Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Soup for dinner?

Soup has traditionally been thought of as a first course to a three course meal. I don't know about you, but I never make three course meals! So soup and homemade bread has become a full meal for us. It is filling and nutritious, and there is not really a need for anything else. Besides, I can make a whole huge pot of it, freeze some, and have easy meals stored away. The gift of a giant pot (not pictured) was one of my most valuable wedding presents!


Our table is full of wedding/engagement gifts. Place mats, plates, bowls, pot, glass candle sticks, salt grinder . . . we also love using some crystal candle sticks that Dave's Mum and Dad gave us. It is wonderful to have a table that reminds of us of the many loving people God has placed in our lives.

What about you? Do you ever serve just soup and bread for a main meal at your house?

12 comments:

  1. In fact, this was the standard fare on Saturday nights for most of my childhood. Dad's soup was very yummy and nutritious, with lots of meat and vegetables.

    But we ate it with crackers, usually. Salada is the best with soup, methinks.

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  2. I see we are in good company then! I've never tried soup with crackers, but it sounds worth a go.

    Pumpkin soup tomorrow night at our house!

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  3. All the time! Soup and bread make a meal. We serve spicy vegetable soup (with homemade whole wheat bread) and black bean chowder (with cornbread)the most. Of course, now that it's summer here, folks tend to not serve the hot soups as much.

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  4. Wow! Those sound delicious. I'll have to ask you for the reipes some time!

    I'll consider it perfectly legitimate to serve soup and bread for a meal now that I've heard that such an experienced homemaker does the same :).

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  5. I reckon it's a meal, but I know that Nick feels like it's not really. He's not being snobby... he grew up with a family on a budget, I think it's just that he's a big hungry bloke! He'd never complain, but if I make soup for dinner often I see him poking around the kitchen later that night.

    Having said that, my minestrone soup (very chunky) served with garlic bread is never looked down upon :)

    Irish stew with some buttered sourdough is also incredibly filling (and cheap to make)

    My favourite filling soup is an Italian chickpea and pasta soup. The chickpeas are blended, so it's very very thick.

    I reckon the key is beans. When we did the csiro diet I added lots of bean and lentils (instead of some of the meat) so we could actually afford it!

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  6. To answer your ?: ALL THE TIME especially from Nov-March...our coldest months here.
    I LOVE a big pot of homemade chicken/veggie soup with French bread rolls.
    I also like making pasta/veggie soup or big pot of chili and cornbread. On those evenings, I serve a platter of fresh, raw veggies too. It is summer here now so we are grilling and making lots of different salads.
    Your gifts are gorgeous...God is so good to us, isn't He??

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  7. It is so much fun to hear about what you're all eating :).

    I'm also wanting to get more into beans, Bron, so it is fun to hear about what you are doing with them. Dave and I plan to grow lots of beans this summer and dry some for winter use.

    I've never heard of serving some raw veggies with soup, Faith, so I might have to try it! We are very grateful for all our presents . . . it is so kind of God to give us beautiful things to enjoy, even more than we need!

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  8. Yeah - I looooove soup as a meal. During my childhood we had soup and homemade pretty much every day for lunch during the winter months. Dad made this really nice potato, leak & cheese soup. But I also loved pumpking soup with sour cream, minestrone, or vegetable soup. And mum's nice warm thick fresh bread always went down well.
    In fact, Jason and I had a chicken and pasta soup for dinner last night (we didn't have bread because the pasta made it really filling).

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  9. I serve my Mum's pumpkin soup (with garlic, onion and bacon in it for flavour). I've also been experimenting with lentils and concocting various spicy dahls. They're so warm and filling.

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  10. Amy, thanks for sharing about your childhood meals. Yum! I'm impressed that your Dad cooked as well, since mine prides himself on being a bit helpless in that regard. I think it is easier for him that way! Chicken and pasta soup also sounds yummy!

    Sarah, I'm thinking of learning to make dahl. It sounds nutritious and filling.

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  11. Dahl is very good. It is an absolute staple for us when we need to save on our food costs. There are so many recipes too, so you can tweak it so you don't get sick of it. Dahl with some poppadums and rice makes a great meal. Put a bit of fresh coriander, or a squeeze of lime juice on the top to give it a twist.

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  12. Ah, sounds like dahl is definitely something I need to look into!

    We have lots of fresh coriander in the garden.

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