We are definitely a soup family.  The majority of our favorite meals are soups.  And why shouldn’t they be?  Soups tend to be not only easier to prepare (just throw it all in one pot), but healthier (nothing fried here).  Soup brings comfort on a cold day and warmth to an ill body.  Here are soups that are made frequently in our home.

• Potato Cheese Soup.  This is a crowd pleaser. The family cheers on the nights we eat this meatless soup. This is the version I use, but I use a shredded mix of cheese instead.
• Beef Barley Soup.  Except I use ground turkey and lately we’ve been making this soup with lentils instead because my boy has something against barley.  This is the version I use, but we use ground meat and omit the mushrooms.
• Chili.  I think I can include this here.  It is cooked and eaten like a soup or stew. My version is out of my head:  ground beef, black beans, tomato sauce and/or salsa, chili powder, cumin, salt & pepper, and shredded cheese on top.
• Chicken Noodle Soup.  I boil a whole chicken, carrots and an onion for a couple of hours, then clean the meat off the bones.  then I add egg noodles to the broth, spices, and some of the chicken and we have a delicious soup.  I use this version from Martha Stewart.
• Beef Stew.  This is one of the first meals I learned to make as a young wife and is regular meal to this day.  This is the version I use, but I include a can of tomato sauce as well.
• Mulligatawny.  How can you beat curry and coconut milk together?  Here is the recipe I use.
• Tortellini Soup.  This is something I make for company – often!  if you’ve been to my house for dinner, then you’ve probably eaten my Tortellini Soup.  Here is my favorite recipe, however I omit wine and zucchini and use a 16 oz bag of frozen tortellini.

What are your favorite soups/stews?