Soup

[teresa]

We have a more relaxed Christmas dinner. Everyone shows up here in the late afternoon . I usually have appetizers, a nice salad, avariety of homemade bread , seafood chowder and a variety of desserts for dinner . However , as the family grows, there are a significant amount of people who do not like seafood. Any good reccomendations for a second soup . No totally tomato based . We have very picky children that will be here.

 

[dc sunshine]

Chicken Noodle soup with alphabet noodles?

 

[teresa]

That is very common in our family. I was looking for something a little 'different', for Christmas. I know, I am making it complicated. I just would like them to try something new.

 

[kirstens]

I make a Tuscan white bean soup atleast once a week. Onion, celery, garlic, mushrooms, spinach, bay, oregano, pepper, thyme or rosemary, cannelinni beans, stock, white wine and you could do a small pasta or rice.

 

[suzanne]

Is your seafood chowder cream based? Then of course you don't want to do a cream of (fill in the vegetable) soup. But if the chowder is tomatoey, you could do a vegetable puree, which would fool the kids into thinking they're having something fancy when actually you're getting them to eat veggies. Or you could do a chicken-veg-noodle/rice or a beef-veg-noodle/rice. Or beans (split peas) and ham and vegetables.

Do you see how I'm pushing veggies? Soup is a great way to get people to eat them without turning up their noses.

 

[koukouvagia]

Chicken egg-lemon with orzo. It's a little creamy and citrusy. I have a recipe if you want it.

 

[ed buchanan]

Puree of Green Pea St. Germaine with roasted red pepper This also has xmas colors red and green and is not classified a creme soup or a thin soup

 

[dillonsmimi]

Mac and cheese soup. Children of all ages will give a thumbs up to this one.

 

[jkgourmet]

How about corn with green chile chowder?

You can use canned green chile's, but fresh roasted are really wonderful. And you can certainly roast them ahead of time, peel and keep them in the fridge for a few days, or in the freezer for 2-3 months. The soup reheats pretty well, too.

 

[petalsandcoco]

Borscht Puree garnished with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill.

Butternut Squash soup

Cream of red bell pepper

Tomato Orange Soup

Carrot Ginger Honey

 

[boar_d_laze]

Several of the soups suggested sound just great. Especially, the borscht, carrot, corn, and avgolemeno.

I'm a big fan of soup and you should probably expect to see me at your door on Christmas. Don't worry, I'll bring my own spoon.

Anyway, the beet borscht got me thinking about a different sort of borscht, and that's a different sort of borscht -- a sweet and sour beef soup with cabbage and sausage (like kielbasa). It's got enough meat (beef as well as sausage), potatoes, and vegetables in it for you to think of it as a stew. It's very good as a one plate (well, soup plate) meal and should serve you well.

Another possibility is a gumbo or etouffe (rice on the side), made without seafood. Chicken, beef and sausage can be done very nicely whether singly or in combination.

Kids like meatball soups.

Kouokouvagia -- Avgolemeno is one of my favorites, but I've never held it hot for a long buffet service. How does it hold up? Does it need a lot of stirring to keep the egg from settling? Presumably the lemon loses a lot of brightness, but that can always be refreshed.

I make mine very simply with chicken stock, rice, egg, lemon, and a little bit of seasoning. If you do anything else, I'd sure like to see your recipe if it isn't too much trouble. I'll continue to follow this thread, or you can PM it if you like.

Have a Merry,
BDL

 

[teresa]

Well, thanks all of you for your input. I decided to let all the older teens and adults that do not like seafood to have an input. They decided on taco soup. Yeah, it's tomato based, but the little kids will be given alot of other healthy pick up foods to choose from and they won't eat much anyway.

Boar_d_laze the sour cabbage soup you mentioned is one of my favorites, however the rest do not like cabbage.

 

[boar_d_laze]

Tovaritsch Teresa,

It's not easy being a peasant in a land of boyars. Let them eat caviar and peacock's tongues, drink champagne from gaily painted bottles, and smile their brittle, artificial smiles.

You and I comrade, our hearts are content with cabbage soup, good black bread and a little sip of vodka.

Comes the revolution, they will eat cabbage and like it.

