CREAM SOUP

2 cups chicken, veal, vegetable, or beef or chicken stock (or water)
1 cup yogurt cheese
2 tablespoons finely minced onion
2 tablespoons butter
1 finger garlic, pressed
1/2 teaspoon each fresh basil and thyme
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

  In a large sauce pan, melt butter. Saute onion until just translucent, then add garlic and cook about 2-3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the stock. If a very smooth soup is desired, remove from heat, cool slightly, then purie in a blender.

 Whisk in the yogurt cheese. Gradually add the rest of the stock, whisking until smooth. Stop when you have desired degree of thickness for the soup.

Add desired meats, vegetables, and seasonings:
* Cream of tomato soup: Mix 2-3 cups very thick tomato sauce with cream soup base. Adjust seasonings - a sprinkle of KRIVELSHIRE spices or  CAJUN VEGETABLE SEASONING is nice. Bring just to a simmer.
* Cream of onion soup: Melt 4 tablespoons butter and add 3 cups coarsely chopped red, yellow, or white onions. Cover and cook on low heat 15 to 20 minutes, or until very tender. Cool slightly, then add to soup base.
* Cream of chicken soup: use chicken stock for base. Add 2 cups cooked, coarsely shredded chicken meat and 1 teaspoon POULTRY SEASONING and stir well. Bring just to simmer, and serve.
* Cream of mushroom soup: sauti 1/2 pound sliced mushrooms, crimini or button in 2-4 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon thyme. Cook slightly, then add mushrooms and butter to the soup.
* New England-style clam chowder: cook 1/4 to 1/2 pound bacon very crisp (GENE'S CRISPY BACON) and crumple, reserving 2-4 teaspoons bacon grease. Sauti 2 dozen medium size quahog clams in bacon fat, along with 1/4 cup chopped onion. Cool slightly, and add with 2 cups soaked, cooked navy pea beans or 2 cups cooked, chopped cauliflower to the soup. Serve topped with bacon bits. Pork or seafood stock for the soup base.

If you add too much stock so soup is too thin, beat one or two eggs well, then add 2-3 spoonfuls of cooled soup, whisking it into the eggs. Repeat until at least one cup has been added. Then add this mixture into the soup and blend well. (Soup should not be hot when adding the egg). Return to heat and bring to just simmering, stirring constantly. Boiling the soup after adding the egg will cause it to curdle, and you will have a nice, creamy, egg drop soup flavored with whatever else you added.

Note: I haven't yet tried to freeze any of these soups. But I do freeze stock, and other stuff, and I almost always have yogurt on hand, so these are fairly easy to prepare.

Louisiana SCD Lagniappe, by Marilyn L. Alm <M_Alm@compuserve.com>