Soup's On Saturday: Making and Using Dry Soups and Mixes

I tried to coordinate the timing of this post to give you plenty of time to make some mixes yourself before the holiday season hits us full force. Also to remind and motivate myself to start getting some of this stuff done ahead of time!





How many recipes do you have that call for onion soup mix? I know I have lots. It is a great shortcut for many delicious meals, many are for the crockpot. I remember needing to make something quick and easy, then going for one of my trusty roast recipes, only to realize I am out of onion soup mix. So I looked around and figured out that I could make my own with ingredients I normally have on hand. Mixing up a batch of it doesn't take too much longer than ripping open a package. You know exactly what ingredients are in it, and you can tailor it to match whatever you are making.

Pick-a-Flavor Onion Soup Mix

1 1/2 cups dried minced onion

2/3 cup onion powder

2/3 cup bouillon granules of your choice (I use beef, chicken or mushroom)

1/2 teaspoon sugar (I use less processed sugar and it works well)

Herbs are nice too. Basil is always a welcome addition in my book. If I am using chicken bouillon and will be using mix for poultry dishes, I like to add tarragon.

If recipe calls for one packet, use 6+ Tablespoons, according to taste.





Soup-In-A-Jar

Dry soup mix in a jar is one of my favorite gifts to make and give to my loved ones, especially during the cold months. I love soup in general (ya think?) and I love feeling like I am sharing a little bit of my love, even when I am not there, as the recipient enjoys the warm, cozy, and tasty contents of the simple glass jar I have given them, maybe even months before.

That simple glass jar is another thing I love about making soup mixes. I love the simplicity of using a plain old canning jar. The fact that I am giving them something they can reuse, especially something that is not plastic, appeals to me. Canning jars can be found inexpensively through Craigslist, garage sales, and the Goodwill too. Gotta love me a gift that can be given without having to find a decorative tin or a bunch of wrapping supplies!

Many people enjoy adding a fabric circle under the metal ring lid. My must-have is a piece of raffia or twine. I use that to tie on a piece of brown paper bag with the instructions written on it, or typed out on white paper and glued on. Sometimes I use burlap under the ring. Another idea I have been thinking about trying is using a piece of white tea towel from the dollar store and letting the kids use fabric paint on it. Simple, quick and easy -- that's probably the only way I am going to get it done!


I have made and used several different soup mixes. My favorite, to give and to eat, is a mushroom soup recipe. Check out the link for more details. What I love about it, in addition to the delicious taste of the basic recipe, is how flexible it is.

Another all-time favorite, whether in a mix or otherwise, is Tortilla Soup. I have seen varying recipes for this, as well as different ways for layering the ingredients. Search around the internet and you can find some interesting ones, including this one that calls for lemonade powder!

I don't add the tortilla chips to the jar. I use that space for the rice and spices, then add a bag of chips, and cans of chiles, tomatoes and canned chicken in a basket. If you know it will be eaten in the next few days, you can also add a container of sour cream, some grated cheese, an avocado and other items that make good tortilla soup toppings.





From Pioneer Soup to Basic Chicken Noodle, it's pretty easy to find one for any taste, and you probably already have most of the ingredients on hand. There is so much out there, this post could get way too long.

I hope I shared with you just enough inspiration to go "in search of" and find some you enjoy making, eating and giving!

Soup's On Saturday: Like Grandma Used To Make

(Due to problems with my writer this weekend, I am combining SOS (top half) and MPM (second half) . Come back on Saturdays for Soup's On Saturday, and Sundays for Menu Plan Monday.)

S.O.S. "Like Grandma Used To Make"

When I think of soups my grandma used to make, the first thing that comes to my mind is a bunch of slimy shellfish floating around in milk with a pat of butter. Not really my cuppa tea, but it is a family tradition and I do see the value in it. I just don't want to eat it!

The next soup I think of is my Gran's Chicken and Dumplings. But it's been awhile since she made the old fashioned kind. It was replaced years ago by canned Cream of Chicken Soup, and dumplings made with Bisquick.

