SOUPER SIMPLE SOUP

Sometimes you just need something good, easy and in a hurry. Life gets complicated and you don’t always have time to do things the way your Mom used to. Throwing together a pot of soup without having to cook it for a few hours is not a bad idea when you’re stressed-out, in a hurry and want something that will soothe, comfort, warm and satisfy all at the same time. What could be better than soup unless it’s this recipe for Super Simple Soup? I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like soup and I haven’t found anyone yet who has objected to this particular soup because it’s got lots of good vegetables in it without any of the ‘weird stuff’ that kids, and even some adults, find objectionable in soup. (For example, I can’t get away with putting okra into anything. It just isn’t something we’re used to here in the West where I live. I have nothing against it personally, but I haven’t yet found a way to disguise it. Okra is just okra no matter how you slice it.)

SUPER SIMPLE SOUP

1 Can (24 oz.) beef stew

1 can (14 ½ ounces) stewed tomatoes, cut up

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed vegetable beef soup, undiluted

1 can (8-3/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained

1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on high

for 2-3 minutes or until heated through, stirring once.

Serves 6.

I hesitate putting the hot pepper sauce into the recipe because some people might go by the old adage of ‘if a little is good, then a lot must be better’. This might be true of chocolate, but hot sauce is another thing entirely and so don’t get too heavy-handed with the hot sauce bottle when you start adding it to the soup. In fact, you might be better off just leaving it out entirely and simply putting the hot sauce bottle on the table and let your nearest and dearest sauce it up for themselves. That way they can’t blame you if it ends up being a little too spicy for their tastes. It’s all a matter of degree, anyway. Enjoy!