Sunday Soup #21: Beef & Bean Soup

This recipe came from: http://shewearsmanyhats.com/beef-bean-soup-recipe/

*Pic 1 - http://shewearsmanyhats.com/beef-bean-soup-recipe/

My Variations from Recipe as Written: I doubled the recipe. I used a mesquite smoked salt instead of plain. And, I used shredded carrots instead of sliced or chopped.

General Thoughts: This soup looked very promising... Beef, beans, broth... What could go wrong? Well, it didn't exactly go "wrong," but it didn't live up to my expectations. Admittedly, as you already know if you are a regular follower of my blog, I am far from a professional cook (I am just a dude who likes soup!), so my disappointment may be linked to something I did (or didn't do) when I prepared the recipe.

*Pic 2 - Picture from when I made it

But, despite not really delivering overall, this soup did get a couple things right... The soup was hot and filling, if a bit plain, and would hit the spot on a cold night. Also, it was fairly simple to make, as the prep was easy and most of the time spent was in waiting for it to boil and simmer (rather than actively preparing).

Don't get me wrong, it was definitely edible - in fact, my son and I both ate it leftover multiple times.  However, it was definitely missing something... Its flavor profile was not the best; it was bland and a little off in turns, and it never made any of us say, "mmmm."

Polling the Fam: For me, this soup just lacked personality... It needed something to make it pop, to make me want to go back for seconds and hope I have extra leftovers for the next day, but it just didn't. Becky said it smelled funny (probably the sage or thyme) and called it "Dog Butt Soup" (real soup talk!). Hunter ate it but was also not really impressed, saying it was "okay." Andrew ate it too, but was not as happy with it as he was with some of the other soups he's tried in this project.

Verdict: Not a fan. (2 stars)

Sunday Soup #20: Mexican Street Corn Soup

This recipe came from: http://stripedspatula.com/2016/07/28/mexican-street-corn-soup/

*Pic 1 - http://stripedspatula.com/2016/07/28/mexican-street-corn-soup/

My Variations from Recipe as Written: I took several big liberties with this recipe... I doubled the recipe. I used olive oil (when it gave me a choice between olive or vegetable oils) and chicken stock (when it gave me a choice between chicken or vegetable broth). I used frozen corn instead of fresh, for the sake of pure expediency (and, as such, did not follow the instruction regarding the corn cobs). And, I added 1/2 pound of shredded chicken and 1/2 pound of shredded turkey, because I felt like the soup needed more bulk and certainly some protein.

General Thoughts: The flavor of this soup was deceptively deep and complex; helped by its garnishment, certainly, but very flavorful on its own. The addition of the protein (the shredded chicken and turkey) was a huge positive! It made the soup feel really substantial, as well as adding greatly to the overall flavor profile.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

The soup was fairly simple to make, helped out by using frozen instead of fresh corn and buying pre-cooked, pre-shredded chicken and turkey from the deli section. Overall, it was pretty straightforward, so I have no tips or commentary regarding the prep, really, other than what I have already shared.

I garnished with the recommended corn mixture, but felt like mine needed to be a little spicier (what else is new?!), so in addition to the other recommended garnishes (cilantro and cotija cheese), I used sour cream, Sriracha, and jarred jalapeños (which gave it a vinegary twang that I felt like the soup was missing). Finally, I crumbled tortilla chips into my bowl, which finished it off nicely.

Polling the Fam: I made this one for a large crowd again, so some good opinions.  I thought this was a solid addition and would make it again, in the form described above as a main dish or without the chicken/turkey as a nice soup course for a Mexican meal. However, the soup needs more spice (without garnishment) to make it "great". Becky thought it was good, and she would eat it again, although she thought it needed a bit more spice. Hunter felt similarly, saying he really liked it and that it was flavorful, but not as spicy as desired, and the tortilla chips were a "must". Jayson liked it very much and was very glad it had chicken/turkey, adding that he was happy he added a bit of Tabasco to his bowl. Andrew said "Really good. Quality, quality, quality." He said the meat was his favorite part of the soup and that it worked very well; he thought the broth acted like a very rich sauce for the meat. Finally, Lisa thought it was good but that it was missing some flavor note, although she couldn't put her finger on what specifically; she suggested some canned mild diced green chiles. She also added that the pieces of shredded chicken were too big so dicing a traditionally cooked boneless chicken breast or shredding it smaller would have helped.

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)