Burger Veggie Soup

That's what I'm calling the recipe I made up last night.  I wanted to have soup for dinner, but hadn't done the prep work on Sunday evening for bean soup or chili (namely soaking the beans overnight since I don't buy canned beans, only dried ones).  We'd just had potato soup last week, so that was out.  All my chicken soup carcasses from butchering day--what was left of each chicken after I 'parted' it out into wings, breasts, leg quarters--were still frozen solid because I hadn't planned ahead.  (Can I say that doing Super Bowl food always throws me off for a day or two?)  Likewise I had nothing thawed for turkey soup.  Pea soup didn't sound all that great.  Venison stew was out too, unless I wanted to try to quickly thaw a pound of stew meat in the microwave; which I didn't.  I have a thing about the microwave. . . food just doesn't come out of there the same as it does thawed/cooked by other methods.  I really have my suspicions as to the nutritional value of anything microwaved.

What I wanted was something that was both quick, and hearty.  Something flavorful.  Something I could throw together with what I had readily available.  I looked through my food stores and brainstormed.

Quick meat: a pound of venison burger.  It can go from rock-hard frozen to browned meat in thirty minutes.

Soup base that didn't require boiling beans, or bones, for an hour or more: tomato juice.

Flavors and filler: assorted veggies.

And that is how Burger Veggie Soup was born.  It was easy, quick (for a from-scratch soup), delicious and filling.

If you would like to try it for yourself, here is the recipe (I confess, all measurements are approximate, I didn't measure with anything other than my eyeballs.)

Burger Veggie Soup

1 lb venison burger

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp Lawry's

1/2 tsp black pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 qt tomato juice

1 qt canned tomatoes

3 medium potatoes, diced

2 large carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 cup peas (frozen or fresh)

1/2 cup diced bell peppers

1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen or fresh)

In a 10" skillet, brown burger over medium heat with onion and garlic.  Add Lawry's and black pepper when burger is almost done.  Cook until browned.  Drain if desired or needed (usually I don't need to drain venison)

In soup pot (at least 6 qt), put browned meat mixture and all remaining ingredients.   Heat to boiling on high, then cover and lower heat.  Simmer at least 45 minutes, longer cooking time enhances flavor.

Serve with buttered bread, crackers, or croutons.