Butternut Squash Soup

Delicious and creamy, Butternut Squash Soup is amazing. Baked butternut squash, diced onions, celery, carrots and a few other things come together to make this awesome soup.

Farmers markets are great places to find seasonal ingredients, such as butternut squash, so stop by your favorite market and pick one up. Butternut Squash Soup makes a great cup of soup with a grilled cheese sandwich, or serve it for dinner with a side salad.

I made some Italian Bread Bowls to serve ours in; they are fun to eat out of and bonus, you can eat the bowl!

Farmers Market Vegetable Soup

This Farmers Market Vegetable Soup features many fresh vegetables I found over the summer and "put up" by either canning or freezing. If you don't have time to "do it yourself" you can certainly buy organic vegetable stock and other ingredients at your local grocery store.

This is a quick and easy soup to make, that's also very satisfying. It's perfect for meatless Monday or any day of the week you want a quick, but nutrient-rich, soup.

RECIPE
Ingredients
1 tbls. olive oil
6 cups vegetable stock
1 quart (32 oz) tomato sauce
1 pint (14.5-16 oz) petite diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups green beans
2 cups niblet corn
2 large carrots, sliced into thick coins
2 cups cubed potatoes
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 tsp.dried oregano
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. course-ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
Optional - butter beans, lima beans, green peas, chunks of zucchini or yellow squash

Method
Heat olive oil in a large stock pot. Add onions and celery and cook until vegetables are softening. Add vegetable stock, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and spices. Stir in green beans, corn, carrots and potatoes.

Cook over medium-high heat until soup boils. Reduce heat to low-simmer, and adjust all seasonings to taste. Continue cooking until vegetables are al dente, about 20-30 minutes. 

Serve immediately while hot with corn muffins, cornbread, biscuits or crusty bread. Store leftover in the refrigerator for several days or freeze.

Yield: 8-10 servings

Enjoy,
Mary

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Homemade Chicken and Rice Soup

Updated July 2020

One of the easiest things to make is your own soup. You add your own fresh ingredients, season it to suit your taste, no preservatives or other additives; just pure, simple homemade soup. What could be better than that? Plus your house will smell AMAZING while it cooks!

This soup is wonderful if you start with your own chicken bone broth, which takes a bit of time to make, but it cooks in a slow cooker, or in a stock pot on your stove top, and it's really very easy to do. Of course, you can skip this step and use packaged chicken stock if you want to.

RECIPE
Ingredients
1 quart (4 cups) chicken or turkey bone broth 
2 cups water
2-3 carrots, sliced into coins
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. course-ground black pepper
2-3 cups chicken, cooked and diced
2 cups cooked rice

Method
Bring broth, water, carrots, celery and spices to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until vegetables are tender. Adjust seasonings to taste, add chicken and simmer 15-20 minutes.

Add hot cooked rice to bowls and ladle soup over top. Serve immediately while hot with cornbread, biscuits or crusty bread.

Cooks note - do not add the cooked rice directly to the soup. The rice will continue to swell and absorb the broth resulting in a less than desirable soup. Store leftover soup and rice separately in a refrigerator. It keeps several days refrigerated or freeze leftover soup for another time.

Yield:  4 -6 servings

Enjoy,
Mary

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Chicken Enchilada Soup

Updated August 2020

To me nothing says comfort food like a piping hot bowl of soup. Delicious, slightly spicy and warming, this Chicken Enchilada Soup is comfort food in a bowl.

Easy to make, a little "feisty" with some herbs and spices, and simple ingredients found in most well-stocked kitchens.

RECIPE

Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3 or 4 strips each, then cut into cubes
2 tbls. olive oil
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
1 onion, diced
1 - 10 oz. can enchilada sauce
1 - 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 - 14.5 oz. can niblet corn, drained
2-3 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. course-ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cilantro or oregano
shredded cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top
*optional - diced bell peppers, black beans

Method
Place oil in a large saucepan; add onion and saute' over med-high heat until onion is getting soft. Add cubed chicken and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through.

Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Serve while hot with shredded cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.

