Five library staff members crafted homemade soups for a staff taste test in November. The menu ranged from vegetarian curried squash to chicken and bean – and all were delicious! The overwhelming winner, as voted by her peers, was Children’s Librarian Hillary! Enjoy the recipes below.
Instant Pot Bacon Cheeseburger Soup with Potatoes (Hillary Dillon)
https://www.thisisnotdietfood.
4 T butter
2 cups finely chopped sweet yellow onion
1 tsp curry powder
1 med butternut squash, peeled, seeded, chopped (I usually microwave until soft – easier to cut)
2 tart green apples, peeled, seeded, chopped
3 cups vegetable broth
hot sauce to taste
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1 cup apple juiceMelt butter in stock pot. Add onions and curry powder. Cover and cook low heat until onion tender (20 min). Add squash, apples, broth, hot sauce, salt, marjoram, rosemary. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until squash tender (25 min). Puree with hand blender or in batches in regular blender. Return puree to pot and add apple juice. Heat through and serve.Vegetable Beef Soup (Ali Jones)
1 bag frozen corn
1 bag frozen green beans
½ bag frozen lima beans
1 can diced tomatoes
½ bag cut carrots
¾ bottle V8
½ carton beef broth
2 lbs stew meat, cooked
¼ head diced cabbage
Salt + pepper to taste
Add water as neededChicken and Bean Soup (Jane Easterly)
3 cans of Bush’s Black Beans
2 cans of Rotel’s Tomatoes and Green Chilies (any kind)
1 can of whole corn (you choose the size)
1 can of chicken (you choose the size, or none if you want vegetarian)
1 jar of salsa (Black Bean and Corn is perfect, but any salsa will do)
Break up the chicken in the can, then dump everything in a crock pot by layering beans, tomatoes, half the corn, half the chicken, half the salsa, repeat, etc. Heat until it’s time to eat. (It tastes better if it has been in the crock pot a few hours.)
Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, and scoopable tortilla chips.
This freezes well and gets even better after a day or two. Be sure to stir it before every bowl or the last bowls can be very hot. You can easily substitute if needed (like a can of tomatoes and a can of chilies for a can containing both etc.).