My soup has never been anything to write home about but this soup was amazing. Vince kept going on and on how good it was. How flavorful it was. Finally, he said . . “This is the best soup you’ve ever made. THE BEST!!” I think he liked it.
When I looked at the recipe, nothing jumped out at me that would have made me think this was THE soup recipe I’d probably use for the rest of my life but my goodness, Vince was more impressed than he’s been with anything I’ve made lately.
I suppose I kinda butchered the recipe, as I do with every recipe I use. I have a real hard time following directions . . always have. It isn’t that I’m above following directions . . I just don’t seem to be able to read and then do what I just read but, we’re not starving so who cares.
Anyway, here are the changes I made (and there are enough changes that it almost isn’t the same recipe any more).
- I think a lot of the flavor was because I used two 14 oz. cans of tomatoes that had basil, garlic and oregano in them. I didn’t even notice til I opened them and saw that they were a bit different. I buy what’s on sale (or that’s how it used to work . . these days I buy what I can find!) and all the cans go in the canned tomato bin. I just grab one and sometimes it’s a surprise.
- Instead of dredging the meat in flour and then browning it, I just browned the meat, then added flour to the drippings, browned the flour, poured the broth over that, let it simmer so the flour was all mixed with the broth, then poured all that into the slow cooker.
- I didn’t have vegetable broth so I used the chicken flavored better than bouillon and water.
- I didn’t have rainbow carrots so I used plain carrots.
- After the listed ingredients had cooked a couple of hours, I added 4 chopped potatoes, and part of a large bag of frozen peas, carrots, green beans . . just regular mixed veggies. I let it cook on high til the potatoes were tender.
- I’m not crazy about thyme so I didn’t use any.
Ortherwise, I think I did everthing else just as it was written. 🙂
Rebecca says
It always makes me laugh when you mention not much liking thyme. I think it’s my favorite herb!
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Really? I can’t imagine anyone liking thyme, just like I can’t imagine anyone not liking cumin, cilantro and basil but Vince isn’t crazy about any of those. It’s nice that we’re all different I suppose.
vivoaks says
It looks super yummy to me too, but hubby wouldn’t eat it. He’d pick out the peas and green beans and would eat a couple of pieces of carrots, but then leave the rest. All he’d want would be the beef and broth. Wish he’d eat like a regular person!! (Always said I’d never marry a guy that was as picky an eater as my dad, but think I found one worse…. }
I finished getting the ingredients for the cranberry mustard a couple of days ago, so hope I find time tomorrow to get it made before going back to my daughter’s to help with the new baby and the 5-year old doing virtual school, due to covid. If I have it, I may just take the ingredients with me and do it at her house!!! 🙂
Sherry Bobak says
Judy, did you use the red wine? I don’t think I’m too keen on wine in my soup?
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I did use it but you certainly wouldn’t have to. If we hadn’t had it here, or if Vince hadn’t been inside to open the bottle, I would have left it out and probably added a bit of beef broth for depth of flavor.
Becky Turner says
My family laughs at me all the time for my cooking mantra.
” I followed the recipe except for…..”
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Sometimes I change things because I don’t like the ingredient or I think something else would go better. Sometimes I change it because I don’t have it and am not going to the store. But most of the time it’s . . “how did I miss that step?” or “I could have sworn it said to put in cumin!” Yesterday the recipe looked kinda blah without potatoes and corn. I thought I had a bag of frozen lima beans but didn’t. Not only did it look more like the soup I wanted but it made more so we’ll get more meals out of it . . and that means more cross stitching time!
Bon says
You remind me of my sister-in-law. When anyone asks for her recipe she just laughs. I think the only time she really follows one is when she bakes and that is rare.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I think it’s a sign of confidence. Not so much confidence in my cooking ability but confident that my husband will eat anything . . so long as there’s not too much cumin and no cilantro! 🙂
Linda Garcia says
A Home Ec teacher once told me that if you are making soup and it tastes like it needs something but salt isn’t it and you don’t know what it needs…….it needs vinegar. Yes that sounds crazy but vinegar is what it needs. Just 1 or 2 tablespoons. Any kind of vinegar, rice, red wine, balsalmic, regular white, apple cider, etc. It is amazing what that does to the flavor of soup. Vince will really think you are a whiz with homemade soup.