"Cream of" Soup Mix

When we were first married, my husband had this horrible habit of eating cold cream of chicken soup straight out of the can. I suppose my dramatic gagging sounds eventually got him to stop - he hasn't done it in a while, thank goodness. Seriously, have you ever really looked at that stuff? The color is, well, sort of like raw chicken flesh, and the jiggly consistency isn't doing anything positive either. Have you read the ingredients? I don't know about you, but I can certainly live the rest of my life without a long list of ingredients I can't pronounce. But... I do like what it does for my recipes. Cream of chicken soup lends a creamy, velvety texture and rich taste that "does a casserole good". So how do I get rid of the canned ickyness without giving up the taste and texture I love? Make my own, of course! Give this mix a try and you'll never go back to the canned stuff again - I promise.

Cream of Chicken with Mushrooms and Herbs

"Cream of" Soup Mix

2c Thrive Instant Milk Powder
1 1/4c Cornstarch
1/4c Thrive Chicken Bouillon
2T Thrive Chopped Onions
2t Italian Seasonings
Optional: Garlic Powder, Seasoning Salt, Ground Sage (add as desired)

Pour all ingredients in a large zip top bag and shake well. This will make 9 cans of "cream of" soup. If you want to have cream of chicken soup, add 2T Thrive Chopped Chicken or Chicken TVP. If you want cream of mushroom, chop up some Thrive Mushroom Pieces and mix them in. Cream of potato? Add some Thrive Potato Dices. Cream of broccoli, cream of onion, cream of celery...This soup mix is super versatile!

When you are ready to prepare your soup, measure out 1/3c mix and stir it into 1 1/4c cold water. The water has to be cold, otherwise your cornstarch will get chunky. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

This soup makes a wonderful gift. Just put the dry mix in a jar with a pretty ribbon and include the cooking instructions.