Free – food and drink recipes

CREAM OF CELERY SOUP – Cut into small pieces the green portions from three heads of celery, making, in all, twelve or fourteen stalks. Cover with a pint of cold water, bring slowly to boiling point and simmer gently for half an hour. Drain and press through a colander, using as much of the celery as you can press through. Add to this one pint of milk. Put the whole into a double boiler. Rub together one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour, and stir them carefully into the soup. Stir and cook until smooth. Add a teaspoonful of celery, salt, a dash of white pepper, and the soup will be ready to serve.

SHANK SOUP – When you buy a shank, have the butcher cut it into several pieces, and split open the thickest part of the bone. Boil it three or four hours and set it aside. The next day, take off the fat, and if you do not wish to eat the meat in the soup, take that out also; add vegetables, etc., as in the preceding receipt. To add macaroni, take a handful, cut it small, wash, and boil it half an hour, then put it into the soup an hour before serving.

CARROT SOUP – Slice up eight or nine large carrots, and stew them in three quarts of common soup, until quite tender ; then rub through a sieve, mix well, season with salt and pepper, and add sufficient browning to make it look well. It should be made the day before it is used.

TOMATO SOUP – Put three pints of tomatoes, stewed, strained, and sweetened,two quarts of meat liquor (the fat being removed). Add an onion, salt, and pepper, and water if too thick. With more seasoning, and a bit of butter, it is good without meat liquor.

ASPARAGUS – Cut half a pound of fat bacon into thin slices, place at the bottom of a stewpan, then add five pounds of lean beef cut into dice, and rolled in flour ; cover the pan close, stirring occasionally until the gravy is drawn, then add two quarts of water, and half a pint of ale. Cover, stew gently for an hour, with some whole pepper and salt. Strain off the liquor, and skim off the fat. Add some spinach, cabbage-lettuce, white beet leaves, sorrel, a little mint, and powdered sweet marjoram ; let these boil up in the liquor, then put in the green tops of asparagus cut small, boil till all is tender, and serve hot.

CLAM CHOWDER – Twenty-five chopped clams, 6 sliced onions, 10 sliced potatoes; try out three slices of salt pork, cut in dice in the pot in which you make the chowder, fry brown, and then on that put a layer of onions, then potatoes, then clams, and repeat till all is used ; one quart of water and all the clam juice ; no salt, little pepper ; cook slowly two hours, stir very little and carefully.

A nice bowl of hot soup is so good at the end of a long day. It warms and comforts you, making you feel cared for. Some people are afraid to try making soup at home that does not come in a can, but it is pretty easy once you give it a try. If you use your slow cooker, it is even easier.

Soups for the Slow Cooker

Almost any kind of soup can be made in a slow cooker. Whether you prefer simpler soups like vegetable beef or lentil soup, or if your favorites include fancier soups like vichyssoise or pot-au-feu, your slow cooker will come in handy. You can even create delicate soups such as trout chowder or crab soup in a slow cooker while you attend to other tasks. If you like ethnic soups like Indian Dal or Italian Wedding soup, they also turn out perfectly in a slow cooker.

It does not matter what your favorite soup is… you can probably make it in your slow cooker. Leftovers work, too. If you have a ham bone left, toss it in with some split peas for yummy pea soup, or add some navy beans to make a hearty bean soup.

Even soups that seem more complicated, like cheddar cheese or clam chowder, can easily be made in your slow cooker. Whether it is something simple like chicken soup or more complicated, you can make all your favorite soups. Use your favorite ingredients like noodles, dumplings or rice… whichever you prefer.

Try Something New

You can also try a soup recipe that is new for you. Trying new recipes is always fun! A new slow cooker soup will give you something exciting to look forward to for dinner. Have you ever tried a garden cabbage soup? What about deviled chicken soup? Have you ever heard of a cheesy meatball soup or a taco soup? You are sure to find new favorites.

With a little inspiration, you can create your own slow cooker soup recipes. Why not give it a try? The slow cooker lets you make a few mistakes. It will tenderize a tough piece of meat. Adding different vegetables and herbs add a delicious, complex flavor to your soup. If you like a creamy soup, add some milk or cream towards the end of your cooking time. Let your imagination run wild.

Traditional soups like chicken and dumplings, beef noodle and potato soup are great, too. For something a little different, mix up the ingredients a bit. Try adding bacon or ham to your potato soup, or put brown rice in your beef soup. Adding a new twist can be a lot of fun.

If you have a lot of leftovers, such as after a major holiday, use the slow cooker to make a nice soothing soup. Add in some leftover turkey or ham to make a great soup. Add rice, noodles, or potatoes if you wish. Do not forget the leftover vegetables like corn, peas, carrots… and do not leave out the gravy. You will have a sumptuous holiday soup that lets you enjoy your meal all over again with very little work. Using slow cookers is a great way to relax.