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Soups and drinks to warm your bod

By Krissy Tripp

Published Nov. 12, 2010

The sun is shining, and the weather has been surprisingly warm for a Missouri November. But those cold, wintry days are coming and everyone will be craving those heart (and body) warming foods.

What better way to chase away the cold than with some delicious soups and homemade hot drinks? Not only are they both easy to transport via thermos on the way to class, but they're usually inexpensive as well.

Keep in mind: Soups come in every skill level and usually need to simmer for quite awhile.

My favorite is potato soup. Start by slicing potatoes to the size you desire for your soup. If you want any other vegetables in your soup, such as celery or carrots, add them to the potatoes and start boiling them down with water.

To make the soupy mixture, add two cups of milk, two tablespoons of flour and half a stick of butter to a bowl and heat. Slowly stir in potatoes and you're ready to go. If you want to spice up your potato soup, you can also stir in shredded cheddar and bacon bits at this time.

If you're not into thick soups, try a chicken broth-based recipe.

Simmer chicken broth and add onion, celery, carrots and thyme until it's properly cooked down. Add salt and pepper to taste and shredded chicken if you desire.

If you prefer dumplings, make simple dumplings with a tablespoon of softened butter, an egg, one-half cup of flour and one-half teaspoon of salt. Make into dumpling shapes and drop into your chicken soup recipe.

If vegetarian is more your cup of tea, make a veggie-friendly split pea soup. Simmer half a pound of split pea soup with chopped celery, onions and carrots. Add any desired spices for flavor and top with croutons or bits of cheese.

The number of soups you can make is limitless, and nearly every food ethnicity has a traditional soup. Try something new or make a homemade version of your favorite Campbell's canned dish.

If you're looking for drinks to warm you up rather than food, try something other than the traditional hot chocolate or Starbucks latte. There are plenty of delicious drinks you can make that are off the beaten path.

Butterbeer, for instance, is both delicious and the perfect treat for anyone who's excited to see the newest Harry Potter flick.

Mix together half a stick of unsalted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Mix the spices to taste, but I would use more brown sugar, less cloves and only about a teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat in the vanilla ice cream and allow the mixture to refreeze. Scoop the frozen mixture into a glass and top with a quart of hot apple cider.

If you're looking for holiday cheer with your warm beverage, try an eggnog latte. Mix half a cup of eggnog and a bit of nutmeg with a mug of coffee. I like to stir mine with a cinnamon stick, but that's completely optional.