Soup seems like a great food these days--can be cheap to make and can eat it for days and freeze it for the future, plus it keeps you warm when it's cold out.

I got a 4-gallon soup pot for Christmas and looking forward to use it, but I'm at a loss for hearty soup recipes that people I know have tried and are good.

So, if you have a good, hearty, soup recipe, post it here! Thanks!

take a can of campbells chicken noodle, open, pour into bowl, microwave 60 seconds, eat...

saves on cleanup too!

http://www.recipezaar.com/Outback-Steakhouse-Walkabout-Onion-Soup-2791



This is a great hearty soup, and it goes great with warm french bread

This is the only soup I know how to make (other than Happy's recipe):
Taco Soup
1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. dry taco seasoning
1 pkg. dry Ranch dressing
2 cans Hunts Diced Tomatoes
1 can Pinto Beans
1 can each Dark and Light Kidney Beans
1 can green chilies
diced black olives
shredded Cheddar cheese
sour cream

Brown beef and drain well. Stir in taco seasoning and Ranch dressing. Add tomatoes, beans, chilies, and black olives. Simmer at least 30 minutes. Serve with Cheddar and/or Sour Cream on top.

With or without cats?

I don't see any liquid in this recipe. Do you use the liquid from the beans too, CBF?

Dip, the first thing you need to learn is how to make a great stock. From there you can make any soup.

My mom makes fabulous stock/basic chicken soup. She puts a couple of chicken backs (or better yet, a roast turkey carcass) and a couple of good beef marrow bones in a pot full of water. She cooks that for a couple of hours before she adds celery tops, whole washed carrots, a think sliced onion and beef bullion. The whole thing cooks for another few hours. Cooking it long and slow gives you a broth that's like soft set jello. She strains out the bones and veggies and chills the broth overnight. In the morning, she skims off the fat and puts the soup into containers to freeze.

One of my family's favorites is Minnestrone.
I cook chopped bacon in the soup pot and when it's nearly done, I add chopped onion and chopped garlic and cook till the onion is transparent. Then I add chopped carrots, celery and potatoes and a can or two of chopped tomatoes. Add a large container of Mom's broth and italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Depending on the amounts of veggies, you may need to add more water or broth. When the veggies are soft, I throw in some small noodles, usually alphabet, and cook until they're done. That usually thickens up the soup quite nicely. If not, a bit of tomatoe paste usually does the job. Serve with bread or rolls for dipping.

Really, how cold can it get in San Diego?! LOL! You don't know cold...

I made a pot of beer cheese soup tonight. So yummy...

5 cups water
2 tbsp chicken bouillon (or 1 cube per cup of water)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup grated carrots
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp paprika
1 can beer
2 cups half and half
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1 (8 oz) jar Cheez Whiz

Combine first six ingredients; bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes. Add beer and half and half. Mix flour and melted butter to make roux. Add gradually to soup stirring constantly. Add Cheez Whiz and stir until melted.

ya' had me till the Cheese Whiz. This is Wisconsin...real cheese...what can I use instead of the whiz?

Gouda
Aged Cheddar
Brie
Gruyere
Swiss

Never under-estimate the power of Cheez Whiz! If you aren't going to use Cheez Whiz I would definitely use cheese that melts well and will be creamy. I would say try American but is that real cheese to you Wisconsinites?

No. It's not even real cheese to scientists.

BINGO! I'll bet she's talking about 'processed cheese food' American too. :(-

Chili Chicken Stew

4-5 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 minced garlic cloves
1 TBSP Vegetable Oil

Heat your oil, saute all this stuff until the chicken is cooked through.. I usually get the chicken goin for a couple minutes before I add the veggies.

Add:
2 12 oz cans stewed tomatoes
1-2 15 oz cans of drained pinto beans.. I usually use 2.
2/3 c. picante sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Stir, Cover, and Simmer for 20 minutes.

We like to add some shredded cheddar & sour cream & eat this with tortilla chips.

I am going to have to try the beer cheese soup, I love it in bread bowls

Southwest Stuffed Pepper Soup

1 medium onion, minced fine
4 medium cloves garlic, minced fine
2-3 Chipotle chili peppers*, depending on desired spiciness, minced fine
4 TBS Dijon mustard
3 TBS Tomato paste
4 TBS Molasses
2 cups Chicken broth
1 Small can of plain tomato sauce
2 Tsp dried oregano
salt to taste
1 lb Ground Turkey Breast cooked
4 cups cooked brown rice

Directions:
Mince onion and garlic. Heat 1 TBS chicken broth in large sauce pan over medium heat. Sauté onion in broth for 5 minutes stirring frequently.
Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.
Add chicken broth, peppers, mustard, tomato paste, molasses, tomato sauce, and oregano. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and letting it thicken slightly.

