Soup: The Great Comfort Food
- Stacy Williams
- Mar 16
- 2 min read
We woke up to a snowstorm last Friday. Snow sifting down steadily, piling up as the hours went by. Some flakes were as big as 50 cent pieces. It's mid-March. Winter is giving one more drawn-out gasp. This winter has been incredibly mild, so maybe it's more like a squeak. I saw on the weather forecast that we’re supposed to hit 61 degrees this week. It made me smile. I’m ready.
We also woke up to a sore throat, headache and congestion. My husband and I finally succumbed to one of the many bugs going around. We are mostly tired and miserable. It's not the flu but still annoying. Pass me the box of tissues, please. Again.
We’ve eaten a lot of soup. For me, it’s the ultimate comfort food when I'm not feeling well. The savory warm broth soothes my raw and scratchy throat. The steam from the bowl feels wonderful on my sinuses. It's hydrating. Chicken vegetable with big, chewy egg noodles is probably my favorite when I'm sick. The homemade kind, not the stuff out of a can. My mom makes a wonderful potato soup that I also love. She shares it with our family when anyone is down and out.
Soup is so easy to toss in the crock pot or instant pot. It can simmer all day and be ready when you need it. Lentil, split pea, corn chowder, cabbage roll, beef stew. Yum.
Soup is also a food that's so easy to share because you can make a lot. I have yet to learn how to create a small amount of soup. We have fond memories of taking a big pot with all the accompaniments to a friend's house for game night. A favorite was tortilla or taco soup. Everyone could fix it how they preferred. Extra cheese and hot sauce, check. Onions and jalapeños, check. Just tortilla chips, check. Kids loved it because they felt in control of their food.
Just as this winter storm will soon give way to the slowly warming days of spring, I know this virus will pass too. I’ll be outdoors without a coat, feeling the sunshine on my face and reveling in the milder temperatures. I’m ready to start preparing the garden beds for flowers, vegetables and herbs. I'll probably use them in soup!
What’s your favorite soup? Please share. I love collecting recipes!
Wishing I had all your recipes, dear friend! Everything sounds so good! We just got what I hope is our last wintry blast, waking up yesterday to a low of 23 degrees and warming to 43. This morning it was 30 degrees -a wee bit better for St. Paddy's day! Later today we will be in the 60's - and typical Okie weather will have us in the 90's by the weekend. I am praying for a more normal spring. We need rain and normalcy right now. Hope to talk soon!
Stacy, after reading this post, I was craving a bowl of soup! There is just nothing that speaks comfort like a steaming bowl of homemade soup (ugh to the canned stuff indeed!) I like to make all kinds of soup too! Definitely chicken noodle with colds and upset stomach. Taco or tortilla soup for company and potato soup is such a winner too! Our family likes chicken and dumplings, that is a family favorite. I hope you feel better soon, dear friend! Colds are so miserable. I was so excited for the snow today, but will also be very happy about the 60+ weather by the end of the week! Spring is coming :) Blessings to you!