Homemade Soups

With daytime temperatures dipping down into the 80's, it's time to start thinking about eating hearty soups!  Homemade soups are surprisingly easy to make, and folks really seem to like them!  So without further ado, let me hook you up with a couple favorites.  We used to make these soups when I cooked at Stan's Metrodeli, a kosher-style deli that used to be up on Mill in Tempe, in the space where RA now sits.  I had some regular customers that came in every day for homemade soup, and they happily ate whatever I made hahahaha!!  But I have to admit, these soups are good, and sometimes it's exactly what I want to eat!

MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP:

Beef (1 lb. - cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
Onions (1 or 2 - chop into 1/2 inch pieces)
Mushrooms (like 4 cups? - sliced)
Garlic (4 or 5 cloves - chopped)
Olive Oil (2 or 3 tablespoon)
Beef Broth (2 quarts)
Barley (1/2 cup)
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, etc.
Bay Leaves (4 or 5)

Saute the onions and mushrooms in the olive oil; add seasonings as they saute.  When the onions and mushrooms get a little soft, add the garlic and meat and add more seasonings to the meat while it cooks.  Last night I only had ground meat so that's what I used to make this soup and it was still good!  But the actual recipe calls for chunks of either roast beef or raw meat.

When the meat is cooked, add the beef broth and the barley and bring it up to a boil.  Add the bay leaves.  Then cover the soup and reduce the heat so it simmers for about 1/2 hour.  The barley will get big and soft.  That's it!  It's soup!!!

BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP:

This is probably my all-time favorite.  It's vegetarian!!  You'll need a stick blender ("immersion blender") to make this soup.  If you don't have a stick blender, you can use a regular blender, it's just a little messier and you have to be careful not to get burned by the hot soup.

Broccoli (lots!)(like 2-3 lbs.!)
1 Onion (cut into a few pieces)
Garlic (7 or 8 cloves)
Water or Chicken Stock
Milk or Half and Half (1 cup)
All Purpose Flour (3 tablespoon or so)
Cheese (Cheddar and Pepper Jack)(maybe a lb. total)
Salt, Pepper, Red Chile Flakes, etc.

Put the broccoli, onions, and garlic into a soup pot and add the water or chicken stock to the pot, up to about 1 and 1/2 inches below the top of the veggies.  Add some seasonings so they get some flavor while they cook.  Steam the vegetables by bringing them up to a boil, lower the heat, cover and let them simmer for about 10 minutes until the broccoli is cooked (soft) but still has a nice green color.

Now you get to use the stick blender!  Put it down in the soup pot and blend blend blend until the veggies are really puree!  If you don't have a stick blender, you have to ladle the veggies into a blender and blend it that way.

Now put the pot back on the stove with the puree veggies in it, over a medium to medium low heat.  In a separate cup or bowl, mix the flour with  about 1/2 cup of cold water, milk, or chicken broth; don't worry if it's lumpy.  Pour the flour mixture through a strainer into the puree veggies.  Stir it with a wire whip ("whisk"), it should thicken up slightly.  Add some milk or half and half so it's creamy.

Now add the cheese until it's nice and cheesy!  It's easiest if the cheese is shredded but you can still work with it if you just cut it into pieces.  Stir it in until the cheese is melted.  Taste it and add salt or more cheese if needed.  That's it!  Creamy and cheesy and green... so yummy!!!

Enjoy your homemade soups!  Your eaters will be so surprised and impressed!