Here we are, almost the middle of January. I love this time of year because it gives me permission to feed my soup appetite.  Lets face it these Winter months are the perfect time of year to feed your soup appetite!  Nobody feels like a hot bowl of soup in the summer months.

Come January however, and we all start craving something hot and rich to warm our bellies.  Not as a starter.  Not as a lunch.  We want a hearty bowl of soup that will warm us up and, with a crisp roll or fresh thick slice of bread, fill our bellies in a way that nothing else quite can! 

Soup suppers that are truly satisfying both to the appetite and the soul.  These ten recipes are some of my and my family's favorites. I think you will enjoy them as well!

 

 

BAKED POTATO SOUP

 

This is a fabulously tasty chicken soup, with fresh flavours!  It uses chicken stock along with lemon juice.   

 

You might think the lemon would be overpowering, but it really isn't.  It adds a lovely layer of flavour that is quite pleasant! It is delicious and hearty.  You can make everything up to adding the pasta ahead of time, but do wait until not too long before serving it to add your pasta.

 

HAM & WHITE BEAN SOUP   

A fabulously tasty soup filled with ham and white beans. You do need to plan ahead as the beans need soaking. One word describes this perfectly. Delicious.

This is gorgeous ladled into heated bowls and served hot with some crusty bread.

TURKEY MULLIGATAWNY SOUP 

This soup is rich and delicious with an abundance of East Indian/Asian flavours and filled with meaty chunks of turkey, plenty of vegetables and rice. 

There is a gentle hit of  heat and spice from the use of curry powder and a touch of sweetness (which goes well with curry) by using a fresh apple, chopped. Altogether, its a very hearty, delicious and satisfying soup.

LITTLE MEATBALL SOUP 

Its amazing what you can do with a package of macaroni, a tin of tomatoes, some stock cubes and a pound of Italian sausage!! 

This deliciously hearty soup is fantastic ladled into heated bowls and topped with a smattering of good grated cheese!  Some garlic toast on the side would be great! 

CREAMY HUNGARIAN MUSHROOM SOUP 

Sweet onion, meaty mushrooms, lemon, dill, sour cream and a good stock all work together to create something with is sublime and quite simply delicious. There is no other word to describe it.   

Not is this soup incredibly tasty, but it is also really quick and easy to make.   Do make the croutons. I have always felt a bit of something atop a bowl of soup turns it from something into SOMETHING!

BEAN & BACON SOUP 

Simple to make, hearty and delicious.  I don't know what else a person could ask for than this! 

This soup is hearty and filling and filled with lots of veggies and smoky bacon.  Perfect for a cold winter's day.  

 

Potage Crecy 

HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST SOUPS POSSIBLE

1. There are a  lot of really great ready made stocks available in the shops these days, but often they can be high in salt.  I always try to make my own stock when I have bones left from a roast or ham or chicken.  

• Just pop the bones into a saucepan (you can roast them first to brown them off in a hot oven. This will greatly amplify their flavor. 450*F/230*C until they are crisp and golden brown).  Add an onion, peeled, several stalks of celery, a large carrot peeled, some pepper corns and salt.  You can also add some fresh herbs if you have them like parsley and thyme.  Bring to the boil. 
• Skim off any foam and discard.  Simmer over low heat for an hour or so.  Obviously the longer you simmer it the more flavor filled it will be.  Strain through a sieve and then pack into one or two cup containers to use when needed. You can also freeze it in ice cube trays for when you only need a spoonful or two.

2.  An immersion blender is a valuable tool when it comes to pureeing soups for a creamy finish.  It will still have texture however. The only way to really make sure your soup is extremely smooth is to puree it and then pass it through a sieve.  Passing it through a sieve will remove any solids and make for a creamier soup. 

3.  If you are making a stock from scratch, you may want to chill it before separating it into smaller containers. Any fat will harden and you can just lift it off the top and discard.  Alternately you can pass several layers of paper towel across the top, just skimming it.  The paper towel will soak up the fat very easily.

4.  Try to have all of your vegetables cut to a uniform size. That way they will cook in about the same time. You can start by adding vegetables that have a longer cook time, adding the remainder in stages.

5.  Most soups freeze very well. Certain soups like cream soups are the exception as they can have a tendency to split when frozen. I do not recommend freezing cream soups.  There are also certain vegetables whose textures alter a bit when frozen, such as potatoes.  You may, or may not, like the texture of them afterwards.

6. Adding ingredients like citrus juices, vinegars, tomato paste, wine, coffee, and beer can often make a difference between creating a good soup or creating a great soup! Adding these during cooking brightens up the flavor profile significantly, which will make your soup or stew feel less heavy, even as it remains delectably savory.

7. When making soups that include pasta be aware that the pasta will soak up some of the broth and soften as it sits. This means that pasta soups are not idea keepers. If you are going to prepare a soup which has pasta in it ahead of time. Don't add the past until about half an hour or so before you plan on serving it.  You can cook the pasta separately as well and then just add it in at the last, heating it through before serving.

8. Often it is a wise thing to double up your soup recipes, freezing some for a later date. Package and label them in single serving sized containers which are easy to reheat in the microwave at a later date.

9.  I don't know any soup which is not greatly enhanced by adding a crisp crouton or something crunchy on top. You can easily cut shapes using cookie cutters out of buttered bread and toast them in a hot oven.  You can add sesame seeds, or bagel seasoning, coarse salt and pepper, etc. to make them even prettier.  

Scraps of pastry rolled out and cut into shapes, then baked until crisp.  Potato skins toasted in a hot oven until crisp and golden, and topped with cheese. Stale croissants, sliced into thin slices crosswise, sprayed with low fat cooking spray and then toasted in a hot oven.

There is no end to the possibilities when it comes to creating something tasty and crisp to flat on top of your soup!!!

10. Always ladle your soups into heated bowls or mugs. This just helps to keep the soup hot for longer and makes for a much better presentation.  

I hope you have enjoyed the selection of hearty soups I have chosen to share with you today!!  What are your favorite soups?  Do you have any suggestions or questions?  I really want to help!  Just pop them into the comments section below! 

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