SOUP

 

FRENCH ONION SOUP

5 sweet onions (like Vidalias) or a combination of sweet and red onions (about 4 pounds)
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups white wine
10 ounces canned beef consume
10 ounces chicken broth
10 ounces apple cider (unfiltered is best)
Bouquet garni; thyme sprigs, bay leaf and parsley tied together with kitchen string
1 loaf country style bread
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Splash of Cognac (optional)
1 cup Fontina or Gruyere cheese, grated
Directions
Trim the ends off each onion then halve lengthwise. Remove peel and finely slice into half moon shapes. Set electric skillet to 300 degrees and add butter. Once butter has melted add a layer of onions and sprinkle with a little salt. Repeat layering onions and salt until all onions are in the skillet. Do not try stirring until onions have sweated down for 15 to 20 minutes. After that, stir occasionally until onions are dark mahogany and reduced to approximately 2 cups. This should take 45 minutes to 1 hour. Do not worry about burning.
Add enough wine to cover the onions and turn heat to high, reducing the wine to a syrup consistency. Add consume, chicken broth, apple cider and bouquet garni. Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
Place oven rack in top 1/3 of oven and heat broiler.
Cut country bread in rounds large enough to fit mouth of oven safe soup crocks. Place the slices on a baking sheet and place under broiler for 1 minute.
Season soup mixture with salt, pepper and cognac. Remove bouquet garni and ladle soup into crocks leaving one inch to the lip. Place bread round, toasted side down, on top of soup and top with grated cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown
 
CHICKEN SOUP
1 whole organic chicken (4.25 lbs)
4 chicken thighs (we like a meaty chicken soup)
2 large asian carrots (leftover)
6 small organic carrots
1 bundle of organic celery
3 small sweet onions
3 green onions
fresh italian parsley
3 tbs salt
fresh cracked mixed peppercorns
cavanders greek seasoning
black kettle original blend seasoning (this is garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and a couple other things)
bring to a boil and then simmer (covered) for 3 hours.
sometimes at this point i strain the broth into another pot and then de-bone the chicken and return it to the broth. sometimes i just use a hand held strainer to get the chicken out, de-bone and return to the broth with all the vegetables. today, i'll probably strain it out. then i simmer it another hour or so.

CHICKEN SOUP

I make a very good chicken soup on the stove but i have never tried it smoked. Here is the recipe ( perhaps you could smoke the chicken before making the soup with it?)
6 pounds of chicken (cut up and usually raw)
1 pound of cut up carrots ( 1" to 2" long)
1 package of celery (cut into 2" pieces)
2 pounds of parsnips ( peeled and cut into 1" to 2" pieces
1 whole onion (peeled)
2 tablespoons of salt ( can be more if you like salt)
put all the ingredients in a large pot and fill with water to cover the ingredients. Cook on a medium heat and once boiling reduce to low. Cook for 21/2 to 3 hours ( you can't really overcook it).
Your soup is ready, but it actually tastes better if you wait a day and let it sit in your refrigerator, then reheat it until nice and hot.

CHEESY CROCK POT POTATO SOUP

1 bag (32 oz) frozen southern-style diced hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2 cup frozen chopped onion (from 12-oz bag), thawed
1 medium stalk celery, diced (1/2 cup)
1 carton (32-oz) Progresso® chicken broth
1 cup water
3 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 bag (8 oz) shredded American-Cheddar cheese blend (2 cups)
1/4 cup real bacon pieces (from 2.8-oz package)
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
Mix potatoes, onion, celery, broth and water in crock pot. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours. In small bowl, mix flour into milk; stir into potato mixture. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in cheese until melted. Garnish individual servings with bacon and green onions. Sprinkle with pepper if desired. Enjoy!!!

