I am looking for alternatives to the concentrated cream soups used in many casserole recipes. I am most interested in a cream of celery soup alternative. Thank you!

Hi Sara! This is my own recipe, muddled together over many years of cooking daily meals for my family. I still buy canned soups for the convenience, but making my own is economical, better tasting and more nutritious.

Cream of Anything Soup

2 tbsp. minced onion
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp. mace (or nutmeg)
1/8 tsp. paprika
dash garlic powder (optional)
1 tsp. dry parsley flakes
1 tbsp. "Chicken-in-a-mug" (or 2 bouillon cubes)
2 cups milk
2 cups "Anything", cooked

Saute onion in butter until soft. Stir in flour until bubbling & well mixed. Add milk all at once & stir as you bring to a boil while adding the remaining ingredients. Cover, remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes for flavours to develope before serving.

The "Anything" can be cooked vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, celery, sliced sauteed onions, spinach, etc. Use pureed tomatoes (add 1/2 tsp. soda to prevent curdling) for cream of tomato soup. Add 1 cup each cooked chopped leek and cooked diced potato for a hearty & easy vichysoisse for eating hot. Use sauteed (or 1 can) mushrooms and beef bouillon for great cream of mushroom soup, using the mushroom liquid as part of the milk. For a great corn chowder, use 1/2 cup celery and add a can of creamed corn (pluse some kernel corn too, if you like) and a tablespoon of imitation bacon bits; delicious. Substitute a can of Romano or other beans for a great bean soup; add 1/2 tsp. crushed summer savoury herb for good flavour. If you like your soup thick, use 3 tbsp. each of butter and flour.

If you want to cut calories, you can just use a teaspoon of butter to saute the onion, then add a bit of water and the raw veggies, put the lid on and simmer gently until veggies are tender. Meanwhile mix the spices with the milk and flour in a large jar, screw on the lid and shake well to dissolve the flour. Add to the cooked veggies and bring to boil. Again, cover and let steep for 10 minutes or so.

It takes longer to explain this procedure than to actually do it. Give it a try, and you'll find yourself getting creative with the veggies you use.

DRY CREAM SOUP MIX

Categories: mixes, mix, soup, cream, dry, ww

Yield: 9 Servings

2 c Powdered nonfat milk
3/4 c Cornstarch
4 pk Chicken broth mix
2 tb Dried onion flakes
1 ts Basil
1 ts Thyme
1/2 ts Pepper

Combine and store in an airtight container. Use 1/3 cup of mix to 1
1/4 cup of water. For extra thick, use only 1 cup of water. 1/3 CUP =
1/2 MILK AND 30 CALORIES. Servings are a guess. Could combine this
with cheese for a topping for vegetables or baked potatoes. Also
could use mix with tuna over toast.

-------
VEGETABLE BROTH MIX (VEGETARIAN)

Categories: mixes, vegetarian, mix, broth, vegetable

Yield: 1 Servings

1 tb Onion powder
1 tb Celery salt
1 tb Dried parsley
1 1/2 ts Garlic powder
1 1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Ground savory
1/2 ts Dried marjoram
1/2 ts Dried thyme
1/4 ts Pepper
1/4 ts Turmeric
1/4 ts Ground sage

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Mix again before using. Dried
vegetable flakes can also be added for a flavor bonus.

--------
WORLD'S BEST BEAN SOUP MIX

Categories: mixes, mix, soup, bean, best, worlds

Yield: 40 Servings

1 lb Navy beans
1 lb Great northern beans
1 lb Pinto beans
1 lb Red beans
1 lb Dried soybeans
1 lb Yellow split peas
1 lb Green split peas
1 lb Black eyed peas
1 lb Dried lentils
1 lb Dried limas -- Large
1 lb Dried baby limas
1 lb Barley, pearled

Combine all the ingredients in a large pan or bowl. Measure out 2-cup
gift packages and store in airtight containers.

