TIP # 1 the name says it all
Another blogger turned me on to this
↓
update: I have lately seen it at Costco also.
Recipe calls for corkscrew and I only have elbow macaroni? Most pastas can be interchanged. Corkscrew, small shells, elbow, rigatoni, ziti, etc. I will use what I have. I mean I won't put spaghetti in Mac 'n cheese but you get it. Be flexible.
Well, that's it for now...SOUP ON MY FRIENDS!
TIP # 2 no one likes soggy rice or noodles
Soups with pasta or rice? If not eaten, drank ( what do you call consuming soup anyway?) immediately, I cook the rice/pasta separately and add it just before serving. I don't like mushy rice/pasta! Most soup recipes make a pretty large amount of soup. More then hubby and I can consume in a day or two so I generally freeze half for a later day. If I know that I plan to freeze the soup, I leave the rice/pasta out and cook and serve with the finished soup after I thaw and heat it up.
TIP # 3 pasta is pasta is pasta
TIP # 4 grate cheese yourself
Recipes that include cheese? Shred it yourself, DON'T buy the bags of preshredded cheese. They coat it with cornstarch (or something) to keep it free flowing and believe me it will just not melt or mix into your soup properly. It will seem grainy. It is not that big a deal to shred cheese, is it?
TIP # 5 easy on the salt 
Salt can be the most taste-enhancing addition to any meal, BUT
too much salt can really ruin a good meal. Not to mention that many prefer limiting salt for healths sake. Some cooks maintain that adding a potato to your soup will soak up salt. I maintain it is better to cut back on the amount of salt a recipe calls for. Add it to taste at the end. You can always add salt but you can't take it away. I think this also is a good habit for many spices particularly the "hot" ones such as the peppers, paprika, chili powder, cumin etc.
TIP # 6 ♪♪ just a spoonful of sugar ♪♪
I generally add a Tablespoon of sugar to my heavily tomato based soups like Chili, stuffed pepper soup etc. as I find it cuts down on the acidity without changing the taste.
TIP # 7 it's not rocket science (or baking)
To make a great cake or croissant you must follow the recipe if it is to turn out correctly. Soup is far more forgiving. Recipe calls for 1 cup of diced onion and your large onion gives you more like a cup and 1/4? Toss it in for pete's sake! Extra stuff in the frig? Give it a go, toss it in the pot! You may find you have discovered something wonderful.
TIP # 8 Recipe calls for fresh herbs? I only have dried?
1 Tablespoon of fresh herbs is about 1 teaspoon of dried.
About 1/3 of the amount of dried herbs when the recipe calls for fresh and 3 times as much fresh herbs when the recipe calls for dried. But obviously add as much (or little) as you personally desire, again I refer to tip #7.; "It's not rocket science."
TIP # 9 Dried VS canned beans?
"I tend to cook with dry beans, but most recipes call for canned. Is there a reliable ratio to convert between the two?" 
I myself wondered as I know dried beans are cheaper and also are said to be tastier? I am going to try switching to dried. I found this in my internet search ↓
This fellow says it better, so check it out, I thank him! The short answer? 1/3 dried beans is about 1 can of beans. In my NTBH opinion? So what if you put a bit too many beans in? Beans are good!
TIP # 10 freeze individual soup portions
Most soup recipes make a hugh amount of soup. My kids are grown, there is just hubby and me, and he is not the soup lover I am. Even my most well loved recipes I don't want to have for four days straight.
I used to freeze in my Rubbermaid containers which often ruined them. Then I discovered these.
SOUPER CUBES!!
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| www.soupercubes.com |
No, I do not get a kickback from the company and yes, I think they are a bit pricey but I LOVE THESE. I saw them in a Facebook group. They work really well. I use the 2 cup size and freeze individual portions. After they are frozen I pop them out and freezer seal them. I want a lunch? I pick a soup and put the freezer bag in boiling water or put the cube in a pan or the microwave and it is the perfect size for me. I have not yet used them on meals other than soups but I am checking out Pinterest for good ideas.
TIP# 11 Am I cheap? or frugal? I save Tomato paste!
Many of my soup recipes call for the addition of 1 tablespoon tomato paste. So okay the cans are small, but nothing is cheap anymore! I found this small ice cube making tray at IKEA (paid $1 I think). Nine 1 tablespoon compartments! 1 small can of tomato paste fills 8 compartments, I freeze, put into a freezer bag and plop 1or2 into a soup as needed. Say what you want about me. I am NOT wasting 7/8 of a can for a pot of soup. Know that I AM of Scandinavian background. We know how to save $$$$$$.
So there!
TIP# 12 label so you know what you have
Always, I mean always label the soup you freeze. I know from experience it really sucks when you throw your favorite frozen minestrone soup into the crockpot and head out the door, only to come home to a crockpot of hot tomatoes you harvested and pureed last fall. Uffda.
TIP # 13 Want to "kick it up"?
Maybe you want your soup to have a little more kick than your spouse does? My brother in Texas turned me on to this ↓ A few shakes into your individual bowl? This is the best. Try it.(don't overdue it though)
Or not a spicy person? Vegeta enhances your soup's veggie flavors. Also a winner IMHO↓
TIP # 14 What is a "Mirepoix"?
Dictionary says - French, named after the Duc de Mirepoix (1699–1757), French general.
Was he a cook or just a soup lover like me? Mirepoix is 2 cups of onions, 1 cup of carrots, and 1 cup of celery. The base for many of my soups.
This gal's blog explains it much better than I can, with pictures no less!
Leftover carrots, celery, and onions? I chop or shred before the veggies go "bad" and freeze them in individual bags measuring 1 cup each for future soups. I worried about taste and texture after freezing but it seems to work well for me, plus a time saver for future soups.
A "nope" for me but if you are a bit lazy and not the least bit frugal? I've heard that Trader Joes now sells mirepoix precut.
TIP # 15 save leftovers for future soups
Leftover ham at Easter and turkey at Thanksgiving? Cube the ham, shred the turkey and freeze in small soup-size portions for later soup creations. Turkey can be substituted for all the chicken recipes. My husband likes to smoke turkeys and that is especially good in soups. Even veggies. Carrots, celery or onions almost past their prime? Dice and freeze. Other leftover meal veggies? I throw in a bag I have in the freezer just for that purpose. Hey, don't forget about the $5 Costco chickens!
