Alright, listen up, y’all. We’re gonna talk about soup, yeah, that warm stuff you eat when it’s cold or when you just plain hungry. And not just any soup, we’re talkin’ soup kitchen soup, the kind that fills your belly without emptying your pockets. We ain’t fancy here, so don’t expect no fancy names or hard-to-find stuff. We usin’ what we got, what’s cheap, and what’s gonna keep you goin’.
First off, you gotta understand, soup is just water that’s had a party with some vegetables and maybe some meat if you’re lucky. Don’t go thinkin’ you need a recipe book thicker than the Bible. Naw, we cook from the heart, from what we know, and from what’s on sale at the store.
So, let’s start with a good ol’ vegetable soup. This one’s a lifesaver, I tell ya. You get yourself some carrots, potatoes, onions – the cheap stuff, you know? And you chop ’em up. Don’t gotta be perfect, just small enough so you don’t choke. Then you throw it all in a big pot with some water. Let it boil, then let it simmer. That means cook it slow, like you ain’t got nowhere to be, which, let’s be honest, most days we don’t.
- Cheap Veggie Soup:
- Potatoes (the more the merrier)
- Carrots (even the bendy ones)
- Onions (don’t cry, they’re just onions)
- Water (enough to cover everything)
- Salt and pepper (to make it taste like somethin’)
- Maybe some celery if you find some cheap
Now, if you wanna get fancy, and by fancy I mean addin’ a can of somethin’, then you can throw in some diced tomatoes. Canned tomatoes are cheap and they give the soup a nice tang. I like to call it “city soup” when I add tomatoes, makes it sound like somethin’ special, you know? And don’t forget the salt and pepper. Can’t have soup without salt and pepper, that’s just a sin.
Another good one is bean soup. Beans are cheap and they fill you up good. You can use any kind of beans – pinto beans, kidney beans, even those little white beans. Just make sure you soak ’em overnight, unless you want a stomach ache that’ll make you wish you never heard of beans. Then you cook ’em the same way as the vegetable soup – boil, then simmer. You can add some onions and garlic if you got ’em, but if not, don’t sweat it. Beans are good enough on their own.
Sometimes, if we’re lucky, we get some meat. Maybe some leftover chicken bones or a bit of ham. Don’t throw that away! That’s flavor, that’s gold! You throw that in with your vegetable or bean soup and it makes it taste like a king’s dinner. Well, maybe not a king’s dinner, but a good dinner, a dinner that’ll stick to your ribs and keep you warm.
Now, some folks like to add all sorts of fancy spices to their soup. Bay leaves and thyme and whatnot. Me? I just use salt and pepper. That’s all you really need. And if you want it a little spicy, you can throw in a pinch of red pepper flakes. But be careful, a little goes a long way. Don’t want to burn your mouth off.
And the best part about soup? It’s even better the next day. All those flavors get a chance to mingle and get to know each other. So make a big pot, eat some now, and save some for later. That’s how you make your food last, that’s how you survive. You gotta be smart, you gotta be resourceful, and you gotta know how to make a good pot of soup.
Tomato soup is another good choice, ‘specially when tomatoes are in season and cheap. You can use fresh tomatoes or canned, doesn’t matter much. Just cook ’em down till they’re soft, add some water or broth if you got it, and blend it up if you like it smooth. I don’t always bother with blending, though. Sometimes it’s good to have a little somethin’ to chew on.
The thing to remember is, soup ain’t rocket science. It’s just food, meant to keep you alive and going. Don’t worry about following some fancy recipe. Just use what you got, what’s cheap, and what tastes good to you. And don’t be afraid to experiment. Throw in some extra veggies, add a little bit of this, a little bit of that. You never know, you might just come up with the best soup the soup kitchen has ever seen.
Remember, good soup recipes for dinner are a lifesaver. They are easy, yummy, and cheap, specially when you use a crockpot. You just throw everything in and let it cook all day. It’s perfect for those days when you don’t have a lot of time or energy. And it makes your house smell amazing. So go on, get yourself some veggies, some beans, maybe a little bit of meat, and make yourself a pot of soup. Your belly will thank you.
And that, my friends, is how you make soup. It ain’t pretty, it ain’t fancy, but it’s good, it’s filling, and it’s cheap. And sometimes, that’s all that matters.
