In a large pot, add the potatoes, celery, carrots, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, bouillon cubes, and water.

Bring to a low boil and then turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

(You might need to add a bit more water during the cooking time if it looks a little dry, but don’t add too much.

)

Blend together the milk and flour.

(I put the milk and flour in a quart canning jar and cover tightly with a lid and then shake until it’s blended.

) Gradually add the milk mixture to the potato mixture, stirring constantly.

Cook until the soup thickens.

Add the cubed Velveeta cheese and continue to cook, stirring, until the cheese is melted.

Adjust seasonings and serve.

In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, add the oil, onion, celery, carrots, cabbage, and zucchini and cook until vegetables are lightly browned.

With a slotted spoon, remove vegetables to a large bowl and set aside for now.

In the same pot and using what’s left of the oil, cook the beef cubes, stirring frequently, until all pieces are well browned on all sides.

Add the reserved cooked vegetables and all other ingredients and heat to boiling.

Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the meat and potatoes are tender.

In a large pot, add the chicken, celery, and onion; cover with water to about 3 inches over the chicken.

Cover the pot, bring to a boil, and then lower the heat to keep a slow simmer going.

Boil the chicken until done, about 1½ hours.

Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool enough to handle.

Strain the broth and return it to the soup pot; allow the broth to cool enough so that the fat rises to the top and then skim off as much fat as you can.

Turn the heat to about medium and bring the broth to simmering again.

Prepare the carrots and add them to the broth.

Cook them until soft.

In the meantime, remove the chicken from the bones and skin.

Chop or shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add the pieces to the soup while the carrots are cooking.

At this point, taste the soup and add salt and pepper and any other spices that sound good to you, such as thyme, summer savory, marjoram, oregano, etc.

(I usually stick to just salt and pepper—we’re purists in our family.

) When the carrots are done, add the cooked noodles and continue to simmer for several minutes to heat thoroughly.

Cook the salsify until tender in the water to which you have added a pinch of salt.

Add the butter and milk or half-and-half and bring to nearly boiling.

Season to taste and serve.

Feel free to pass the Parmesan cheese at the table along with fresh, chopped parsley.

Combine the first 7 ingredients.

Mix thoroughly with your hands and then form into balls the size of walnuts.

Dredge the meatballs in the flour and brown them on all sides, using enough oil so they don’t stick when cooking in the large pot you plan to make the soup in.

When the meatballs have browned, add the remaining ingredients, except the corn.

Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and continue to cook until the vegetables are tender and the rice is cooked through.

(This shouldn’t take too long because your veggies have been diced into small pieces.

) Add the corn last and cook for about 10 minutes more.

In a large soup pot, brown the hamburger; drain off fat.

Add the potatoes, onion, and celery and enough water or broth to cover all ingredients.

(The more liquid you use, the more people you can feed.

) Add salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer until the potatoes are cooked.

Add the diced tomatoes and continue to simmer until ready to serve.

(Let it simmer long enough for the diced tomatoes to become hot, or you can let it simmer for a bit longer if necessary.

)

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and simmer for 1-2 hours.

Adjust seasonings and serve.

Clean leeks well.

Cut them lengthwise in half or quarters (depending on size) and then rinse well to get rid of any sand or soil still clinging to them.

Using only the white and light green portions, thinly chop the leeks.

Melt butter over low heat in a heavy soup pot; add the chopped leeks, cover the pot, and cook on low for about 10 minutes or until the leeks are softened but not browned.

Occasionally remove the lid and stir the leeks gently to check for browning.

Add broth, potatoes, salt, pepper, marjoram, thyme, and the bay leaf.

Simmer the soup for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are soft.

Using a potato masher or ricer, mash the soup to break up some of the potatoes and make a creamier soup.

You can mash more or less depending on how chunky you like your soup.

Add the cream and heat but don’t boil.

Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.

Ladle soup into individual bowls and eat plain or garnish with croutons, a dollop of sour cream, or shredded Parmesan or Cheddar cheese.

Brown hamburger and onion together; drain off grease.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender and rice is cooked, about 25 minutes.

Remove bay leaf and serve.

In the large soup pot or Dutch oven you plan on making soup in, brown the hamburger and onion together; drain off grease.

Add the celery, potatoes, carrots, salt and pepper, tomato sauce, and 2½ quarts water.

Simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender.

When soup is done, mix together the cornmeal and ¼ cup water.

Add to the soup, stirring so that lumps don’t form.

Continue stirring until soup is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.