Nearly every vegetable grown may be employed in the preparation of soups, either as the foundation for the soup or as a garnish to any kind of meat stock. Meat, meat broth, or beef extract may be added to any of them if additional flavor is desired.

Potato Soup

4 medium - sized potatoes

2 tablespoons minced onion

1/2 tablespoon butter or butter substitute 1/2 tablespoon flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon minced parsley

1 pint milk

Pare the potatoes and put in a stew-pan with the onion. Cover with boiling water and put over a hot fire. Cook thirty minutes, counting from the time the pan is put over the fire. Reserve half a cup of the milk cold, and put the balance to heat in the double boiler. Mix the flour with the cold milk and stir into the boiling milk. When the potatoes, etc., have been cooking thirty minutes pour off the water, saving it to use later. Mash and beat the vegetables until light and fine, then gradually beat in the water in which they were boiled, rub through the puree sieve and then put back on the fire. Add the salt and pepper. Beat with an egg-whisk for three minutes, then gradually beat in the boiling milk. Add the butter or butter substitute and minced parsley and serve at once.

Tomato Soup

1 quart peeled and finely cut tomatoes or canned tomato pulp

1 quart cold water

1 onion

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons butter or drippings 2 tablespoons flour

Put into a stew-pan all the ingredients, except the butter or dripping and flour, the onion being left whole. Stir frequently until the soup boils, then cook fifteen minutes, counting from the time it begins to boil. At the end of this time beat the butter or drippings and flour together until light and smooth and stir into the soup. Cook ten minutes longer, then take out the onion and serve the soup with toasted or fried bread. If a smooth soup is desired strain through a fine sieve. This is the simplest kind of tomato soup. It may be varied by the addition of rice, macaroni, beans, peas, and other vegetables. Instead of the fried bread, stale bread may be cut in small pieces and put in the bottom of the soup tureen.

Onion Chowder

3 quarts boiling water 1 pint minced onion 1 quart potatoes cut in dice 3 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper 3 tablespoons butter or drippings 1 tablespoon fine herbs

Cook the onion and butter or drippings together for half an hour, but slowly, so that the onion will not brown. At the end of this time add the boiling, water, potatoes, salt, and pepper and cook one hour longer, then add the fine herbs and serve.

Green Pea Soup

1 quart shelled peas 3 pints water 1 quart milk 1 onion

2 tablespoons butter or drippings

1 tablespoon flour

3 level teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Put the peas in a stew-pan with the boiling water and onion and cook until tender, which will be about half an hour. Pour off the water, saving for use later. Mash the peas fine, then add the water in which they were boiled, and rub through a puree sieve. Return to the saucepan, add flour and butter or drippings, beaten together, and the salt and pepper. Now gradually add the milk, which must be boiling hot. Beat well and cook ten minutes, stirring frequently.

Split Pea Soup. See page 23.

Bean Soup

See page 23.