POTATO SOUP

2 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, sliced into small bite sized pieces
1/2 regular package uncooked bacon, finely diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 bunch celery, diced
8 cups milk
4 cups water
4 chicken bullion cubes (use a cup of the hot potato water to dissolve, then use the cup of hot water in place of one of the above cups of water)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup salted butter
3/4 cup flour
1/4 bunch freshly chopped parsley
1 cup whipping cream
 ***For garnish:***
Shredded cheese
fried bacon bits
chopped green onions
In large pot, boil potatoes in water 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. In sauté pan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain bacon fat and place on paper towel over plate to drain more. Add onion and celery to bacon pan over medium-high heat until celery is tender, about 5 minutes. To the large potato pan, add milk, water, bullion, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture is very hot, about 8 minutes, stirring often. Do not let mixture boil. In small, heavy saucepan melt butter. Add flour and mix well. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture bubbles, stirring 2 to 3 minutes to make a roux. While constantly stirring soup, add roux slowly until soup is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes. Stir in parsley, reserved potatoes, and cream. Garnish with cheese, bacon bits, onions or all three. Serve hot!

HOMEMADE CHICKEN SOUP
2# Chicken thighs with drum sticks
Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
3-4 Quarts of water
½ stalk of celery chopped about 2” pieces with leaves
1 medium to large onion quartered and leafed
8 carrot stalks cleaned and cut into 2” pieces
3-4 Bay leaves
1 Tsp. or so of garlic powder or a couple of cloves
Bake seasoned chicken at 350* for 1 hour. Fill stock pot with water and add chicken, whole, veggies and seasoning. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 4 hours.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine

4 cups sliced onion
3 cups beef broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tablespoon cooking sherry
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 dash dried thyme
1 cup soft croutons
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add onions and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beef broth, water, sherry, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and thyme to pot. Increase heat and bring to boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Divide into bowls. Top with croutons, then mozzarella. Broil until cheese melts and begins to brown.

BROCCOLI-CHEESE SOUP

1 1/2 pounds broccoli, fresh

2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cornstarch, mixed with 1 cup cold water
1 pint half and half
1 pound Velveeta
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Steam or boil broccoli until tender.

Place half-and-half and 2 cups water in top of double boiler. Add cheese, salt and pepper. Heat until cheese is melted. Add broccoli. Mix cornstarch and water in small bowl. Stir into cheese mixture in double boiler and heat over simmering water until soup thickens.

TORTILLA SOUP

1 - 2 1/2-3lb. chicken, cut-up and skin removed

2 ribs celery, cut into chunks
1 med. onion, quartered
1 large carrot, quartered
2 sprigs parsley
2 tablespoons. chicken soup base
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoniong
1 large clove garlic or granulated garlic to taste

Combine all the above in a large stockpot and cover with water by about 2 inches. Bring to a rapid boil; lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 1 hour until chicken is tender and falling off the bone. Strain and reserve the broth. Tear pieces of chicken into small pieces. Set aside. In 4 cups of the reserved chicken broth, boil about 1 1/2 lbs peeled potatoes until tender. Remove from heat. Do not remove the broth....mash up the potatoes and add the following: 1 large can of creamed corn 1 10 oz. can of Rotel tomatoes, crushed 1 1/2 cups half & half cream 2-4 tablespoons minced cilantro Add enough of the reserved chicken broth to thin out the soup to the desired thickness. Simmer on low for about 15-20 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning. Be careful of adding too much salt. Moments before serving, stir in: 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese reserved cut-up chicken 4-6 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4" julienne strips Continue to simmer until cheese is melted and chicken is heated through. To Serve: Ladle soup into deep bowls. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream.

BUTTERNUT-ALE SOUP

8 cups Peeled and chopped butternut squash, cut to 1"

2 Tbsp Light olive oil
3 tsp Kosher salt, divided
1 1/2 tsp Ground black pepper
1/2 tsp Ground ancho chile
1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg
24 oz Shock Top Belgian White, or your favorite unfiltered ale
1/4 tsp Ground ginger
1/4 tsp Ground cumin
6 cups Chicken stock
1 tsp Ground white pepper
2 Tbsp Butter, unsalted
Preheat your oven to 350º. Combine the squash, oil, 2 teaspoons of the salt, pepper, ancho and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Toss/stir to mix well, then spread in a single layer on a sheet pan. Roast in the oven until the squash is very tender and lightly browned, about 1 hour. Combine the beer, remaining 1teaspoon salt, ginger, and cumin in a stock pot, bring to a moderate boil over medium-high heat and reduce by 1/2. Add the stock, squash and white pepper to the beer and stock liquid, simmer 30 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and blend with an immersion/stick blender until it's very smooth. Whisk in the butter.
Serve and enjoy! I served mine with a little peppered bacon and chopped chives.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP

1 pound Italian sausage

1 clove garlic, minced
2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1 cup sliced carrots
1 (14.5 ounce) can great northern beans, undrained
2 small zucchini, cubed
2 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover, and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender. Remove from heat, and add spinach. Replace lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes.

