Cream of. . .(soups)

[jenny4wen]

I use a lot of Cream of Mushroom and Cream of Chicken soups in my recipes.  Does anyone have a recipe to make these at home.  I know they are out there, I just haven't found them.  They would be so much more cost effective, I'm sure 

And I just love seeing the Christian love shine through all the comments through the forum.  This is a wonderful site!  Thanks so much!

[natural]

I use a lot of Cream of Mushroom and Cream of Chicken soups in my recipes.  Does anyone have a recipe to make these at home.  I know they are out there, I just haven't found them.  They would be so much more cost effective, I'm sure 

And I just love seeing the Christian love shine through all the comments through the forum.  This is a wonderful site!  Thanks so much!

I have such a recipe:

THe following directions for 3 cups of mix will make the equivalent of nine 10 1/2 oz cans of soup:

2 C. instant non-fat dry milk
1 C. cornstarch
1/4 C. instant beef bouillon
2T dried onion flakes
1 t dried thyme crushed
1 t dried basil crushed
1/2 t pepper


combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in air tight container I happen to put mine in the fridge in a quart mason jar.

To make one can on soup, combine 1/3 c. mix, 1 1/4 c. water in saucepan. Cook Stir until thick.

I have used chicken bouillon instead of beef. You can add your own ingredients like broccoli, chicken, mushrooms, or whatever flavor you prefer.

I also have used a simple rue --white sauce-- recipe for skillet dishes ---butter, milk and flour and bouillon.

Enjoy--Sister Sandra

[mishy]

I believe boullion cubes have a lot of not so good stuff in them including msg- in case you are trying to avoid that.

[jenny4wen]

I believe boullion cubes have a lot of not so good stuff in them including msg- in case you are trying to avoid that.

Thank you for that info, I don't care for MSG, and would like to avoid it.   So do you use your chicken broth, or what?  I'm not an "experienced experimental" cook.  I was never really taught how to cook, and so I'm a very reliant on instructions.     Help!

[natural]

You could use chicken broth but they do have a healthy version of bouillon. I buy it from my co-op. It is a chicken stock powder...all natural ingredients..I don't like the MSG either.

[jenny4wen]

Thank you so much!  This is very helpful!  Not just for me either.  My sister (4 years older) and I are on a quest together.  It is taking a lot of learning, and willingness on our familys part to try new "healthy" and economical experiments.  IT's been fun though You guys are great

[healthybratt]

Thank you so much!  This is very helpful!  Not just for me either.  My sister (4 years older) and I are on a quest together.  It is taking a lot of learning, and willingness on our familys part to try new "healthy" and economical experiments.  IT's been fun though You guys are great

That's so cool that you have a learning buddy.  I get a lot of static around here for all my attempts at living healthier.     Everyone looks at me these days and thinks to themselves "she's one of THEM" (whoever "THEM" is).

[jenny4wen]

 I get a lot of static around here for all my attempts at living healthier.     Everyone looks at me these days and thinks to themselves "she's one of THEM" (whoever "THEM" is).

Amazing how messed up we are as a race.  To the "normal people", people trying to live healthier for themselves and their families are "nuts" in the form of health! (health nuts!)

Interesting.  Anyway, don't mind them, we have a temple to keep clean!

[healthybratt]

Normal people frighten me. 

[mishy]

I believe "Normal" has become a taste for the salty msg flavorful things.
I don't use any broth or boullion cubes.  If I am cooking chicken, then I have a broth.  Add plenty of fresh veggies and some good sea salt and you have a good taste.  For a thicker soup, you can use flour & butter. 
I now find that cream of ... soups now have a strong salty taste that is very overpowering for me. 
So inexperience or not, cook from scratch.  Its fun and tasty! Oregano, thyme, parsely, basic, garlic are some of my favorite spices.  The fewer predone stuff, the better.  I also am on a quest to avoid soy which is also an ingredient in just about EVERY thing premixed. 
Use plenty of butter!!  It is full of good vitamins and fats for you. 

Buy Nourishing Traditions if you can (bulkherbstore).  So far the recipes that I have cooked from there have brought big smiles and happy tummies! 

