Home cooking

[Compo 10,328]

I have been reading a post about gardens and Xmas decorations in a fb forum. A friend was musing over the sad demise of such delights as productive gardens and home cooking.

I always make my soup from scratch and never buy it in cans or packets. I have to say that I know very few people who still make soups, which is such a shame because they are cheap, easy and very tasty. I offer as an example: A few days before Xmas a local store was selling off its stock of mushrooms. I bought 3 x 400g tubs at 20p each and for several days enjoyed home-made cream of mushroom soup. This weekend I intend to raid the garden and make a leek and potato soup with a herbal seasoning (All of course, from the garden). It is such a shame that the art of simple soup making has taken a poor second place to cans and packets.

 

I know there are lots of folk on here that cook, so, does the team have any particular favourite home-made meals?

[MargieH 7,611]

I don't normally make soup, but I've just boiled the turkey carcass for a couple of hours to get the last of the meat off it, removed the bones and then added some chopped vegetables (baby sweet corn and French beans - both shop bought!) also some offcuts of ham.  I carried on cooking it for 15 minutes, seasoned and thickened it a bit  with Chicken Bisto,  then ate it with toast to dip in.   I'm definitely no cook but it was lovely (and there's a bit left over for the cats).  

 

[TBI 2,351]

We usually keep a couple of tins of Heinz tomato in the cupboard for emergencies, other than that missus makes all our soup, always has. Had a lovely turkey Mulligatawny today..

[nonnaB 4,897]

I also have a couple of cans of tomato soup in store, ordered from uk. I usually make my own soups, leek and potato my favourite but also carrot, pumpkin, all sorts of veg really. Boiled beef is popular here but I'm not too keen on it but the broth made from it is fantastic and a good base for soups. Can do the same with chicken bones or carcasses. Just add a carrot, a stick of celery, a tomato and a grain or two of black pepper, add your veg after youve strained your broth and enjoy. Keep veg whole or sieve its still good. 

[carni 10,094]

A very basic but tasty soup that I make, starts out very similar to Margie and Nonnas soups.

 

One chicken carcass,  simmered for a couple of hours in water and Knorr Chicken stock cube.

Remove all meat from the carcass and return to the liquid  (discard carcass)

Add grated swede, carrot and parsnip in equal amounts and few frozen peas. Salt/Pepper, Add more stock cube if needed.

Simmer until all veg is soft.

 

My husband hates it, he can't bear the smell even and wouldn't touch it, but it reminds me of my mommas 'Pea Soup' from my childhood so I love it. Also very good for anyone who wants to drop a few winter pounds.

[Gem 1,430]

Vegetable soup is the only one I attempt usually gammon pieces or a joint,   when cooking the meat I add lentils  then carrot/turnip and leeks. Not a great cook but this is the one dish I always seem to get right oh and never forget the dumplings.

[nonnaB 4,897]

2 hours ago, nonnaB said:

I also have a couple of cans of tomato soup in store, ordered from uk. I usually make my own soups, leek and potato my favourite but also carrot, pumpkin, all sorts of veg really. Boiled beef is popular here but I'm not too keen on it but the broth made from it is fantastic and a good base for soups. Can do the same with chicken bones or carcasses. Just add a carrot, a stick of celery, a tomato and a grain or two of black pepper, add your veg after youve strained your broth and enjoy. Keep veg whole or sieve its still good. 

 

Forgot to add the best flavour to broth and that's a couple of whole allspice. it makes a lovely difference .Carni you mentioned pea soup and reminded me of the lentil soup ( don't know why) my mum used to make. She would get a large ham hock and cook it with yellow lentils and grated carrots. It was the only soup she made and it was good but when I tried to make it it never turned out the same.

[carni 10,094]

Mum used to make her Pea Soup with Pork Bones and as you say Nonna, it never turned out as good as hers. Mine is just a shadow of hers. The one good thing about mine is that it is nutritious, very flavoursome and  low calorie. A crusty piece of bread if needed makes it quite filling.

[nonnaB 4,897]

True Carni. I only tend to eat soup in winter. I still have soups in the freezer from last year but don't know if they're still good. putting them there is very useful and as you say a bit of crusty bread it makes a great meal. My neighbour gave me a large pumpkin and I put the remainder in the freezer after I made some ravioli. Soup made with it tends to be a bit sweet but add a sprinkle of cinnamon and its good.