For many of us, we are navigating our way through uncharted territory; rationing food, getting to the stores at 4:00 am to stand in line for toilet paper and living with the uncertainly of what tomorrow will bring. Growing up in a family where my parents lived through both WW2 and the Great Depression, the conversations around the dinner table growing up often reflected the hardships of those times, the appreciation of what we now had, the importance of not wasting food and learning how to stretch the meal budget. This recipe is inspired by those conversations during these tough times. If your pantry is anything like mine, it’s a hidden treasure of cans! Many of those cans will help turn vegetables into a gourmet soup! The same principals will apply with any can of vegetable that you choose for your soup. You can make it creamy, spicy, and brothy or add any spices that you like. Just open a can of veggies, like peas, and turn it into a hearty meal. The two fresh ingredients that really make the soup gourmet-tasting are garlic and onion. Once you’ve sautéed those up in some butter, you’re good to start adding your favorite flavorings. You’ll have homemade soup from a can of veggies in minutes and you’ll be surprised and pleased at how tasty your meal is!
Watch my how to video here!
Servings |
- 1 can vegatables
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- chicken, beef or vegetable bullions (or better than bullion paste)
- 1 can chicken or beef broth
- all purpose seasoning
- salt
- pepper
- 1 small can diced chilies (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 1 cup crusty bread, cubed
- 2-3 flour or corn tortillas, cut into strips (6 inch size)
- 1/2 cup cooked rice or Orzo pasta
- crackers
Ingredients
For added flavor, your choice of:
For optional toppings:
|
- In a skillet, heat butter and sauté diced onion and minced garlic until soft and translucent. In a blender or mini prep ( or with an immersion blender) combine can of veggies with water, ¼ cup evaporated milk, 1 heaping teaspoon of dry soup mix, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ half teaspoon of pepper and 2 heaping tablespoons of the sautéed onion mixture. Blend well and pour into a pot. Bring to boil, stirring often. Pour into a bowl and serve with croutons, crackers, tortilla strips, rice or Orzo pasta.
For homemade Croutons and Tortilla Strips
For the bread: Cut bread into cubes. In a small skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add bread cubes, pepper, salt, all-purpose seasoning (Optional) and a drizzle of olive oil. Cook until browned.
For the tortilla strips: Slice 2-3 (6 inch) tortillas into thin strips. Add 2 tablespoons of butter or oil to skillet. Cook on medium high until browned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.