Nothing says coziness in winter like a steaming bowl of savory soup. What’s more, there’s comfort in knowing that your bowl of soup is crafted from a trusted recipe used by generations past. Food brings people together, and feasting on traditional family cuisine connects you and your loved ones with those who have come before. That’s why we’ve rounded up some stew-pendous soup recipes that are sure to bring warmth to your dinner table this winter.

These recipes are from “GG’s Guide to Great Cooking” – my grandmother’s cherished family cookbook – and I am honored to share them with you. Whether you enjoy them around a lively dinner table with your closest family members, or nestled by the fireplace savoring some alone time, I hope these scrumptious soups bring you as much comfort as they do to my family and me.

CHICKEN Corn Chowder

– 6 slices bacon
– 2-3 cups cooked chicken, diced or cubed
– 1½ large onions, chopped
– 4 large potatoes, cubed
– 1½ cups water
– 3 cups whole milk
– 4 15-ounce cans creamed corn
– 1½ teaspoons salt
– 1 teaspoon pepper

Fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and crumble for garnish. Reserve 3 teaspoons drippings and saute onion in reserved drippings until tender. Add potatoes and water. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Stir in chicken, milk, corn, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly heated. Garnish each serving with bacon.

French Market Soup

– 1½ cups bean mix (recipe following)
– Meaty ham bone
– 1 large onion, chopped fine
– 1 can (1 pound) tomatoes, broken up
– Juice of 1 small lemon
– Few drops hot sauce
– Salt and pepper

Wash beans and cover with 6 cups of tepid water. Soak 3 hours, or even overnight. Add meaty ham bone and simmer, covered, for 2½ hours. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for another hour. This thickens during the last hour and must be stirred frequently.

Bean mix:
– 1/3 cup each of the following dried beans: baby limas, great northern, pintos, black-eyed peas, red kidney, green split peas, and lintels. Fill out with your favorite dried beans.

Pam-Pam Steak Soup

Makes 1 gallon
– 2 pounds round steak, chopped fine
– 10 tablespoons butter
– 1¼ cups plain flour
– ½ teaspoon Accent Flavor Enhancer
– Salt and pepper
– 1 medium onion, chopped fine
– 1 large carrot, chopped fine
– 3 stalks celery, chopped fine
– 1 18-ounce can diced tomatoes
– 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
– 3 quarts beef stock
– 1½ cups half and half

Brown meat in butter. Add vegetables and flour (mixed to a paste with some of the stock). Cook 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and spices. Simmer 1 hour. Add cream last. Cook additional 5 minutes. Freezes well.

If you whip up one (or all) of these spectacular soups, we would love to hear your thoughts, or even see photos of your culinary creations! Feel free to share them with info@circamagazine.com.

For a chance to be featured in one of our upcoming “Cooked In Tradition” articles, please send us your favorite family recipes of any kind – sweet, savory, you name it! And feel free to share its history, any anecdotes, etc. Send entries for consideration to info@circamagazine.com. Thank you!