Soup Ideas – Cooking with Kids

About a week ago, I went down a Twitter rabbit hole. I was randomly scrolling my feed when I noticed a woman had asked the question, “What is your favorite soup?” Imagine the excitement a child projects when gifted with a trip to DisneyLand. That was my excitement level at discovering this Twitter feed. I. Love. Soup. So what was I to do but spend the next half hour scrolling this feed, taking notes of popular soups I’d never tried before, and jotting down favorite recipes these people had shared. 

Comfort Food for Family

What is it about soup that is so comforting? Is it that it’s a nice, hot meal provided for you on a cold, rainy day? Is it the recipe you can barely read because it’s been passed through family hands year after year after year? Is it because it can be a fairly inexpensive meal to throw together? Or perhaps it’s the bread that is typically served alongside it. 

The origins of soup haven’t been specifically pin-pointed. However, we do know that it has been around for a very long while. One theory is that soup originated in Rome; this is because of the Latin word suppa, which means “bread in broth”. However, the German word sop means “bread used to soak up stew,” and then there is simply the French word soupe, which means “soup or broth”.

Whether soup was made by rich or poor, it has lasted decades because of its ability to be made with whatever ingredients might be on hand, its comfort when consumed, and, of course, its taste. What better way to snuggle up on a snowy day than with a bowl of stew. Let’s not forget when we’re sick, either. Our go-to food is chicken noodle soup or simply chicken broth because it settles the stomach and is less likely to cause more nausea. 

Grandma’s Soup Recipes

There are so many different kinds of soup. Whenever I scrolled the Twitter feed, many people mentioned potato leek soup as their favorite. I was curious so I made a pot that same night; it wasn’t my favorite, but it was still delicious. I’m going to share with you two soup recipes, one is my favorite, Mom’s Potato Soup, and one is my colleagues, Granny’s Beef and Vegetable Soup:

Mom’s Potato Soup 

Ingredients:

Several slices of bacon, chopped

½ cup green onions

1 cup hot water

1 tsp. chicken bullion

1 cup milk

1 pckg. cream cheese

4 cups diced, peeled potatoes

In a medium pot, cover the diced, peeled potatoes with water and boil until tender. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large pot. Set it aside (chop when cool) and reserve two tablespoons of the grease. Saute the green onions in the grease until soft and aromatic. Add chopped bacon, hot water, chicken bullion, milk, and the cream cheese (I cube the cream cheese so it melts a bit faster). Bring to a boil, stirring constantly so the milk doesn’t curdle, then lower to a simmer. Add cooked potatoes and continue to stir, making sure the cream cheese is completely melted and all ingredients are mixed well. If you would like, you can use an immersion blender for a smoother soup; however, I prefer chunks of potato so I leave it be. As for toppings, chop up some green onions and throw a bit of shredded cheese on top, though I don’t believe this soup needs any added accoutrements. Serve hot with bread or crackers!

Granny’s Beef and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb ground beef or turkey

1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes (undrained)

1 bag frozen mixed vegetables

½ tsp dried thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Water as needed

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan on medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until tender. Add ground beef or turkey and cook until browned. Drain. Return saucepan to stove on medium heat. Add 2 cans diced tomatoes undrained and frozen vegetables stirring constantly. Add thyme, salt, and pepper (to taste), and warm water if needed for consistency. Heat to boiling stirring occasionally. Reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve warm with cornbread.  

What is your favorite soup? Please feel free to share pictures and recipes with us. And let us know if you try out two of our favorite soup recipes! Connect with us on Instagram @MapsCookingKids or on Twitter @MapsCookingKids. Until next time, agape, be kind, and happy parenting.