Soups

I just love making soup- hot and comforting in the winter, cold and refreshing in the summer. No high altitude adjustments are necessary, and you can tweak a recipe as much or little as you want. Here’s a great soup for a cold day. There is something almost magical about the combination of kielbasa, cabbage and tomatoes. They are better together than separately.I have no idea why its called Portuguese – isn’t kielbasa Polish?

Portuguese Soup

6 Cups chicken stock
1 pound kielbasa, diced
1 pound boiling potatoes, peeled and diced
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can (about 14 oz)  diced tomatoes
1 small head of cabbage, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 of a green pepper, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced

I usually put the kielbasa, cabbage, onions, carrots, green pepper and garlic together in the soup pot and cook until the onions wilt and the green pepper and cabbage soften. Then I add the potatoes and chicken stock and cook over medium heat until the carrots and potatoes are soft. Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 1/2 hour. Add the beans.  Adjust the seasonings. You probably won’t need to add salt, but may need to add pepper.

Since I first found this recipe in a magazine the size of a package of kielbasa has shrunk from 1 pound to 13 ounces.  The smaller package seems to still add enough flavor, but feel free to add more if you wish. Really, you can vary any of the ingredients and this soup will turn out just fine! Sometimes I add spinach or kale!  I usually make a double batch so I have plenty of leftovers for lunches.

Have you a favorite soup recipe? I’d love to have you share your recipe!