Kielbasa Soup

     This recipe for Kielbasa Soup from The Heart of Pittsburgh, a cookbook benefiting Sacred Heart Elementary School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania can be thrown together in a jiffy but tastes like it has been simmering on the stove all day.  You don't even have to saute the vegetables and Kielbasa, just add the water and broth and when it comes to a boil, stir in the noodles.  As soon as the noodles are tender you're ready to enjoy this full bodied, peppery, smokey soup.  You will need to light a generous amount of coals, I made this in my 12 inch oven with a full compliment of briquettes on the bottom and the lid completely covered with 28-30 coals.  A great recipe for a novice dutch oven cook and a real belly warmer for a cold day around the campfire.

Kielbasa Soup
3 14.5 oz. cans chicken broth
4 cups water
12 to 16 oz. cooked Kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
3 cups wide egg noodles, uncooked

     In a 12 inch or larger dutch oven , combine all ingredients, except noodles.
     Cover and cook for 20 minutes with as many coals as you'll need to keep soup at a steady simmer.
     Add egg noodles.
     Cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until noodles and vegetables are tender.
     Discard bay leaves.

Add broth and water to Kielbasa, vegetables and bay leaves

Bring liquid to a bubble then stir in the noodles

Cover and cook for 20 minutes more or until noodles and veggies are tender

An easy, inexpensive and flavorful outdoor dinner