Soup is the perfect winter meal. It’s a hearty dish that can be made in various ways, with a wide variety of ingredients, and is ideal for feeding one person or a hungry family. You may not always think of soup as a meal, but it is a very filling one. You will find in this post a few delicious examples that are easy to make and will warm you to the bone.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Stuffed peppers are a fantastic treat and can be a wonderful meal on their own. However, if you really want to take it to the next level, you can make them into a fantastic soup. This stuffed pepper soup is easy to make because it uses an Instant Pot, simplifying the process. While there are a fair few ingredients, there is nothing that you won’t be able to find at your local grocery store.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb x fresh ground beef
• 1 x bay leaf
• 1/3 x cup of diced celery
• 1 x diced onion
• 4 x minced garlic cloves
• 1 x tbsp paprika
• 1 x tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 x tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 x tsp oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 x minced bell peppers
• 4 x cup beef broth
• 1 x tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 x cup white wine, uncooked and rinsed
• 1 x can of diced tomatoes
• 1 x can of tomato sauce

Method:

1. Turn your Instant Pot onto the sauté setting.
2. Add in your ground beef, onions, and celery, and brown the mince.
3. Add in all of your spices and half of your garlic and allow to sauté for 1 minute.
4. Add in everything else apart from the tomato sauce and mix it well.
5. Once mixed, add in your tomato sauce and stir again until everything is nicely combined.
6. Seal the lid and pressure cook for 4 minutes.
7. Allow the pressure to release on its own, and add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Once you are happy, pour into bowls and get to eating!

Chicken Meatball and Vegetable Noodle Soup

You’ll love the flavor of this chicken meatball and vegetable soup. A hearty, tasty meal of herb-filled chicken meatballs nestled in a flavorful broth mixed up with wholesome vegetable noodles.

Ingredients:

• 1 x chopped small onion
• 3 x chopped garlic cloves
• 1/4 x cup of dry white wine
• 2 x sprigs fresh thyme
• 8 x cup chicken stock
• 1 lb x ground chicken breast
• 1/4 x cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1 x large egg
• 2 x tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 x tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 x tbsp chopped basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 x cup assorted vegetable noodles (you can use store-bought for convenience)
• 1 x pint halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 x tbsp red wine vinegar

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add in your onion and garlic and cook until golden brown for around 5 minutes.
3. Add your wine and thyme.
4. Cook until the wine is a sticky texture and add your chicken stock.
5. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer.
6. While that is cooking, gently mix your chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, parsley, basil, and salt and pepper.
7. Make around 30 meatballs and place them into the simmering broth.
8. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 7 to 9 minutes.
9. Add your noodles and tomatoes and stir until they are cooked.
10. Stir in vinegar and season further with salt and pepper.
11. Serve while piping hot.

It is best to eat these soups hot, straight from the pot. Consequently, you should plate up the food as soon as the cooking is completed. If you really want to feel comfortable in the winter, you should add some home-cooked bread.

Though it has its origins in North America, fried dough recipe, is immensely popular all over the world today. It is quite easy to make this recipe, and it is extremely tasty. It is known by different names in different places. Sometimes, the way the fried bread is cut, or the method it is prepared decides its name.

Fry dough, fry bread, elephant ears, doughboys, fried bread, etc., are some names given to fried dough. In some places, fried dough is also known as touton, langos, kiachi, oliebol, etc.

Fried Dough Recipe Origin

The origin of this dish dates back to the early 19^th century when the Navajo tribal people had first made it. Though the basic preparations remain the same in almost all the places, some restaurants use unique regional variations to make their fried dough stand out from the other versions. Usually, this recipe is found in most of the stalls during country fairs, carnivals, etc.

The best part of fried dough is making it in any shape you want and cutting it in the design you want. You can use any topping of your choice for this dough.

While some people prefer a generous dollop of butter on top, some like the sweetened version of the fried dough better. In that case, they can use maple syrup or powdered sugar as toppings. So, as you can see, it is a very simple recipe that can be personalized as per your tastes and preferences.

You can make any shape you like with this fried dough recipe!

Some tips for Fried Dough Recipe

• After frying the dough, you can also make a sugar syrup by heating water and sugar in a pan. When the sugar has dissolved completely, keep heating the mixture on a low flame, until it turns slightly thick. At this stage, gently drop the fried dough pieces into the syrup and cook for a minute before switching off. Kids and adults will enjoy these sugar syrup-coated fried dough pieces very much.
• If you have added salted butter to the all-purpose flour when making the dough, you can cut down on the salt that you add. Ensure that the butter must be cold and soft when you are adding it to the dough. You can skip the butter and add margarine as well to make the dough. This will not alter the taste of the fried dough.
• Always use lukewarm water only when preparing the dough. This will ensure that you get a soft dough, eventually. Also, while adding water, please remember to add little by little, so that the mixture doesn’t become too watery.
• When rolling the dough, ensure that you roll them very thin. This way, you can fry them evenly, without any problems. When the dough rolls are very thick, they take a long time to fry. The outer sides of the rolls turn dark brown, whereas the insides remain chewy. This can affect the taste of the final dish.
• When using dry toppings (such as granulated sugar, icing sugar, etc.) allow the fried dough rolls to cool down well before you coat them. This will ensure that the slices remain crisp for a longer time.
• You can prepare the dough beforehand, and make the snack in a jiffy when guests arrive at a place. This dough stays good in the refrigerator for about 4 to 5 days. The only thing you should remember is that the dough should be at room temperature when you are about to fry the rolls. It is best to enjoy these rolls on the same day they are made to relish their freshness and crispiness.
• If you haven’t made the dough beforehand, but still want to make this recipe within minutes, you can also use store-bought pizza dough for this recipe.

