January Skiers Soup

I think it was the name that appealed to me originally.  Though I wasn't much of a skier, I could could cook soup! The recipe came from an old church cookbook, put out by the gals from the Kelowna Mennonite Brethren Church and given to me by my sister-in-law way back then. Over the years I have cooked it often and changed it up a little. It is basically a hamburger soup and when combined with fresh bread it makes a great meal after a day on the slopes or anywhere, for that matter. January is officially soup month, so here's a recipe you might want to try.

January Skiers Soup

• 1 pound ground beef
• 6 cups water
• 3 sliced onions
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• 3 medium potatoes, diced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 large can diced tomatoes (28 oz.)
• 2 cups sliced cabbage (optional)
• 1/4 cup rice
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet basil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• dash of cayenne pepper (just to add a wee zip)

 Method:

1. Brown ground beef in heavy pot...with 1 tablespoon oil. Use a potato masher to stir while browning (it's great for crumbling the beef).
2. Add remaining ingredients except rice and seasonings, and bring to a boil.
3. Add rice and seasonings.
4. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
5. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Enjoy!