By VPJ Staff

Whether it’s meaty, cheesy, brothy, or just vegetables, nothing says fall like a steaming pot of homemade soup. Here are a few staff favorites that we hope you enjoy. Happy fall, y’all!

Louisiana Hayride’s Bean & Bacon Soup
(Recipe can easily be halved)

2 cans pinto beans with jalapenos
2 cans great northern beans
2 cans bean & bacon soup
2 soup cans water
Optional ingredients and/or to taste: ham or sausage, onion, bell pepper, garlic

Mix all ingredients together and simmer for 3 hours. Delicious served with Mexican cornbread.

Note: I do use rope sausage (cut in rounds), chopped onions, bell pepper and garlic and sweat all together first in the soup pot before adding other ingredients.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 small Cheez Whiz (jalapeno flavor optional)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 T. butter
1 pkg. frozen chopped broccoli
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Sauté onion in 2 tablespoons butter. Cook broccoli and drain well. Combine all ingredients in medium pot and heat on medium heat thoroughly.

Small Batch Quick Vegetable Beef Soup

1/2 pound ground beef
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cups water or broth
1 (10 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables
1/4 cup dry onion soup mix
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 bay leaf

In a large pot over medium high heat, sauté ground beef for about 5 minutes, or until browned. Drain off excess fat.

Add the tomatoes, sauce, water, vegetables, soup mix, bay leaf, and sugar. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf before serving.