Thursday, September 27, 2012

Scavenger Hunt Soup

It was a cool, rainy morning and for some reason I was wide awake a half an hour early... So I decided to go on a scavenger hunt. What type of scavenger hunt at O'Dark Thirty? One to the freezer to see what I might be able to use up in a quick soup. Once again I'll sing the praises of my Food Saver because I had a leftover chunk of ham from Christmas labeled "Ugly Piece-Soup/Beans", also found 3 cups of ham stock waaaayyyyy down at the bottom of the freezer, sounded like the beginning of a beautiful soup to me:@)
  If I had the time I would use dried beans, but this was a work day, so canned it would be. Also noticed some cabbage and a stray jalapeno... In it all went. I ended up with a very flavorful soup!

Scavenger Hunt Soup
1 Tblsp bacon fat
1 small onion-diced
1 large clove garlic-minced
1 large stalk celery, sliced
1 large carrot, thinly sliced-I made matchsticks
1 jalapeno, cleaned and small diced-loved the flavor this added!
1 large bay leaf
A few grinds of black pepper-I did not add any extra salt
3 C stock-I used ham
Cabbage, shredded-as much as you'd like/have, I added about 1 C
1 (14.5oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed
Leftover meat, diced
  1. Add bacon fat and onion to pot, cook 5 minutes.
  2. Add garlic, celery, carrot and jalapeno, cook a couple minutes, stirring often.
  3. Add bay leaf, pepper and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.
  4. Add cabbage, beans and meat, simmer until cabbage softens up, maybe 8-10 minutes more.
  5. Remove bay leaf, adjust S&P if necessary and enjoy!
This was a wonderful, hearty soup and the only other thing I wish I could have added would be a potato. 
I encourage you to explore your freezer and whip up a pot of soup using just what you have on hand! 

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

29 comments:

  1. I need to do this same thing. Love the phrase Dark Thirty. My dad used it all of the time.
    Sam

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  2. Great name for this soup! You know I love finding things in the fridge! Great day for soup!

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  3. I LOVE white beans and ham and adding more, so good. Only no one in my family agrees! I may make it for myself.

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  4. Good morning! Glad I found you today...love your attitude AND your recipes! Sounds like a great idea for soup to me--I definitely need to do a little scavenger hunt/clean-out of my freezer!

    I'll be following along...

    Wishing you a wonderful day!

    Julie

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  5. We are huge soup fans and I do this very same thing - not as often as I should. It's raining here. Ummmm, good soup day. Husband is in hosp. so I'll wait til he's back home. Thanks for this delightful recipe and the great photo. Looks and sounds delicious. Blessings, Barb

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  6. Love the name you came up with! Reminds me of when I was a child and our mother would go through the fridge and put 'everything' into the skillet, always with some macaroni. Wanting to make it special for my brother, sister and myself, she had us name it...We came up with 'Buddy'. We reasoned that everyone in the pot must be buddys! xo

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  7. This sounds like the way I make most of my soups! LOL

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  8. This is exactly how some of the best meals are made. I have to get a new vacuum sealer so I can once again save delicious bits of food to create with.

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  9. What a cute name...scavenger hunt soup! When my kids were little we would save all the bits of leftover veggies in the freezer then make soup! It was always fabulous! hugs, Linda

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  10. Sounds delicious, like how you labeled the ham "ugly" lol! But it tasted good, that's all the matters. What does Earl think about the price of pork skyrocketing over the next few months?? There may even be a (gasp) bacon shortage!! xo

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  11. Hmm...if I made a soup with what I have on hand right now it would be Stone Soup. I need a trip to the store, but a light on my car dash keeps blinking and saying "not charging" so I'm staying put for now. Your soup looks delicious!!! You should hide Earl--I keep hearing about a bacon shortage. Linda

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  12. Nothing like a good soup in Fall. A bit humid in NY today but maybe next week, I will try this.

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  13. That I LOVE - nothing like a soup full of that wonderful stuff on a cool fall day.

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  14. A perfect soup for a fall day -
    Mary x

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  15. Starting with bacon fat, it just had to be good. Beans are so healthy and ham is such a good partner for them. I can almost taste how good this was.

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  16. Looks and sounds fantastic, Lynn! It is perfect for fall/winter. I think I would probably put these in the crockpot, and let it simmer all day long. It'd make the house smell so good! And add a little cornbread...I'm getting hungry.

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  17. This looks like perfect bean soup! I've never added jalapeno, but it sounds like a fantastic idea :)

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  18. What a creative cook you are, Lynn, and I love the name of your soup. I heard about the bacon shortage that we may be having. I'm getting a little worried.

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  19. Can you say soup looks beautiful? Because that sure does! YUM!!

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  20. These types of soups are the best...I think I too have a lovely piece of ham in the freezer! Wonderful autumn inspiration. I hope you have a blessed weekend,
    Kathy

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  21. Yum, you certainly know how to make something out of nothing! Is your middle name Mother Hubbard? Looks delish, I'm so excited that it's soup time!

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  22. Love the name of this Soup....I'm pretty sure I've made it many times and didn't know it. Good thing...those canned beans, but I gotta tell ya...I don't throw in the cabbage. Mouth is watering...gotta go find my soup pot....mmmm doesn't cornbread sound like a winner with this stuff?

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  23. LOL! If I went on a scavenger hunt I certainly wouldn't be able to come up with as delicious a soup as this, Lynn. Great job. I'm a huge Food Saver fan too!

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  24. That looks SO delicious, Lynn. YUM!

    I have missed you and wanted to pop in and wish you a Happy Fall.

    Still no 'puter (lots of house expenses and I hate to put one more thing on Mr. M), but I will return. I will!

    In the mean time, fall blessings to you...

    XO,

    Sheila

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  25. Love soup...yours looks delicious! Stop on by and say hi...you can also link up to my linky party... :)

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  26. I love the name you've given your soup. It really sounds delicious. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  27. Warm, comforting soup, that sounds like fall to me! We would always add a little vinegar to bean soup. I still love that - adds a kick!

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  28. Lynn~ If only my freezer were that organized~ I'm so impressed with "Ugly Piece-Soup/Beans" label :) We made off with the leftover ham bone from Thanksgiving last year from my MIL's house and confiscated it for soup! I love beans in soup and your scavenger soup sounds delicious!

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  29. You've inspired me to get in touch with my freezer!

    Best,
    Bonnie

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