Autumn Soup

It's that time of year when we seem to all have a hankerin' for that delicious soup! I recall both Mom and Daddy making it. I think he's the one that found the recipe in a magazine, and made it a time or two, and she took over after that. However it went, it was DELICIOUS and we still love to have it simmering. We put it in the crockpot in the morning on Conference Sunday this year and served it up with some garlic toast. Yum, yum!

Autumn Soup

1 lb. ground beef or turkey
4 C. water or stock
1 C. onions, chopped
1 C. carrots, chopped
1 C. celery, chopped
1 C. potatoes, diced

1 lg. can stewed tomatoes (or 6 fresh)
2 t. salt
1/8 t. basil
1/4 t. pepper
1 t. kitchen bouquet or soup base
1 bay leaf (broken apart)

Brown meat and add everything else into the pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer for at least 2 hours.

Cristi's modifications:
I use less water and more tomatoes, just regular diced in the can.
I use about 1 T. of basil and several bay leaves.
I don't use kitchen bouquet because it contains MSG, so I may throw in a bit of Worcestershire sauce and paprika, or whatever I'm in the mood for.
I never measure my veggies - I just chop and toss and it always comes out great!
Shake some Parmesan cheese on top or grated Jack is good, too.

Mo's and Clam Chowder

One thing I will always remember about Grandma Cleo was how well she cooked.  She was specifically known for her soups.  People in the ward and neighborhood would often ask her for a pot of soup, and if my memory serves me correctly, I think they sold for quite a lot Though she never taught me how to make soups, and though I certainly wouldn't consider myself a 'great cook', Jon says I make a 'mean soup', and I like to think I somehow inherited that from Grandma.

Another thing I remember is how much Grandma always raved about "Mo's Clam Chowder".  We HAD to go there every time we went to the coast, and that tradition lives on in our family.  Now that I've moved to the coast, I went on a quest for a good clam chowder recipe, and, after trying a few different recipes, I decided on this one (from Allrecipes.com).  We love it, and make it for all of our out of town guests.  (Come see for yourself....)

Ingredients

• 3 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams
• 1 cup minced onion
• 1 cup diced celery
• 2 cups cubed potatoes
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 quart half-and-half cream
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Drain juice from clams into a large skillet over the onions, celery, potatoes and carrots. Add water to cover, and cook over medium heat until tender.
2. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in vegetables and clam juice. Heat through, but do not boil.
3. Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough. When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.