[KatieMac]

I just wanted to say that I too have been making my own chicken stock and it's really fun and rewarding, plus so much cheaper (of course, I am just using grocery store chicken, probably better to get free-range...not there yet) I get bone in, skin on chicken legs or thighs and boil them with carrots, celery, onions, salt, pepper and an herb or two, plus a bay leaf. I sometimes have a pot going on the stove and the crockpot going too. When the chicken is fully cooked I let it cool in the water, and then I pull out the chicken and pick the bones clean and save the meat for recipes. Then I drain the broth through 2 layers of cheesecloth draped over a colander in a mixing bowl. I then take the broth and freeze it into ice cube trays. After they freeze I pop them into a freezer bag. 3 ice cubes = 1/3 cup of stock. The first time I did this it was a greasy mess but it was still turned out to be fun and really made me feel like a pioneer :-)

[amazonmama2five]

Hello!  I just found you and I am soooo glad!!!  I have a recipe to add to the list.

Melt 3 Tbsp. of butter in a med. sauce pan
Stir in 1/4 cup mushroom, celery, onion (optional)
Stir in 3 Tbsp. of flour and 1/2 tsp. of salt and 1/8 tsp. of pepper
Stir until blended and bubbly.
Add 1 cup of milk and stir constantly until very thick.
This will be as condensed soup would come from the can.  If desired, add more milk or water to make thinner.

My husband and I are missionaries in Brazil and we cannot get a lot of things here.  So, my children and I are constantly trying 'new' things to broaden our horizons. 
Thank you so much for this forum and God bless you as you serve him.

[Sanya]

I cook a free range chicken in the crockpot with whatever spices I have on hand.  Pick the meat from the bones for other recipes.  Strain the stock for my cream of...soup.  In a big pot, combine chkn stock, more spices of your choice, milk and an arrowroot or flour thickner.  I simmer til thick.  Cool.  Freeze in 1 cup portions.  (I use old 8oz yogurt cups.  Pop them out when frozen.  Put all the frzn cream of chkn soup cups in one big freezer bag.  I also do this with just plain chkn broth.)   When I'm ready to use the soup, I thaw it and add the sautee'd  (in butter) spice such as celery, mushroom, onion....depending on whatever type of creamed soup I need.  This has worked well for me the past two years.

[candcwelch]

www.bulkfoods.com sells dry chicken boullion powder that is MSG free! They have low flat rate shipping. We buy a lot of bulk stuff from them for making our bread and dough enhancer too.

Celeste

www.valeriegrace.com

[PurplePen]

I was just wondering about this last night while making dinner.  I know y'all are big advocates of whole wheat flour, and I was wondering if you can substitute this in all your recipes?  Including this one?  Also, someone mentioned buying from a co-op and I've read about others using them, sorry, but what is a co-op?  Thanks for all your wisdom!

[candcwelch]

Fresh ground whole wheat flour will go bad if left out (not in freezer or fridge) - I choose to use regular unbleached flour in my dry cream of soup mix - not sure if the wheat would work though. My recipe is as follows

2 c. powdered milk
3/4 c. corn starch
1/4 c. powdered boullion
1 T. onion powder
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container. Use 1/3 c. mix to 1 c. water for recipes calling for a can of condensed cream soup. Use 1/3 c. mix to 2 c. water for soup. Add chicken or mushrooms for soup.

Celeste

[PurplePen]

Do you use flour in this recipe?  If so, you left it out!   

[candcwelch]

  Sorry - I don't use flour in this recipe - I was thinking of a different version that I used to use. I prefer the cornstarch one with no flour that I listed.

