Okay, so I’ve been wanting to make a soup gift basket for my neighbor who just had a baby. I figured it’s a nice, homey kind of gift, and who doesn’t love soup? So, I started brainstorming, and this is how it went.
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Gathering My Supplies
First, I needed a basket. I found a cute, woven one at a local craft store, nothing too fancy, just something sturdy and reusable. Then came the fun part: picking the soups!
- I went with a classic chicken noodle. You can’t go wrong with that, right?
- Then, I thought a hearty tomato soup would be good, especially with some grilled cheese croutons (which I decided to include!).
- Finally, I added a creamy mushroom soup, because it’s, well, creamy and delicious.
I decided to make the soups from scratch. I feel that always tastes so much better!
The Soup-Making Process
I started with the chicken noodle. I grabbed a whole chicken, some carrots, celery, onion, and, of course, noodles. Boiled the chicken, shredded it up, threw in the veggies and noodles, and let it all simmer. Boom! Chicken noodle soup done.
Next up, tomato soup. I roasted some tomatoes with garlic and onions to give it that extra flavor. Then, I blended it all up with some vegetable broth and a touch of cream. Super easy, super tasty.
The creamy mushroom was also pretty simple. I sautéed a bunch of mushrooms with some butter and onions, then added flour to make a roux. Poured in some milk and broth, let it thicken, and blended it until it was nice and smooth. So simple!
Adding the Extras
Of course, a soup gift basket needs more than just soup! I wanted to add some things to make it a complete meal.
- Grilled Cheese Croutons: I made a simple grilled cheese sandwich and then cut up small squares and put those in a plastic bag.
- Crackers: You gotta have crackers with soup! I put a little bit of several types of crackers in the basket.
- A nice loaf of bread: Perfect for dipping. I found a crusty, rustic loaf at the bakery.
- A cute soup mug: I found a big, oversized mug that just screamed “cozy.”
- A handwritten card: Just a little note to say congrats and enjoy!
Putting It All Together
I lined the basket with a pretty cloth napkin, then arranged the jars of soup (which I poured into mason jars after they cooled, by the way). I tucked in the bread, crackers, croutons, mug, and card, making sure everything looked nice and snug.
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And…that’s it! The soup gift basket was complete! I have to say, it makes me very happy and I hope it’s useful to the person receiving it. And I think, it turned out pretty great. It’s a simple gift, but I think it’s thoughtful and practical, especially for someone who’s busy with a new baby. If anyone is making one after my advice, let me know how it goes!