Can you help me make this recipe easier?

[Anonymous]

I'm pretty new to cooking and though I've significantly advanced in the last few months I'm hoping this "simple vegetable soup" recipe could be easier. I've posted the ingredients below.

Can I sub out frozen corn for fresh, and if so do I cook it before and then add it? Can I add another veggie aside from fresh green beans? Unless green beans aren't hard to work with - can someone tell me what I need to do with them? And finally, can I sub something else out for "tomato juice cocktail?" Also, if you another recipe that's easy vegetable soup I'll take it. TIA!

Ingredients

1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 (11.5 ounce) can tomato-vegetable juice cocktail
1 cup water
1 large potato, diced
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh green beans
1 cup fresh corn kernels
salt and pepper to taste
Creole seasoning to taste

[Anonymous]

Yes, put whatever you like in it? Just use regular tomato juice?

[Anonymous]

I would not substitute something else for the tomato vegetable juice cocktail, because it has more flavoring from other vegetables besides the tomato. If all you have on hand is regular tomato juice though that will be okay.

Use frozen vegetable where you can. It is a real time saver. There is no taste difference between fresh and frozen as far as taste goes. IMO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not substitute something else for the tomato vegetable juice cocktail, because it has more flavoring from other vegetables besides the tomato. If all you have on hand is regular tomato juice though that will be okay.

Use frozen vegetable where you can. It is a real time saver. There is no taste difference between fresh and frozen as far as taste goes. IMO.

Thanks. I can just add the frozen veggies directly to the pot without cooking, right? Good tip about the flavoring.

[Anonymous]

Yes you can add the frozen directly to the pot, but they won' t take as long to cook, so monitor for mushiness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not substitute something else for the tomato vegetable juice cocktail, because it has more flavoring from other vegetables besides the tomato. If all you have on hand is regular tomato juice though that will be okay.

Use frozen vegetable where you can. It is a real time saver. There is no taste difference between fresh and frozen as far as taste goes. IMO.

Thanks. I can just add the frozen veggies directly to the pot without cooking, right? Good tip about the flavoring.

You can, but (duh) it will take longer to cook. I would just buy steam-in-the-bag microwaveable frozen veggies, then you can cook them for 5 minutes in the mocrowave and throw them in with the soup for a shorter cook time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not substitute something else for the tomato vegetable juice cocktail, because it has more flavoring from other vegetables besides the tomato. If all you have on hand is regular tomato juice though that will be okay.

Use frozen vegetable where you can. It is a real time saver. There is no taste difference between fresh and frozen as far as taste goes. IMO.

Thanks. I can just add the frozen veggies directly to the pot without cooking, right? Good tip about the flavoring.

You can, but (duh) it will take longer to cook. I would just buy steam-in-the-bag microwaveable frozen veggies, then you can cook them for 5 minutes in the mocrowave and throw them in with the soup for a shorter cook time.

I wouldn't worry about cooking frozen veggies first, especially corn. Basically, corn is so tender it just needs to thaw out a little bit. I put frozen corn directly into my veggie chili with no problems.

[Anonymous]

Interesting that one PP says it will take longer to cook with frozen veggies, and one says shorter. Very helpful.

[Anonymous]

OP, this is about the simplest recipe you're going to find. In the winter, it's probably better to used frozen vegetables, but I disagree that there's no difference between frozen and freas, even in soup. In the summer, use fresh if possible.

[Anonymous]

I've added frozen vegetables to soup before. Just add it when the soup comes to boil, by the time that the soup is done, the vegies will have been thawed and cooked. I actually prefer frozen vegetables because they tend to get less overcooked and mushy in a soup than fresh. I also tend to get low-sodium broth when I don't make my own because the regular chicken broth starts out VERY salty and when you make a soup, it can sometimes oversalt the soup. While I understand that many of the chic chefs on the Food Network and such love oversalted foods (I think they've lost the ability to taste salt and have to add more and more to taste it) my family and I don't. I prefer to start with less and let others add salt if they want it.

You can also get carrot slices in the pre-cut section of the veggie department if you want to save time there. And if you don't mind larger pieces, you can get cut celery at the salad bar.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, I often keep a six-pack of small cans of both tomato juice and V8 in my pantry for soups and recipes like this- it really is flavorful.

[Anonymous]

You can find better recipes then the one you have. You are going to be high in salt- chicken broth/stock, t. Cocktail and creole seasoning are high is salt. Don't double cook the frozen veggies just put them. Peas and a like put in right before you are done(so you can taste them...takes maybe two minutes to defrost and cook peas) let us know if you want so simple soup recipe and how much time you have. Keep cooking!

[Anonymous]

"Tomato juice cocktail" is a can of V8. You could probably also use Clamato or even bloody mary mix for a different flavor.

[Anonymous]

You can, but (duh) it will take longer to cook. I would just buy steam-in-the-bag microwaveable frozen veggies, then you can cook them for 5 minutes in the mocrowave and throw them in with the soup for a shorter cook time.

Um, no. It will take less time to cook.

[Anonymous]

OP, I think chicken broth in a carton is much better tasting than canned broth.