Soups are always that weird thing that everyone likes but no one really seems to know how to cook. There are four basic considerations to before you really get down to having fun with your soup: base, starch, vegetables, and protein. By combining those features, you should be able to create some great soups. Oh, and keep in mind that you can either use a big stock pot or your slow cooker, whichever you prefer.
For our purposes "base" means the water, seasoning and any stock used. Most soups start with a stock of some sort, usually chicken or beef; this provides a good part of the flavor of the soup. There are other options, such as miso or some combinations of various liquids; a decent stock can be made of soy sauce or even worchestire sauce. Seasonings also help; most cooks default to a small number of spices and seasonings, usually a little salt, pepper, and sometimes garlic or onion powder. Oregano, parsley flakes, and even bay leaves if you can remember to take them out later work as well.
You have a few basic choices as far as starches are considered. A half cup of corn starch per three cups of liquid is pretty good, and should be considered the default if you can't think of anything else. . Potatoes diced as small as you can manage work as well. A half-cup of rice or handful of pasta per four cups of liquid can work wonders as well. You don't need to get fancy here, so just throw them in and don't worry about it.
You can have some real fun with the vegetables. The default is carrots and celery sliced and tossed in. Squash also works as it provides color. Peppers add a little heat as well as color. Otherwise, as long as you remember to slice the vegetables into no bigger than bite-sized pieces you should do well.
Keep the protein simple. One protein is all you need, and you can get away with minimal prep. If you are using meat, dice into no greater than one-inch cubes and fry it. You want to avoid organ meats, such as livers and hearts as those flavors are hard to deal with. If you use beans, just throw them in. Of course, keep in mind that some beans do need to be soaked ahead of time. Also, this is a great time to use those canned beans.
This should help you make some great soups. Just remember to have some fun with it, and there is no limit to what you can do.
For our purposes "base" means the water, seasoning and any stock used. Most soups start with a stock of some sort, usually chicken or beef; this provides a good part of the flavor of the soup. There are other options, such as miso or some combinations of various liquids; a decent stock can be made of soy sauce or even worchestire sauce. Seasonings also help; most cooks default to a small number of spices and seasonings, usually a little salt, pepper, and sometimes garlic or onion powder. Oregano, parsley flakes, and even bay leaves if you can remember to take them out later work as well.
You have a few basic choices as far as starches are considered. A half cup of corn starch per three cups of liquid is pretty good, and should be considered the default if you can't think of anything else. . Potatoes diced as small as you can manage work as well. A half-cup of rice or handful of pasta per four cups of liquid can work wonders as well. You don't need to get fancy here, so just throw them in and don't worry about it.
You can have some real fun with the vegetables. The default is carrots and celery sliced and tossed in. Squash also works as it provides color. Peppers add a little heat as well as color. Otherwise, as long as you remember to slice the vegetables into no bigger than bite-sized pieces you should do well.
Keep the protein simple. One protein is all you need, and you can get away with minimal prep. If you are using meat, dice into no greater than one-inch cubes and fry it. You want to avoid organ meats, such as livers and hearts as those flavors are hard to deal with. If you use beans, just throw them in. Of course, keep in mind that some beans do need to be soaked ahead of time. Also, this is a great time to use those canned beans.
This should help you make some great soups. Just remember to have some fun with it, and there is no limit to what you can do.
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