Ground Beef and Vegetable Soup

It has gotten cold here in Indiana. I hate the cold weather but I love the food that goes along with it. Vegetable soup is one of my favorite meals but I have to have it homemade ( no vegetable soup out of a can for me!).
Here is a recipe that tastes yummy but is just a little bit different than your normal everyday soup.

Homemade Ground Beef and Vegetable Soup

1 pound ground beef
onion flakes
1 tbsp. flour
1 can diced tomatoes ( I use the ones that are seasoned)
1 can tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 tsp Italian seasoning
celery salt
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup elbow macaroni
vegetables of your choice

Brown ground beef and onion flakes. Drain and transfer to soup pot. Add remaining ingredients except macaroni. Cook for 20-25 minutes. Add macaroni and cook until done. Enjoy!

Cucumber Soup

Here is a interesting soup for you. I made it for the Girl Scouts Thinking Day to represent Belgium. It even made the paper the next day!

Cucumber Soup

6 unpeeled and washed English cucumbers

6 onions

4 chicken stock cubes

1 2/3 cup milk

Salt/pepper to taste

Sautee coarsely chopped onions in butter/oil. 

Coarsely chop the cucumbers (do not peel) and add to onions. Salt/pepper to taste. 

Add 9 cups water and the stock cubes. Cook together until the cucumbers are soft. 

Blend together until smooth. Add milk and mix well.

Meatball Stew

It has been awhile since we have posted. The holidays have made everything crazy. I made this for dinner tonight and it is always good. If you are getting a bunch of snow like we are here in Indiana this is a great dinner to warm you up. You can also cook in the crockpot all day on high if you prefer.

Here is a great winter dish. It can be made in the crockpot or in the oven. I hope you enjoy!

Meatball Stew
1 pd hamburger
1 egg
Onion flakes
1 ½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1½ can tomato sauce-divided
¼ cup bread crumbs
Carrots-peeled and chopped into small pieces
Potatoes-peeled and chopped into small pieces

Mix hamburger, egg, onion flakes ,bread crumbs, ½ cup of tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Make into meatballs.

 Brown and drain fat off. Transfer to casserole dish (or crock pot) and add carrots, potatoes, 1 cup of water and 1 ½ cans tomato sauce.

 Bake at 350 for 1 ½ hours.

Tasty Tuesday ( Slow Cooked Steak Soup)

Slow Cooked Steak Soup

1 pd boneless round steak
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1/2 pkg frozen cheese filled ravioli
2 1/2 cups water
Parmesan Cheese

Cut steaks into cubes and place in slow cooker. Add spaghetti sauce and water. Cook on low 8 hours. Add ravioli last 45 minutes of cooking.

Tasty Tuesday ( Slow Cooker Chicken and Pasta Soup)

I had a bunch of chicken left over from some chicken breasts I had made the other week and I had left out a bag of diced tomatoes that I made to so I decided to make this soup.  I am unsure where I got the recipe from but I have made it a lot and my family loves it. The best part is that most of it can be made in the crockpot,

Slow Cooker Chicken and Pasta

3 cans chicken broth
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained ( I used homemade but the Italian style is great for this recipe)
1/2 tsp dried leaf basil ( I like to add way more than this but it is up to you)
1 cup frozen peas and carrots ( I use the whole bag or a can of each)
1 cup water
1 cup chopped onion  ( I just use onion flakes)
1 cup chopped celery
1 tsp parsley flakes ( again I add way more than this in mine)
dash of garlic powder ( or how ever much you like)
box of small pasta

In the crockpot, combine chicken broth, cooked chicken, water, tomatoes, onion,celery, basil, parsley and garlic powder. Cook on low 5-7 hours. Cook pasta as directed. Add pasta and vegetables to crokpot. Cook 30 minutes.

Freezer Friday ( Souper Spaghetti)

Souper Spaghetti

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 small green sweet pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery (1 stalk)
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-1/2 cups water
2 14-1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 13- to 15-ounce jar spaghetti sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Dash crushed red pepper
2 ounces spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces


Directions
1.
In large saucepan or Dutch oven, cook meat, onion, sweet pepper, celery, carrot, and garlic over medium heat until vegetables are tender and meat is no longer pink. Drain off excess fat.
2.
Add water, undrained tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, sugar, and seasonings. Bring mixture to boiling. Add broken spaghetti. Return to boiling. Reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until spaghetti is tender. Serve immediately.

 

 

Freezer Friday ( Fiesta Chicken Soup)

Fiesta Chicken Soup

1/4 cup Italian dressing
3/4 pd boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 cup stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can chicken broth
1 1/4 cups water
1 can peas and carrots, drained
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup mexican style shredded cheese
Heat dressing in large saucepan. Add chicken and onions, cook 5 min, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, broth, water, peas and carrots and chili powder, stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med. and simmer 8 min. Top with cheese.

 

 

Tasty Tuesday ( Chicken and Corn Soup)

First I want to say that we are sorry that we have not posted much lately. Both Stephanie and I have not been feeling well and that has put us both behind schedule. I promise we will get better about posting daily very soon. In the meantime I made a new soup last night and it turned out really well. I thought I would share the recipe with you for Tasty Tuesday.. Let us know if you make it!

Chicken and Corn Soup

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 white onion, chopped
3 red potatoes, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 can corn
1 can cream style corn
3 cups chicken broth
parsley
pepper

Dump in crockpot and cook on low for 7 hours.

Welcome to Freezer Friday ( Ravioli Soup))

Ravioli Soup

1 pound ground beef
2 cups water
2 cans (one 28 ounces, one 14-1/2 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese ravioli
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Additional minced fresh parsley, optional

Directions

In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the water, tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, parsley, garlic and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook ravioli according to package directions; drain. Add to soup and heat through. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Garnish with additional parsley if desired. Yield: 10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Welcome to Tasty Tuesday ( Meatball Stew)

Here is a great fall dish. It can be made in the crockpot or in the oven. I hope you enjoy!

Meatball Stew
1 pd hamburger
1 egg
Onion flakes
1 ½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1½ can tomato sauce-divided
¼ cup bread crumbs
Carrots-peeled and chopped into small pieces
Potatoes-peeled and chopped into small pieces

Mix hamburger, egg, onion flakes ,bread crumbs, ½ cup of tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Make into meatballs. Brown and drain fat off. Transfer to casserole dish (or crock pot) and add carrots, potatoes, 1 cup of water and 1 ½ cans tomato sauce. Bake at 350 for 1 ½ hours.

Freezer Friday ( Vegetable Soup)

Freeze ahead Veggie Beef Soup

1 pd ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
2 cans beef broth
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup cubed peeled potatoes
3/4 cup fresh or frozen green beans
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup water
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/8 tsp pepper

Cook beef, onion and green pepper until done, drain. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Serve immediately or transfer to freezer containers. Maybe frozen up to 3 months.
To use frozen soup: Thaw overnight. Transfer to a saucepan and heat through