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
