10 Homemade Kitchen Soups
that Warm Your Soul

Warm Up This Winter with homemade kitchen soups. These classics are easy to make soups are loaded with flavor, and gives you a feeling of comfort that few foods can match. Most of these soups are simply a meal in itself. Try one tonight with your favorite corn bread or fresh dinner rolls.

10 HOMEMADE KITCHEN SOUPS

Homemade Turkey Soup
Hearty Minestrone Soup
Cream of Crab Soup
Grandma’s Ham Chowder Soup
Homemade Vegetable Soup
Homemade Chicken Soup
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Chicken and Rice Soup
Homemade Chicken Stock
Hearty Tomato Soup

HOMEMADE TURKEY SOUP - kitchen soups
3 medium turkey legs
Cold water
1 cup celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups stewed tomatoes
2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
½ cup carrots, sliced
1 teaspoon fresh chives, minced
1 tsp. Sage or to taste
1 tsp. Thyme or to taste
1 tsp. rosemary or to taste
1 tsp. poultry seasoning

Place turkey in large pot and cover with water over medium heat. Add celery, onions, garlic, salt and black pepper. Cover and simmer for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until turkey and vegetables are folk tender. De-bone turkey and cut into bite-size pieces. Return turkey to pot with vegetables. The last half-hour of cooking, add stewed tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, chives, sage, thyme, rosemary, and poultry seasoning Simmer a few minutes before serving. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

HEARTY MINESTRONE SOUP - kitchen soups
2 lbs soup bones with meat
3 quarts cold water
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup cut green beans
1 cup diced, pared potatoes
1 cup sliced zucchini
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (16 ounce) can tomatoes
3 tablespoons instant minced onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons minced or dried parsley flakes
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons oil or salad oil, optional
1 cup elbow macaroni
Grated Parmesan cheese

Put bones and water in a 5 quart kettle. Cover and simmer from 2 to 3 hours or until meat falls off the bones. Remove meat bones from stock. Skim stock of any fat. Discard fat. Remove meat from bones and cut into bite-size pieces, and return to stock. Add remaining ingredients except Parmesan cheese. Mix well; simmer 30 minutes. Sprinkle grated cheese on each serving. Yield: 16 servings.

CREAM OF CRAB SOUP - kitchen soups
3 tablespoons light margarine
1 medium onion, minced
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups clam juice
1 pound lump crabmeat
2 cups half and half
Season salt and pepper to taste
Dash of cayenne pepper, optional
Dash of red hot sauce, optional
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon minced parsley

In margarine, saute onion until tender but not brown. Add flour and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in clam juice. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add crabmeat, reserving some lumps for garnish if desired. Add half and half, and remaining seasonings, except parsley. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes.

Melt 1 teaspoon margarine in small saucepan; add reserved crab and minced parsley. Ladle soup into individual bowls and top with a spoon of parsley and crabmeat. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

GRANDMA’S HAM CHOWDER SOUP - kitchen soups
2 cups diced potatoes
2 cups cold water
½ cup sliced carrots
½ cup sliced celery
¼ cup chopped onion
Season salt and black pepper to taste
¼ cup margarine, regular or reduced fat
¼ cup flour
2 cup milk, regular
8 ounces American cheese, grated
1 to 1 ½ cups cubed ham

In a medium pot, bring to boil potatoes, water, carrots, celery, onions, salt and pepper. Boil 10 minutes. Do not drain. In a separate saucepan, melt margarine; add flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add milk and heat through. Combine milk mixture with cooked vegetables in pot. Add cheese and ham. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes; stir until cheese melts. Yield: About 6 cups.

Recipe Note: Try a different cheese for a change of flavor.

HOMEMADE VEGETABLE SOUP - kitchen soups
2 cups fresh peas
2 cups fresh okra
2 ears corn, cut off the cob
2 onions, chopped
4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
2 cups thinly sliced carrots
½ cup thinly sliced celery
2 cups shelled dried beans
2 cups cubed beef
4 fresh tomatoes, whole
2/3 cup cooked spaghetti, drained
1 to 2 cups cold water
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste

In a medium pot, boil all vegetables except the tomatoes in enough cold water to cover vegetables; boil until done. In a separate pot, gently boil beef in water until tender. Drain vegetables and half water from beef; combine vegetables and beef. Add to pot, tomatoes, spaghetti, water, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Serve hot. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

HOMEMADE CHICKEN SOUP - kitchen soups
3 medium boneless chicken breasts, cubed
Cold water
2 cups celery, chopped
1 cup green onions, chopped
½ cup white onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup zucchini, sliced
2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups carrots, sliced
1 teaspoon fresh chives, minced
1 tsp. Sage to taste
1 tsp. Thyme to taste
1 tsp. rosemary to taste

Place chicken in large pot and cover with cold water. Add celery, green onions, white onions, garlic, salt and black pepper. Cover and simmer for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until chicken and vegetables are folk tender. The last half-hour of cooking add zucchini, potatoes, carrots, chives, sage, thyme, and rosemary. Simmer. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

BROCCOLI SOUP
A quick soup for busy cooks
¾ cup cold water
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli
1 (10 ¾ ounces) can cream of chicken soup
½ cup milk, regular
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
½ cup (2 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
Parsley, chopped, optional

Boil water in large saucepan; add broccoli. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until folk tender. Stir in soup and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thoroughly heated. Simmer. Stir in pepper. Pour in serving bowl. Top each serving with cheese. Sprinkle with parsley if desired. Yield: 1 quart.

CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP - kitchen soups
4 pounds broiler-fryer, cut up and skinned
2 quarts water
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
Season salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
2 cups carrots, diced
1 cup uncooked long grain rice

In a medium pot, combine chicken, water, onion, celery, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside, reserving broth. Remove bay leaf. Add rice and carrots to broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender. De-bone chicken and cut into bite-size pieces. Add chicken to broth; simmer until heated thoroughly. Yield: 2 quarts.

HEARTY TOMATO SOUP
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups regular milk
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes, un-drained
Chopped basil leaves or fresh grated Parmesan, optional

In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium-low heat. Add chopped onion and celery; cook, stirring, until tender. Stir flour into the vegetable mixture, stirring until well incorporated. Gradually stir in milk, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Continue to heat, stirring, until the mixture thickens and begins to boil. Heat tomatoes in a separate saucepan then gradually add them to the first mixture, stirring constantly. If desired, garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese or fresh chopped basil leaves. Serves 6.

HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK - kitchen soups
2 pounds chicken backs, necks, and wings
8 to 10 cups water
2 onions, quartered
2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon fresh chives, minced

In a 5 quart pot over medium heat combine chicken and water. Bring to a boil. Skim off fat or residue that rises to the top. Reduce heat and partially cover pot; simmer for 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; simmer for 2 to 3 hours longer.

Remove all bones, strain stock. Let cool; chicken stock can store in refrigerate for up to 4 days and freeze for up to six months.

FREEZING STOCK TIP:
This stock can be frozen for future use by pouring the stock into ice trays. Freeze then place the cubes into freezer bags. When ready to use, add a cube or two to any soup, stew or gravy for extra richness and flavor.

SOUP TIP:
The final stage of soup should always simmer very gently before serving.

TIPS ON FREEZING SOUP
HOMEMADE BREADS

See Below for Other Wonderful, Homemade Soups from
Soul Food Lovers’ Cookbook:

OLD-FASHIONED CABBAGE SOUP
BIG MAMA’S NECK BONE SOUP
EARL’S PINTO BEAN SOUP
SAUSAGE AND BEAN STEW

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