Let us see how to make fried dough easily at home in the following sections.

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How to Make the Best Fried Dough

It takes about an hour to make this recipe, and the following ingredients are good enough for about 8 servings.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour – 2 cups
• Baking Powder – 2 teaspoons
• Salt –¾ teaspoon
• Unsalted butter – 2 tablespoons
• Water – ¾ cup (preferably lukewarm)
• Oil – 2 cups

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add butter to this mixture and blend the contents well. It would be great if you could use a blender for this step.
• Now, add the lukewarm water little by little into the bowl and mix all the contents to form a smooth dough. Cover the bowl, and leave the dough to get set well for about 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, open the lid, and cut the soft dough into 8 pieces. Take one piece and make a thin roll from it. Repeat the step for the other 8 pieces.
• Now, your dough is ready, and you should prepare the oil for frying the dough. In a heavy-bottomed pan, pour about 2 cups of oil and heat it on medium-high flame. Once the oil is heated well, check the temperature by dropping a small piece of dough in the oil. If the dough leaves bubbles and rises to the top of the surface, the oil is hot enough for you to fry the dough. Alternatively, you can also use a thermometer to check if the oil has become hot enough for frying. The oil is ready to be used when it reaches a temperature of 375 degrees F.
• Now, drop the dough rolls that you have made into the oil, one by one. Let one side of the roll puff up well and rise to the top, before you flip it over and cook the other side as well. Take the roll once both sides have turned light brown. Repeat this step for the other discs as well.
• Place the fried rolls on a paper towel to drain out the oil from them.
• Fried dough rolls are now ready. It is now time for you to personalize it as you want. You can use granulated sugar, salted butter, maple syrup, cider syrup, cinnamon sugar and any other topping of your choice over these fried dough discs, and enjoy them instantly.

So what do the Eastern states miss apart from “In-N-Out” burgers? The famous boiling crab. It’s so hard to resist eating with your bare fingers like a savage. And this Boiling Crab Shrimp Copycat Recipe will take you straight to Boiling Crab.

Now, for anyone who does not know this Western fast food chain, Boiling Crab specializes in all kinds of shellfish in a remarkable blend of Southern seasonings, lemon, butter, and garlic.

You order your portion in pounds and get to choose between a good range of dips and side dishes. You will then get your order in a plastic bag, and once this hits the table, the devouring starts.

Boiling Crab Shrimp Copycat Recipe

It’s time to make this fantastic Shrimp copycat recipe from Boiling Crab. Once you make it you’ll see just how easy it is and you’ll want to make it all the time. 

Ingredients

• 4 lbs./2kg shrimps (or other crustaceans),
• 3 heads garlic, peeled and minced,
• 4 sticks butter (unsalted),
• 4 tbsp old bay seasoning,
• 2 tbsp paprika,
• 2 tbsp cayenne pepper,
• 2 tbsp lemon or black pepper,
• 2 tbsp hot sauce (preferably Louisiana),
• 2 tbsp white sugar,

Extra Ingredients (optional):

• 2 ears of corn
• 2 chorizo sausages, sliced
• 1 ½ tbsp Louisiana sauce
• 2 limes (or one per person)
• Salt-Pepper

For The Fries

• 4 small potatoes
• 1 tsp old bay seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic salt

Other utensils:

• 1-gallon food storage bags
• Masking paper, newspaper, or single-use tablecloth

Instructions

1. Preparing the Pot:

• Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil.

2. Prep Work:

• Chop potatoes into medium fry sticks.
• Halve lemons.
• Finely slice chorizo.
• Process garlic in a food processor.

3. Making The Shabang Sauce:

• In a small bowl, mix Old Bay seasoning, cayenne, and lemon pepper.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
• Combine minced garlic with mixed seasonings.
• Cook garlic for a few minutes, then stir in Louisiana sauce and sugar.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer.

4. Cooking Shrimp and Sides:

• Add halved lemon to boiling water.
• Cook shrimp in batches for 2-3 minutes each. Avoid overcooking.
• Use the same water to cook corn and chorizo if desired.

5. Preparing Fries:

• Deep fry potato sticks at 400°F (200°C) until golden.
• Toss fries with Old Bay seasoning and garlic salt.

6. Assembling the Bags:

• Distribute shrimp, corn, and chorizo into individual gallon-sized storage bags.
• Divide Shabang Sauce evenly among the bags.
• Seal bags and toss to mix.

7. Serving:

• Cover dining table with newspaper or a single-use tablecloth.
• Provide small bowls for individual seasoning with limes, salt, and pepper.
• Once ready, dive in and enjoy!

8. Clean-up:

• Roll up the used papers and dispose of them for easy clean-up.

Enjoy your Boiling Crab-style shrimp feast!

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If you’ve liked this recipe be sure to check this Seafood Boil Sauce with Garlic butter!