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Giving Soup as a Gift JANUARY 28, 2013 / SUSAN HEID / 
A few months ago when I was very sick, a good friend brought over a steaming pot of chicken noodle soup homemade! It made my home smell so good and it was so nice not to have to cook a meal!! It was the nicest thing anyone has done for me in a long time. There is something so comforting about soup, especially during the chill of winter. It's definitely a food that asks to be shared, but it can be hard to come up with ideas for giving soup as a gift. There are some great ready-made soups and some you can make yourself. Here are some ideas for giving this wonderful comfort food as a gift. Chili Bean and Rice Soup In a small zip-top bag, place the following ingredients:
Once the spices are in the bag, zip it up and place it in the bottom of the jar. Then add the following dried, uncooked ingredients in this order:
Use the jar's proper top, but cover it with a pretty square of cloth tied with a ribbon. Include a card with the recipe instructions below, either attached with the ribbon, written on the top or side of the jar, or tucked into the mix. To make soup: Empty beans into a large bowl and cover with water (about 2 inches above the beans); cover and leave overnight. Drain. In a large pot, place beans and spice mix. Add 8 cups (2 quarts) of chicken broth or half chicken broth and half water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 2 hours. Add more liquid as it cooks if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste at the end of cooking time. Vegetable Soup Basket Give a lovely gift of soup with only a little assembly required! Here is how to make a vegetable soup gift basket, perfect for someone who is under the weather, especially a mom who still has to feed her family! In a nice basket (have a few extras that you've found at thrift stores!), place the following items:
Include the directions below written on a pretty card. Directions for soup: In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add 1 small chopped onion and saute until soft (about 3 minutes). Add 4 small potatoes, peeled and chopped, and pour in diced tomatoes and stock; bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in canned vegetables (drain them first) and tomato juice; simmer another 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Curried Lentils This lovely soup can be served over cooked brown rice or eaten as-is. In a 1-pint (2-cup) jar, place the following ingredients in this order (double the ingredients if youre using a 1-quart jar):
Directions for 1-pint jar (again, double for 1-quart jar): Bring 7 cups of water to a boil and stir in entire contents of jar. Simmer for 25 minutes. Spend a day making up some of these soup mixes - having these ready to share without a lot of notice will make sharing so much easier. Plus, they will come in handy when you find yourself at a loss for dinner at your house! Do you have a favorite soup to give away? Susan  |
Welcome! We're thrilled you stopped by. Our own joys and sorrows have taught us that a well-timed meal delivered by a friend is one of the best gifts imaginable. In this space, we share our favorite recipes to take to friends, meal-taking tips, and other ways to care for those who are dear to you. Helpful Posts
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