Monday, June 16, 2008

The Secret to Quick and Wholesome Homemade Soups


(ARA) - Soups are a healthful staple any time of year, but preparing them can sometimes feel like too much of a chore. Using broth to create homemade soups is the perfect way to add lots of flavor to these tasty dishes without having to spend all day in the kitchen.

In fact, most people use broth in their home-cooked soups. According to a recent survey commissioned by Campbell Soup Company, broth is used in homemade soup more than 80 percent of the time. So, go ahead and tantalize your taste buds with these quick-cooking classics.

Sensational Chicken Noodle Soup starts with a flavorful base of Swanson chicken broth and combines chicken, egg noodles, carrots and celery to create a mouthwatering dish that makes a great lunch or appetizer.

For a satisfying entree, prepare Beef Barley Soup. Just add potatoes, beef and carrots to Swanson beef broth for soup that tastes like it has been simmering on the stove all day.

Now there’s no excuse to miss out on the delightful pleasures of homemade soup. For more helpful cooking tips, please visit www.swansonbroth.com.

Sensational Chicken Noodle Soup
Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 25 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

4 cups Swanson Chicken Broth (regular, Natural Goodness or Certified Organic)

Generous dash ground black pepper

1 medium carrot, sliced (about 1/2 cup)

1 stalk celery, sliced (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup uncooked extra wide egg noodles

1 cup shredded cooked chicken or turkey

1. Heat the broth, pepper, carrot and celery in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.

2. Stir the noodles and chicken into the saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes or until the noodles are tender.

Asian Soup: Add 2 green onions cut into 1/2-inch pieces, 1 clove garlic, minced, 1 teaspoon ground ginger and 2 teaspoons soy sauce. Substitute uncooked curly Asian noodles for egg noodles.

Mexican Soup: Add 1/2 cup Pace Chunky salsa, 1 clove garlic, minced, 1 cup rinsed and drained black beans and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder. Substitute 2 corn tortillas (4 or 6-inch) cut into thin strips for the noodles, adding them just before serving.



Italian Tortellini Soup: Add 1 can (about 14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained, 1 clove garlic, minced, 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed and 1 cup spinach leaves. Substitute 1/2 cup frozen cheese tortellini for egg noodles. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Beef Barley Soup

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 40 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

2 cups water

1/4 cup uncooked pearl barley

1 pound boneless beef sirloin steak or top round steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

6 ounces mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups)

1 clove garlic, minced

4 cups Swanson Beef Broth (Regular, 50 percent Less Sodium or Certified Organic)

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed

Generous dash ground black pepper

2 medium carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)

1. Heat the water in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Add the barley. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 40 minutes or until the barley is tender, stirring occasionally. Drain.

2. Cook the beef in a 3-quart nonstick saucepot until it's well browned, stirring often.

3. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook until the mushrooms are tender.

4. Stir the broth, thyme, black pepper and carrots into the saucepot. Heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Stir in the barley.

TIP: Substitute 1/2 cup quick-cooking barley for the pearl barley. Cook for 12 minutes (or according to the package directions) or until the barley is tender.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

1 comment:

Ivy said...

Thanks for the chicken noodle soup recipe! I haven't made it yet but I will!