Favorite Things, Food, Humor, Recipes

There’s Just Somethin’ About Soup

Writer McWriterson

Isn’t there?

Last week someone online made a comment about how it’s “soup season” and I was all…..um, soup has a season?

I eat soup year-round like I am being paid to do it, so I have no idea what kind of weed they were smoking, but can I have some?

What were we talking about?

SOUP. YES.

These types of posts just come to me, kind of like in a dream only not in a dream.

Then I looked to see if I had written about soup before because I know myself pretty well at this point in the game and it seems like a pretty Kari idea, so I am sure I have.

Sure as shoes, I have written about specific soups before but never an entire post about soups plural.

So just in time for all things cozy, rainy, fall-y, here are some of my all-time favorite soup recipes.

Jalapeno Cheese Soup 

Leek and potato soup with parsley
I never take a picture of my broccoli cheese soup, so enjoy this stock photo of broth.

Broccoli Cheese Soup 

Broccoli Cheese Soup
Since I don’t take a picture of this soup recipe either, enjoy this picture from someone who does over at Food.com
Meat Dish

Chili That Christian Women Approve Of

I have a running list of things I have been doing lately that are out of my comfort zone and using my Instant Pot is one of them. I am not going into detail because I am saving it for my 50th birthday month extravaganza in April but I will say that last week I broke in the Instant Pot.

Broke it in NOT broke it.

No need to applaud, just put money in the tip jar.

I found a recipe for Senate Bean Soup on Pinterest using the pressure cooker and decided I was gonna do this because I love me some bean soup.

Rebecca happened to be over when I was going to attempt to make soup in a pressure cooker for the first time and I think she instantly regretted it. I did have a backup soup planned (which I will be making) in case the Instant Pot didn’t work out because I didn’t have faith in the Instant Pot nor my cooking abilities.

This was my biggest fear: that it would blow up my kitchen. Because of pressure.

Again long story that you’ll have to wait ’til April for but hopefully, I will be good at pressure cooking by then!

Probably not.

But the soup was good.

Despite the picture.

It turns out Senate Bean Soup doesn’t photograph well (now you know why I use stock photos).

Oh and after I made this, I found another recipe that doesn’t require any pressure other than soaking the beans overnight.

Lastly, one of my all-time favorite soup recipes came from my friend Melanie’s Instagram feed. Just go with the flow as far as ingredients go and use what you think appropriate. I have been too blah with my sinus infection/virus to make sure everything is right so please forgive the vagueness.

Melanie’s Cream of Chicken Soup with Rice 

1 onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped 

2 carrots, chopped

Butter (use at your discretion but follow my golden rule that more butter = more good)

Olive oil (see above)

2 chicken breasts (cooked; I usually boil the chicken ahead of time)

Milk (use your discretion)

Half and Half (ditto)

Brown rice ( I use one servings worth. I think. I’VE FELT LIKE CRAP, OKAY?)

Chicken broth (4 cups, I think)

Flour (1/4 cup to make a roux. Don’t know what a roux is? Google it. I am not Julia Child)

Salt and pepper to taste (use the butter rule above)

Rosemary (a spice, not a person; also to taste)

Garlic (I use two cloves minced) 

Thyme (to taste; also I never use this so it won’t make or break it)

Parsley (see above)

Cook chicken ahead of time and cube. In a stockpot or large pot, melt the butter; add in the celery, onion,, and carrots and saute. You will need to cook your rice as well, so either do that now or while cooking the chicken ahead of time. After the veggies get soft, add in the cubed chicken breast and cooked rice.

Begin to make a roux by mixing four tablespoons of butter with a glug of olive oil. Add into this 1/2 cup of flour and whisk until thick.

In a separate bowl. combine milk and Half and Half to equal two cups. Then add the milk mixture to the roux.

Stir the roux into the veggie chicken mixture in the stockpot as well as four cups of chicken broth.

Season with salt and pepper to taste as well as the rosemary, thyme, parsley, and garlic.

Let simmer to blend and thicken a bit.

Trust me, this soup is delicious and you will definitely get a feel of how much to add while you are cooking it. Although I really think Melanie needs to make this FOR me next time and it will taste 100% better.

Maybe this will finally heal me.

