French Onion Soup with Beef

5 large brown onions, sliced
2 Tbp butter
1 Tbp brown sugar
2 Tbp plain flour
150ml of dry sherry (or half a beer in a bottle)
1.5 litres of beef stock
handful thyme
A crusty baguette, sliced and toasted with Parm cheese on top
1 lg piece of beef chuck, diced

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions, sprinkle generously with sea salt and cover the saucepan. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.


2. Uncover and stir in the sugar and cook for a further 30 minutes or until the onions have turned a deep, golden brown colour, stirring occasionally. Then add the flour and stir for 3 - 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the beer and then the beef stock and bring back to the boil.

4. Place beef and onion soup mixture into a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

5. Directly before serving bake the bread topped with cheese at 180 C for 7 minutes or until melted.

6. Butter the toasted baguette slices and top with the grated cheese. Place them under the grill until the cheese is bubbling hot and melted. Pour the soup into individual bowls and float the rounds of toast on top of the soup. Serve immediately.

Potato Leek Soup

3 cloves garlic
3 Tbs butter
1 whole leek, diced
1 medium onion, diced
5 medium wax potatoes, sliced
1 carton chicken broth
1 small container cream
4 rashers bacon
salt, pepper

Melt butter in large saucepan, add leeks, onions and bacon and cook until slightly brown. Add potatoes to the saucepan and cover with broth (just enough to cover) continue cooking until potatoes are tender. Mash using stab mixer or hand held potato masher. Turn down heat and stir frequently. Add cream and salt and pepper. Cook 15 minutes.

Tortilla Soup

Serves 8 to 12

1/2 cup each 1/2-inch diced vegetables: yellow onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and tomato
1/2 cup roasted green chile, diced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups Enchilada Chicken, recipe follows
6 each white corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch wide strips
6 each blue corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch wide strips
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Chopped cilantro leaves, as needed
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt, as needed
1 cup crushed corn tortilla chips

Begin with a large pot. Saute the vegetables and chile briefly in about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. When the vegetables are limp, add the broth and add the garlic and cumin and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add chicken, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile (or beforehand), fry the corn tortilla strips in 350 degree F oil for 2 minutes until crispy. Drain well on paper towels.

With the cornstarch in a cup-sized container, mix as little cold water as possible to form a thin paste. Bring the soup back up to a boil; stir with 1 hand and pour the mixture in slowly with the other. Continue to cook on high heat for a minute, then reduce to low. The soup will look cloudy at first but will clear up and thicken slightly. Remove from heat.

Add cilantro and lime juice. Fill 8 to 12 cups or bowls about 1/4 full of crushed tortilla chips. Ladle soup on top. Place a handful of strips on top of each and serve. This soup (without the tortillas) keeps well for 3 to 4 days refrigerated. Tortillas will also keep well for a few days if sealed well and stored at room temperature. In moist climates they may require re-crisping in a 350 degree F oven for a few minutes.

Mixed Onion Soup

This is a delicious recipe for those chilly nights. Served with lots of crusty bread. Serves: 2
20 g butter
1 brown onion, thinly sliced into rings
1 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
1 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 cup brandy (optional)
3cups beef or vegetable stock
4sprigs thyme
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup coarsely grated Gruyere
1 baguette (I've used regular toasted bread, almost as good)

Melt butter in large saucepan until foaming. Add brown and red onions. Cook for 10 minutes. (the longer you cook the onions in butter the more rich the taste of your soup will be) Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add brandy and bring to the boil. Add stock and thyme, bring to the boil. Reduce heat, stir occasionally for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Grill baguettes, sliced thinly. Sprinkle with cheese and green onions. Place in soup.

Annie's famous vegetable soup

This is the recipe that I make so much of I can't find a pot big enough. You may want to scale down on my quantities. I am guessing this makes about 12 serves.

2 yellow squash
2 small zucchini
1/2 white or red onion
6 mushrooms
12 broccoli florets
1 stalk celery
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
4 cups V8 vegetable juice
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp vegetable seasoning
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
optional: 2 tsp cayenne pepper or a couple shakes of hot sauce

Slice all veggies. Saute onions, mushrooms, broccoli, and celery in olive oil over medium heat. Add in all spices and stir. Add remaining veggies, chicken broth, and V8 juice. Cover and cook on low heat for 45 minutes. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Cheddar Soup with Tortilla Crunch

Serves: 8

3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and very thinly sliced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken stock
2 cups cream
6 cups grated good quality Cheddar
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin,
4 cups lightly crushed tortilla chips
2 cups store bought chunky style salsa

In a medium soup pot, melt butter. Add onions and cook 5 minutes. Add the garlic and peppers and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Add flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in stock slowly and stir in cream. Bring soup to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese and season the soup with salt, pepper, chili powder and cumin. Let soup reduce 10 to 15 minutes over low heat then serve with crushed chips and dollops of salsa.

***It was fabulous! A little time consuming but well worth it. I added one of the chili hot peppers I had grown in the yard along with jalapenos and cayenne pepper so it definitely had a kick! I wasn't sure how the dollop of salsa on top was going to taste at first but it was great. Next time I think I will add a can of stewed tomoatoes into the soup while it's cooking. I didn't read how much the recipe made so I followed it exactly. It made 8 servings so I have enough left to feed an army. I even ate 2 bowls since D challenged me by saying I bet you can't eat another bowl. So I ate it. And then felt like dying. It really is a very filling soup. We'll see how well it freezes.