallions, sliced
½ cup frozen peas
1 to 2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 eggs, beaten well

In a large sauce pan bring broth, scallions, peas and soy sauce to a light boil.  Remove from heat.  While slowly stirring broth, drizzle in beaten egg.  Do not over stir, eggs should be thready.  Allow to sit 1 to 2 minutes.  Stir gently, taste and add additional soy sauce if needed.  Makes 8 servings. 

Serve with fried rice and a fresh garden salad to complete the meal. 

Italian Vegetable Soup

½ lb. Italian sausage
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup elbow macaroni, shells or other small pasta
1 15oz. can Italian style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15oz can cut green beans, undrained
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups hot water
2 gloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp. dried crushed basil

Cook pasta according to directions on package.  Brown sausage and onions in large soup pot.  Drain fat and add all remaining ingredients except pasta.  Stir and bring to a simmer.  Cook 15 minutes on low heat until carrot is tender.  Add pasta, stir and serve.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Pair this with a homemade loaf of French bread and a nice spinach salad.  Terrific!

Split Pea Soup

1 16oz. package split peas
4 cups chicken or turkey stock
4 cups water
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
Ham hock, ham bone or 2 cups diced ham
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp rubbed sage
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a large slow cooker.  Cook on high four hours or low six to eight hours until veggies are tender.  Serve.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

This recipe makes more than 8 servings, in my opinion, and freezes really well.  I usually serve it with corn bread and a nice coleslaw or garden salad.

I’m not a pea soup lover but I love this one!  Thanks Grandma!

Quick & Easy Tomato Soup

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
Whole milk
½ tsp dried basil

Over medium heat empty tomato sauce into a small sauce pan.  Fill tomato sauce can with milk.  Slowly whisk milk into tomato sauce.  Add basil and continue stirring until soup is heated through.  Serves four.

I think it goes without saying that a grilled cheese sandwich is the perfect pairing with this soup and dunking is required.  You will most likely want to double this recipe because everyone will want seconds. 

What’s your favorite soup?

4 comments:

  1. These soups look good! I would like to try one but I cant decide which one to try first- haha! This is going to sound silly to you but I used to be SOOO intimidated by the thought of making soup. I don't know why- maybe because it just wasn't as cut and dry as putting some meat in the oven and whipping up a side dish. It's not that I didn't want to make any soup- I just never really knew how to put it all together. Then my co-worker was talking about the soup she made the night before and I admitted out loud that I never make soup and why. She was really nice and didn't look at me in shock and she said "Think of it this way- you start with a pot of water and just throw stuff in it." As silly as it sounds, that really changed everything for me and the idea of making soup didn't intimidate me as much. That was years ago and now I am a "seasoned" soup maker! Thanks for sharing these yummy recipes- my son's gonna love the taco soup. I would like to get him a really good thermos before school starts so he can start bringing soup to school for lunchtime.

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    1. I have to tell you I have made some not so great soups in the past, but I am much better at it now. I love to experiment with different herbs and spices too. The taco soup is seriously one of my favorites.

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  2. I love soup too. Unfortunately, I have a husband who is not keen on soup. As he rarely complains about much else, I avoid making soup for dinner. I have learned to pick my battles :)

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    1. Since you are lucky he doesn't complain a lot about what you fix for dinner I'd give in to him too. :) It's all about compromise. I've learned with my youngest who doesn't like beans to just work around it. Not worth making a big deal out of.

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