Make your own dry cream soup mix!

By now you all know how I feel about making things homemade.

Yes, I enjoy playing in the kitchen - it's my favorite room in the house. It's where I can express myself freely, create, and satisfy others with healthy foods.

My mind is constantly working on new things to make - I've got tons of books loaded with so much to share with you.

For now - a member of my little cooking community is looking for my recipe to make homemade dry soup mix. So you can thank Jim for me posting this.

Why make it homemade?

Well - not only is it cheaper, but it is healthier as well.

Keep eating healthy and homemade and when you pass on to the next world, you will need to be embalmed.

Keep eating pre-packaged, chemically processed and preservative-loaded foods and when you pass on - you will not need to be embalmed - you are slowly doing it yourself - thanks to all the choices you can find in the supermarkets that can care less if you eat healthy - as long as they make a sale.

Trust me.


It just takes a minute or two to whip this up; store tightly in your pantry and you'll be all set.


HOMEMADE CREAM SOUP DRY MIX

Using a quart jar, combine and whisk well:

2 cups instant non-fat dry milk mix
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup chicken bouillon granules
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Store in your pantry or a cool, dry place; airtight.

This recipe will yield 3 cups dry mix or 9 cans of creamed soup reconstituted.

TO MAKE THIS SOUP (RECONSTITUTE):
Combine 1/3 cup dry mix and 1 1/4 cups water. Heat over medium heat until thickened.

VARIATIONS:
CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP: Add chopped sauteed mushrooms.
CREAM OF CELERY SOUP: Add chopped sauteed celery.
CREAM OF BROCCOLI SOUP: Add chopped sauteed or steamed broccoli florets.


You can also make HOMEMADE DRIED ONION SOUP MIX

HOMEMADE DRIED ONION SOUP MIX #1

1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet
1 cup dried onion

Whisk onion powder, salt and sugar in small bowl. Drizzle Kitchen Bouquet over mix; stir until this mix is uniformly brown. Add dried onion and continue to mix until uniformly brown - this will take a bit of time.

Transfer to jar with tight-fitting lid. THIS MIX MUST BE STORED IN THE REFRIGERATOR! Stir before each use.

This recipe will yield 1 cup of Onion Soup Mix which is equivalent to two 1/5-ounce envelopes of dried soup mix.



HOMEMADE DRIED ONION SOUP MIX #2

2 cups instant non-fat dry milk
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup beef bouillon granules
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

Combine all ingredients, mixing well. Store in an airtight container in your pantry. Stir before each use.

To use (reconstitute) combine 1/3 cup dry mix with 1 1/2 cups water. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened.




HOMEMADE DRIED ONION SOUP MIX #3

3/4 cup instant minced onion
1/3 cup beef-flavored bouillon granules
1 tablespoon PLUS 1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon celery seed, crushed
1/4 teaspoon sugar - optional

Combine all ingredients, mixing well. Store in an airtight container in your pantry. Stir before each use.

Five tablespoons of this mix equals one 1.25-ounce package of store-bought dry soup mix.



While you are at it - we can all use a nice browning sauce - whether it is for gravies or any other recipes. This will also thicken gravies.

HOMEMADE KITCHEN BOUQUET

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 cups water

Place brown sugar in heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and allow it to parch (just about burn)stirring slowly the whole time. When the brown sugar turns a dark brown, add water; stir well.

Store in tightly covered glass jar or bottle. Use as you would Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master.


I hope you enjoy the recipes!