BDL

 

[siduri]

A traditional soup for christmas in northern/central italy is tortellini in brodo - make a nice chicken broth and cook tortellini in it.

Another in central Italy is Zuppa alla' Sante' - you peel cardoons, chop and boil them (you could use escarole if you don;t have cardoons), drain and add to chicken broth. Make tiny meatballs with ground meat and lots of parmigiano, an egg, salt and pepper) and add to the hot soup and keep cooking till they;re cooked. Traditionally served on toasted artisan bread (better if a couple of days old). You can substitute rice if you like.

 

[shelta]

Pumpkin soup and it's seasonal as well as tasting good.

 

[teamfat]

I made a beef and barley soup for dinner last night, it turned out pretty tasty. Some folks have a nice standing rib roast for Christmas or New Year's. Beef and barley isn't quite the same, though.

Tonight the "kids" are coming over, they are in town for a week to do some skiing. Build your own pizza will be the order of the day.

mjb.

 

[suzanne]

I just want everyone to know that this thread inspired me to make soup today: mushroom and barley with beef stock. :lips:

I love ChefTalk. eace:

 

[koukouvagia]

You're right, all it takes is a little stock, a little lemon, and little rice, and a little egg. You'll get a fine avgolemono this way, just like my Mom used to make it. Sadly I didn't like my Mom's avgolemono for a few reasons... first, she didn't defat the chicken stock so there oily clusters on the top of the soup... second, she used rice which didn't release enough starch making a brothier (watery) soup than I prefer... and lastly she only used one egg for a whole pot of soup so it didn't get creamy enough.

I use one egg per quart, same with the lemon. I add orzo to the stock because I like the way the pasta releases starch and makes it a more substantial soup - it's not creamy or thick like a chowder, but it's got more manliness to it :mullet:. Leave the eggs room temp, then whisk them to death so the proteins dissolve. Add the lemon juice and whisk again. Slowly temper the egg and then throw it back into the soup. I find minimal breaking and stirring this way and it gets better as it sits if you can believe it.

Ironically I discard the orzo in my soup bowl, I enjoy the broth. But I can't get the broth the right consistancy without it. Toss in some shredded poached chicken, and a good dose of cracked pepper and it's mighty hearty.

To make it even sexier throw into the broth little uncooked meatballs made of beef/pork, onion, garlic, raw rice, parsley, and lots and lots of fresh chopped mint.

Now I'm hungry, I know what I'm making for dinner tomorrow!

 

[dillonsmimi]

Taco Soup is one of my go to meals. Brown the meat, open all the veg cans (I rinse the can taste off everything 'cept the Ranch Style Beans) then simmer until I cannot wait any longer. A big bowl of soup, a squeeze of lime, chopped raw onions (best if the sweet onions are still available) and corn tortilla strips fried till crispy. Oh...and a dollop of sour cream, maybe a bit of shredded cheddar. (it's all about the condiments, right?) Yum. I will be polite and like BDL, bring a spoon...and a 6 pack of ice cold Corona.

 

[chefguy]

You can try the Creamy Chicken Soup:
There is also a video for the recipe at, I can't upload here,
go check it out at: Creamy Chicken Soup - BeTheCook - Food & Cooking Recipes

Ingredients

• 65 g butter
• 1 medium onion - chopped
• 3 celery sticks - chopped
• 3 medium carrots - chopped
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 ½ ltr chicken stock
• 3 sprigs of parsley
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 480 g chicken - cooked and diced
• 2 tbsp thick cream
• 2 ½ tsp dry sherry
• 1 tbsp salt
• black pepper - to taste
• chopped parsley to garnish

Instructions


Step 1

First, add butter into the saucepan, Heat the saucepan over a moderate heat and let the butter to melt.

Step 2

Then add the carrots, onions, and celery. Fry for ten minutes.
Step 3

When the vegetables become soft, add flour, cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly.

Step 4

Then add the chicken stock and keep stirring the ingredients when boil. Skim the surface occasionally.

Step 5

Then add the parsley, thyme, and the bay leaf to the soup.
Step 6

Reduce the heat and let the soup to simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 7

In 15 minutes, stir in chicken chunks and boil for several minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.