Cream of Anything Soup

Basic Recipe
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
Dash salt
Dash pepper

Put all 5 ingredients into blender "briefly" until smooth and pour into saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-high heat until it begins to thicken (watch it! can scorch easily!). Take off heat at first bubble of a boil. To this basic mixture you add any of the following optional items:

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Cream of Cauliflower Soup
To basic mixture add 1 (10 ounce) box frozen cauliflower buds cooked per box directions until tender and well drained, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 3 mashed chicken bouillon cubes, pinch dry parsley and a dash of garlic salt. Stir over lowest possible heat until piping hot. Serve at once.

Cream of Celery Soup
Do just as cauliflower soup, but substitute 1 cup cooked, drained, diced celery instead of cauliflower. Add a pinch celery seed and a pinch dry, canned parsley flakes.

Cream of Broccoli Soup
Add 1 (10 ounce) box frozen, chopped broccoli cooked per box directions and drained. Continue as in cauliflower soup.

Cream of Cabbage Soup
Add 2 cups packaged supermarket slaw mixture cooked until tender in just enough water to cover. Drain well. Continue as in cauliflower soup.

Cream of Potato Soup
Add 3 (16 ounce) cans sliced, drained potatoes, 1/2 (10 ounce) bottle Hormel real bacon pieces and a dash of Liquid Smoke. Continue as in cauliflower soup.

Clam Chowder
Prepare the potato soup and add 1 (10 ounce) can undrained minced clams and 2 thin slices of boiled ham snipped into 1/4-inch bits.

Cream of Corn Soup
To warm basic recipe, add 1 (14 ounce) can cream style corn, dash nutmeg and 1 teaspoon dry minced onion. Heat through.

Cream of Mushroom Soup
To warm basic recipe, add 1 (8 ounce) can drained, sliced mushrooms, dash onion salt and black pepper to taste. Heat through.

Cream of Tomato Soup
To warm basic recipe, add 1 (15 ounce) can diced, undrained tomatoes and return to blender briefly just to smooth it out. Heat through.

Cream of Onion Soup
To warm basic soup, add 1 envelope dry onion soup mix and heat thoroughly.

Creamy Cheddar Soup
To prepared basic recipe, add 1 small jar (8 ounces) Cheez Whiz, stirring until melted and heated through.

Source: Gloria Pitzer