[kittyninja]

I just wanted to say that I too have been making my own chicken stock and it's really fun and rewarding, plus so much cheaper (of course, I am just using grocery store chicken, probably better to get free-range...not there yet) I get bone in, skin on chicken legs or thighs and boil them with carrots, celery, onions, salt, pepper and an herb or two, plus a bay leaf. I sometimes have a pot going on the stove and the crockpot going too. When the chicken is fully cooked I let it cool in the water, and then I pull out the chicken and pick the bones clean and save the meat for recipes. Then I drain the broth through 2 layers of cheesecloth draped over a colander in a mixing bowl. I then take the broth and freeze it into ice cube trays. After they freeze I pop them into a freezer bag. 3 ice cubes = 1/3 cup of stock. The first time I did this it was a greasy mess but it was still turned out to be fun and really made me feel like a pioneer :-)

  a little late coming but just wanted to say that you should try roasting or browning your chicken sometime in the same big pot your boiling it in before you add everything else. just adds a little richer deeper chicken flavor to the stock/broth! i do both ways and there differant and yummy! just thought i'd share! 

[healthybratt]

I just wanted to say that I too have been making my own chicken stock and it's really fun and rewarding, plus so much cheaper ...I then take the broth and freeze it into ice cube trays.

I haven't cooked with these yet, but I made some cubes.  I can't wait.  Thanks for the idea.

I didn't use cheesecloth though (don't have any).  Is this to keep the fat from coming through?  Cuz I think the fat is what makes the broth taste good.  Anyway, some of my cubes have a layer of fat on top, but no more than I would add to make a dish of some kind in the fry pan anyway, so I'm not too worried.

I just made croutons out of my dud bread thanks to a suggestion by Kansas Girl.  With tons of already seasoned bread crumbs and a freezer full of chicken broth, it will take only minutes to make stuffing which we all love and I won't have to buy stove top any more (hee hee, I've always liked this stuff).

Thanks again. 

[KatieMac]

I think the cheesecloth is just for draining the seasonings and small chunks of carrot, etc. It doesn't removed any fat as far as I can see. My ice all has a layer of fat too. Probably an unnessary step really. I just had some because my mom gave it to me.

Glad the idea helped! I get excited every time I look in my freezer and see all the bags of chicken stock 

[KeepItSimple]

I'm joining this discussion very late in the game..but love the cream of .... soup recipes.  For those of you that posted recipes with precise measurements..thank you so much!!! 

Question: For Cream of Mushroom soup...would I sautee the mushrooms first, then make up the dry mix with the water?  Also...is there a healthy 'powdered milk' out there?  I was under the impression powdered milk was bad for you.  But, I'm new to the game and a lot of information goes in and comes out jumbled.

Question:  What exactly do I put in the pot to make chicken stock?  I know celery, carrots, onion?, and the chicken of course...but how much and how much water?  What spices are good to use?  I'm not a big bay leaf fan...don't really care for that flavor.  I'm like th gal that started this thread...I'm not super at 'experimental cooking' ...I'm more of a precise measurement gal (for most recipes).

Thanks so much...You guys are such a HUGE blessing to me.  You can never know!

[healthybratt]

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

4 TB butter
16 oz mushrooms chopped
1/2 c. onions chopped
1/4 c. celery chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 TB parsley
2 pinches of nutmeg
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 TB WW flour or arrowroot or corn starch
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
4 c. chicken broth
2 c. milk or light cream

Heat butter. Add mushrooms, onion, celery, garlic, parsley, nutmeg, pepper, salt. Saute until mushroom softens and loose their liquid. Sprinkle flour over mixture and continue cooking for several mins. Add chicken stock gradually stirring constantly. Boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 mins. Puree mix in blender and return to pan. Stir in milk and heat throughly. Add more salt if needed

This is runnier (is that a word? of well) than can soup but it taste great. We always eat a bowl for lunch. I double and sometimes triple the recipe. This single recipe makes apx. 5 pts. or cans.

Cream of Chicken Soup

4 TB butter
1/4 c. celery chopped
1/4 c. onion chopped
2 cloves garlic (1 tsp)
1/3 c ww. flour or arrowroot
1 c. half and half, cream or milk
3 c. chicken broth
1 c. cooked chicken, chopped
1/4 tsp. white pepper
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 TB parsley

Heat butter. Add celery, onions, garlic, and saute. Add flour mixture over veggies and mix well. Cook several more mins. Add broth, chicken and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 mins. Puree in blender and then return to pan. Stir in milk and heat throughly. Freeze or use.

