My Favorite Soups

There are few things about winter that I like. The cold, dreary days, night-fall at 5:00 p.m., bundling up the whole family just for a quick trip to Wally, etc., etc. But, one of the things that can make all of that better is to end the day with a big bowl of soup - it always tastes better on a cold night. So, here are two (yes, 2 for the price of 1 today) of our favorites. First, is baked potato soup. Oh my goodness, it's so rich and thick and will put a smile on your face for sure! And the second is Vegetable Beef Soup. Again, so good and will warm you right up on a cold night. Both make a lot, so you may even have leftovers for another night!

Baked Potato Soup

3-4 Large Russet Potatoes
1 1/3 Sticks Butter
2/3 Cup Flour
6 Cups Milk
1 Chicken Bullion Cube
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 1/2 Cups Shredded Cheese
1/2 lb. Velveeta - Cut into chunks
8 oz. Sour Cream
Bacon bits and green onions for garnish

Prick potatoes with fork, wrap in foil and bake in oven until soft. (To speed up this process, I sometimes microwave my potatoes for about 5-7 minutes prior to wrapping them in foil and baking) Set baked potatoes to the side and let them begin to cool. To make the soup, melt butter over medium heat in large pot, then whisk in flour. Cook for a couple minutes and then slowly add milk. Whisk continuously until it comes to a low boil and starts to thicken. Turn heat to low and stir in bullion cube, salt, pepper and cheeses. Stir until cheeses are melted. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Cut potatoes into bite-sized chunks and add to soup and return to low heat. (I leave the skin on my potatoes, but you can remove it if you prefer). Let soup heat through and serve. Top with garnishes of your choice.


Vegetable Beef Soup

1 lb. Lean Ground Beef
1 Small Onion, Chopped
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, Chopped into small pieces
1 Can of each - Corn, Green Beans, Carrots, Peas (You can omit or add veggies that your family prefers)
2 Cans Diced Potatoes
1 Can Petite Diced Tomatoes
1 - 2 Cans Tomato Sauce
1 Can Water
1 Chicken Bullion Cube
Salt and Pepper to taste

Brown hamburger, onion and red bell pepper in a small amount of olive oil. Drain. Drain most of the water off the canned veggies and add all to pot. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, bullion cube and salt and pepper and stir until combined. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and let cook for an hour. Goes great with corn bread muffins!!

Enjoy and stay warm this winter!!