I never quite warmed up to those pre-packed microwave instant "soup in a second" type soups or stews. We're missing the pleasure of simmering and stirring a gigantic pot of delicious, aromatic ingredients. A big pot of soup or stew does more than fills your family's bellies... it says "we're home." Ladle out big bowls of homemade soup and you not only thrill your family, but your pocketbook, as well.
If you have a traditional family recipe for chicken soup or beef stew, but you have not ventured much further, this struggling economy could, and should, be the time to experiment. There is a vast variety of soups, stews, and chowders that are just waiting for your creative hand. And, don't worry, just because they are economical doesn't mean they are less nutritious. On the contrary, you may be surprised by the amount and quality of nutrients in these simple dishes.
We're going to start with chicken broth as it's the beginning to many soups and stews. If you buy the canned or boxed kind it's certainly convenient, but can wreck havok on your budget. I'm here to say that it is within your power to make your own homemade chicken broth! You may not feel up to the challenge, what with all the TV cooks opening up a can or box, but trust me, you are ready. By making your own chicken broth you control the salt and flavors. You can skim the fat off after cooling, or leave it as is. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to fill your freezer with containers of broth and feel proud that you now have a supply ready to use when you need it, and at pennies instead of dollars.
Making chicken broth is not a precise science. Every cook has their own favorite method. You can use the bones leftover from a roasted chicken, or you may buy a whole chicken and use the entire bird for your broth. Either way, you just cover it with cold water, add the seasonings and vegetables you'd like for flavor, then simmer for a few hours, cool quickly, and freeze. Now you have broth to use that's worthy of your cooking!
Soups and stews often use meaty bones to create the stock base. All meat departments will have soup bones available for purchase. If you don't see them on the counter, ring the butcher and ask. They will be more than happy to sell them to you. Soup bones are very reasonably priced and offer great flavor and some will have enough meat left on the bone after you are done simmering it, so you can pick off enough to add back into your soup or stew. Don't forget your dog! If you have a sturdy bone, like a "knuckle bone", your pup will love to finish it off for you after you're done with it.
Now, as to some of the best and most economical soups, one of my favorite ingredients for soup these days is beans. They are delicious, nutritious, and economical. Beans and peas add a great depth to soups and stews, both in flavor and in texture. I have tried just about every combination of bean soup that's imaginable. From the simplest Black Bean Soup and Split Pea Soup, to more complicated Chickpea and Butternut Squash Stew. Any and all ingredients have had some kind of trial in my kitchen. There is always room for one more bean, pea, or Lentil Soup recipe in my cookbook.
Potato Soup in all forms was one of the staples in our house when I was growing up. Potatoes were plentiful, flavorful, and cheap, so that was all we needed to know. My Mom would take a big ham bone, start it simmering in the morning with some onion and celery, and by dinnertime we were diving face-first into steaming bowls of creamy, yummy Potato Soup. This is a great simple pot of soup to build off from by adding cheese, bacon, ham, and vegetables, but the traditional beginnings are always the best when it comes to Potato Soup.
Then there are the Chowders. You most likely have made a classic Corn Chowder in your lifetime. That in itself is a very satisfying meal. You may like to take your recipe and tweak it just a bit to add in some ham or seafood just to get your family interested again. However you make your Chowder, you are guaranteed some happy, warm bellies pushing away from the dinner table, while your food budget remains safe.
Include one or two soup meals when you plan your week's menu. Your family will appreciate pulling their chairs up to a table set with big bowls of steamy soup, and your budget will appreciate the hand-up, too. Feels like home, doesn't it?
If you have a traditional family recipe for chicken soup or beef stew, but you have not ventured much further, this struggling economy could, and should, be the time to experiment. There is a vast variety of soups, stews, and chowders that are just waiting for your creative hand. And, don't worry, just because they are economical doesn't mean they are less nutritious. On the contrary, you may be surprised by the amount and quality of nutrients in these simple dishes.
We're going to start with chicken broth as it's the beginning to many soups and stews. If you buy the canned or boxed kind it's certainly convenient, but can wreck havok on your budget. I'm here to say that it is within your power to make your own homemade chicken broth! You may not feel up to the challenge, what with all the TV cooks opening up a can or box, but trust me, you are ready. By making your own chicken broth you control the salt and flavors. You can skim the fat off after cooling, or leave it as is. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to fill your freezer with containers of broth and feel proud that you now have a supply ready to use when you need it, and at pennies instead of dollars.
Making chicken broth is not a precise science. Every cook has their own favorite method. You can use the bones leftover from a roasted chicken, or you may buy a whole chicken and use the entire bird for your broth. Either way, you just cover it with cold water, add the seasonings and vegetables you'd like for flavor, then simmer for a few hours, cool quickly, and freeze. Now you have broth to use that's worthy of your cooking!
Soups and stews often use meaty bones to create the stock base. All meat departments will have soup bones available for purchase. If you don't see them on the counter, ring the butcher and ask. They will be more than happy to sell them to you. Soup bones are very reasonably priced and offer great flavor and some will have enough meat left on the bone after you are done simmering it, so you can pick off enough to add back into your soup or stew. Don't forget your dog! If you have a sturdy bone, like a "knuckle bone", your pup will love to finish it off for you after you're done with it.
Now, as to some of the best and most economical soups, one of my favorite ingredients for soup these days is beans. They are delicious, nutritious, and economical. Beans and peas add a great depth to soups and stews, both in flavor and in texture. I have tried just about every combination of bean soup that's imaginable. From the simplest Black Bean Soup and Split Pea Soup, to more complicated Chickpea and Butternut Squash Stew. Any and all ingredients have had some kind of trial in my kitchen. There is always room for one more bean, pea, or Lentil Soup recipe in my cookbook.
Potato Soup in all forms was one of the staples in our house when I was growing up. Potatoes were plentiful, flavorful, and cheap, so that was all we needed to know. My Mom would take a big ham bone, start it simmering in the morning with some onion and celery, and by dinnertime we were diving face-first into steaming bowls of creamy, yummy Potato Soup. This is a great simple pot of soup to build off from by adding cheese, bacon, ham, and vegetables, but the traditional beginnings are always the best when it comes to Potato Soup.
Then there are the Chowders. You most likely have made a classic Corn Chowder in your lifetime. That in itself is a very satisfying meal. You may like to take your recipe and tweak it just a bit to add in some ham or seafood just to get your family interested again. However you make your Chowder, you are guaranteed some happy, warm bellies pushing away from the dinner table, while your food budget remains safe.
Include one or two soup meals when you plan your week's menu. Your family will appreciate pulling their chairs up to a table set with big bowls of steamy soup, and your budget will appreciate the hand-up, too. Feels like home, doesn't it?
About the Author:
Black beans are a nutritional addition to any diet, and you can't miss with this simple 5 Can Bean Soup, or for a more traditional recipe try our homemade Black Bean Soup from Dried Beans. Either one is sure to please!
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