Grandma's Favourite Soups

My mom loves when I make her Cream of Broccoli soup.  I love the smell but don't much care for it myself -I like more of a chunky soup.  Cream soups get a bad reputation, but this one is good for you.  It is thickened with potatoes and I use whatever milk I have on hand -I've even used 1%.  That just means you cook the white sauce a couple minutes more to thicken.  I make this whenever broccoli is on sale.  You can even peel the stems and use those too.

Cream of Broccoli Soup (works for cauliflower too)

2T butter                      3c or so of chopped broccoli/cauliflower
1 onion. sliced              1 c beef broth
1 c potatoes, sliced     
2 c milk                        2 T butter
2T flour/cornstarch        salt & pepper to taste

Saute onions in butter.  Add potatoes and broth.  Simmer till soft.  Add broccoli and simmer 5 minutes more.  Blend (careful, hot liquids will try to make blender lid pop off) till smooth and then simmer again.  Melt 2T butter in another saucepan.  Mix in flour and cook till golden.  Slowly add milk and cook over medium heat until fairly thick.  Add to soup and enjoy.


Tomato Soup -this is my new favourite soup for Grandma.  I don't have to peel the tomatoes.  Much less work.

2T butter                               2T oil
3 onions, chopped                 2 lbs tomatoes, chopped
1 t sugar                                3/4t salt, to taste
3/4 c chicken stock               

Saute onions in oil/butter over medium heat until soft and golden (about 20 min).  Add everything else.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Blend carefully until smooth.  Thin with water if necessary, but it's good nice and thick.

Autumn Chowder -small recipe, double as needed
2 slices bacon, diced                 1 sm onion, chopped
1 med potato, diced                  1 carrot, sliced
1/2c water                                 3/4t chicken broth powder
1c milk                                      2/3 c corn
pepper to taste                          2 1/2t flour/cornstarch
2T water                                   3/4c shredded cheese

Cook bacon till crisp and set aside.  Saute onions in bacon fat.  Add potatoes, carrots, water and broth powder.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes till cooked.  Stir in corn, milk and pepper.  Cook another 5 minutes.  Mix flour and 2T water.  Stir into soup until thickened.  Remove from heat, add cheese and stir.  Sprinkle with bacon to serve.

This one is my favourite, but Grandma likes it too.

Kartoffel Suppe (Potato Soup)
2 c potatoes, sliced                    1 clove garlic
1 onion, sliced                            3 c water
3c milk                                      3T flour/cornstarch
3T butter                                   salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes and garlic in water until tender.  Meanwhile, saute onions until golden.  When potatoes are done, remove garlic (toss) and rice potatoes back into the cooking water.  In a separate saucepan, melt 3T butter and flour.  Cook till golden.  Add milk and stir till fairly thick.   Add to soup and simmer a couple minutes.  Really good with fresh, homemade croutons.