Rachael Ray's Sopa de Pedra

Had some celery, potatoes, ham, and sausage to use up and so this recipe was perfect. I had everything in the house except carrots, an onion, a can of tomatoes, and I needed one more potato. So, first off, it was a good deal!

It turned out to be a huge pot of soup and pretty hearty as well. I think the meat, potatoes, and bread help make it filling.

I did sub regular paprika for the smoked, but luckily we have chipotle Tabasco so we got some smoky flavor in that way. I think the Tabasco is really what makes the soup; it's got a nice kick!

Mine was on the sweet side the first night... maybe cuz there's so much carrots... or because I threw in these zucchini insides I'd had frozen (from when I made stuffed zucchini). Anyway, that was kind of weird.

This is also a great way to use up old bread too. I'm in the habit of throwing the ends of loaves into the freezer. When I used to make strata, I used them up quickly. And I use them when making hamburger patties too, but they've been just collecting in there...