Big Ed's Cajun Shrimp Soup

Ingredients

• 1  bay leaf 
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 8 ounce bottled clam juice 
• 0.3 teaspoon basil dried
• 0.3 teaspoon thyme leaves dried
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 0.5 cup bell pepper green chopped
• 0.3 cup green onions sliced
• 6 servings pepper sauce hot to taste
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper flakes red
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 0.8 pound shrimp fresh deveined peeled
• 3 cups tomato-vegetable juice cocktail 
• 0.5 cup water 
• 0.5 cup rice long-grain white uncooked

Equipment

• pot

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Saute green bell pepper, onions, and garlic until tender. Stir in vegetable juice, clam juice, and water. Season with thyme, basil, red pepper, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to a boil, and stir in rice. Reduce heat, and cover. Simmer 15 minutes, until rice is tender.
3. Stir in shrimp, and cook 5 minutes, or until shrimp are opaque.
4. Remove the bay leaf, and season with hot sauce.