BLT Soup....Seriously....you read that right

This past week, my Supervisor described a recipe she saw on the Food Network, BLT soup.  At first, I was a tad bit weirded out.  I mean, a BLT is awesome but in a soup?  It sounds a tad bit coo-coo.  While she was relating the recipe to me, something strange happened.  It actually began to sound pretty darn good.  Maybe I was just really hungry at the time she was talking about it.  It was right before lunchtime, so I could have been letting my rumbling stomach sway me.  Who knows?   I do know that only earlier I had run across a recipe for Spaghetti with Strawberries and I wasn't swayed at all into giving that crazy recipe a second thought, at all!

BLT Soup with a kick - highly modified from Paula Deen's recipe on the Food Network

Ingredients:

5 slices bacon, diced

1/2 cup celery, diced finely

2 tablespoons butter

3 cups iceberg lettuce, cut julienne 
1/2 cup flour
3 1/2 cups chicken broth, heated to a simmer
1 can diced tomatoes 
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup of salsa
Handful of shredded Cheddar Cheese



Directions:
1. In a small pot, simmer the chicken broth until needed.  In large pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until lightly browned.  Add celery, cook until softened.
2.  Add the butter, cook until melted.  Add the lettuce and allow to cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
3.  Add flour, a little at a time, and stir until well mixed. 
4.  Remove the pot from the heat and add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, spices.
5.  Allow the soup to come to a boil, then let simmer for about 5 minutes.
6.  Add the cream, salsa and cheese and mix well. 
7.  Cool, and serve.

While it wasn't bad, it wasn't all that amazing either.  I tasted it prior to adding the salsa and cheese, decided it was a bit too bland for my liking so I dumped in the cheese and salsa to give it a bit more kick.  Adding some onion to it is probably a good idea (it is in the orignial recipe).  I am not a huge onion fan but it would have added more flavor, I am sure.  I think I would have also left out the celery, which wasn't in the original recipe at all.  I just decided to toss it in to add some more veggies to the dish.  I am glad I tried it, but doubt I will make it again.  My expectations were a tad high, so it was disappointing that I wasn't blown out of the park by this one.  Maybe I should give that Spaghetti and Strawberries recipe a try after all. :^)