Tortilla Chips - make your own with a flour tortilla. Brush some olive oil onto the tortilla, and cut the tortilla in half and each half into half again. Cut each quarter into triangle strips. Place strips on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and bake in a 325 degree oven 8 minutes or until crispy. Serve tortilla chips with the soup.

Enjoy,
Mary

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Easy Noodle Soup

Do you ever find yourself thinking, I can make that better myself? Happens to me all the time, but sometimes we just like the "convenience" of grabbing something already "packaged" for us because it's easier. 

Well, I'm all about easy, but I'm also all about knowing what's in the food I eat, so I stay away from pre-packaged, processed foods for that very reason.

When I thought about "packaged soups" I also knew they had to be pretty simple to make. Let's face it, there's not much in them except dried noodles and spices, so I set out to find out how easy.

This soup takes minutes to put together and tastes delicious. I think it's one of the easiest recipes I've ever made, and only takes about 5 minutes to cook, then eat and enjoy. 

I didn't add any meat, but you could easily add diced, cooked chicken, pork, beef or shrimp.

Ingredients
2 cups water PLUS 2 tsp. chicken or beef bouillon
- OR - 2 cups chicken or beef bone broth (preferred)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt (optional)
1/2 tsp. parsley leaves
1 pinch dried red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup vegetable of your choice (I use frozen) 
1 small bunch Angel Hair spaghetti or other thin pasta

Method
In a small saucepan over high heat, bring water, bouillon or bone broth to a boil. Add vegetables and spices and cook just a few minutes, or until vegetables are getting soft. Add noodles and continue to cook until pasta is al dente'.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy,
Mary

Creole Spiced Turkey Soup

Updated October 2020

Leftover turkey or chicken and a few other ingredients make this tasty Creole Spiced Turkey Soup. It's spicy good for you deliciousness in a bowl.

Creole-inspired, it's a bowl full of comfort food for those cooler fall or winter days, quick and easy to make with leftover turkey or chicken.

RECIPE

Ingredients
3 cups cubed cooked turkey (or chicken)
1 large onion, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 qt. (4 cups) chicken or turkey bone broth or stock 
1 can (2 cups) petite diced tomatoes
1 cup sliced carrots, green beans or corn (or all 3)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp Creole seasoning * (see below to make your own)
1 tsp oregano
2 bay leaves
pepper, to taste
1/2 cup long-grain rice, cooked

Method
Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add celery, onions, and garlic and cook 10 minutes.

Add cubed cooked turkey, stock, tomatoes, veggie of your choice, 2 tbsp Creole seasoning, and bay leaves. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered for about 1 hour.

Add cooked rice to each bowl and ladle soup over top. I do it this way because the rice will continue to absorb the liquid if it's cooked in the soup, so I always prefer to add it separately.

*Creole Seasoning
Ingredients
2-1/2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp cayenne
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried thyme

Mix all spices together and store in a glass jar for up to 3 months.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Enjoy,
Mary

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Turkey Noodle Soup

Taking the time to make your own turkey bone broth or stock is well worth it, and I really like the convenience of having some on my pantry shelves. And just think, when you want to make soup, it's just a matter of minutes to put it all together. Even better? You know what's in it!

What are the benefits of Turkey Bone Broth? Bone broths are extraordinarily rich in nutrients – particularly minerals and amino acids. Bone broths are a good source of amino acids – particularly arginine, glycine and proline. Glycine supports the bodies detoxification process and is used in the synthesis of hemoglobin, bile salts and other naturally-occurring chemicals within the body. Glycine also supports digestion and the secretion of gastric acids. Proline, especially when paired with vitamin C, supports good skin health. Bone broths are also rich in gelatin which improves collagen status, thus supporting skin health. (source: Nourished Kitchen)

See here to make Turkey Bone Broth 

So now to make Turkey Noodle Soup

Ingredients
4 cups (1 quart) Turkey Bone Broth
1 cup cooked turkey meat, cut into pieces
1 small onion, diced small
1 stalk celery, diced small
1/2 cup cut carrots
1/2 cup green beans
1/2 cup green peas or corn
(or you can use any of your favorite vegetables)
1 - 1 1/2 cups small egg noodles, uncooked
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Place all ingredients in a large pot on your stove top; cover and bring to a boil.

