Autumn is for soups.

Actually, I like soup any time of year, but especially in the autumn. It's nice to come home to a crock pot full of hot soup.

Today I'm making potato soup. It's a yummy, comfort dish full of potatoes, cream, onions and all the good things in the kitchen. Served with a warm loaf of French smothered in garlic butter and this chick is in Heaven!

My dad makes onion soup. OMG it's so good when he does. He uses two kinds of wine in his recipe. Just the preparation fills the house with yummy smells. You have to cook the onions (all ten of 'em) slowly over a skillet. When I say slow, I mean, it takes about 45 minutes to an hour for my dad to finish prepping the onions. Then he adds the wines and broth and yummy herbs and spices. French bread is served with this, too, along with cheese. We always use a good gruyere cheese with onion soup.

My favorite, if I have to pick a favorite, is beef stew and fry bread. OK so maybe stew isn't a soup, but it works on crisp autumn days, too. Get a hearty stew going with beef and lots of root veggies and a broth that coats the back of the spoon and Mari will eat without nary a complaint from her lips. Dip a piece of fry bread into the broth and you have food of the gods.

MMM-mmmm-mmmm!

Oh damn. I forgot about tomato soup! Especially roasted tomato soup. OOOOH that's good stuff. Roast the tomatoes with garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a low oven for a few hours and you have the base for a soup that will give Campbell's a run for their money.

Tomato soup goes way back in my family. With most kids, they get chicken soup when they're sick. We got tomato soup. I remember mother bringing me bowls of tomato soup with crackers and hot dogs. To me, it's still the best way to deal with flu.

Go forth and have soup everyone!!!!!