Cold weather causes cravings for hearty soups

When it turns cold, I always get in the mood for soup. We like just about any kind of soup, whether a hearty soup filled with meat or a lighter one rich in vegetables and hearty stock.

Jodi Thompson shares several recipes with us today for soups. Each one has its own characteristics, so you be the judge for your favorite one.

Winter Carrot Soup

1 tablespoon safflower oil

4 carrots, grated

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

4 cups vegetable stock

1 6 ounce can (or fresh) tomato paste (2/3 cup)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Scallion curls or herbed garlic croutons, optional

In Dutch oven or 4-quart saucepan, heat oil. Stir in carrots and onion; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, increase heat and cover. When mixture reaches a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes. Top with garnish if desired. Variation: add 1/2 cup raisins and cook soup until they are plump and tender. Yields 5 servings.

Winter Cabbage Soup

3/4 pound cored cabbage, chopped fine

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large russet potato, peeled and diced

2 cups vegetable broth

1 carrot, chopped

2 tablespoon dry white wine or apple juice

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 cup soy milk

1 tablespoon dried dillweed

Hot pepper sauce

Salt

Pepper

In a Dutch oven, cook onion over moderate heat. Add the diced potato; cook and stir until the onion softens. Add vegetable broth, cabbage, carrot, wine, sugar and caraway seeds. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered, until vegetables are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. If you like a smoother soup, put half the batch in a blender or process with stick blender; return all to Dutch oven. Stir in soy milk and simmer soup uncovered for about 15 minutes. Stir in dill, hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

Cabbage and Dumpling Soup

1/4 pound firm tofu

4 tablespoons water

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 medium head cabbage

1 tablespoon corn oil

8 cups boiling water

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Chopped scallions

To prepare the dumplings: blend tofu with water till smooth. Sift dry ingredients. Stir in tofu mixture. Knead for 1 minute, form into 1/2-inch balls and set aside. To prepare the soup: mince core of cabbage and shred leaves finely. Heat oil in soup pot. Add cabbage and sauté over medium heat till golden. Add water and bay leaf. Return to a boil, add dumplings, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. The dumplings should be floating on the top at this point. Remove bay leaf. Dilute the soy sauce in a bit of the broth; add to the soup. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve, garnishing with scallions. Yields 6 servings.

Potato-Barley Soup

1 large onion, diced

2 celery ribs, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 quarts vegetable stock

1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed

2 carrots, diced

2 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Salt to taste

Sauté the onion, celery and garlic in oil until the vegetables become translucent. Add the stock, barley and carrots. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours. Add the potatoes after the soup has cooked one hour. If the soup gets too thick, add more stock or water. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Yield 6 servings.

Italian Meatball Soup

1 pound extra lean ground beef

1 cup bread plain crumbs

1 whole egg

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced fine

1 medium sweet onion, minced fine

8 ounces tomato sauce (no-salt added)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup burgundy

3 cups low sodium beef broth

16 ounces frozen mixed vegetables

8 ounces Portobello mushrooms, sliced

1 medium zucchini, sliced

14 1/2 ounces low sodium tomatoes, canned, drained and diced

2 1/4 ounces black pitted olives, drained and sliced

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon seasoned pepper

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Mix together ground beef, bread crumbs, tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 clove garlic, half the onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Form into 2 inch meatballs. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add meatballs and brown. Do in batches if necessary. Remove from pan. Add wine to pan and deglaze the pan and loosen all those delicious browned bits. Add everything except meatballs and mix well. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and add meatballs. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Note: You can use a mixture of corn, peas, green beans and lima beans. Yields 8 servings.

Exotic Mushroom Soup

There are many intriguing new varieties to try with flavors subtle and intense. For this soup, combine shiitake, crimini and chanterelle mushrooms for a soup so smooth and rich it doesn't need any added cream.

3 tablespoons butter, divided, no substitutes

1 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped shallots

2 medium celery ribs, peeled and chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

2 pounds assorted mushrooms (such as shiitake, crimini, Portobello or white mushrooms), stems trimmed and sliced

1/4 cup white wine

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

3 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound chanterelle or trumpet mushrooms, stems trimmed and sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, shallots, celery and carrot. Cook until vegetables soften, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the 2 pounds assorted mushrooms, the wine and thyme. Cook 10 to 15 minutes, until mushrooms soften and are lightly browned. Stir in broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer until mushrooms are very soft, 35 to 40 minutes. Puree one third of mushroom mixture in blender; transfer to a bowl. Repeat with remaining mixture, then return to saucepan and reheat. Meanwhile, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chanterelles, increase heat to high, and cook, stirring often until edges are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt. Divide soup among four serving bowls. Sprinkle top of each serving with parsley, pepper and chanterelles. Makes 4 servings.

Acorn Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 5 cups)

1 small acorn squash quartered, seeded, peeled and cubed (about 4 cups)

13 3/4 ounces chicken broth

4 to 6 tablespoons nonfat milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 cup nonfat sour cream, optional

Fresh ground nutmeg, optional

Sauté onion in broth or water in large saucepan over medium heat until onion is translucent about 6 minutes. Add potatoes squash and broth. Simmer covered until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly. Working in batches place the vegetables with their liquid in food processor. (Be extremely careful as when they're hot, they expand) Whirl until pureed. Return the puree to the saucepan. Stir in the nonfat milk for desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Heat over low heat. Top each serving with dollop of nonfat sour cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Here are a wide variety of soups for you to try when you are tired of turkey sandwiches next week. Enjoy your week and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699; Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.