We’ve made it to January! Happy New Year! And now, it’s back to reality after the beauty of the holiday season.

Yes, the holiday festivities are over but Old Man Winter is still around. January is here, my friends, and with it is cold weather and an often sluggish start.

But don’t let that get you down. There’s so much to look forward to in the coming year!

For instance, also with January comes National Soup Month. Now THAT’S the way to perk up the month! It’s the perfect time of year to tuck into a hearty soup and warm your belly with an incredible meal. January was absolutely made for soup.

So let’s celebrate all things SOUP!

A hearty soup to me means beef. So try a soup this month made with Petite Diced Sirloin – little pieces of heavenly sirloin steak. If you’re looking to warm up your insides on a cold day outside, it’s steak soup all the way.

My kids love sirloin steak and a soup made with it is a great meal to make for the whole family. I love sharing this around the dinner table. It makes winter nights a bit warmer.

This Beef and Mushroom Soup recipe is another tasty way to celebrate National Soup Month. It calls for Beef Tenderloin Tips, which are cut from delicious filet mignon. Outstanding! And with fresh mushrooms, garlic and sherry, it’s a flavor sensation!

THIS particular beef is so, so tender. Great when eating in a soup. I hate using a steak knife while eating soup. It just seems wrong.

Need more soup inspiration? How about a Beef and Vegetable Soup? Delicious. Nutritious. And it’s a whole meal in a bowl. I love that!

So what are YOUR favorite soup recipes? Share them with us and we can all celebrate National Soup Month together!

It’s soup and stew time of year – hooray!

So you’ve got your hearty bowl of goodness – beef stew, steak soup – but what do you serve WITH it?

Here are my ideal soup and stew sides…

1. Good ole grilled cheese sandwich. Oh, I can taste the melted cheese right now.

2. Delicious, nutritious salad. The perfect accompaniment.

3. A second serving of soup/stew! ‘Nuff said.

4. Fresh bread. You know, for dipping.

5. Panini sandwich. Delish!

Okay, those are my top 5 fall soup and stew serving suggestions to get your taste buds going this fall. What are yours?

Photo courtesy of KansasCitySteaks.com.

Hot dogs, kabobs, burgers, baked beans — even s’mores! These are all campfire food favorites.

But have you ever thought maybe you’d like to step outside of the box on your next campfire excursion?

Here are some great campfire recipes that’ll help you do just that!

Heavenly Fish – this one uses the foil method and works perfectly with trout or any fish you choose.

Campers Stew – ground beef is used in this camping recipe, along with veggies and potatoes. Yum!

Cowboy Casserole – hamburger, beans and bacon over biscuits conjures up images of the Old West!

Fajita Marinade – put your flank steak or skirt steak in this and your campers will scream, “Yahoo!”

What do all these camping recipes have in common? They’re all incredibly simple and easy to cook over hot coals. Have fun!

Photo courtesy of KansasCitySteaks.com.