Fall is here (though it’s in the 80’s here in Michigan this weekend!) and thoughts of soups and stews are starting to drift through my mind. I love soups, but I really love stews. They’re just so filling–one of my real comfort foods.
Here are a few hints/tips for the soup and stew season:
- Soups and stews when cooking should only simmer, never boil.
- Place leftover stews into individual baking dishes or small casserole dishes, cover with pie crust and bake (real homemade pot pies!).
- Don’t throw the juices from canned mushrooms and vegetables down the drain–freeze them to use for soup base.
- Soup will go farther if you add pasta, rice or barley.
- Add 1/2 cup of strong tea to the stew, it will help tenderize the meat and reduce the cooking time.
- To add a sweet taste, try adding a small amount of pureed carrots.
- To soak up a heavy garlic flavor, place a few parsley flakes in a tea ball and place in the soup.
There has been quite a collection of Soups & Stews added to Farm Bell Recipes. They all look sooo good!
And a bread bowl to finish it off!
Or, how about some crackers?
Which is your favorite–soups or stews? Do you have a family favorite? Please submit it to Farm Bell–I’d love to treat the family to some new favorites!
Cindy blogs at Our Life Simplified. Do you have a recipe post or kitchen-related story to share on the Farm Bell blog?
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brookdale says:
Yum…we love stews. Made a beef stew in the crockpot yesterday. It will last us for a couple more meals, which is one reason why I love stews…no meal planning for a few days!
On October 9, 2011 at 8:36 am
AnnieB says:
CindyP you really got me psyched up for stew! I just added one of my favorite recipes – Posole (Mexican-style pork stew) to Farm Bell. Hope some of you enjoy it!
On October 9, 2011 at 6:10 pm
Faith says:
Perfect timing, I read this earlier today right before starting some soup. Depending on how it turns out, it may get posted here on Farm Bell soon! 🙂
On October 9, 2011 at 7:16 pm
TeaCup says:
I like both soups & stews. It depends on what else I’m having? If it’s a meal in a bowl, I prefer a thick soup or stew. If it’s soup & sandwich, a light soup will do.
I just posted our default, easy, cheap fall/winter soup (Corn Cheese Soup) and it seems when I “invent” recipes, it’s usually a soup. I make a fresh corn soup in summer, roasted red pepper soup year round (when I can find the peppers cheap) and what I call Dragonscale Soup (potato & fresh spinach) in the fall/winter. I have the roasted red pepper soup all written up, I just have to find the file!
Judi
On October 9, 2011 at 9:31 pm
Lorraine Swazey says:
What is the difference between soup and stew?! I can almost smell this picture-first scratch and sniff computer photo!!!?!!! Love it Cindyp!! Making cauliflower soup this am-even thou it was 86 here yesterday-as ridiculous here as 100 at CITR retreat in sept!! Same today!!!?!!! Rain. 🙂
On October 10, 2011 at 7:32 am