Spicy Tomato Soup (with Bacon and Sausage)

Step 8 Some Assembly Required

Empty all four cans of tomato soup into your pot (bigger is better!), along with two cans of water and the chilies. Stir well to mix then set the heat to medium. Remember, even if it takes a little longer to cook, the time is well worth it to cook at a lower temperature. Scalded soup is a very sad thing indeed.

Immediately after starting the base go ahead and add the rest of the ingredients (cooked bacon, sausage and onions, and raw mushrooms). Turn down the heat and let simmer with the lid on (don't let it boil!) for about twenty to thirty minutes, stirring occasionally so that bits of bacon do not stick to the bottom of the pot. I normally can't wait that long and end up scooping some out after about fifteen minutes, but it really is worth it if you can make yourself wait the entire time. (I managed to wait this time simply because my mushrooms were so big that they needed extra time cooking.)

If you choose to add anything else, make sure you keep in mind it's cooking time. Add things like shrimp or zucchini when the soup is just about finished. Denser veggies should go in early on.