January is "Soup for Dinner" month & Recipes

I think just about everybody knows that January is “Eat Soup for Dinner Month.” Okay, I might have invented that. Still, January’s cold weather is the perfect backdrop for soup. So is February. And March. And just about every month except July. (Wait, I think I have a recipe for cold soup.) I mean: every month including July.

My favorite soup recipe is Italian Soup. Unfortunately, I’m the only one in my clan that likes it. (I live with weirdos picky eaters.) Italian soup is easy and healthy. Plus, it could easily be converted to a vegan recipe for those wanting a meatless dish. (Daniel Fast, anyone?)

Shrimp Bisque is the soup that is more accepted at out house. It’s creamy and shrimpy and oh-so-delicious! It’s made with heavy whipping cream, though. That means it’s not good for you. But who cares? But it is good for the occasional splurge. Plus, it has an orange/pink color that makes it perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Try out a new soup recipe. Let me know what you think!

Italian Soup

(This soup freezes well.)

1 lb ground beef

1 cup diced onions

1 cup sliced celery

1 cup sliced carrots

2 cloves minced garlic

1 can diced tomatoes

8 oz. tomato sauce

½ cup elbow macaroni noodles

1 can dark red kidney beans, undrained (I omit these because I don’t like beans.)

2 cups water

2 beef bullion cubes

1 tsp salt

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp basil

¼ tsp pepper

Directions:

1. In pan, cook burger. Drain grease.

2. Combine all ingredients except macaroni noodles in a large pot.

3. Cook until carrots are almost tender.

4. Add macaroni noodles to soup. Cook until tender.

5. Enjoy!

Shrimp Bisque

*Warning: Fresh shrimp—as in off the boat at a marina—tastes much better than what you can get frozen or even fresh from the meat department at the grocery store. Can’t get your shrimp that fresh? Proceed at your taste buds' own risk.*

(We double the recipe. Surprisingly, this soup also freezes well.)

1 lb large shrimp, peeled, shells reserved

4 cups seafood stock (I use clam juice. Look for it near the canned tuna fish.)

3 tbs extra virgin olive oil

2 cups chopped leeks, white and green parts (Leeks are related to onions, by the way.)

½ cup white wine (You can use ¼ c. Cognac and ¼ c. sherry.)

4 tbs butter

4 cup flour

2 cups half-and-half

1/3 cup tomato paste

Directions:

1. Simmer shells and clam juice/stock in a pot for 15 minutes. Strain and reserve the stock.

2. Cook leeks and garlic in olive oil until leeks are tender but not brown.

3. Add shrimp and cook over medium-low heat for 3 minutes.

4. Remove shrimp from pan.

5. Pour white wine and butter into pan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Add tomato paste, stock, half-and-half. Simmer over low heat.

6. Use food processor to coarsely puree leeks and shrimp. (I like to reserve some of the shrimp the cut into bite sized pieces. This will give the soup some chunkiness. Technically, the shrimp pieces make this more of a chowder than a bisque. Bisque is supposed to be smooth with no lumps.)

7. Add shrimp and leek puree (and shrimp pieces if applicable) to liquid. Heat until bisque is not, but not boiling.

8. Enjoy!