Uncover, turn heat down to medium, and continue cooking until the noodles are tender.

Serve hot with dinner rolls, biscuits, or bread.

Yield:  4 servings

Enjoy,
Mary

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Chicken and Potato Chowder

So warm and comforting, this Chicken and Potato Chowder is easy to do and delicious to eat! 

Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth (make your own)
2 cups milk, or more, as needed
2 cups frozen, cubed potatoes or 2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups diced cooked chicken 
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbls. chopped fresh parsley leaves

Method

Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in potatoes.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 12-15 minutes.

Stir in chicken and cheese, a handful at a time, until smooth, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the chowder is too thick, add more milk as needed until desired consistency is reached.

Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Enjoy,
Mary

Farm Fresh Potato Soup

When I received this delivery from Backyard Produce, it included some Yukon Gold Potatoes, known for their extra creamy texture and buttery taste, and a large yellow onion. I knew right then and there I was going to make this potato soup.

Chockful of delicious buttery potatoes in a cheesy creamy broth, this farm fresh potato soup has serious stick to your ribs qualities that make it a true winner. 

What do you need to make farm fresh potato soup?

• 5-6 Yukon gold potatoes
• 1 onion
• butter
• chicken stock or bone broth
• garlic powder
• salt and pepper
• cream
• shredded cheddar cheese
• 3-4 strips bacon

My husband didn't even talk while he was eating it other than muttering the occasional mmmmm, dang, yummmm!

RECIPE

Ingredients
5-6 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced small
1 onion, diced small
4 tbsp butter
32 oz. chicken stock or bone broth
1/3 cup flour
1-2 tsp. garlic powder
1-2 tsp. course-ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup heavy cream 
3-4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

Method
In a large saucepan, melt butter and saute' onions until translucent. Sprinkle with flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir well; add chicken stock and whisk well to incorporate.

Add potatoes and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat stirring often. Reduce heat and cook 25 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Stir in 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 1 cup heavy cream, stirring well to blend and allow cheese to melt. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve immediately topping each serving with remaining shredded sharp cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon.

Yield:  4-6 servings

Enjoy,
Mary

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Stuffed Pepper Soup

This is a great recipe to use up some of those fresh green bell peppers from the garden. Since my husband doesn't care of traditional stuffed peppers, I was looking for a good recipe for Stuffed Pepper Soup. My sister-in-law, Tracy, sent me one she had, and so did a few other foodie friends, so I took the basics of what they had and made it my own.  The results are this awesome soup, with just a little bit of spiciness.


Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef 1 can 14.5 oz. tomato sauce 1 can 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes, drained
1 can 14.5 oz. tomato soup
1/2 cup tomato salsa (mild, medium or hot) 1 cup long grain rice, cooked 1 cup bell peppers, chopped (about 3 medium sized peppers)
1 small onion, chopped 1/4 cup brown sugar
2-3 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Method

Dutch Oven - Brown ground beef and drain grease. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until peppers are tender. Adjust all seasonings to taste. Top servings with shredded cheddar cheese.

Slow Cooker - Brown ground beef and drain. Put beef and all ingredients (except rice) in a slow cooker. Cook on low heat 4-6 hours. Adjust all seasonings to taste. Add rice just before serving. Top servings with shredded cheddar cheese.

Yield: 6 servings


Enjoy,
Mary

Chicken and Veggie Soup

Nothing beats making your own Chicken Stock, and the same can be said for your own Chicken and Veggie Soup. 

I recently received a free rooster (cleaned and processed) from a good farm friend, Paradise Acres Farm, for my slow cooker.  Well I knew when I got it I wanted to "put it up" somehow, I just wasn't sure how exactly, until I decided to make Chicken and Veggie Soup.

When the rooster is slow cooked with water, carrots, onions, celery and spices in a stock pot or slow cooker, the meat is very moist and tender. Because the rooster spends its day running around with the other chickens, it is typically somewhat lean, and the meat, even the breast meat, more resembles the dark meat of a chicken. The water and added vegetables make a flavorful stock and the meat literally falls off the bones.