Or an exorcism.

23 thoughts on “There’s Just Somethin’ About Soup”

  1. I was wondering if you’d get to my favorite soup, and you did at the end. I make my chicken and rice soup just a little differently, and it is sooooo much better than all of the other soups I’ve tried to make.

    I’m not a fan of my instant pot. I’m contemplating giving it away because it takes up space and I don’t like using it.

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      1. After pulling up my recipe, I realize half of it is involving other soups but it still tastes great! It can turn out more like a stew if you do less water.

        I put a chopped onion, can of cream of celery soup, can cream chicken soup, salt and pepper to taste, 1 tsp basil, half tap each of thyme and sage, plus 4 cups of water in slow cooker. Then added two boneless chicken breasts. Cooked on high for 2.5 hours, low for 3 hours then shred the chicken. Put chicken back in and add a cup of uncooked rice and cook on low for 2 hours.

        Yep, and half of the recipes I looked at involve it taking so long to heat up to start! Like, if it says 30 minutes, I don’t expect an extra 30 for it to get ready to cook. Instant = lie!

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  2. I got to the comment section, left my computer, and heated up some soup. Macaroni and Bean by Progresso, for $1 a can, and 5 points. 🙂

    Soup really is so good. Though, I’ll admit, I don’t really eat it in the Summer. Just like I don’t really eat salads in the Winter.

    I’m finding that one of my biggest struggles these days is finding the patience to let me food or drinks cool down before I burn the taste buds off of my tongue. I have been extremely unsuccessful this season.

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  3. I eat soup year round but there does seem to be a time of year when soup or chili is good…and that’s when it’s cold outside! Brrr!! Hubby makes delicious soup and chili! I’ve never tried soup in the Instant Pot, only a pot roast but it was yummy!! As for being afraid of it blowing a hole thru the ceiling in the kitchen, yep that was me. I am slowly getting used to it and not being so afraid of it. I was a child in the 60s/70s when pressure cookers were blowing up so I still recall those horror stories!!

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  4. I really can only eat soup in fall and winter– unless it’s an usually cold day in spring or we’re talking about clam chowder or lobster bisque which I just HAVE to have whenever we visit the shore in the summer… that said we’re having chicken tortilla soup tonight. In my crock pot since I do not have an insta-pot.

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  5. Dang Girlfriend…are you still sick?! Ugh, I have no free time all week, otherwise I would indeed make my cream of chicken with rice soup for you and bring it over! I made Pasta e Fagioli soup last night and we had it for lunch today. Sooo good after running errands in the rain and wind.

    I’m a fall/winter soup person, though I have been known to have soup at The Vegas in the summer. 😉 But otherwise, I never make it at home or otherwise eat it until the weather gets cold. And I’m the same with ice cream – can only eat it in the summer!

    xoxo

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    1. No! I’m feeling better as of this weekend, but at the writing of this I was still sick. Almost six weeks of bullshit. 🙄

      That soup at The Vegas is so good and I found out that you can get huge containers to go which is a GAME CHANGER.

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  6. I never make soup unless it is in a can. I cannot eat most soups because of the flour. I do make an awesome chilli. So I will stick to chilli.
    Curly was sick for 3 weeks. The antibiotic cleared up her ear infection but the cold lingered. FINALLY they gave her something stronger for sinus infection.

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  7. Oooh I love soup too and I also eat it year round too. I don’t really make homemade soups as much as I would like but my favorite is broccoli cheese. I might have to try your recipe!

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  8. You are so right! There is just something about soup. I never get tired of making it or eating it. I have been learning to use a pressure cooker, too. And I love it, although there have been a couple of “I won’t do that again” moments. Let’s just say take the instructions to heart about how full to fill it when cooking rice. LOL

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  10. Visiting again and these all sound yummy! Thanks so much for linking up at #AThemedLinkup 8 for Soup Recipes. Pinned.

    Have you seen my short story link party? It is a creative writing exercise for fun and without a lot of editing. Just start typing and see what you come up with! Remember, no story is too short! See the party on my site for the current prompt, closes on the 9th.

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      1. That short story party is open until the 9th, would love to have you join in! Here’s the current prompt: I woke up to a bright and sunny morning after…

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