It’s cold. As I write this, we have about 8 inches of combined snow and ice on the ground, and temperatures the next few nights are supposed to dip into the negative numbers. Judging by the recent weather maps, a lot of you are probably in the same boat.

A good bowl of soup will warm you up on a cold day. All images by Michael Pendley

There’s nothing better on a day like this than a steaming bowl of soup. Even better if the main ingredient is venison. This ground venison version includes smoked sausage and fire-roasted diced tomatoes, along with chili powder and a touch of cumin to lend the soup a smoky flavor.

This one is pretty quick, as far as soup goes, and you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry or cupboard. I like to top the soup with a handful of shredded gruyere or cheddar cheese.

Start by browning the ground venison and sliced smoked sausage, such as Realtree Smoked Sausage from Uncle John’s Pride.

Brown the ground venison and smoked sausage.

About halfway through the browning process, add the onion and garlic. When the venison has browned, add the fired-roasted tomatoes, both beans, corn and potatoes.

Add the rinsed beans, tomatoes, potatoes and corn.

Add the beef stock.

Add the beef stock.

Season with salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, and Worcestershire. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer for one hour.

Cover and cook for one hour or until the potatoes are soft and cooked through.

Top the soup with a handful of shredded cheese, and add a slice of garlic bread before serving.

Top with shredded cheese just before serving, and toss on a chunk of good bread for soaking up the last of the soup from the bowl.