This cooler weather just seems to cry out “soup!” Personally, if I have a bowl of hot soup, I don’t need anything else, except maybe some Southern cornbread, to make it a meal.

If I were asked to name my No. 1 favorite soup, I couldn’t do it. Right now, two come to mind. Tomorrow, it will probably be another favorite.

My Fiesta Ranch Soup is easy to make and is full of flavor. The recipe calls for regular whole kernel corn, but sometimes I like to substitute chipotle white corn to add a little extra flavor.

I think of this one as a “pantry” soup, because you can use just about anything savory you find in your pantry. If you don’t have the special Mexican style Rotel, just substitute the regular Rotel. No, it won’t have exactly the same flavor, but it will be good. If you don’t have the refried beans, just use pintos.

The ingredient that I think is necessary is the Fiesta Ranch dip mix, so maybe it would be a good idea to purchase a few packages to have on hand in your pantry. Then when you want soup, you can build it around the dip mix.

Several years ago, someone shared a recipe with me for turnip green soup, and it is wonderful. Even people who don’t usually like turnip greens find this soup pleasing to the palate.

When the youth at our church have a soup supper, turnip green soup is always requested, so I will be carrying a big pot and some cornbread to a youth event this week.

When I first made this soup, I thought it would probably be enjoyed by the adults — but I never thought that young people would like it, too.

I found a recipe for Italian Chicken Stew in “A Pinch of This — A Dash of That” Gooseberry cookbook, and it sounds delicious. It is made from staples found in most kitchens. I haven’t made it yet, but from the ingredients, I can tell it has to be tasty.

Fiesta Ranch Soup

1 pound ground beef chuck
2/3 cup chopped onions
1 (1.1 ounce) package Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch dip mix
1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes with lime and cilantro
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
1 (15 ounce) can chili beans
1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel corn
3 cups water

Combine ground chuck and onions in soup pot. Cook until beef is no longer pink. Stir in dip mix. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about 15 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

Turnip Green Soup

1 (16 ounce bag) frozen turnip greens (with chopped turnips)
1 package Knorr vegetable soup mix
2 cans Northern beans
1/2 cup chopped onion
5 cups chicken broth
1 pound Kielbasa sausage, sliced thin
1 teaspoon Tabasco
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in soup pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until onions are tender. Serve with cornbread.

Italian Chicken Stew

1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
28-ounce can whole tomatoes
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10-ounce package frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup chicken, cooked and chopped

In a 4-quart saucepan, saute onion in oil until tender. Stir in tomatoes with liquid, potatoes and seasonings. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add vegetables and chicken, simmer, covered, for 25 minutes.