Nothing says “I love you” better in the winter than serving your loved one a heaping bowl of warm, savory soup. And in our household the scrumptious cheese soup recipe below (handed down from a friend years ago) not only says “I love you,” but after devouring a bowl (or two or three …) we are always left feeling as if we’ve all been wrapped in a great big, comforting bear hugs and kissed several times, after eating it. So this month (which happens to be National Soup Month, too), grab the kids and your soup pot and try preparing this little bowl of heavenly comfort together.
The ingredients:
- 2 cups diced potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine
- 6 teaspoons chicken bouillon or 6 bouillon cubes
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3 cups (12 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup beer (optional, but it adds a great flavor to the dish)
- Parsley or popcorn optional
The directions:
In a saucepan combine potatoes, onion, carrots, celery, water, bouillon, and butter. (Because I usually have chicken stock instead of chicken bouillon I usually substitute the water for chicken stock and then throw in a couple of cubes of vegetable bouillon). Bring the ingredients to a boil then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the veggies are tender. This recipe yields 8 servings.
A cheese soup tip: This recipe is best when cooked a day ahead of time, cooled in the fridge, and then reheated the next day. It gets extra thick and is perfect served with fresh-baked bread (I use our bread machine sometimes) or a fresh loaf from your local bakery.