I do, however, remember my Great-Grandma, as well as my Grandma, making Chicken Soup with Homemade Noodles. If you've never had homemade noodles before, you probably can't imagine the taste or the texture accurately.

My GG's noodles are made with white flour and I have not had much luck, so far, in revamping them with whole wheat. Truth be told, I sorta want to just leave them as they have always been - a pretty basic recipe. For every ONE egg, you add ONE cup of flour and ONE pinch of salt. Mix together until all ingredients are combined and knead until smooth. Roll to about 1/4 inch and cut into slices, however long you prefer your noodles to be. Add them slowly to your boiling bone broth (I add veggies too) and let them cook until done. Purty easy alright!

If that's not easy enough for you, Costco sells a brand of egg noodles that are very good and, in the absence of homemade, will do just fine.

Sorry I don't have pictures this time. I had hoped to get some of my grandma making them but can't find any so far.

If you have a favorite soup your grandma used to make, I'd sure love to see the recipe. Feel free to link it in my comment section. Make sure you come back next Saturday for my next installment, "Soup's On Saturday:Making and Using Dry Soups and Mixes". I gave dry soup mixes for Christmas one year and I still hear about how delicious and handy they were!

Menu Plan Monday:(for lots more menu ideas, visit OrgJunkie each Monday)

Note: Last week I planned to make Slow Cooker Curry Chicken with Quinoa, only not in the slow cooker. When I went to cook it up, I found that all of the apples I had planned on using had been eaten. Well, in this house of eight people, this is sometimes unavoidable -- items I purchase for a certain recipe get eaten. So, you have to learn to make do! I did have on hand a pint jar of pearsauce I made and canned last year, so I threw that in as a substitute and LOVED IT!

As for my MENU PLAN this week:

Monday: Rice and Sausages

Tuesday: Sloppy Joe's with Homemade buns we did not get last week

Wednesday: Cream Cheese Chicken over rice

Thursday: Nacho Spuds

Friday: Older and Wiser Sister's Taco Soup

Saturday Leftovers

Sunday OUT to eat

Have a wonderful week!

Soup’s On Saturday: Seasonal Produce Week!

Sorry I am a little late posting, in case you were waiting, LOL. I am at a wonderful conference this weekend!)

If you know me very well, you know I LOVE veggies. So I, of course, had to do this soup category.

I enjoy old cookbooks and vintage recipes, so it was with delight that I found the recipe for this soup in a collection of vintage recipes I recently purchased.

I am really enjoying my (purposely still small) collection. There is something so precious about using something as personal as another woman’s recipes from her recipe box! Today’s recipe came from the one with the little kettles and utensils on it. I love it when I can know a little history about the original owner of a recipe. I was told the owner of this one lived where she had a beautiful view of Puget Sound, and she had at least one grandchild.

“Potatoe, Cheese and Pear Soup”

I thought it sounded interesting, but also risky! But I looked up the chef and he is a famous guy. Sweet and savory is a great combo. Usually. And I figured, with 5 cups of cheese, it couldn’t be too bad!

Potatoes are a great seasonal item, and pears are ripe right now, so this was perfect.

First I threw in the potatoes. Yes, I know the recipe says to peel them, but I knew I was going to throw them in the Vita-mix and it would take care of the peels. Why waste all of those vitamins? Not to mention, the extra work it saved me.

Anytime I am making soup, I use the celery heart if I have it. That leaves the easier to eat ribs for the kids. And I always use cast iron.

Again not following the recipe, which said to dice the onion finely. But I am not sure this chef had a powerful Vita-Mix at his disposal back in 1991.

Didn’t peel the pears either…

I had to transfer to a bigger pan. This one is cast iron too, coated with porcelain. I doubled the recipe out of habit, and it made alot!

This is when I threw it all in the Vita-Mix, but I forgot to take a picture. I had to do it in batches. And it just looked like a bunch of veggies whirling around, as you would expect it to.