Ingredients
1 small rooster or stewing chicken
1 onion, quartered
1-2 carrots cut in half
2 stalks celery, cut in half
Course ground black pepper
Sea salt or seasoned salt
Other spices as desired
Water to cover all

Method
Put all ingredients in a stock pot; add enough water to cover all (several quarts).  Cover and bring to a low boil over high heat.

Reduce heat and simmer 1-2 hours or until rooster/chicken is very tender.

Using a large slotted spoon, remove the chicken (be sure to get all bones) and let cool. Meanwhile remove stock from heat, strain stock removing all the veggies, and let sit while chicken cools.

Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove all the meat from the bones; discard bones. Cut meat into large size chunks.

Canning
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 cups frozen or fresh green beans, chopped
2 cups frozen or fresh niblet corn
Fresh chicken stock (from above)
Chicken meat (from above)

Method
Using 3 or 4 quart canning jars, evenly add celery, carrots, green beans, corn and chicken to each jar. You want your ratio to be half solids and half liquid. Ladle hot stock over all leaving a 1-inch head-space.

Cover with rings and seals and pressure can at 11 lbs. pressure one (1) hour and 30 minutes.

Once canner has cooled, and pressure has released, remove lid partially and let jars sit inside canner another 10 minutes or so (you want them to cool down slowly to prevent any liquid from siphoning out).

Remove lid fully, then remove jars and let cool on a kitchen towel on your counter-top 24 hours. Jars are sealed when "button"  in the middle of the top of the lid is fully depressed, or you hear that wonderful "ping" sound. Store in pantry up to one year.

*Cook's note - Options when heating soup to serve:

• add 1 cup frozen cubed potatoes 
• serve over hot, cooked rice 
• mix 2 tbls. flour with 1 cup milk and add to soup to thicken and make more like a chowder
• top with shredded cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles, or diced green onion.

Yield: 3-4 quart jars

Enjoy,
Mary

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Turkey and Cabbage Soup

Just a short bit ago I saw a post from The Southern Lady Cooks for her Crockpot Turkey, Cabbage and Rice Soup which looked so good I thought I'd make some for the canner.  You must leave the rice out, otherwise it would continue to absorb the liquid in the jar when canning, BUT you can add it when serving.  Such a great way to use the turkey stock I made!

Ingredients
1 gallon turkey stock (follow directions here for chicken stock)
3-4 cups turkey, cooked and chopped (I used the turkey meat from the carcass after making the stock)
1 onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, un-drained
1/2 head of cabbage, chopped
To each jar add:
1/2 tsp. course-ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin

Method
Layer equal amounts of onion, celery, tomatoes, cabbage and cooked turkey to each quart canning jar. 

Now add spices listed to each jar.  Pour turkey stock over all.  Run a knife around the inside of jars to remove air bubbles, and add more stock as necessary leaving a 1/2-inch head space.

Cover jars with seals and rings and process in pressure canner 90 minutes at 10 lbs. pressure. 

Remove pressure canner from heat, allow canner to cool down completely, then remove jars and let them sit on your counter-top undisturbed for 24 hours.  Store in pantry. 

Serve over hot cooked rice with a side of corn muffins or cornbread.

Yield:  6 quart canning jars

Cooks note:  I did not add the tomatoes with green chili's, the Worcestershire sauce or salt called for in the original recipe.  You can add those if desired when heating to serve.  This is a spicy soup, adjust all seasonings to taste.

Enjoy,
Mary

Italian Chicken Soup

This is my "twist" on a traditional chicken soup. It rich, savory, flavorful and versatile. Serve it by itself with some good crusty bread, or add some cheese tortellini or your choice of cooked pasta for a more robust meal. 

This takes a little planning because I make my own chicken bone broth/stock and add some Italian seasonings when making this soup. Of course you can also make the chicken bone broth ahead of time and freeze it or pressure can it, then pull it out when you want to make this soup.

Alternately, you can totally use store bought chicken broth if you want to and don't have time to make your own. 

