Perfect for a cold, cold evenin'

With snow on the ground and Jack Frost nippin' at Nashville's nose, I thought tonight would be a good night to enjoy some o' my patented potage de boeuf. I told you about it back in 2008:

I thawed some ground beef today fully intending to make a big pot of chili when I got home from work. Since I had some carrots that needed to be consumed, I decided to make a pot of soup instead.

After browning my ground beef, well, I just winged it from there. I was going to use tomato sauce, but I couldn't find any in my pantry. I'm glad I didn't have tomato sauce because tomato soup gave my concoction a sweet flavor that contrasted nicely with the spiciness of the Creole seasoning and cayenne.

Joltin' Django's Beef Soup

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
3 potatoes, cubed
1 11.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 10.75-ounce can condensed tomato soup
1 11-ounce can corn niblets, drained
1 11.5-ounce can green peas, drained
2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Brown ground beef in a heavy-bottomed pot, drain. Return ground beef to pot and add garlic, onions, and carrots. Stir over medium heat until onions become clear and carrots begin to soften. Add remaining ingredients and water. Simmer for 35-45 minutes. Add additional Creole seasoning if needed.

Recommended hot sauce: Trappey's Bull® or Texas Pete®