New Year - New Soup ...

Fasten your seat belts, I'm about to confess. At the risk of being ostracized from the community, I'm just going come out admit it ... I made another Rachel Ray recipe.

I'll give you a moment to smooth your feathers and calm your spirits.

Now I'll admit something else ... it was damn good. So good I've eaten it nearly every day since I made it. What is this mysterious concoction? Stuffed Cabbage Soup. More shocking than the fact that I've admitted to watching 30 Minute Meals, is the fact that I made this soup despite my dislike of stuffed cabbage. I can't stand the stuff. But, trust me, this soup is amazing.

Its rich, hearty and nourishing; just perfect for these blustery winter days we've been having of late. This is a soup to soothe your soul and warm the chill in your bones. And, wonder of wonders, its South Beach friendly ... I told you I'd return to my roots eventually!

Naturally, I've made some changes to the recipe. I swapped out some lean ground beef and ground turkey breast for the beef, pork and veal in the original recipe. And, I've upped the ante on the spices - a lot - among other things. Below is my version ...

Stuffed Cabbage Soup:

adapted from Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals

• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef (sirloin)
• 1/2 pound ground turkey breast
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• some freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of pumpkin pie spice
• generous grating of fresh nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon of whole caraway seeds, crushed
• 1 large, whole bay leaf
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 small to medium sized head of Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced (core removed)
• one 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 1 cup of unseasoned tomato sauce
• two 14.5 ounce cans of non-fat low-sodium chicken broth
• two 14.5 ounce cans of low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• some cooked whole wheat or egg noodles, or brown rice for serving

Garnishes:

• some chopped fresh dill
• some chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large soup or stock pot until hot but not smoking. Add the ground beef and turkey and saute until cooked throughout and beginning to brown, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon and stirring as you saute. Add all of the spices, from the paprika through the bay leaf, stir to combine and saute for one minute. Add the onions, garlic and carrots and saute until the onions are translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring as needed. Add the cabbage and saute, stirring, until it begins to wilt - about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, vegetable broth and the red wine vinegar. Raise the heat and bring the soup to the boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

Have ready some cooked whole wheat noodles, egg noodles, or brown rice. To serve, place the noodles or rice in the bottom of a bowl and over it ladle the finished soup. Garnish with a generous sprinkling of chopped fresh dill and parsley. Serve immediately.

As written, this recipe will yield 6 to 8 servings depending on portion size.

People, this makes a ton of soup! A ton of wonderfully flavored, 100% satisfying, delicious soup. We liked it so much we've been eating it non-stop ... and I'm going to be very sad when its gone. Please don't be put off by the long list of ingredients - this really is a quick fix meal.

The recipe suggests that the soup be served with rice (white rice to be specific) - but who wants rice when you can have noodles? Not me. Though, as always, do as you see fit.

I know I kid about Rachel Ray, but I have to admit she's got some great ideas - this unusual soup chief among them. Personally, I found the original version somewhat lacking in flavor and in need of an acid balance - hence the red wine vinegar and the trio of paprikas - but if you prefer something less bold, by all means go with the original version. We like to keep things spicy around here, so I'm well-pleased with my adaptation. I've also simmered the soup longer than the original recipe suggests. I think the longer simmer helps to build flavor.

Round out the meal with a big, fresh salad and you'll have a complete meal that's a welcome respite from all the holiday indulgences ... and a fine foil for the chilly temps! I hope you'll try it.

Bon appetit!