"Cooking with Betty"
Cold weather, warm soup
Betty Jacobs

Cooler weather always brings thoughts of soup. This month's recipes include popular soups: Cream of Spinach Soup with Cheese (or broccoli), Chicken Velvet Soup, Chicken and Corn Soup, and Seafood Gumbo.

Enjoy!

Cream of Spinach Soup with Cheese

1/4 cup boiling water
2 cups frozen spinach (or broccoli)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
4 cups milk (I use 2 cups milk and 2 cups half &
half)
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
tabasco sauce if desired
dash chopped parsley

Add boiling water to the spinach and allow to stand until spinach is heated through. Put in an electric blender to chop, or cut into small pieces. Brown onion in butter and stir in flour.

Cook until bubbly. Add milk, stirring rapidly until thickened. Add spinach, salt and parsley. Let stand at least 15 minutes.

Serves 6. Note: When serving, I like to sprinkle a little provolone or Swiss cheese on top.

Chicken Velvet Soup

1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
6 cups chicken stock (canned broth will do)
1 cup warm milk
1 cup warm cream
1 1/2 cups finely diced chicken
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup cooked rice, if desired

Melt butter and add flour. Cook over low heat until well blended. Add 2 cups hot chicken broth and the warm milk and cream. Cook slowly, stirring frequently, until thick. Add remaining 4 cups of chicken broth and chicken, and heat to boiling. Season with salt and pepper. Add cooked rice if desired.

Serves 6 to 8.

Chicken and Corn Soup

1 quart chicken stock (canned chicken broth can be
used)
1/2 cup cooked chicken, finely diced
1/4 cup canned corn
1 hard-cooked egg, chopped very fine
1/2 cup fine noodles
salt and pepper to taste

Wash noodles in cold water and add to the chicken stock. Cook until soft, then add the cooked chicken and corn.

Season with salt and pepper. Add parsley and egg. Serve hot with toasted French bread.

Makes 4 generous servings.

Seafood Gumbo

1/4 pound bacon
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
1 cup diced celery
2 or 3 sprigs parsley
2 cups fresh or canned tomatoes
4 cups stock (chicken, beef or vegetable; each stock
will slightly change flavor)
1 cup raw cleaned shrimp
1 cup fresh or frozen crabmeat
2 cups okra
1 cup cooked rice
hot sauce as desired

Dice and saute bacon in the pot you plan to make the soup in. Add onion, green pepper and saute until yellow. Add parsley, chopped fine, the tomatoes and stock.

Cook until all vegetables are soft. Add raw shrimp and crabmeat. Add okra and rice. Cook for 10 minutes and serve hot. Hot sauce may be added before serving.

Makes 6 servings.