As fall weasles its way into the Carolinas, it’s time to start thinking about soup. Here are a few of my very favorites:
Paula Deen’s French Onion Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 8 onions, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 8 cups beef stock
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper
- 1 loaf French bread
- 2 cups grated gruyere
DIRECTIONS
- Saute onions and garlic in oil over low heat until tender and golden yellow.
- Sprinkle flour over onions, cook a few minutes more, browning the flour well.
- Add stock and wine and bring to a boil, add thyme and bay leaf.
- Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes or so. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Meanwhile, slice French bread into 3/4-inch slices and butter both sides. Toast slices on griddle until golden brown.
- Ladle soup into an ovenproof bowl, add toasted bread and cover with cheese.
- Place ovenproof bowl on a baking sheet lined with tin foil.
- Bake at 350 degrees 4 or 5 minutes under a hot broiler.
Chicken A la Reine Soup
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- 1 cup finely diced celery
- 1 cup finely diced carrot
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1/3 cup finely diced green pepper
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 1/2 cups finely diced cooked chicken
- 1 cup half-and-half, heated
- salt
- white pepper
directions
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Heat butter in large pot and cook vegetables until tender over low heat, stirring occasionally.
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Add flour; cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
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Do not brown.
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Gradually stir in broth until blended.
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Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat 5 minutes.
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Add rice and chicken and heat another 5 minutes.
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Stir in hot half and half.
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Heat, but do not boil.
- Season to taste and serve.
Minestrone soup is an Italian classic. This one is simple and flavorful and warms you up on a cold winter evening.
Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb sweet sausage or 1 lb hot sausage
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup carrot, diced
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 2 small zucchini, sliced thin
- 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained
- 4 (10 ounce) cans beef bouillon
- 2 cups cabbage, shredded
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 (15 ounce) can great northern beans
- 1/2 cup rice, uncooked
- 1/2 cup red wine
directions
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Saute sausage until brown.
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Add onion, garlic, carrots, and basil and cook for 5 minutes.
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Add zucchini, tomatoes with liquid, bouillon, cabbage, salt, and pepper.
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Bring soup to a boil.
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Reduce heat and simmer covered for an hour.
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Rinse beans. Add the beans, rice, and wine.
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Cook for 30 minutes, or until rice is done.
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You can eat this now and top with cheddar cheese, but it is even better the next day.
Cream of Broccoli Soup With Cheddar Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup cooked finely chopped broccoli
Directions
- Cook onions in butter until tender. Blend in flour and seasonings and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add boiling water and bouillon cubes and cook slowly until thick, stir in milk until smooth. Add the cheese and broccoli and heat through. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
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