I like to use only free-range products. If it’s organic, all the better.

When they created a recipe that called for 5 cups, I don’t think they had four cup-sized boxes of broth. Maybe they made their own.

Staying true to form, I added the cream and the cheese by sight, not by measurement.

I did not have fresh, hot, buttered croutons. My store only had flavored ones, and I didn’t have time to make my own. But these worked out just fine. My favorite bites had croutons and chopped pear in them! I tried some cheese crackers in it too, later, and that also added a nice crunch and flavor.

This soup was rich and satisfying. I will definitely make it again. I might even use a nice swiss or another kind of sharper cheese. And, especially with the wine and cheese, I think it would also make a great fondue dip.

It tastes even better served up in my great-grandma’s bowls:)

A couple of my favorites from past years that include seasonal veggies are Lots of Onions Soup, which has been one my favorites for years, and Pumpkin Chili. I remember how surprised I was at how good such an odd sounding stew was. My while family loved it too. Check my sidebar for lots more. And share your favorite link in a comment, or link below if you’d like to add your own! Don't forget you can add my button to your blog too, find it in my sidebar.

Have a sweet yet savory week!

Soup’s On Saturday The Third – The Basics

I’ve been looking forward to this day for weeks. The first day of S.O.S. and my first official recognition of Fall for the year. I usually love whatever season is upon us, including fall, and all of the comforts of home I especially appreciate when the weather gets cooler again and, in my neck-o-the-woods, WETTER!

It’s sort of funny though because, as I type this, I am sitting in our travel trailer, after a beautiful summer-like day playing in a river and fishing with my family in about the most idyllic wilderness setting you could conjure up.

Just in case that previous post didn’t have enough pictures…

This pathway leading back to our campsite looks pretty fall-like with the beautiful yellow leaves my littlest man says look like bananas!

And I did say I would issue an invitation to Fall this Saturday, by starting Soup’s On Saturday… and so I shall.

You can look here to read about what Soup’s On Saturday is and here for the Soup De’jour (schedule that lists what soups will be featured when).

Soup, The Basics:

Broth: In all my studying of food and how to prepare and serve it, I don’t think I have found any other food to be more beneficial in and of itself, than a true bone broth.

The first little known rule is to start out with cold water. Even in my very old cookbooks, I find this step to be included. Adding vinegar is the next “secret”. It helps to extract the nutrients from the bone better. The article "Broth Is Beautiful" is a very informative article about making bone broth (it is also linked in the soup list on my side bar). And you can find my own recipe for making our favorite bone broth, with vegetables, here, from last year. Yummy.

Freezing Broth: Many people are against using plastic products. I also try to avoid them for the most part. So I suggest using canning jars, making sure you leave a couple inches at least, for the soup to expand, if you have a set-up where this will work. I have too many people to freeze for and too little space for this method. Since I know my broth will not be heated in the packaging, I use gallon sized zip bags. I clearly label them with the contents and date toward the top of the bag, and freeze it flat. Once it is frozen in a flat shape, I put it in a basket standing up, like a file system of sorts. This helps me to keep my frozen items organized while making the most of the space we have in the freezer (I will include a picture later when I am home from camping!).

I will freeze a gallon or two at least in ice cube trays too, then in zip bags. Using about 3 cubes at a time, thawed and gently warmed, is great nutrition to sip on, for a sickie or an expectant mother who can’t seem to keep anything down.

‘Cream Of’ Soups: I am a proponent of just about any creamed soup. Except Tomato Soup. If you can give me a tomato soup recipe I actually like, my hat is off to you. It probably has something to do with the fact that my grandma made it for me once when I was about 8 or 9, when I was not feeling well, and I got sick. So, good luck with that one.

My biggest tip for making cream soups is to use actual cream. Personally, I throw cream, real butter, fresh vegetables of whatever soup I desire, and some seasonings into my Vita-Mix and puree it. If I am in the mood for leaving some chunks in it, I steam some veggies first, don’t puree them, then add them last. I can heat soup right in the Vita-Mix so it is one container to wash. Snap.

