4 Soups to Make This Winter

Few people crave soup during the summer months, but a steaming bowl in winter is comforting and warms you from head to toe.

It can be a challenge to find a delicious soup recipe that isn't complicated, requires simple ingredients, and can come together in a snap.  Here are four you will want to try.

1.  Chicken Noodle Soup

There have been countless spins on this homemade classic, but it's a soup that tastes best when you take a "less is more" approach.  You won't find any fancy ingredients or spices in this one, and its simplicity is what makes it traditional and delicious!

Image:  Mine

Ingredients 

Servings: 6

• 3-4 chicken thighs, boiled, separated from bone, and shredded
• 3 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 stick celery, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 14.5 oz. cans chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon chicken base
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 8 oz. uncooked egg noodles

Directions

1. Place chicken thighs in soup pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil.  Cover pot and boil on low until tender, about 25-30 minutes.  Remove thighs from pot.  Remove fat and bones and discard.  Shred meat and set aside.  Leave water and cooking juices in pot, making sure no bones or fat remain.
2. In the same pot, place carrots, celery, and onion.  Return to a boil, cover, and maintain a gentle boil on low heat until tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Add chicken broth, chicken base, parsley, and uncooked egg noodles.  Return shredded chicken to pot.  Cover and cook on low heat until noodles are tender, approximately 20 minutes.  Serve.

If you ever try this recipe with homemade egg noodles, you will never be able to eat store bought again!  

Another option is to NOT return the chicken to the pot near the end.  You still have the fabulous base flavor created by the chicken, but it is just as enjoyable as plain noodle soup.

Suggested Side Dish

Soft or crusty dinner rolls

2.  Spinach Soup

Image:  Mine

You either love spinach, hate it, or begrudgingly tolerate it.  Even Popeye, with his masculine example, can't sell spinach soup to some die-hard meat lovers.

Still, spinach is a super food, chalked full of nutrients that actually escalate in value when spinach is cooked rather than eaten raw.  

Feeling skeptical?  You'll find the creamy broth makes this soup addictive!

Ingredients

Servings:  6

• 20 oz. Birdseye frozen spinach (2 boxes, thawed or unthawed)
• 2 cups water
• 4 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1 teaspoon chicken base
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups half-and-half
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Place spinach, water, bouillon, base, onion, and garlic powder in large pot over medium high heat.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer until onion and spinach are tender.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan.  Whisk in flour until smooth.  Cook for two minutes, or until slightly thickened.  Slowly stir in half-and-half and simmer for approximately 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add cream mixture to soup pot and stir until well combined.  Serve immediately.

Who knew spinach could taste so good?

Suggested Side Dish

Grilled cheese sandwich, made with provolone and pepperoni.

3.  Tuscan Soup

It's hard to believe that such an easy recipe could taste so sophisticated, but it does.

Ingredients

Image:  Corey

Servings: 6

• 3 14.5 ounce cans chicken broth
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 lb. bulk hot sausage
• 4 large potatoes, cubed
• 6 ounce bag spinach, chopped
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Fry sausage and onion in soup pot over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.  
2. Add chicken broth and potatoes to pot.  Boil until potatoes are cooked.
3. Add spinach.  Continue boiling until spinach is lightly cooked.
4. Remove from heat; stir in evaporated milk, salt, and pepper.

This soup is extremely versatile!  If you like your soup with a lot of broth, add an extra can.  Another potato or two can be thrown in for more chunkiness.  Italian sausage also works great if you can't take the heat.  For a fuller body and different taste, cannellini beans and diced tomatoes can be included in the mix.

Suggested Side Dish

Garlic bread

4.  Tortellini Soup

It doesn't get any easier than this one.  If you love tortellini with pasta sauce, you'll really enjoy it in this perfectly seasoned soup.

Image:  Fake Ginger

Ingredients

Servings: 6

• 9 ounce package refrigerated cheese tortellini
• 2 cans condensed tomato soup, undiluted
• 1 can chicken broth
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cub shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Cook tortellini according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, combine the soup, broth, milk, cream and seasonings.  Heat through, stirring frequently.  Drain tortellini and add to soup.  Stir in cheese.

If this is too boring and you want more pizzazz, you can add the following:

• Spinach
• Italian sausage
• Chopped green onions
• Croutons (unless you're cutting carbs!)
• Fresh garlic

Suggested Side Dish

Salad

Winter is Soup Season

The weather outside might be frightful, but your tummy can be warm and delightful!