Spring is coming up, but cold wind is still here with us and it's easy to catch a cold during the change of seasons. How about making hearty winter soups before this season is going away? Warm soups will keep your health throughout in-between seasons. Here are three easy-to-make winter soups to warm your soul as well as body.
CHICKEN SOUP
Ingredients
6 cups chicken broth
6 cups water
3 pounds chicken pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
8 ounces egg noodles
2 bay leaf
1/4 cup fresh basil or dill
Salt and black pepper
Directions
1. Place all ingredients except noodles in the Crock Pot. Cook for 6 to 7 hours.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles until tender. Drain noodles.
3. Remove chicken and bay leaf from pot. Dice the chicken and return to broth (except bones!)
4. Add noodles just before serving.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
Ingredients
1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
6 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper
Nutmeg
Heavy cream
Directions
1. Heat a large stock pot over medium low heat. Add onion and cook until translucent about 8 minutes.
2. Add squash and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender about 20 minutes.
3. Puree with a stick immersion blender. Return blended squash to pot. Stir and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
4. Simmer for 5 minutes more and serve with a drizzle of heavy cream.
FRENCH ONION SOUP
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 cups beef broth
4 onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup red or white wine
8 slices of Swiss cheese
1 baguette, sliced
Salt and black pepper
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaves
Directions
1. Melt the butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper and sauté until the onions are tender and caramelized. 2. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and thyme.
3. Add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Preheat broiler. Place bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the slices with the Swiss cheese and broil until until toasted brown.
5. Ladle 1 cup of soup into each bowl. Top each with 2 slices of bread and top each with 1 cheese slice. Broil 3 minutes.
