You sage cooks out there already know this. But, we all had to start from scratch when learning to cook, so this tip is for the "newbies"!
When cooking stews, soups and such, getting the fat out is just as easy as 1 and 2 and 3
When your food has cooled, simply lift off the top and all that congealed fat will come up with the plastic. It's basic chemistry, but it works every single time. Throw the cellophane away and enjoy the food with virtually no fat left in it!
By Sandi/Poor But Proud from Salem, OR
If you have enough time before starting your stew, freeze your meat almost but not quite, solid, then chop it into whatever size chunks you need. The almost frozen meat doesn't slide around on the cutting board as much, and you are much less likely to slice yourself!
If you like your soup a little thicker, sprinkle a small amount of instant potato buds/flakes into the already hot soup. Stir and wait for the soup to thicken. It is so good and easy!
It is much cheaper to use a chuck roast than packaged stew meat when you make a stew. It takes no time at all to cut the roast!
To thicken meat sauces such as Bolognese, try using porridge oats. It's delish! To thicken soups or sauces, try using instant potato flakes - no more lumps and very tasty.
Puree canned carrots or mixed vegetables add vitamins and thicker texture to stews, soups and tomato sauces.
I already had leftover pot roast to which I added cooked carrots and heated all in thinned leftover gravy. To this mixture, I added the cut up leftover french fries. Voila! The fries were just like regular potato pieces in the stew.
When I find that my soups or stews or too thin or watery, I add instant mashed potatoes for the desired thickness. It works every time. And it's better than adding flour or cornstarch.
Thicken soups and stews with instant mashed potato flakes. More nutritious and flavorful than corn starch or flour.
To make tastier vegetables soups and stews, I always add a package of instant brown gravy mix for the last 15 minutes of cooking. It also gives them a wonderful color and well as concentrated flavor.
I am looking for a thick noodle to add to chicken noodle soup. I've had it at restaurants; it's like a thick fettuccine noodle. Any ideas?
Nancy from Palatine, IL
Sounds like egg noodles or egg noodle dumplings to me.
I use Reames frozen noodles when I make homemade chicken and noodle soup. Look in frozen food area and you can see if these are what you are looking for. When I make my chicken base I make a large amount and freeze what I am not using at the time. That way I have the chicken base and just add more chicken broth and the noodles for a quick soup. Reames are great and easy. k
Sounds like egg noodles to me, too :-) I like to use spirals in soup ...
To thicken up a stew, use mashed potato flakes. It gives you that potato flavor. Instead of boiling your meat and veggies in water, use beef broth. Great stuff.
When you are preparing a stew or pot roast recipe that calls for browning the meat, put your meat on a rack in a shallow pan and broil on high until the top is browned.
Tips for making good soup. Post your ideas.
Most soups taste better with the addition of a variety of vegetables and grains, a good way to use up small quantities. One exception is cabbage, which gives most soups too strong a flavor for us, but might suit others.
By Lynn
Soups often taste more filling if they are slightly thickened. Instant or leftover potatoes can be used to thicken soup, or mash a few beans and add back in.
By Lynn
All vegetable soups have to have lots of carrots and onions for me - sweet and lovely! I thicken with split yellow peas or red lentils - they don't need pre soaking if simmered in the soup for at least an hour. They also add the protein component so a vegetable soup can be tasty and nourishing without meat.
Regards
Jo
In the winter one of the things I do to try to stretch our budget is to make hearty stews and soups. It doesn't cost much to make a crockpot full of beef, chicken, or veggie stew or soup. It is filling, even by itself, but I also like to make a batch or homemade biscuits or some cornbread. Makes a great meal and cheap! By Robin. Editor's Note: Find some soup recipes here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/Recipes/Soups_reccat.html