TURTLE SOUP

2 pounds turtle meat

2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup minced green onion tops
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 cloves minced garlic
2 quarts water
1/2 lemon, sliced thinly
salt and pepper to taste
dash of Worcestershire
dash hot sauce
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
parsley
1/2 cup sherry

Cut turtle meat into small pieces and lightly brown in hot oil in large pot. Remove from pot and add flour to pot. Brown. To this roux, add celery and onions. Saute until limp. Add tomato paste, green onions, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently so as not to burn roux. Return meat to mixture, add 2 quarts of water, seasoning, and lemon slices. Simmer in covered pot until meat is very tender and broth is smooth, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Just before serving remove lemon slices and add sherry, parsley and Worcestershire sauce. Place slices of hard boiled eggs sprinkled with paprika in soup plates before serving. Additional sherry and hot sauce may also be added at table.

BLACK BEAN SOUP

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1/4 cup Yellow Onion, Diced
1/4 cup Carrots, Diced
1/4 cup Green Bell Pepper, Diced
4 Beef Bouillon Cubes
1 cup Boiling Water
1 1/2 quarts (3 pounds) Canned Black Beans, Not Drained
2 tablespoons Cooking Sherry
1 tablespoon Distilled White Vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon Sugar
2 teaspoons Garlic, Granulated
2 teaspoons Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper, Ground
2 teaspoons Chili Powder
8 oz. Smoked Sausage, small dice
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
2 tablespoons Water

In a medium stock pot, place the olive oil, onion, carrot, and bell pepper. Sauté the vegetables until they are tender. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, add the bouillon cubes, and allow to dissolve. Add the bouillon, cooked beans, and the remaining ingredients (except cornstarch and 2 tablespoon water) to sautéed vegetables. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook approximately 15 minutes. In a blender, puree 1 quart of the soup, and put back into the pot. In a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch and 2 tablespoon water. Add the cornstarch mix to the soup and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Serve with cornbread, white rice, or your favorite side dish.

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP

1 pound lean ground beef

1 egg (or 2 egg whites)
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs or cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
3 tablespoons grated onion
1 crushed clove of garlic or 1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon crushed basil
1/2 - 1 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup of riso (tiny pasta shaped like grains of rice)
1 cup chopped spinach (cut up bok choy may be used)
1 loaf good Italian bread
extra grated parmesan cheese

Combine first 9 ingredients and form into TINY meatballs, about 1 cm, or 1/2 inch in diameter.

Bring to a slow boil in a 3-quart (liter) pan, the 6 cups of well-seasoned chicken broth (homemade) or 3 - 14 oz. cans seasoned with celery and onion. Add the meatballs, and cook for a few minutes until done. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon. Add the riso and cook until almost done, about 5 minutes. Add the meatballs and chopped spinach and cook a few minutes longer until spinach is done. Butter and toast thick slices of Italian bread. Place a slice in each bowl and ladel soup over bread. Sprinkle each serving with parmesan cheese and serve. Serve remaining toasted bread with the soup.

EGG-DROP SOUP

1 1/2 quarts chicken broth or clear soup stock

2 tbls. cornstarch, mixed in 1/4 cup cold water
2 eggs, slightly beaten with a fork
2 scallions, chopped, including green ends

Bring soup stock to a bowl. Slowly pour in the corn starch mixture while stirring the stock, until the stock thickens. Reduce heat so stock just simmers. Pour in the eggs slowly while stirring the soup. As soon as the last bit of egg is in, shut off heat at once Serve with chopped scallions on top.

CREAMY TOMATO BASIL SOUP

4 tomatoes - peeled, seeded and diced

4 cups tomato juice
14 leaves fresh basil
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces butter
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Combine tomatoes and juice in stock pot. Simmer 30 minutes. Puree along with basil leaves in processor. Return to stock pot and add heavy cream and butter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Adjust seasonings to personal taste preference.

