EAT THAT: Garbage soup tastier than name suggests
There isn’t much better in the fall and winter time than a delicious soup. I love curling up with a bowl of hot deliciousness to warm me up, especially through Logan winters. My roommates never seem to turn it down as well, which may or may not be a positive in your house.
In my house, this soup is called “Garbage Soup” because my I usually just throw whatever I have in the fridge or pantry into my soup, and it turns out delicious. By whatever I have, of course I mean vegetables and such. I have put what I used for this edition, adapt it to your own kitchen.
GARBAGE SOUP:
6 cups water/broth
bullion (only if you don’t use broth)
3 large potatoes, chopped to bite size pieces
baby carrots, chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cans tuna
olive oil
herbs (basil, parsley, oregano, chives, garlic salt)
Alright, first things first, you need to chop up your potatoes. Make them small and they’ll cook faster.
Fill a large pot with the water/broth and bouillon and bring to a boil. While you’re waiting, you can chop the rest of the vegetables and be productive instead of sitting around. When the broth is to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and add the potatoes.
In a frying pan, you’ll want to wilt the onions and green peppers in the olive oil on medium heat for about 5 to 10 minutes.
While the frying pan is going, toss in the carrots. Once the potatoes can be cut with a spoon, you can toss in the onion and green pepper and add the tuna.
Here’s where the recipe deviates. If you hate tuna, you can add some other sort of protein – a can of black beans, chopped pre-cooked chicken, cooked hamburger, salmon or you can just avoid the protein and add noodles.
Other vegetables you can add include frozen peas or corn, fresh or frozen green beans, tomatoes, red pepper or whatever you want.
Now is when you get to add the rest of the flavor. Add whatever herbs and spices you want. This soup is very good with curry or whatever spices you have. Here’s the trick to mixing spices: If it smells good together, it’ll taste good together. Open up the tops of your spices and take a deep breath.
This soup is pretty quick to make, it’s easy and it makes a lot of soup. You can’t freeze it though, because of the potatoes in it. They’ll get mushy and gross.
The other soup I have to suggest is one that holds memories of Christmas. Every year, my grandma has everyone over to her house in Salt Lake to make Gingerbread houses in late November or early December. Every year, without fail, she makes this chili.
Chili isn’t the “technical” term for this, but it’s what I call it. This chili is way awesome because you can put all the ingredients into a Crock-Pot and let it hang out. I like having this soup in the winter because you throw everything in the pot in the morning, turn it on high, and come home from church or school or hanging out with friends and it’s ready. Easy peasy.
CHILI:
1 can black beans
1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas)
1 can pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
2 cans tomatoes
Optional:
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
(If you’re using these, wilt them in a pan and toss them in the Crock-Pot.)
Place all ingredients in the Crock-Pot and mix. Cook on high for 3-4 hours.
Serve with sour cream or plain greek yogurt, avocado and cheese. You can also use just cheese, or none of the above.
These soups keep me warm and full all winter long. As always, if you love these recipes or hate them, let me know.
– april.ashland@aggiemail.usu.edu
@AprilAsh2012