You’d think an Elf would revel in the cold, but I certainly don’t.  I like to be warm and comfortable.  I’m a big fan of fuzzy sweaters, soft blankets, roaring fires, and steaming beverages.

It’s been very cold here this week (after surprising warmth last week).  Cold weather makes me think "Soup" — hearty and filling, warm and comorting.  Tonight, I’ll make some homemade corn chowder and then maybe some squash soup later in the week.  I’m also playing with a recipe for a winter vegetable soup.  I find that a mug of soup and a small salad make an ideal light dinner.

Until last year, I had made soup only a handful of times.  It always seemed terribly complicated.  In truth, it really isn’t, especially if you use store bought stock.  (Homemade stock is great and I do that when I have a turkey or chicken carcass or a ham bone to use.)  But for a quick pot of soup that you can make on a work night, store bought stock works just fine. 

I always get the reduced sodium kind because most stock is way too salty for my taste.  (Even with low-sodium stock, I add no additional salt.)  Using the stock as your base, you can add fresh or dried herbs, spices, vegetables, and noodles (or rice or barley).  As a rule, if you are using onions or celery, saute them in a bit of olive oil first to soften them.  Then add the remaining ingredients in the following order:  spices, vegetables, herbs, noodles.  Once the veggies and the noodles are soft, you have soup!

To give soups a bit more substance, withdraw a cup or so and toss it in a blender before adding it back to the soup pot.  This works especially well with bean and potato soups.  Also, you can add a bit of butter just before serving to add extra smoothness and richness.