Healthier (perhaps from scratch?) alternatives to "Cream of" soups?

[bisous]

DH loves him some "home cooking" and most of the recipes he points me to have some variety of "cream of" soup (mushroom, chicken, celery) from Campbells. I don't like the ingredients of these soups at all but I'd like to try to adapt the recipes. Anyone have anything they use instead? I'd be open to buying a canned variety that has healthier ingredients but I'd prefer to make it from scratch possible!

TIA!

[MamaInMarch]

You can make your own cream base by making a roux and adding milk. For example, for cream of celery you would saute diced celery (use the leaves too, lots of celery flavor) in butter til tender then add the flour. Cook a few minutes to take the raw flavor out of the flour then add milk. If I were needing cream of chicken, I would use half milk and half chicken stock for my base.

[o_mom]

There's an alternative in this recipe: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/09/how-to-make-chicken-pot-pie-in-crockpot.html

I haven't tried it, but keep meaning to (I have just not used cream-of soups for awhile now).

[Cuckoomamma]

Also, if you want to avoid the milk and butter you can use an immersion blender to make it "creamy" by blending part of it. We make a white bean soup that gets creamy because I blend up part of the beans with the immersion blender. It makes everything really smooth.

[Meatball Mommie]

You can make your own cream base by making a roux and adding milk. For example, for cream of celery you would saute diced celery (use the leaves too, lots of celery flavor) in butter til tender then add the flour. Cook a few minutes to take the raw flavor out of the flour then add milk. If I were needing cream of chicken, I would use half milk and half chicken stock for my base.

This is what I've started doing. I love my homemade version of cream of mushroom - so much better than the can.

[daisymommy]

oops! double post!

[daisymommy]

From my favorite blog, Kitchen Stewardship.
http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/01/27/once-a-month-cooking-prep-cream-of-casseroles/

Katie’s Real Food Cream of {X} Soup

Makes the equivalent of 4 cans of soup, freezes well. Just stir to recombine after thawing.


Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter (http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/10/05/monday-mission-switch-to-butter/)
3/4 c. whole wheat flour (can add more if you like a really thick base)
4 cups milk
2 cups homemade chicken stock (http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/03/30/monday-mission-how-to-make-your-own-homemade-chicken-stockbroth/)
Optional: Chopped onions
Method:
Melt butter over low heat. If using onions for extra flavor, saute in butter until limp. Add flour and whisk together until smooth. Cook 1 minute. Do not let it brown! Gradually add milk and chicken stock, stirring constantly. Remove from heat when sauce has thickened. This may take up to 15-20 minutes.

Options:


Cream of celery: Sautee a stalk or two of chopped celery with the butter before adding flour.
Cream of mushroom: Sautee chopped fresh mushrooms in butter.
Cream of broccoli: Add chopped steamed broccoli to the soup after it thickens.
Cheesy sauce: Add shredded cheese (sharp cheddar gives the most flavor) after removing from heat. Stir to melt.
If you want to make a big batch of soup and have different flavors, you can always saute mushrooms or celery separately and simply add to the finished soup, one can-equivalent at a time.

[LMPC]

I agree with the immersion blender idea and have found that if you throw in a couple of potatoes (e.g., potato and leek soup) that the blended potato makes for a nice "creamy" texture.

[KrisM]

I do the same as what others have listed, but in the microwave. I melt the butter, then add flour. Then cook for 1 min. Then add the milk/chicken stock and cook for 2 min at a time and whisk. Continue until it's thick enough.

Amy, thanks for posting that it freezes. I keep meaning to double up and see if I can freeze it, but have not tried.

I use this in cheesy potatoes and with cheese in mac n cheese.