Meatless Soups--Minestrone and Creamy Tomato

I went digging through my blog archives for this first recipe: Minestrone Soup. The only change I made was to use a reduced sodium, vegetable base I found recently called "BETTER THAN BOUILLON".

I didn't have any homemade stock on hand, and though I've used bouillon cubes for years, I wanted to try something different--something with largely recognizable ingredients. This 8 oz. jar makes 9.5 quarts worth, goes into the refrigerator, and 1 tsp. of it equals one bouillon cube or 8 oz. can of broth.

This soup is hearty, full of flavor, and good for ya!

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The other recipe is one of my absolute favorite soups. Honestly, can there be a better combo than creamy tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich?

This recipe is just slightly adapted from the MORE WITH LESS cookbook (I omitted the onion, reduced the salt, and changed some of the spices).

Cream of Tomato Soup

Serves 3-4

2 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. flour

2 tsp. white sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

dash of garlic powder, basil, and oregano

2 c. tomato juice

2 c. cold milk

Directions:

1. Melt butter in large saucepan on low, whisk in flour, then sugar, salt & seasonings.

2. Remove from heat and gradually add juice, then return to burner, increase heat to medium, and bring to a boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

3. Ladel a spoonful of hot soup into the milk, then add milk to the saucepan and heat until ready to serve, stirring as needed. (You don't want it to boil again.)

Enjoy!