January...the month of soups!

If you're anything like me, there's nothing better than a big bowl of hearty and delicious soup to warm up after a cold January day. So I've decided that this month will be the month of soups at my house and I'd like to share some of them with you. I've already posted a couple that we've really enjoyed and whenever I post a new one, I'll try to put it under this same heading.

Venison Stuffed Cabbage Soup (adapted from Rachel Ray's "Stuffed Cabbage Soup)

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup uncooked organic brown rice or whatever you have on hand
• 1 quart plus 2 cups chicken stock, divided (organic)
• 1 1/2 pounds ground venison or beef (organic)
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (optional)
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced with a vegetable peeler into strips then finely chopped (optional)
• 1/2-3/4 head Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes (organic and from a jar if possible; try to stay away from canned tomatoes)
• 1 cup tomato sauce (same thing here)
• Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
• 3 tablespoons dill, finely chopped (optional)

Directions

Heat a sauce pot over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of extra-virgin olive oil, about 2 tablespoons. Add the rice and toss to coat in oil. Add 2 cups of chicken stock, bring up to a simmer, cover and cook for 16 to 18 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Heat a deep pot over medium high heat. Add the remaining extra-virgin olive oil, once hot add meat and begin to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Season the meat with allspice, coriander, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Add bay leaf, onions, garlic and carrots. Cook veggies 2 to 3 minutes to begin to soften them, then add cabbage and wilt it down a bit. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and remaining stock and cover the pot. Raise the heat to high and bring the soup to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Once the rice is cooked, add to the soup and continue to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in parsley and dill, adjust salt and pepper to your taste, and serve