The Forum: Tried-and-true soups hit spot

Singing the praises of homemade soup again today, and why not?

As luck would have it (and we could sure use some, considering our weather lately), we have a pair of praiseworthy recipes, tried and true, brought to us by the same souper duo who recently shared their favorite takes on tortilla soup.

This time around, Everett cook Terry Brundage offers us her how-to for hamburger soup. It’s easy, it’s quick, and you might already have every single thing you need to make a batch for supper tonight.

And Dixie Wright over there in Poulsbo supplies us with a meatball-studded spooner-upper.

It, too, is easy and, like Terry’s potful, you may well have everything called for on hand in your kitchen cupboards, pantry and freezer.

TERRY’S HAMBURGER SOUP

1pound hamburger

1/2cup chopped onions

1cup sliced celery

6cups water

1tablespoon instant beef bouillon

2cups thinly sliced carrots

1can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes

1can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

2bay leaves

1teaspoon dried oregano

1/4teaspoon pepper

1/4teaspoon salt

2cups cooked macaroni shells

Brown hamburger with celery and onions.

Meanwhile, mix water with bouillon in a large pot. Add the browned hamburger mixture, carrots, tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaves, oregano, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the macaroni and simmer another 5 minutes.

DIXIE’S MEATBALL SOUP

Soup:

1can beef broth

2cups water

1can (141/2 ounces) tomatoes

1envelop onion soup mix

2cups sliced carrots

1/4cup chopped celery tops

1/4teaspoon pepper

1/4teaspoon oregano

1/4teaspoon basil

1bay leaf

Meatballs:

11/2pounds ground beef

1egg

3tablespoons water

1/2cup bread crumbs

1/4teaspoon salt

2teaspoons oil

For the soup, combine the broth, water, tomatoes, soup mix, carrots, celery tops, pepper, oregano, basil and bay leaf; cook until carrots are nearly tender.

Meanwhile, combine the ground beef, egg, water, bread crumbs and salt; shape into about 24 balls (more or less). Brown meatballs in oil, then add to soup and simmer for 20 minutes or until carrots are done.

The Forum is always happy to receive your contributions and requests, so don’t hesitate to send them along to Judyrae Kruse at the Forum, c/o The Herald, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.

Please remember that all letters and e-mail must include a name, complete address with ZIP code and telephone number with area code. No exceptions and sorry, but no response to e-mail by return e-mail; send to kruse@heraldnet.com.

The next Forum will appear in Wednesday’s Good Life section.