Makes about 4 pts. and once again I double it. I don't use Cream of Chicken as often as cream of mushroom.

[healthybratt]

Here's another recipe for the condensed soup. I got it from KerryAnn, owner if the NT-recipes Yahoo group.

Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

16-ounce can sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup milk (you can use cream if you want)
1 tbsp butter
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Drain the liquid from the mushrooms into a measuring cup and add water, if needed, to bring the total liquid to 1/2 cup. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add flour and bay leaf, stirring constntly for 1 minute. Gradually add mushroom liquid , milk, butter and pepper, stirring constantly until mixture thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Remove and discard bay leaf.

Pour into a blender or the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and blend until smooth. Add mushrooms and garlic powder. Blend until pureed.

Use this when a recipe calls for condensed cream of mushroom soup

One note: I don't puree this soup. I like the mushrooms to be kind of chunky so I just chop them up a little, but the original recipe said to puree it. It's up to your taste.

I make a pretty big batch of this and refrigerate or freeze it. You can spice it up if you want, but I find it is better to prepare it as is and then modify it to suit whatever you are cooking. Hope someone can use it!

[girly]

Anyone have a good recipe for a cream of potato soup?  Thank You!

[jhandrh]

Anyone have a good recipe for a cream of potato soup?  Thank You!

We make this with a lot of different vegetables and call it veggie chowder, but you could just use potatoes too for cream of potato soup.  Our family loves it.

Veggie Chowder

(I am guesstimating the amounts of water I cook things in--I usually don't measure stuff when cooking and kind of just dump in what looks like the right amount for the consistency I want.  So you may need to play around with this recipe till you find what you like.)
3-4 c vegetables (green beans, carrots, corn, potatoes--whatever your family likes)
3 T butter
3 T flour (I use whole wheat)
1 c milk
1-2 c shredded cheese (i use whatever I have on hand--we like something with a little sharper flavor like cheddar, but I experiment with mixing different kinds too)
1-2 c cubed ham or cooked and shredded bacon
Salt, pepper, seasoned salt, to taste

Cook vegetables and save about 1 c of water.  In separate pan, make a white sauce by melting butter, adding flour, and then stirring in the milk.  When thick, add cheese to desired consistency.  Also add salt, pepper, seasonings.  Add milk mixture to vegetables and stir.  Add more milk if needed to get soup to desired consistency.  Add ham and/or bacon.  Simmer for a few minutes, serve with crackers.

[MamaPeach]

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

4 TB butter
16 oz mushrooms chopped
1/2 c. onions chopped
1/4 c. celery chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 TB parsley
2 pinches of nutmeg
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 TB WW flour or arrowroot or corn starch
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
4 c. chicken broth
2 c. milk or light cream

Heat butter. Add mushrooms, onion, celery, garlic, parsley, nutmeg, pepper, salt. Saute until mushroom softens and loose their liquid. Sprinkle flour over mixture and continue cooking for several mins. Add chicken stock gradually stirring constantly. Boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 mins. Puree mix in blender and return to pan. Stir in milk and heat throughly. Add more salt if needed

This is runnier (is that a word? of well) than can soup but it taste great. We always eat a bowl for lunch. I double and sometimes triple the recipe. This single recipe makes apx. 5 pts. or cans.

I just made a double batch of this soup and it is outstanding! I have been buying organic cream of mushroom soup and have been disappointed in the price and taste. This recipe is better than the super bad for you Campbell's version. I am planning to divvy it out into 2 cup containers and freeze it for later use. I just had a bowl for lunch- mmmmm......
Thanks for sharing this recipe. Can't wait to cook with it. = )

[morningglory]

What could some of us milk-free people use to substitute the cream in these recipes?

[lotsagirls]

What could some of us milk-free people use to substitute the cream in these recipes?

I'd like to know too, as we'll be doing the GFCF diet.

[wyomama3]

I do the cream of mushroom recipe.  I omit the celery (because to me it's the nastiest stuff around ), and I add sweet basil and rosemary.  It's one of my favorites to eat as a soup outside of adding it to a recipe.  My sis is also waiting for direction on the milk free recipe.