There are few things that make you feel warm from the inside out like a bowl of soup does. That’s why when the weather starts to get cool I love to make a big batch of soup to keep on hand.
I don’t really have a set recipe – I don’t think I’ve ever made it the same way twice, come to think of it – but I follow the same basic steps.
The last time I made soup I used the crock pot and I really loved the set it and forget it way of cooking. I was able to make more than a gallon of soup without much effort.
Of course, it helps if you have all the ingredients in your house. I started getting my soup prepped and realized that I didn’t have any chicken broth in the house. Hmmm. It’s tough to make soup with no broth.
Fortunately, digging around in my cupboards I found a jar of Better Than Bouillon that I bought on a whim a while ago. I’d never tried it before, but since I had no other options, I gave it a shot. It was pretty easy – just mix it in water – and had a decent flavor.
But the key to great soup is spice. I start with about a teaspoon of each spice per quart and adjust from there by taste. My go-to spices for soup are onion powder, garlic powder, ginger powder, paprika, ground mustard, thyme, salt and pepper.
Want to give it a try? Here are some basic steps to follow for making Belly Warming Tortellini Soup in your slow cooker.
- In a 5 quart slow cooker mix 4 quarts of water with about 5 tbsp Better Than Bouillon (or use 4 quarts chicken broth). Add in spices to taste. Set heat to low and let cook for at least 3 hours
- Approximately 2 hours before serving add 2 12-ounce bags of frozen cheese tortellini and about 2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables. You can also add a couple of cups of cooked chicken if you like. I also recommend tasting the broth to make sure the seasonings are how you like them. Add more as necessary.
- Serve piping hot!
That’s it!
Is there anything you like to add to your soups to make them special? Share in the comments.
