Thunder Soup - Recipe

Thunder is a word my husband and I use for food that's really really good.   We REALLY love this soup.

Thunder Soup, as I've named it, is something I came up with as an experiment in the kitchen.  I happened to have all of these supplies lying around, and I think you'll probably have some of them if not most of them currently in your pantry.  Not only is it delish, and full of veggies... The best part about this soup - to me, anyway - is the leftover factor.  Not only is it GREAT the next day, I've also frozen half and eaten it weeks later, and it's possibly even better than the day I made it. 

There are a lot of ingredients, so lets get started!
(READ ALL DIRECTIONS)

Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb Bacon, chopped
- 6-8 chicken tenderloins or 3-4 boneless skinless breasts, cubed
- 1/2 pkg. Smoked Sausage, chopped
- 1 Medium Sweet Onion, Chopped
- 1/4-1/2 Cup Milk or Heavy Cream (optional. this binds the soup more)
- 2 cups Chicken or Veggie Stock
- 1 Can Sweet Corn, drained
- 1 Can Carrots, drained and chopped
- 1 Can Butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 Can Campbell's Golden Mushroom Soup  
(this is my go-to ingredient, I buy some every time I go shopping)
- 1 Can Cream of Potato Soup
- 1 Cup frozen Spinach
Salt and Pepper to taste


Directions:

Chop the bacon, onions and chicken first while your pan is heating up.  In a large Stock Pot over medium heat, brown the bacon and onions, and remove from the pan immediately once it's done.  Raise the heat to med high. Add the chicken to the bacon fat and cook till almost done. Reduce heat to low. 

Now dump in the rest of the ingredients, yep all of them. Chicken and bacon, sausage, spinach, cans of everything - Dump it all in. Stir until it comes to a slight boil, and turn to the lowest setting on your stovetop.  Cover, and go do something for 30 minutes (check on it occasionally, to stir).  Let the flavors marry... then Taste it. Add salt and pepper to taste, and you're done!
(If it comes out thick, I serve over green onion mashed potatoes)

This one was freshly made.

*IMPORTANT: Make sure your pan is fully heated before adding chicken, otherwise you'll end up with water instead of bacon grease at the end.  If that happens, dump the pan, and use reserved bacon grease, crisco or butter.