High Street Headache

If you don’t remember the last time you dragged out that big ol’ soup pot down from the top shelf of the pantry, do yourself a favor and get it out. Your family has been missing one of the greatest meals imaginable – a big hearty bowl of soup! If you’ve been microwaving those little instant bowls of so-called soup, you know you haven’t been really satisfied, now have you? Your poor tummies need something comforting and your wallet needs a break, too!

If you have a traditional family recipe for chicken soup or beef stew, but you have not ventured much further, this struggling economy could, and should, be the time to experiment. There is a vast variety of soups, stews, and chowders that are just waiting for your creative hand. And, don’t worry, just because they are economical doesn’t mean they are less nutritious. On the contrary, you may be surprised by the amount and quality of nutrients in these simple dishes.

Very often, the first ingredient in any soup is chicken broth. Yes, I sometimes use those canned and boxed varieties. However, never underestimate the power of your own homemade chicken broth. First, you control the salt that goes into your own broth. Second, you control the flavor. I like to use a lot of onion, celery, and black pepper, but no carrots at all. Other people like carrots, but no celery. How you make it is up to you, but the main thing is you can make yourself a nice supply of chicken broth, freeze it, and it’s ready when you are, and for a great deal less money.

Once you decide to make your own chicken broth, you can choose between a couple methods. If you have a leftover chicken carcass from a roasted chicken dinner, go ahead and boil up those bones with whatever seasonings and vegetables you would like. You can also purchase a whole chicken to use, and you’ll have cooked chicken to chop up and store to use for other meals. Just be sure to cool it as rapidly as possible, then store in freezer-safe containers.

Our mothers and grandmothers knew a thing or two about stretching the food budget. Now that we’re trying to make ends meet while feeding our family, we need to take a little lesson from them. It’s time to start cooking with “soup bones” again. Soup bones pack an incredible amount of flavor to our soups, stews, and chowders. See the butcher if you can’t find the soup bones in the meat department. They’ll be thrilled to provide you with whatever soup bone you want because they need to get rid of them. Often there will be enough little pieces of meat left on the bone to add to your soup once the simmering is finished. Your dog will love you, too. Throw doggie a nice, big knuckle bone and watch that tail wag!

Now, as to some of the best and most economical soups, one of my favorite ingredients for soup these days is beans. They are delicious, nutritious, and economical. Beans and peas add a great depth to soups and stews, both in flavor and in texture. I have tried just about every combination of bean soup that’s imaginable. From the simplest Black Bean Soup and Split Pea Soup, to more complicated Chickpea and Butternut Squash Stew. Any and all ingredients have had some kind of trial in my kitchen. There is always room for one more bean, pea, or Lentil Soup recipe in my cookbook.

When I was growing up, our family always turned to Potato Soup as our first defense against a tight pocketbook. It’s a quick meal if you want to make it fast, or you can let it simmer all day. Either way, Potato Soup is a wonderfully thick and creamy soup either all alone or built up with vegetables and ham. I like the classic beginning, but melt in some cheddar cheese and top each bowl with a handful of crispy bacon. Whether you add something to your Potato Soup or let it stand on its own merits, Potato Soup is a nutritious and filling soup that won’t empty out the bank account.

We can’t forget to mention the whole family of Chowders. Whether you’re cooking Corn Chowder using the most basic of recipes, or you’re working some magic by adding seafood or ham, any Chowder can hold it’s own against your family’s appetite. This is a dish that is very satisfying, meaning no one leaves the table hungry. Your food budget will thank you, too.

Include one or two soup meals when you plan your week’s menu. Your family will appreciate pulling their chairs up to a table set with big bowls of steamy soup, and your budget will appreciate the hand-up, too. Feels like home, doesn’t it?

Traditional soups like a Simple Split Pea Soup or the ever popular classic Corn Chowder are the perfect way to warm your family’s tummies and put a smile on their faces. Try one tonight!