MINESTRONE

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 cups chopped celery
5 carrots, sliced
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
4 cups tomato sauce
1/2 fluid ounce red wine (optional)
1 cup canned kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can green beans
2 cups baby spinach, rinsed
3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup seashell pasta
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping
1 tablespoon olive oil

Over medium-low heat, in a large stock pot, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots, saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, water and tomato sauce, bring to boil, stirring frequently. If desired add red wine at this point. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach leaves, zucchini, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, the longer the better. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until tender. Drain water and set aside. Once pasta is cooked and soup is heated through place 2 tablespoons cooked pasta into individual serving bowls. Ladle soup on top of pasta

and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Spray with olive oil and serve.

AMAZING CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium jalapeno pepper, chopped
1/2 medium green pepper
4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups frozen corn
1/2 cup dry white wine or 1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
Topping
1 cup non-fat tortilla chips (optional)
Sauté the onion, garlic, jalapeño and green pepper with olive oil in a large pot until soft. Add all the rest of the ingredients to the large pot and bring to a boil. After about 15 minutes, remove the chicken breasts and shred. (Two forks work well to pull the chicken apart!). Return shredded chicken to the pot and simmer an additional 45 minutes. Serve, topped with crushed tortilla chips.

BEAN SOUP

Dried beans, (Navy, peas, pinto, red kidney, lentils, black-eyed peas, butter beans, or Lima)
1 large chopped Onion
1 large Can Tomatoes
1 tsp Chili Powder
Juice of 1 Lemon (important)
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Ham bone or ham hocks
Wash the beans thoroughly (about 2 cups). Place in large kettle, cover with water, add 2 Tbsp. Salt and soak overnight. In the morning, drain and add 2 quarts water and ham bone or ham hocks (best with bone included). Bring to a boil. Simmer slowly about 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Add onion, tomatoes, chili powder, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Simmer another 30 minutes or so. This freezes very good if you have leftovers. You can also use a package of mixed soup beans (15) about 2 cups if you prefer to do so.

CHEESEBURGER SOUP

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, diced
3/4 cup shredded carrot
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried parsley
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups potatoes, cubed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cheddar cheese, cubed
1 1/2 cups milk
4 tablespoons butter or 4 tablespoons margarine
In a large pot, brown ground beef and onion. Add broth, celery, carrots, parsley and potatoes. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes. In a saucepan, melt the butter and stir in flour. Add the milk, stirring until smooth. Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese; continue to stir until cheese is melted then serve. Do not boil
 

CHEESEBURGER SOUP #2

½ pound ground beef (use 1 pound)
 ¾ cup chopped onion
 ¾ cup shredded carrots
 ¾ cup diced celery
 1 teaspoon dried basil
 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
 4 tablespoons butter, divided
 3 cups chicken broth
 4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
 ¼ cup all purpose flour
 2 cups of Velveeta processed cheese cubed (I used 16 ounce)
 1½ cups milk
 ¾ teaspoon salt
 ¼ to ½ teaspoon pepper
 ¼ cup sour cream
Brown the ground beef in 3 quart saucepan. Drain and set aside. In the same saucepan add 1 T butter and add onion, shredded carrots, parsley flakes, basil and celery. Saute until tender. Add the broth, potatoes and beef and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  In small skillet melt remaining butter (3 T) and add the flour. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.  Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream.
 

CROCKPOT TACO SOUP

1 Pound lean ground beef
1 Can (15 ounces) kidney beans
1 Can (11 to 15 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1 10 oz Can Ro*Tel tomatoes
1 Envelope taco seasoning
1 (28 oz) Can tomatoes
1 Small can chopped chili peppers (4 ounces)
1 Can (15 ounces) pinto beans
1 Envelope Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
Brown the ground beef; drain well. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Simmer in slow cooker on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Serve with tortilla chips or Mexican cornbread.

