The acidity of the tomatoes prevented the potatoes from becoming tender in only 30 minutes. I cooked the mixture over an hour and a half, checking the potatoes every 15 minutes after the initial 30 minutes to ensure they were softened. I tasted for seasoning and added two teaspoons of Emeril's Cajun spice mixture (recipe for spice mixture at FoodNetwork.com) and tripled the hot sauce before adding the catfish. I have never eaten fish in a stew or soup, but since I'm trying to incorporate more fish into my diet, I wanted to give this recipe a try. The texture of the fish was strange to me, at first. I have to say it smelled wonderful while cooking. I almost used olive oil and left the bacon out to save calories and make it healthier. I decided to go ahead and stay as close as possible to the recipe as written. I love bacon in anything, but I was surprised the scrumptious undertone the bacon gave to this recipe. I'm sure that accounts for the hike in calories. Oh well, I'll try olive oil next time. I think chicken or pork could be substituted for catfish in this recipe with very good results.

Reviewed On: Nov. 17, 2009

I love this recipe and have made it several times. The last time I made it I cut the vegetables in uniform size because I wanted to make chicken pot pie out of the leftovers (minus dumplings, of course). I reheated chicken mixture in the microwave until just warm and used packaged pie dough for the bottom and top crust. I baked the pie in the oven until golden brown. Voila!!!Fabulous!!! My family loved both meals...cooked once and served twice. They didn't even realize it was leftovers.

Reviewed On: Aug. 12, 2009

Surprisingly good. I didn't have beef bouillon, so I used chicken bouillon. I used a 16 oz package of frozen Italian vegetables, which included broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini, instead of the mixed vegetables and macaroni instead of spaghetti. It makes a hearty flavorful soup that, considering my changes, is very flexible to what one has on hand.

Reviewed On: Dec. 27, 2008