By Susan Georgia
If you keep just a few basic panty staples on hand, you can whip up one of these soups in less time than it takes to get pizza delivered. And don’t worry too much about exact ingredients. If you don’t have the suggested item, or just prefer something else, go for it! The seasoning amounts given are for an average amount of spiciness—Use less for tender taste buds or more for bolder flavor.
For a Mexican Version:
- Meat: about 2 cups total Cooked chicken
- Veggies: about 1 cp Diced Onion
- 2-3 cloves minced or 1/4 – 1/2 tsp powder Garlic
- Seasonings: ½ tsp. each cumin and oregano; 4-oz. can or ½ cup frozen
- diced green chiles
- 32 oz carton Chicken Broth
- 5-oz. can, undrained Canned Diced Tomatoes
- Optional (15-oz. can, rinsed/drained) Black or Pinto beans
- Starch: About 1 cup frozen or canned corn
- Optional Extra Veggies: 1 small zucchini, diced
- Optional Garnishes: Grated Mexican Cheese Blend, Chopped Cilantro,
- Sliced Green Onions, Broken Tortilla Chips, Sour Cream
For an Italian Version:
- Meat: about 2 cups total Cooked chicken or sausage
- Veggies: about 2 cps total Diced Onion, celery, carrots
- 2-3 cloves minced or 1/4 – 1/2 tsp powder Garlic
- Seasonings: ½ tsp. each Italian seasoning & Basil
- 32 oz carton Chicken Broth
- 5-oz. can, undrained Canned Diced Tomatoes
- Optional (15-oz. can, rinsed/drained) Kidney or Cannellini beans
- Starch: About 1/2 cup small macaroni or broken spaghetti
- Optional Extra Veggies: 1 small zucchini, diced
- Optional Garnishes: Grated parmesan, chopped parsley
For a Cajun Version:
- Meat: about 2 cups total Cooked chicken shrimp or Andouille
- About 2 cps total Diced Onion, celery, green pepper
- Veggies: 2-3 cloves minced or 1/4 – 1/2 tsp powder Garlic
- Seasonings: 1/2 tsp each Paprika, blk pepper, white pepper & Thyme;
- 1/8-1/4 tsp Cayenne
- 32 oz carton Chicken Broth
- 5-oz. can, undrained Canned Diced Tomatoes
- Optional (15-oz. can, rinsed/drained) Kidney or Red beans
- Starch: About 1-2 cps rice
- Optional Extra Veggies: 1 cp fresh or frozen okra
- Optional Garnishes: sliced green onion, chopped parsley
If your meat is not already cooked, heat a little (about a tablespoon) olive oil in a soup pot and cook the meat until just done. When using sausage, I remove it from the casing before cooking and break it up as I cook. Remove meat from pot and set aside. If needed, cut or shred meat into bite-sized pieces. Heat a little (about a tablespoon) olive oil in your soup pot and saute the diced vegetables for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and seasonings and cook for about another 30 seconds.
Susan Georgia started baking at the age of 8, beginning with sugar cookies and brownies and working up to chocolate éclairs. In high school, she began occasionally cooking simple meals for her working parents. While in college, working, and on a very limited budget, she began experimenting with cooking large quantities of whatever was on sale and freezing extra servings for later.
Deciding she wanted more variety in her meals, she started reading cookbooks and trying new things; there was no such thing as Food Network in those days. In the mid 1990’s, after several years of experimenting had built her skills and confidence, she invested in a Personal Chef Training System and operated a personal chef service called “Custom Cuisine” in Santa Fe, NM. Although she sold the personal chef service, she continued to experiment with methods that would allow busy people to prepare home-cooked meals made from mostly unprocessed foods. Her family and friends frequently call her with their cooking questions or request recipe suggestions.