Cream Soup Mix

Don’t run out of this one. I store it in an air-tight container in my pantry with a scoop I salvaged from a powdered drink cannister. This makes soup, sauce, gravy…it will turn any watery soup into a creamed soup, and turn left-over veggies into a creative masterpiece.

• 2 cups instant nonfat dry milk
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup chicken bouillon powder
• 4 tsp instant minced onion
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix well with a whisk. Store in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place. Shake before each use.

To make condensed cream soup: combine 1 1/4 cup water and 1/2 cup sauce mix in a saucepan. Blend well. Cook over medium heat until boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Simmer 1 minute. Equals 1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream soup.

Medium white sauce: combine 1 cup water and 1/3 cup sauce mix in a saucepan. Blend well. Cook over medium heat until boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Simmer 1 minute.

Thin white sauce: combine 1 cup water and 3 tbsp. sauce mix in a saucepan. Blend well. Cook over medium heat until boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Simmer 1 minute. Use this measure for easy, instant, homemade cream soups.

Microwave: in proportions desired, microwave on high for 4-5 minutes. Stir once, half way through cooking.

Alfredo Sauce: add 1/4 – 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese to the medium white sauce above just before you simmer. (You can use any cheese in this sauce…)

Stroganoff: add 4 oz mushroom pieces, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce to the sauce mix along with the water. Boil. After you’ve simmered it for a minute, add 1/2 cup of sour cream. I like to serve this over the meatballs…

Vegetable soup ideas: Cook any vegetable in water. Don’t drain the water. Add enough of the mix to thicken the soup (about 3 tbsp per cup of liquid) and then simmer. After it has thickened, puree the soup. You can also do this with left-over vegetables. If you don’t have the water the veggies cooked in, use broth.

Some seasoning ideas for creamed soup:

asparagus — lemon juice, dash of ground nutmeg or mace

green beans — 1/2 tsp crushed savory

broccoli — 1/2 tsp thyme, dash of garlic powder, 1 bay leaf; or: 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt; or: cheddar cheese, dash of garlic

carrots — 1 tbsp parsley, 1/2 tsp basil

cauliflower — 1/2 tsp curry powder (I also add a bit of cheddar cheese)

mushrooms — dash of nutmeg (I also love sautéd onions and left-over rice)

zucchini — dash nutmeg

I’d love to collect even more ideas for seasoning vegetable soups.