Yummy Soup

I love soup. Here are my 2 favorite soup recipes. They are delicious. ( I make soup at least once a week in the Fall/Winter).

Baked Potato Soup (based on Tony Roma's recipe)

2 med potatoes
3 Tbs. butter
1 cup diced white onion
2 Tbs. flour
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cup instant mashed potatoes
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. basil
1/8 tsp. thyme
1 cup half and half (I always just use milk)

Bake the potatoes (oven or microwave) and let cool. Prepare soup by melting butter and saute onion until brown. Add flour to make a roux. Add stock, water, cornstarch, potato flakes and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Chop baked potatoes and 1/2 inch in size (discard skin). Add potatoes and half and half to soup, bring back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Garnish with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon.
**This soup is very rich, but delicious**

Vegetable Beef Soup (from an old ward cookbook from my Grandma)

2 lbs. browned stew meat (can substitute ground beef)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp basil
1 package Onion Soup Mix
6 cups hot water
1 8oz can of tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 cup celery (sliced)
1 cup carrots (sliced)
1 cup large shell macaroni
1 can green beans

Drain browned meat and all ingredients except macaroni and green beans. Simmer 45 minutes, then add macaroni and beans and cook until macaroni is done.

This soup is delicious and you can add pretty much anything to it. Sometimes I add corn or stewed tomatoes also. It has a very thin broth, and is very heavy on the meat/veggies. The more extra veggies you add, increase the liquid ingredients as well. So good.

I also love chicken noodle, and a more traditional potato soup with carrots and celery. I think I will make the vegetable soup tonight.