Sitting here in the 70 degree weather of Southern California in January, I struggle with what to make for dinner. The Januarys of my past were cold, wet, snowy...I grew up in Ohio after all. January is the time for soups and stews...hearty meals that warm you right down to your soul. There's something about eating homemade soup that makes it different from any store bought soup...maybe because its a labor of love. Maybe all the time the ingredients spend simmering make it different. Maybe its because you can change it anyway you like and make it your own. Don't like peas? Leave'm out! Want extra potatoes? Toss'em in! Use chicken instead of beef...or venison even...anyways, I could toss out alternatives for this recipe all day long...anyway you like it, enjoy it...