----------
INSTANT DRIED ONION SOUP

Categories: mixes, soup, onion, dried, instant

Yield: 1 Servings

3/4 c Instant Onion Flakes
1/3 c Beef broth instant granules
4 ts Onion powder
1/4 ts Celery seed
1/4 ts Sugar

Mix all and store in a tightly-covered glass jar. 5 T = 1.25 oz or 1
package of soup. Leave out the sugar if you prefer

------------
CREAM SOUP MIX

Categories: mixes, mix, soup, cream

Yield: 1 Servings

2 c Instant nonfat dry milk --
Powder
3/4 c Cornstarch
1/4 c Low-sodium chicken bouillon
Granules
1 ts Onion powder
1/2 ts Dried thyme
1/2 ts Dried basil
1/4 ts Pepper

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Store in an airtight container.
Yield: 3 cups dry mix. 1/3 cup: 149 cal; 1 gr fat; 6% fat. CONDENSED
CREAM SOUP SUBSTITUTE-Blend 1/3 cup mix and 1-1/4 c water in a 1-qt
saucepanor micro- safe dish until smooth. Bring to boil or micro for
2-1/2 to 3 minutes. Stir occasionally; cool. Use as a substitute for
one 10-3/4 oz can condensed cream of chicken, celery or mushroom soup.

----------
DRIED TOMATO SOUP

Categories: soups, soup, tomato, dried

Yield: 6 Servings

2 tb Olive oil
4 Garlic cloves, large
2 sm Onions, sliced
1 ts Basil, dried
1 ts Oregano, dried
1/2 ts Rosemary, dried
1/4 ts Ginger
12 Dried tomato slices, 4in
Diameter
6 c Water
1 pn Salt

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan on a medium heat. Slice the garlic
in fairly large pieces and add to the oil, add the sliced tomatoes.
Saute on mediun heat until soft. Add the herbs and ginger. Saute for
a minute or 2 longer. Add a little water if it gets to dry. Add
enough hot water to fill the pot, 4-6 cups worth. Cover, bring to a
boil, reduce to a simmer. Keep covered stirring occasionally to
prevent sticking. Taste and add a little pinch of salt if you think
it's needed 10 minutes or so before serving. I left this simmering
for about 3 hours. I imagine it would be ready anywhere after about
half an hour.
This made a lovely brothy tomato soup.
All the herbs were whole dried. I crumbled them into the pot as the
onion and garlic were cooking. All the ingredients except for the
garlic, olive oil, ginger and water were homegrown and dried. Don't
know if this will taste as good with store bought stuff. The dried
tomatoes had no seasoning or oil on them.

I simply use water,nutritional yeast, whole wheat flour, salt & pepper.This actually tastes more like a chicken soup base, but it blends beautifully w/ most foods.You could easily add some chopped celery leaves & stems to give it that flavour.I've found that using milk isn't really necessary, but if you prefer, you can use 1/2 water & 1/2 milk or appropriate substitute.

Proportions are:

per 1 cup of cold water mix in 2 tablespoons of flour(you can use any type) & approx 1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast, salt & pepper to taste.Mix well so there are no lumps.

Cook, stirring often (a whisk works best for this) over med. high heat until it comes to a boil &/or thickens completely.Remove from heat.

If you want it thicker, add more flour @ the beginning

Try using coconut milk for your "cream" base. It is available in 14 oz cans in the Asian section of the grocery store.

Hi Sara,

Here's a non-dairy alternative (if you're so inclined), that I've found is quick and easy, and provides a healthy dose of fiber and soy isoflavones: it's "Kosher Creme It!" a fat free tofu powder that "creams" anything you add it to (dissolves right away and has no "beany" flavor). I add it to soups, salad dressings, and smoothies, and I like the taste better than non-fat milk powder. Plus I like the fact that I'm getting the nutritional benefits of soy. It's available by mail order from "Dixie Diners".