"Hot Dog" Soup

I am posting another yummy soup recipe I got from Arin - thanks! I made this last night and everyone loved it. The kids are still terrible soup eaters - messy, drippy, complainers, but I am not giving up yet - still working on it! The recipe has turkey sausage/kielbasa in it, which my kids thought looked like hot dogs, hence the name I gave this one "Hot Dog Soup" - whatever works to make them eat it, right?

Ingredients:
1/2 large onion or 1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T olive oil
1 package turkey keilbasa or sausage, cut into bite sized rounds or pieces
32 oz chicken broth
2 cans of White Northern Beans, drained
1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
salt, to taste

Directions:
Warm olive oil in medium dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft. Add garlic, stir for 1 minute until fragrant. Add in turkey sausage and saute until browned. Slowly add in stock, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 - 20 mins.

If you like a thicker soup, about 5 minutes into the simmer, scoop out about a 1/3-1/2 cup of beans and mash them up in a bowl. Mash them into a soupy paste and return to the pot. The natural starches in the beans will thicken up the rest of the soup. If you do this, you might want to add another can of drained beans since it takes away some of the beans.

Tips - Here are a few other ideas I didn't try, but thought would be good for next time to increase the veggies:
-Add an extra can of beans (mentioned above)
-Add an extra can of tomatoes
-Add finely chopped spinach

Tastes Like Lasagna Soup

I am posting this one for Arin - found in on her fb a few weeks ago and made it last week. IT IS DELICIOUS! Tanner likes it even better than lasagna. The only thing about the recipe I changed was using ground turkey instead of ground beef because it is what I had. Other than that I wouldn't change a thing. Don't worry if you don't have oven proof bowls either - tastes pretty good to just let the cheese melt on top on its own. The soup was so hearty and thick and yummy - perfect for a fall or winter night! It took a while to make, so start early, but its super easy. Enjoy.

Thanks Hot Lips!

Paula Deen's Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:
1 pound ground chuck
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
1 (32-ounce) box chicken broth
2 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups broken lasagna noodles
1 (5-ounce) package grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Garlic Crostini, recipe follows

Garlic Crostini:
1 thin French baguette
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves smashed garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
In a large Dutch oven, combine ground chuck, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is browned and crumbles. Drain well.

Stir in thyme, brown sugar, broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add noodles, and simmer until noodles are tender. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into 8 to 10 ovenproof bowls. Evenly sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Broil soups, 6-inches from heat, 3 to 4 minutes, until cheese is browned and bubbly. Add a garlic crostini slice on top. Serve immediately.

For the garlic crostini:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut bread into 1/4-inch round slices. Place on baking sheet and brush each slice with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; place in oven and bake until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Rub each side with smashed garlic cloves (I cheated and used garlic powder here - ran out of time).

Classic Black Beans

Classic Black Beans
(adapted from a Goya recipe)

Ingredients:

• 2 T Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 15.5oz can Goya black beans, undrained
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 packet of Sazon Goya without Annatto (comes in orange box in Goya aisle)
• 1 T cider vinegar, white wine or white cooking wine

Directions:

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and peppers; cook until tender, about 8 - 10 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 - 2 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over hot rice of your choice.

Tips:

• I usually use the cider vinegar and it turns out great, but would use wine if I had it on hand.
• Freezes really well.
• I usually double so I have an extra dinner's worth to freeze. 
• When I double, I DO NOT double water & oregano. For the water, sometimes I do 1.5 times, but it just depends on how it all looks once mixed, I don't want it too runny.
• Can simmer up to 20 or 30 mins if you want to make ahead of time.
• Can be easily made day before and reheated.
• To increase veggie amounts, I usually do some or all of the following:
• Add and extra 1/4 cup green pepper
• Add 2 - 3 cups of spinach chopped into small pieces and will it in for the last 10 mins or so
• Top with chopped tomatoes and a doll-up of sour cream when served.