EGG DROP SOUP

3 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 egg (slightly beaten)
1 scallion, with tops, finely chopped
Bring chicken broth to a boil in soup pot. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt & mix. Combine water and cornstarch; stir into boiling broth. Stir a small amount of hot broth into slightly beaten egg. Add egg mixture into hot broth slowly, stirring all the time. Cook until clear and slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Garnish with scallion

FRENCH ONION SOUP

3 Tsp vegetable oil
6 medium white onions, sliced
8 cups good quality beef broth
1 cup water
2 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
5 hamburger buns
10 slices provolone cheese
10 tsp shredded parmesan cheese
Heat vegetable oil in a large soup pot or saucepan over medium high heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté for 20 minutes until the onions begin to soften and start to become translucent. Add the beef broth, water, salt, garlic powder and black pepper to the pan and bring the mixture to a boil. When soup begins to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. To make the croutons, separate the bottoms from tops of the hamburger buns. Set aside the bottoms, and cut the crown of the tops to make them the same size and shape as the bottoms. This gives you 10 BIG croutons. Preheat oven to 325F. Place the bread in the oven directly on the rack and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until each piece is golden brown and crispy. Set aside. When the soup is done, spoon about 1 cup into an oven safe bowl. Float a crouton on top of the soup, and then place a slice of provolone cheese on top of the crouton. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of shredded parmesan cheese over the provolone. Place the bowl into your oven set to high broil. Broil the soup for 5 or 6 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown (you may need to broil longer if you are making more than one bowl at a time). Sprinkle an additional 1/2 teaspoon of shredded parmesan cheese over the top of the soup and serve. Repeat for the remaining bowls.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP

1 pound Italian sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1 cup sliced carrots
1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained
2 small zucchini, cubed
2 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover, and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender. Remove from heat, and add spinach. Replace lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes.

LIPTON'S ONION SOUP MIX

3/4 cup instant minced onion
1/3 cup beef bouillon powder
4 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed celery seed
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container. About 5 tablespoons of mix are equal to 1 1¼-ounce package. To make onion dip: Mix 5 tablespoons with one pint of sour cream.

LENTIL SOUP

2 slices bacon, chopped
2/3 cup frozen chopped onion
1 cup lentils, rinsed
1 package (10 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables
5 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 Tsp sherry
1 1/2 tsp salt
Croutons
Cook bacon and onion in large pot over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes until onion is tender. Stir in lentils, vegetables, water, and basil. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, 35 minutes. Stir in sherry and salt. Cool soup slightly. Puree soup in food processor or in a blender in small batches. Serve topped with croutons

MUSHROOM SOUP WITH WINTER VEGETABLES

2 heads garlic
6 Tsp unsalted butter
2 large onions, chopped
1 1/2 pounds assorted wild mushrooms, sliced, stems reserved
8 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 ribs celery, chopped
8 sprig fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1 (about 2 1/4 pounds) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup light red wine, such as pinot noir
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coarse-ground pepper
2 Tsp fresh lemon juice
Roast the garlic: Heat oven to 400°F. Cut about 1 inch off the top of both heads of garlic, dot each with 1 tablespoon butter, wrap in foil, and roast until soft -- about 45 minutes; let cool and squeeze to release the roasted meat. Discard the skins and set meat aside. Make the vegetable stock: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large saucepan. Add half the onions and cook over low heat until caramelized -- about 25 minutes. Add the mushroom stems, half the carrots, and the celery and cook until soft -- about 10 minutes. Add 8 cups water, parsley sprigs, and bay leaf, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain and discard the solids. Add enough water to bring stock to 6 cups. Set aside. Make the soup: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the mushrooms in thirds, adding an additional 1 tablespoon of butter with each batch, until golden -- about 3 minutes per batch. Add the remaining onion and cook until softened about 3 minutes. Add the squash and remaining carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Add the red wine, salt, pepper, roasted garlic, and reserved vegetable stock, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

TURKEY VEGETABLE SOUP

2 Tsp margarine or butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium Carrots cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 medium stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup frozen lima beans
6 cups Homemade Turkey Broth
Salt and pepper
2 cups cooked rice
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels
2 cups (1/2-inch chunks) skinless leftover cooked turkey
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
In 4-quart saucepan, melt margarine on medium. Add onion and cook 6 minutes or until tender, stirring often. Stir in carrots, celery, beans, broth, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; heat to boiling on high. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir rice and corn into soup; heat to boiling. Stir in turkey and heat through. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in parsley. This recipe makes about 12 cups. Cover bowl and refrigerate turkey broth overnight. Spoon off and discard fat. Refrigerate broth up to 3 days, or freeze in 1-quart portions to use up within 6 months.