by Robin Tidwell

Created on: July 10, 2008   Last Updated: January 21, 2009

Soup is a fantastic cold-weather food, is easy to prepare, and often can serve as a complete meal especially if you add some warm, fresh bread and a nice, chocolaty dessert....

My first attempt at making soup, years ago, resulted in a delicious concoction that left me sneezing for hours and burned my throat - note to self: do NOT sniff sauteing soup ingredients when those include cayenne pepper!

This is, however, a great soup: easy to make, very tasty, and quick.

Top-of-the-Line Tomato Soup

1 can tomato soup

1 can water

1/2 can corn

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 minced garlic clove

Dash Worcestershire sauce

Black pepper

Cayenne pepper

Shredded cheddar cheese

Saute onion and garlic in medium saucepan over low heat, just until onions are tender. Add spices, soup, water, and corn; return to boil, then cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, till flavors are blended. Top with cheddar cheese before serving. Makes two portions.

Another quick and easy soup recipe that I've perfected over the years is Hamburger Vegetable Soup; it tastes a bit different each time, depending on which seasonings and ingredients I use, and it's especially good if topped with Sargento Chipotle Cheddar.

Hamburger Vegetable Soup

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 onion

3 T minced garlic

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 can tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

2 cups frozen corn

1 cup frozen green beans

2 cups water

Black pepper to taste

Dash Worcestershire

Sargento Chipotle Cheddar cheese

Brown beef with onion, garlic, and soup mix till beef is cooked through. Add remaining ingredients except cheese and bring to boil. Simmer, covered, for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle into bowls and top with cheese. Serves 6.

Variations can be easily made by using different seasonings or vegetables or by topping with a milder cheese - or none at all. It's even better the next day!

Since my tastes appear to run towards tomatoes and hot spices, here is a great, easy, fast chili recipe:

Chipotle Chili

1 lb. ground beef, browned

1 onion, chopped

2 jars chipotle salsa

1 can corn

2 cans chili beans

1 clove garlic, minced

2 c. water

Mix all ingredients together in large pot; bring to boil, cover, then simmer for about an hour (less if you're really hungry). You can also add more or less water depending on the consistency you prefer. Serves 6-8.

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