Home Comfort Soups from 1948

Winter came down to our home one night quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow,and we, we were children once again. ~Bill Morgan, Jr.

We just finished dinner, BBQ chicken and potato wedges, and I was thinking about soups again. I know, I'm a little odd, but winter makes me crave soups and chowders. I just found my copy of the Home Comfort Cook Book from 1948. It was published for Home Comfort Ranges and was originally "One dollar post paid". Don't we wish cookbooks cost that now:) This time period is great for finding recipes that use thrifty ingredients. I thought I'd share a few of the recipes.

Cream of Corn Soup

2 cups boiling water

2 cups canned cream style corn

1/2 cup chopped celery and leaves

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 tbsp. chopped onions

2 cups milk

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. paprika

Add water to corn. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes with celery, parsley and onion. Melt butter, add flour and when well blended add milk slowly. Strain corn mixture and add to white sauce. Season, heat to boiling point and serve with sprinkling of additional parley on top of each soup plate. Makes about 4 1/2 cups.

Chicken Bisque

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. flour

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup top milk *see note

1 cup cooked ground chicken

salt and paprika

Melt butter, blend in flour, add chicken stock gradually, then top milk and ground chicken. Season to taste. Heat well and serve-luscious preceding a salad main course at luncheon topped with whipped cream, sprinkled with paprika. Makes about 5 cups.

Note: Top milk is the milk that was "topped" from whole milk that still had the cream in it. You can use half and half or cream instead.

Onion Soup

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions

3/4 cup water

4 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. flour

6 cups stock (beef, chicken, vegetable)

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

salt

pepper

toast

grated cheese

Brown onions in butter. Stir in flour, stock and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer covered for one hour. Season with salt and pepper. Place in oven proof dishes. Cover top with toast sprinkled with cheese. Put in hot oven until cheese is melted. Serve at once. Makes 6 cups.

Notes: Toast can be Italian or French bread that's been sliced and lightly toasted. Sprinkle with Parmesan, Swiss or other cheese and heat under broiler.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 pound mushrooms

2 cups stock or water

1 small stalk celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

2 sprigs parsley

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. flour

2 cups cream

1 1/4 tsp. salt

Wash mushrooms, trim stems and cover with stock. Add celery, parsley, peeled carrots and onion. Simmer for 20 minutes. Drain vegetables, reserving stock and put through at food chopper (blender or food processor). Melt butter, add flour, and blend well. Add mushroom stock slowly and hot cream. Add the vegetables, season and serve. Makes 4 1/2 cups.

Check out this article from Mary Emma on winter chowders:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/chowders.html

~Brenda