It’s no surprise that soup is one of the most popular AND most satisfying options for lunch or dinner. On a cold fall or winter day, nothing is more satisfying than a nice, heartwarming, steaming-as-it-goes-down cup of soup. And there are so many options that it never gets boring.
The dictionary.com definition of soup is “…a savory liquid food that is made by combining ingredients, such as meat, vegetables and beans in stock or hot water, until the flavor is extracted, forming a broth.” Over the centuries, soup has been referred to as gruel, potage, broth, stock and consommé. Modern terminologies include sop, bisque, stoop (thank you Rachel Ray) and stew. Whatever the terminology, whatever the presentation, Campbell’s is right… soup IS good food.
And a final word on soup…..
Our primordial soup makeup may lead us to believe that making a great hot dinner for our family is no duck soup. However, it’s not as hard as seeing through pea soup, but rather like alphabet soup, a souped-up simplicity.
Tomato Parmesan Soup
This soup is so hearty that served with a side of garlic bread, it makes a fabulous meal.
Ingredients
- 1 can of condensed tomato soup
- 8 oz. water
- 6 oz. milk
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1/3 package frozen spinach
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Add first six ingredients to medium pot on stove. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low.
- Simmer, stirring often until cooked through (about 20 minutes).
- Stir in Parmesan cheese and serve.
Hearty Lentil Soup with Spinach and Goat’s Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups lentils
- 5 strips bacon
- 2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, diced
- 7 cups chicken broth
- 2 oz. goat cheese
- 2 cups water
Directions:
- Add onions, garlic and 2 slices of bacon to large stock pot. Cook over medium high heat until soft. Remove bacon from pot.
- Add lentils and broth to pot. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.
- Add water ½ cup at a time for thinning, if needed.
- Meanwhile, cook remaining 3 pieces of bacon in frying pan until well done. Set aside to cool.
- Drain bacon grease from pan and add spinach, sautéing until cooked through, approximately 7 minutes.
- When soup is done, crumble the goat cheese on top, then add spinach and sprinkle with crumbled bacon strips.
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