My Creamy Shrimp Soup Experiment
So last Thursday I stared at that red-and-white can of cream of shrimp soup in my pantry. Figured it’s time to actually use it instead of just collecting dust. Grabbed a notepad and decided to test how many meals I could whip up with just that plus basic fridge leftovers.
First tried the obvious: lazy pasta night. Boiled spaghetti until chewy-done. While that cooked, threw two cans of the shrimp soup in a pot with half a cup of milk. Dumped in the drained noodles plus a handful of frozen peas straight from the bag. Stirred like crazy till everything looked slimy and hot. Honestly? Tasted like childhood cafeteria food – weirdly comforting but not winning awards.
The Rice Dish Fiasco
Next morning I went for cheesy shrimp rice. Cooked instant rice in the microwave. Mixed dry rice with soup plus a can of drained corn. Slapped it in a baking dish and covered the top with shredded cheddar. Popped it in oven at 375°F. Big mistake. After 20 minutes I had this weird crusty-chewy mess. Corn kernels exploded everywhere like tiny grenades. Lesson? Don’t bake canned soup too long unless you want concrete.
Surprise Winner
Finally made something edible Thursday night: emergency potato stew. Diced three sad-looking potatoes from the bottom drawer. Boiled ’em till soft. Heated the soup separately with double the milk the can suggested. Mushy potatoes went into the soup pot with black pepper shaken straight from the diner-style dispenser. Added leftover rotisserie chicken pieces. Simmered till it looked like hospital food but man – spoon test proved me wrong. Creamy, salty, chunkier than expected. Kids actually finished their bowls.
Key Takeaways
- Water down that canned goop! Straight from can = cement texture
- Better mixed into carbs than baked alone. Potatoes > rice > pasta
- Add protein last unless you want rubber chicken chunks
- Pepper fixes everything when you use cheap canned gloop
Verdict? That old soup can saved my lazy cooking week. Won’t make food Instagrammers jealous but beats starving. Pro tip: buy extra milk before trying any of this. You’ll need it.
