Cream Soup Mix

[ChefTessBakeresse]

Cream Soup Mix at a fraction of the cost


Soup is a staple around my house. It's easy and it goes a long way on a smallish budget. That being said, I have heard that people pay a lot of money for good soup from a can. I don't like it. Most of the ones I've tried taste "canned". Can't say I love the metallic aftertaste in my soup. If I wanted to suck on a shower curtain rod, I would. Then I would hang there like my pet cat used to, just holding on by the teeth and flailing my paws looking for a something to sink my claws into. From that little description, you can gather that I am not very tall. Which has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I am giving a recipe for soup. None whatsoever. You can also gather that I had a devilish older brother (the Professor) who not only tortured me, but the cat as well. Good ol' kitty did sink it's claws into the Professor's braces and ripped them out of his mouth. I believe that is referred to as "instant karma"...and MEGA kitty. The next big Hollywood movie will be about that cat, and I won't get royalties.

Where where we? Oh soup.

So on most days when I crave a good creamy soup, I reach for one of my personal soup mixes or start from scratch (depending on the time frame I have to work with). I do cook from mixes a lot. Usually they are my homemade mixes. They save me money, and I use that money to buy important things...like shoes. Lest you think me fickle, keep in mind that I only buy essential shoes. All shoes are essential to some women and I am not "some" women. My goodness...long way of saying I need shoes to walk outside in the hot Arizona weather. Yikes. My excessive need to explain myself is utterly scary. At any rate, here is the recipe. Try it. I've had a lot of good reviews from many smart people. This picture happens to be creamy tomato with dill and roasted garlic. Perfect on nights when I serve The Cheeseball...melt.


My Basic soup mix:
1/2 cup flour (or 1/4 cup cornstarch)
1 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 bay leaf
1T dehydrated onion
1/4 tsp celery seed
2 tsp granulated garlic
2tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2tsp thyme
2T bullion (optional) (omit previous salt if you use bullion)

I keep this mix in jars sealed and labeled for a quick dinner anytime of the year. They keep fresh up to a year (for best flavor) so please be sure to label and date clearly.

To prepare, combine soup mix with 6 cups water (for a richer cream soup, use milk) and whisk until combined over medium heat. Simmer 15-20 minutes. Add any flavor variations you like...
2 cups chopped broccoli or cauliflower, potatoes, corn, carrots, chicken, clams, crumbled bacon. If you want a cheese soup, be sure it gets added only at the very end after soup is off the heat or it will be grainy. This mix can also be used as a white sauce!

Have fun with this one! Also, if you want creamy tomato, you may add 1/2 cup of tomato paste, but be sure to also add 1tsp baking soda to keep it from curdling. Just a little tip.