Winter is the perfect time for warm and filling soups.

January is National Soup Month!

These recipes are great for busy weeknights or using up leftovers.

With a salad and homemade bread, these soups are perfect on cold and dreary winter evenings.

They freeze beautifully and are welcome staples at potlucks. They’re great for lunches the next day too!

Our favorite soups:

• Ham and Bean Soup
• Creamed Veggie Soup
• Vegetable Hamburger Soup
• Dill Chicken Soup
• Cheesy Potato Soup
• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Zuppa Toscana
• Cockaleekie Soup

What’s your favorite soup?

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My girls love cream of veggie soup and regularly request it.

It’s a great healthy lunch that takes only 30 minutes or so to prepare. Or you could make it in a slow cooker.

I just prefer to use a big stock pot.

Cream of vegetable soup is a simple, frugal, and quick lunch.

First, I chop up a whole head of broccoli and several celery stalks.

Alex peels carrots.

Alex chops carrots. I snag a few for the soup before he eats them all.

I chop potatoes and onion.

Alex informs me that he doesn’t like onions.

We keep homemade chicken and beef stock on hand in quart zippy bags in the freezer. This recipe uses two bags.

I throw all the veggies in the pot with the frozen broth and it steams as it melts, then simmers a bit and softens the veggies. I also dash in a 1/2 cup of white wine.

After the broth melts, I add salt and pepper and garlic powder and stir.

I scoop out some of the larger chunks of broccoli stalk and throw them out since they clog the blender.

This Cuisinart Smart Stick is a handy dandy tool and is my kitchen friend.

You could also pour hot soup in a big blender.

Of course, Tori wants to get in on some of that action.

Alex is a bit nervous to push the button.

You can leave it a little chunky or blend it ultra-smooth. I also add a drizzle of cream to make it creamy.

And of course, shred some lovely cheese.

We like it with chopped ham and lots of cheese and fresh rolls or wheat bread.

Except Alex makes himself a ham and cheese sandwich instead.

This soup is really versatile. You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand. It’s a great way to use up leftovers or that head of cauliflower you find in the back of the bottom shelf of the fridge. The soup melds together beautifully, so even if you don’t like broccoli or spinach or onions, you won’t really know they’re in there.