New Year’s Eve Shrimp Soup ☆

This soup was our end-of-year meal on December 31, 2017. My notes on the occasion extolled it as “just what was needed to close the year,” being “Good for the croup.” We were happily recovering from the condition reported in†, and looking forward to a joyous and healthy new year. Our optimism was attributed to the fine soup that sustained us that evening.

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • ¼ cup onion, diced
  • ¼ cup celery, chopped
  • ¼ cup green bell pepper, chopped
  • ¼ cup carrot, diced ¼rdquo;
  • 4 shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 cup unsalted chicken broth
  • ½ vegetable bouillon cube
  • 1 (4 oz) cab Tiny Shrimp
  • 1 (10½ oz) can Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • ¼ cup sherry
  • 10 large raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, halved

Spray the bottom of a saucepan with vegetable spray, add the EVOO, turn on the heat, and turn the pan so that the bottom is uniformly coated with the oil. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, carrot, and mushrooms, and sauté these for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent. Add the vegetable broth and half bouillon cube, and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.

Add the concentrated soup and the small shrimp, and stir vigorously until the mixture is uniform, with the shrimp broken up and indistinguishable. Simmer for 5 minutes for the flavor to develop.

Fold in the shrimp and let them simmer, stirring constantly, until they turn pink, just a couple of minutes. Pour in the sherry, reestablish the simmer, and remove from the heat. Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

Hamburger Soup ☆

I actually began making Hamburger Soup as a lighter alternative to my Cheeseburger Soup†, described elsewhere. It is a quick and easy, hearty and healthy meal loaded with vegetables, lean beef, and tomatoes. It can be made well ahead of time, is easy on the budget, reheats well, and freezes perfectly.

Serve this soup with a fresh green salad and some crusty bread (or, in my case, a log-carb flour tortilla) for the perfect year-round meal!

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 cup carrots, in ½” dice
  • 1 cup celery, chopped
  • ¼ cup green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup frozen corn kernels
  • ¼ cup frozen peas
  • 1 low sodium beef bouillon cube
  • 4 cups unsalted beef broth
  • 1 can light beer
  • ½ tsp leaf oregano
  • ¼ tsp leaf thyme
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 cups can diced low-sodium tomatoes
  • <salt> to taste

In a medium skillet, brown hamburger over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, bell pepper, onion, and garlic to the pan and cook these, turning with a spatula occasionally, until the onions turn translucent, about 3–5 minutes. Drain off fat.

Combine all ingredients into a stock pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes about 12 1-cup portions.