Growing up in Maryland, I can tell you that crabs, and crab soup, are particular staples of the area. And I, for one, absolutely love them. I've only had crabs once this summer, but I'm already dying to have them again.

So, until I can manage to afford that next bushful, I'll have to stick with making some Maryland Crab Soup myself. And this recipe looks just about perfect! Obviously you can tweak the Old Bay, depending on the amount of spicyness that you want in yours. (My husband, SHAME ON HIM, doesn't eat the stuff, so I'll just add it to my bowl!)

Maryland Crab Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Makes about 10 servings.

1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, cut into small pieces
3 cups water
2 cups beef broth
1 cup frozen lima beans
1 cup frozen baby carrots or sliced carrots
1 cup frozen yellow sweet corn
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 tablespoon Old Bay® Seasoning (or more if you want!)
1 pound backfin blue crab meat, picked over (you can buy this from the supermarket or a wholesaler as well)

1. Place all ingredients except crab meat in 4-quart saucepan.

2. Heat to boil, cover and boil 5 minutes.

3. Reduce heat to low, add crab meat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.

Other Tips:

Add in some crab legs for a little more of that authentic flavor.
Feel free to use canned veggies or to change them up if you dislike one of the ingredients.
Use more crab meat!
Let simmer for an hour for additional flavor.
Use diced tomatoes instead of whole tomatoes.
Use your imagination!