Well, that’s it for me. My laptop battery is almost depleted so I am back to camping. Do you have any tips or any great recipes for making a soup base, a cream-of soup, or freezing, canning, or storing soup? I will include linkies this week as a test then will play it by ear. So feel free to use the linky below (will be added by Tuesday, have been unable to add linky on a scheduled post while I am away) to link up to your blog post, email me your recipe, or include it in the comments section! I plan to be back from the wilderness and to my internet connection by Tuesday.

Helllooo Fall. You are hereby invited into my home….

P.S. Next week will be featuring tasty veggie soups,

especially recipes using those seasonal fresh produce from your area!

I hope you join me!

Soup’s On Saturday, The Details and Schedule

I usually love fall and all of the homey warmth it brings. But, I’ll admit, having been gone for 3 weeks to India this past July, together with not really having much actual summer weather this year, fall has been a little sneaky and unwelcome to me.

But, after the camping trip we are on now (or on our way to), and with the appearance of moody fog at our house almost every morning, if I tip my head in just the right way so as to catch the scent of musty leaves, or the aroma of ripe apples, then imagine my family sitting around the table guffawing about something probably totally inappropriate for guests funny, I can imagine I am close to being ready to issue fall a formal invitation.

There’s no better invite to Fall than just saying “Soup’s On!”

Mmm, this year’s S.O.S. Fest is going to be fun! (For more specifics about what S.O.S. is, and for participating in S.O.S. you can click here.) I have added themes to each week rather than every week being a Free-For-All, just to get you stewing (pun intended) ahead of time, about different recipes. I am also planning to give out S.O.S./soup/recipe related prizes I myself would like to win, if we have enough participants.

If we don't? Well, then, I will just entertain myself with thoughts and posts of sumptuous soups and maybe I'll have something cute to keep for myself. LOL.

Check out the fun list below, and I hope I see you next week with your “Basics” recipes and advice! Please share your favorite soup base, how you like to make broth, your favorite 'Cream Of' Soup recipe or trick, a trick you use for freezing or canning soup – or any other basics that would be useful to others that you’d like to share!

October 2: Soup, The Basics and Cream Of… (How to make broth, your favorite creamed soup, freezing, canning, etc.)

October 9: Tasty Veggie Soups (Especially using your seasonal, local veggies)

October 16: Family Favorites (“Just Like Grandma Used To Make” – Or the ones you make which your grandkids will one day say that about)

October 23: Making and Using Dry Soups and Mixes (How to make your own soup mixes to use or give away, and ways you use dry soup)

October 30: Sides for Soups (What do you serve with soup?)

November 6: Soups with Toppings (CHEESE is my favorite!)

November 13: Soups for a Crowd (For all of the company you’ll have in the coming weeks)

November 20: Soups Using Poultry (you know you’ll have leftovers!)

November 27: Exotic and Ethnic Soups (Because I heart Pho)

December 4: What a Crock! I’m Just Stewing (Any soup using a slow cooker and/or any stew)

December 11: Soups With Tradition

December 18: Ham Soups (or any Pork)

December 25: Merry Christmas! Quick N Easy (either from scratch or using premade canned or frozen soups)

January 1: Diet Soups (I know there are a ton out there for losing weight, cleansing and for different diets...)

January 8: Soups For Sickies

January 15: I Am Wild and I Got Game

January 22: Gettin’ A Little Chili

January 29: Beef Soups

February 5: Using Leftovers For Soup

February 12: Soups With A Theme

February 19: Spring and Summer Soups

February 26: Comfort Soups

March 5: Best Of Regular Participants (Contest!)

Even though I know it has officially come, according to the sun and the moon and the calendar, I am not going to wish you a happy fall yet. Instead, I hope you have a wonderful week enjoying one last week of summer weather and gearing up to welcome fall with open arms -- next week…