Hearty hot dog and veggie soup with pasta – a quick meal

When I was a kid, we ate a lot of soup, probably because it’s a cheap and filling meal. My mother made clam chowder, vegetable chowder, chicken noodle chowder, to name a few. All of their soups were made from scratch and with a lot of workmanship. However, thanks to new products, soup can be a fast food.

For example, I always have a box of unsalted chicken broth on the shelf. I use it for sauces, soups, and stews. Unsalted beef broth is also helpful, although I don’t use it as much as chicken broth. Grocery stores carry unsalted bouillon cubes too, and I always have them on hand. We don’t eat a lot of canned soups, but I always have mushrooms and celery in the pantry.

I recently bought a package of reduced fat and salt hot dogs and ate them for lunch. My husband did not like the taste. “These barely have any flavor,” he commented. “What brand are they?” He was correct. The hot dogs had little flavor and were from a different brand, one that I don’t usually buy.

Fat adds flavor to food. If the manufacturer reduces the fat content, herbs and seasonings can be added for flavor. Some of these products, like the Chicken Hots Dogs variety, are really good. But I still had the rest of the hot dogs and was wondering what to do with them.

Since I am a thrifty person, I decided to use them in soup. It was a good decision. The soup was delicious and my husband enjoyed it. To keep the pasta from overcooking, I cooked it ahead of time and added it to the soup at the last minute. Cooked rice can be substituted for pasta. Perplexed at dinner? Make soup tonight!

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, minced

1 can (10 1/2 ounces) celery soup (I (used the reduced fat and salt type).

1 box (32 ounces) unsalted chicken broth

1 pound package of hot dogs (your choice)

1 cup of corn frozen

1 cup frozen peas

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon cumin (or 1/2 if you want more smoke)

1 cup small pre-cooked pasta (tubes, shells, macaroni)

METHOD

1. For the olive oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until soft.

2. Add the celery soup and chicken broth.

3. Cut the hot dogs into thin slices and add them to the soup.

4. Add all the remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer 1 hour, or transfer to the crockpot, set to simmer, and simmer 6 to 8 hours.

5. Uncover the soup and add the cooked pasta. Heat 10 more minutes.

6. Serve with crackers, breadsticks, or crusty bread. Makes about 8 servings.

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