Add cooked turkey and rice to pot and stir. If it is too thick add more chicken broth and/or tomato sauce.

*Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapeño peppers that come canned in a sauce called Adobo. You can buy them in the Mexican food aisle.

Minestrone

5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 medium onion, chopped fine
6 medium sized cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup, or 1 stalk celery, diced
1 cup, or 2 medium sized carrots peeled and diced ¼ inch
1 ½ cups finely chopped kale
½ cup diced portabello mushrooms, black gills cut out and discarded (optional)
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (I like the ones already seasoned with basil and oregano)
1 TBS dried Italian herbs (I add additional dried oregano and basil to taste)
1 15 oz can navy beans, drained (I have also substituted cooked whole wheat macaroni or small pasta shells for those who do not like beans)
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Prepare ingredients by chopping and measuring.
Heat 1 TBS broth in medium soup pot. Saute onion in broth over medium heat for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add garlic and continue to saute for another minute.
Add broth and rest of ingredients except beans and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil on high heat, reduce heat to low and continue cooking, uncovered for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender
Add beans, cook for another couple minutes, season with salt & pepper, and serve.
Serves 6-8

Yep, don't drain anything that comes in a can. It's lighter than chili but heavier than a regular soup.

Chees Whiz???

I nice creamy havarti along with a nice high quality cheddar melts beautifully into a cheese, or beer cheese soup.

Oh that is really something I am going to miss down here, beer cheese soup

All of these soups sound so yummy - I got inspired and am making venison chili today and beef vegetable tomorrow!

Corn Chowder has been requested for dinner tomorrow.

8-10 slices bacon, diced
1 sm onion, diced
2 potatoes, diced
3/4 c water
1 can cream style corn
1.5 c milk
2 T butter
1.25 t salt
1/8 t pepper

Fry bacon in soup pot.
Remove half to paper towel to use for garnish later.
Add onion to bacon in pot and brown lightly.
Add diced potatoes and water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Mash potatoes leaving some small chunks.
Add corn, undrained.
Stir in milk, butter, salt and pepper.
Cover and simmer until chowder is very hot.
Ladle into soup bowl and sprinkle with bacon and shredded cheese if desired.

This recipe is super easy and can be ready to serve in about a half hour. It makes enough for four good sized servings so if you want left-overs, double everything!

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Sorry, soup's not my specialty.

I get to make taco soup on Friday over a camp fire in a fire pit at a Frontier Festival at a local park. I'll put it together at home and then let it simmer for a while that morning.

Potato soup with mushrooms & wild rice:

1lb bacon, chopped
1 bunch celery, chopped
1 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
6 white potatoes, peeled & cubed
1/2 stick butter
1 box chicken broth
1 c wild rice
water
salt
pepper
Nature's Seasoning
dried herbs of your liking (I use whatever I have on hand...typically thyme or rosemary or both)
fresh parsley, chopped
scallions (3 or 4 stalks), chopped
1 can of whatever cream soup you have in the cabinet (I prefer mushroom or celery)
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 tub fresh mushrooms, chopped

*Disclaimer* - I very rarely measure anything when I cook and all amounts are approximated. I also tend to cook by feel, so don't take these instructions too literally - feel free to embellish or alter at will.

Heat large, heavy bottomed stockpot and crisp the chopped bacon. Reduce heat slightly, add celery and onion, cook until almost translucent but not browned. Add garlic, potatoes, and butter. Stir until the butter melts, then add broth, wild rice, seasonings, herbs, and enough water to cover all the ingredients by a little more than an inch. Bring to a slow boil then reduce heat, cover, and let simmer until the potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes), stirring occasionally. Stir in the cream soup, scallions, mushrooms, parsley, and evaporated milk. Let simmer another 10-15 minutes.

This makes a HUGE batch and can easily be halved. I usually only make this for group functions, so the amount has never been an issue. It holds well in a crock pot and is even better the next day.

cold and rainy here, a great day for soup or chili!!!