Homemade Soup

What I like about homemade soup is that my soups are typically filling and that I don't mind using
leftovers with which to make the soup.  I have discovered which was important to me that potatoes cooked a long time will thicken any soup in case I do not want to use cornstarch or flour.  And, if you use a submersible food blender on cooked potatoes, the soup becomes even thicker.

With every single soup I make and cook, I start with the following:

• 2 onions
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons of crushed garlic
• 5-7 stalks of celery
• 3-5 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon of black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of Sea Salt
• 1 can of French Onion Soup or Broth
• 1 can of water

This mixture usually cooks for about 2-3 hours on medium heat with the lid on, stirring every 10-15 minutes.

To this mixture, I COULD add the following in any combination:

• 1/4 cup of uncooked Basmati rice
• a handful of extra thin spaghetti noodles broken in half
• can(s) of beans, corn, limas, peas, potatoes
• broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, string beans
• can(s) of crushed tomatoes
• hamburger (ground), chicken, or ham
• mashed potatoes if available
• hot dogs and/or sausage cut up the size of 2-3 poker chips