Chicken Corn Soup

This is by far the most requested soup at my house.  One of the best things about this is that we use corn from our garden or my husband's families' farm.  We freeze tons each year for the winter months.  I usually add 2 packages to each pot of soup, each being about 2.5-3 cups.  I typically roast a whole chicken every few months, pull apart the meat and freeze in small, meal sized portions.  I use the carcass to make chicken stock.  Those are key elements to make this soup quick and easy!

I am going to try to get this into recipe form, although most of the time I just throw things together. 

Chicken Corn Soup

8 cups chicken stock

3-4 carrots, chopped

2 onions, chopped

2-3 cups cooked, shredded chicken

5-6 cups corn kernels

1 cup milk

garlic, salt, pepper to taste

Simmer the carrots and onion in stock until tender.  Add corn and chicken.  Stir in milk and spices.  Add water if you would like a thinner soup.  Heat soup until hot.  Serve with bread, biscuits, or grilled cheese!

This makes a big pot so you can have leftovers for another meal or freeze some for another day.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Sauerkraut Soup

Sauerkraut is a favorite at our house.  I remember my mom making it when I was young.  My sister and I would eat as little as we possibly could get away with.  Now I enjoy it much more and my husband LOVES it.  We don't use it as a condiment, it is part of the main meal here!  We ferment our own for about a month and a half in an old crock.  I scored this year and got 10 heads of cabbage at the farmers' market for $9.  The guy who sold it to me looked at me funny and said "that's a lot of cabbage".  I explained we were making sauerkraut and then he seemed to understand!  I have canned and frozen the kraut and either way it seems to do well. 

Our favorite dish is kraut and sausage with mashed potatoes.  I decided it was time to branch out and try kraut in a soup.  Browsed a few recipes online and then threw this together with what I had.

Sauerkraut Soup

Chop 4 stalks celery, 3 carrots, 1 onion, and 3 cloves garlic.  Saute the veggies in 2 Tbsp coconut oil (or your fat of choice).

Add 3 cups chicken stock and 2 cups sauerkraut brine.  Simmer mixture until veggies are soft. 

Add 2 cups sauerkraut and chopped smoked sausage or kielbasa.

Season to your liking and heat through.

(I added thyme, pepper, onion powder, and more garlic.)

My husband gave this recipe the thumbs up and I am happy to have another way to enjoy our homemade kraut!  We always pack our kraut with lots of brine but you could always add more stock if you have drier kraut.

Did I mention how much our dog loves kraut?  She is German after all :)



7 Reasons Why I Love Homemade Soup

I love soup.  I could eat it every day.  Warm, hearty, goodness, especially on a snowy winters day......mmm:)  I have almost completely eliminated canned soups from our cupboards.  I still have the occasional cream soup stashed away for a casserole but I have been working on perfecting a homemade version to keep on hand for such occasions.  Here is why I could eat soup every day....

1. Endless possibilities.  You can experiment and throw almost anything in a pot to make a delicious meal.  Pretty much, I can't screw it up so what's not to like?
2. Use up leftovers.  Have a bit of meat leftover?  Veggies in the crisper nearing the end of their life?  Throw 'em in the pot!
3. Easy to make tons.  I love making a huge pot of soup and freezing some for a quick meal another day.
4. Pack in those extra veggies.  Soup is a great way to get an extra serving.  Not that my husband and I have trouble eating veggies (we love them) but soup is just another way to enjoy them and get lots of them in one dish!
5. Comfort food.  Doesn't it just make you feel homey?
6. Crock it.  Throw everything in the crock pot and forget about it until you are hungry!
7. Biscuits.  I love pairing soup with warm biscuits, dripping with butter :)

We have a handful of favorite soup recipes that my husband requests and plenty more that I try out from time to time.  My goal is to share those favorites over the next few weeks so you can enjoy them too!  What is your favorite soup?  Wanna share it here on One Acre Farm?