Soups for a Cold Winter’s Night

By Kathleen Adams

Hearty Vegetable Soup

4 potatoes, peeled and diced       2 cups finely shredded cabbage
3 onions, peeled and chopped       4 beef bouillon cubes
3 leeks, thinly sliced       ½ teaspoon salt
1 pound carrots, peeled        ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Cauliflower, cut into small florets       ½ teaspoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons olive oil       8 cups hot water

Slice carrots very thin. Measure about 1½ cups of the cauliflower florets. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Place all the prepared vegetables into the saucepan and sauté over a gentle heat. Dissolve the bouillon cubes in the water and pour over the vegetables. Add the salt, pepper and garlic powder and simmer gently over a low heat for 1½ hours.

Potato Onion Soup

2½ lbs. potatoes, peeled and cubed   ½ cup chopped celery
1 medium red onion, chopped   3 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter   2 cups milk
2 tablespoons olive oil   1 teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped carrot   ½ cup chopped parsley

Place potatoes in medium-sized pot with just enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil; lower heat to medium and continue cooking for 15 minutes, or until you can pierce easily with fork. Keep potatoes in water and mash well.

Heat olive oil and butter in skillet. Add chopped onions and sauté until light brown. Add carrots and celery and sauté an additional 5 minutes. Add this mixture to potatoes. Add broth, milk and salt.

Cook on medium heat until it just comes to a boil (stir so it does not stick to bottom of pot). Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in chopped parsley and serve.

New England Chicken Soup

3 – 4 pound chicken   2 onions, diced
4 cups water   1 cup frozen peas
4 cups chicken stock   1 Macintosh apple, chopped
2 cups celery, diced   ½ tsp. salt
4 carrots, grated   ½ tsp. black pepper
2 cups peeled potatoes, cubed   1 lb. egg noodles or 2 cups rice

Place chicken, water and chicken broth in soup kettle. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Remove chicken from kettle and place on plate to cool. Strain broth and return it to soup kettle. Remove meat from chicken and cut into small pieces. Return meat to kettle. Add vegetables, apple, salt and pepper; simmer for at least one more hour. Vegetables should be soft. Prepare egg noodles or rice and rinse under hot water. Add to soup.