RECIPE

Ingredients

Bone Broth/Stock
3 quarts Chicken Bone Broth cooked with Italian seasonings listed below
2-3 tsp garlic salt (can use garlic powder, or minced garlic if desired)
2-3 tsp course-ground black pepper
2-3 tsp Italian seasoning
2-3 tsp dried oregano
Soup
Prepared chicken bone broth
1- 28 oz. can diced tomatoes (drained)
1- 14.5 oz. can tomato sauce
1 large onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3-4 cups diced cooked chicken

Method
Cook chicken bone broth with listed seasonings above. Chill stock, then skim fat from stock. Add bone broth, diced onion, diced celery, diced tomatoes (drained), tomato sauce and diced cooked chicken to a large stock pot; bring to a boil over med-high heat; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. 

Serve soup as is or over your choice of cooked pasta or cheese tortellini.  Add garlic toast, Italian bread or crusty bread for a complete meal.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Enjoy,

Mary

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Ham Stock & Veggie Soup

I've had lots of meaty ham bones lately to cook with - this most recent one from my son's house and our early Christmas with him and his family ... naturally he saved the bone with lots of meat on it for me!  So I cooked the ham stock, let it chill so the fat would rise to the top and solidify. The next day I removed the stock from the refrigerator, skimmed off the fat and finished the Ham and Veggie Soup.

My husband does not care for ham and bean soup, so this recipe was a way for me to get him to enjoy it. Use any vegetables you want in this ... but be sure to use fresh or frozen, especially if canning it.  If you use canned vegetables, they will turn mushy, which is not what you want.  This soup also freezes very well.

Recipe
Ingredients
3-4 quarts Ham Stock (follow the highlighted recipe minus the chili powder and red pepper flakes)
1 onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 - 14.5 oz. can diced petite tomatoes with juice (or any canned diced tomatoes)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups frozen green beans
2 cups frozen corn
Sliced carrots
(other veggies could be lima beans, green peas, really anything you like)
Reserved ham meat from stock
2 -3 tsp. course-ground black pepper
2-3 tsp. garlic powder
1-2 tsp. seasoned salt (I use Lawry's - or make your own)

Method
In a large stock pot, bring ham stock, onion, celery, tomatoes and spices to a boil, reduce heat and simmer approx. 30 minutes or until vegetables are very tender.

Add the remaining vegetables, reserved ham meat from stock, adjust seasonings to taste and cook over low heat until all vegetables are tender. Serve immediately.

GREAT with biscuits, cornbread or crusty bread.

Canning directions:  Cook ham stock, onion, celery, tomatoes and spices as above.  Add remaining vegetables raw to each canning jar, top with reserved ham meat from stock, and evenly distribute among jars. Ladle hot stock over top and seal with canning rings and lids. Your ratio should be half solids to half liquid in each jar.

Process jars in a pressure canner 1 hour and 15-30 minutes at 10 lbs. pressure.

Yield is approx. 4 quart jars

Enjoy,

Mary

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Nanny Walt's Chicken Corn Soup with Rivels

Having it's roots in Amish Country (Lancaster, PA), where my husband spent many summers during his boyhood, he has such fond memories of this soup his great-grandmother, "Nanny Walt," used to make. Considered by many to be very "frugal," it uses the abundance of fresh sweet corn farmed in the summer, a roasting chicken, some hard boiled eggs, and "rivels," proving to be a simple, satisfying meal feeding many. Rivels are a soft flour and egg mixture blended together then run between your hands quickly over the boiling soup, dropping into the soup to form little dough balls (not dumplings).

After her passing, many tried to make "her" soup and just couldn't quite replicate it.  It's always "close" or "that smells right" but never exactly right.  Over the years I've tried a few times to make it, and have had some successes and failures!  There are many variations out there, including some adding diced carrots, but the closest I can come to what he remembers, which is a plain chicken soup with corn and rivels, is a recipe by Jeff Smith in "The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American" cookbook.  Although, it's still not quite right, the smells he remembers are there and the taste is awesome ... one of the best comfort foods I know.

