Vegetable crab soup with a kick!

You know what my favorite season is? Soup season. When the weather turns cold, there's nothing better to warm the soul than some homemade soup. I make a variety of soups, and I'm sure I will eventually put them all up here. If you ask my husband, this one is his favorite.

What you'll need:

• Lump crab meat
• Diced carrots, celery, and onions
• Can of diced tomatoes
• Finely chopped garlic
• Finely chopped jalapenos
• A variety of frozen veggies: corn, green beans, peas, etc.
• Tomato paste
• Old Bay seasoning
• Worcestershire sauce
• Chopped fresh herbs or dried herbs: parsley, oregano, cilantro, etc.
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Butter and olive oil

I'm sure you'll notice that I don't use quantities. I never measure, so it's really up to you as to how much of any given ingredient you'd like to use.

Put a stock pot on medium-high heat with a few tablespoons of butter and a splash of olive oil. Throw in the carrots, celery, and onions, season with kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper. If you're using dried herbs, throw them in now. If you're using fresh, save them for later. Sprinkle generously with Old Bay seasoning. Allow to cook until veggies are soft. Throw in the chopped garlic and allow to cook for another minute.

Add the chopped jalapeno - as much or as little as you like. I had a can of jalapeno slices, and I used only 4 slices. It doesn't take much to get a nice little kick in this soup. Stir in a spoonful of tomato paste, and allow to cook another minute. Throw in your frozen veggies - whatever variety you'd like and as much as you'd like of each. I used corn, green beans, and peas. Stir everything together and allow to cook for a few more minutes.

Add the can of diced tomatoes. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper. If they are too acidic, add a sprinkle of sugar. Fill the empty tomato can with water and add to the pot. You may need more than one can of water to cover the veggies.

Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce. Taste the broth. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Allow the soup to come up to a boil. Remove from heat. If you are using fresh herbs, throw them in now. Stir in the crab meat, and the soup is done.

This is such a tasty soup. You get the little kick at the back of your throat from the jalapeno and Old Bay combined with the sweetness of the veggies and crab meat. All you need is some warm, crusty bread with butter to complete the meal.