Soup

We’ve all been sick with colds and flu, so I’ve given myself a pass on the freezer/pantry challenge for a few days, and had Greg bring home some take-out a couple of nights. Hot and sour soup from the local Chinese place was just what I needed for the congestion and cough. Soup has been appealing to me this entire week when not much else was, and even though I’m feeling somewhat better, it still sounded good for supper.

Tonight I used up some bits and pieces from the freezer and frig and we had a version of Taste of Home’s Meatball Minestrone. Instead of meatballs, I just used a package of browned ground beef from the freezer. It was pretty tasty, but really is better with meatballs. There was a partial bag of cooked black beans in the freezer, and from the frig I pulled out part of a can of crushed tomatoes and about a cup of beef broth that I used in place of some of the water in the recipe. The other day when I dug through the pantry cupboards I found a partial box of macaroni that I truly didn’t know was in there. Perfect for this soup.

As it turns out, January is National Soup Month. A few years ago I wrote a few posts on my recipe blog and shared some of my favorites. Besides being a great vehicle for using up other leftovers, soup freezes wonderfully, and lots of times tastes better the second day after it’s made.

Do you have a favorite recipe or soup tip?