RECIPE
Ingredients
4 - 5 lb. roaster chicken (or you can use chicken pieces, i.e. legs, breasts, thighs)
1 medium onion, minced
2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped small
4 quarts (16 cups) water (if you use chicken pieces, you might want to strengthen the broth by using chicken stock) (I always add some chicken stock)
6 or 8 ears of fresh corn, cut from the cobs (you may substitute canned or frozen corn, about 6+ cups worth)
4 hard cooked eggs, chopped into medium size pieces (I serve the chopped, hard-boiled eggs on the side and let people add their own)
a handful of chopped parsley (I use parsley leaves in the spice jar)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf

Method
In a large soup pot, combine the onion, celery, parsley, bay leaf, chicken, and cold water (or stock). Bring to simmer over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to low and continue simmering until the chicken is done and ready to fall off the bones ... this will take an hour or more. 

Remove chicken and let cool. Cut the meat into pieces and reserve, discarding the bones. You may skim the fat off the stock if you wish. (You could do this step ahead, keeping the broth and chicken in the refrigerator until ready to finish the soup).When ready to finalize the soup, add the corn kernels, reserved chicken pieces, hard boiled eggs, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let cook for 10 minutes.

FOR THE RIVELS: Wait until the soup is done to prepare this dough. Then, in a bowl, mix 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 beaten eggs, blending until the mixture is crumbly (NOT SMOOTH).
Make up the rivel dough at this point and add to the soup by rubbing the mixture between your hands over the pot of soup, dropping in small amounts bit  by bit. They should not be big. Some people make them about the size of a pea. I like mine slightly larger. You can substitute a small amount of cooked pasta for the rivels, if desired.  Simply cook pasta according to package directions and add to soup at the end of the cooking time, just before serving.


Enjoy!
Mary

Veggie Beef Soup

Updated October 2019

In South Carolina, sometime in the early Fall, the humidity and temps drop to overnight lows in the high 50's to low 60's and highs only in the low 80's ... ok, that's cool enough here to feel a bit like Fall! I especially can't wait for all the tastes and foods Fall brings with it, such as stews and soups, apple crisps and cobblers, baked butternut squash and other goodies.

I love all kinds of soups and stews, and we have them quite often during the Fall and Winter seasons.  This Veggie Beef Soup is one of my all-time favorites and you can use any beef/meat you want, or mix up the vegetables to make it your own. It's one of those versatile, anything goes kind of soup!  Enjoy!

RECIPE

Ingredients

1-2 lbs. cut-up beef pieces such as stew beef (or ground beef)  

1-2 tbls. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped/diced

1 - 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes 

1 - 14.5 oz. can tomato sauce 

4 cups beef stock or beef bone broth

2-3 Yukon Gold or Red potatoes, peeled, chopped/diced 

3 large carrots, chopped/diced

1-2 cups green beans 

1-2 cups corn kernels

1-2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. Garlic salt

1-2 tsp. Course-Ground Black Pepper (or to taste)

other veggies could be butter beans and garden peas

Method
Add olive oil to stock pot and saute' beef until browned; add onions, celery, and seasonings, continue to cook until vegetables are soft.

Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce and beef stock or beef bone broth; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer approx. 1-2 hours (30 minutes if using ground beef) until beef is tender, stirring from time to time.

Add potatoes and carrots and return to a boil; reduce heat and simmer approx. 30 minutes. Stir in frozen green beans and corn; continue cooking until all vegetables are tender and heated through.

For slow cooker or crock pot - brown stew beef or ground beef, then mix it and all other ingredients in slow cooker or crock pot (sprayed with cooking spray - omit olive oil).  Cook on low 8-10 hours or until done.

Pressure Canning - This soup cans up very well. Brown the beef, then add all other ingredients, uncooked, to the beef, stirring together. In a large stock pot, bring to a simmer, then use a slotted spoon to fills jars 1/2 way with the solids, then a ladle to add the liquid which will insure you have 1/2 solids to 1/2 liquid (the soup will "cook" in the pressure canner). Process pint jars 75 minutes and quart jars 90 minutes at 11 lbs. pressure.

Jars are shelf-stable up to one year in your pantry.

Also seen on Meal Plan Monday

Enjoy,
Mary

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