Hearty Hamburger Soup

From: Food.com

Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef
1 white onion, peeled and diced
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/4 tsp seasoning salt
1 envelope onion soup mix
6 cups water, more to desired consistency
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15-oz can corn, drained
1 cup celery, sliced
1/4 cup celery leaves, coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh carrot, sliced
1 cup white potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
garlic salt, to taste
parmesan cheese, to serve
sour cream, to serve

• Brown ground beef and onion in a large pot. Drain if needed.
• Add spices and onion soup mix.

• Stir in water, tomato sauce and soy sauce. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

• Add the rest of the ingredients up to the potatoes; bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. (Add more water if needed).

• Season to taste with garlic salt.

• Serve with shredded parmesan cheese and sour cream.

What I did differently:

I left out the onion soup mix because they were out at the store the day I went. I didn't do the celery leaves because I bought pre-cut celery sticks (convenience, hello!) Other than that, I didn't change a thing.

Verdict:

Thumbs up! Oh yeah, this was a GREAT soup, and so easy to make! The flavors blended perfectly. I love a good vegetable beef soup and this one did not disappoint!

Tortellini Vegetable Soup

From: An old index card

Ingredients:
3/4 cup chopped onion
4 cups water
14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
9 oz (about 2 1/2 cups) cheese tortellini
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1 cup zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
2 tsp dried parsley, finely crumbled

Coat a 3-quart pot with a tablespoon of olive oil and add the onion. Cover and cook over medium heat for several minutes, until the onions start to soften.

Add the water, undrained tomatoes, carrots, salt and pepper to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until the carrots are tender.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer half of the vegetables to a blender and pour in about 1 cup of the liquid. Carefully blend at low speed to puree the vegetables. Return the blended mixture back to the post.

Add the tortellini and mushrooms to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook covered for an additional 4 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for another minute, until the spinach wilts and the tortellini is cooked through. Serve hot, topping each serving with a sprinkling of parsley.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! What an awesome mixture of flavors. This was a very simple, inexpensive soup to make and it was delicious. I'll be making this again and I recommend it! 

Veggie-Beef Chowder with Mozzarella

From: Progresso website

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
1 bag (12 oz) frozen mixed vegetables
1 can (18 oz) Progresso Recipe Starters creamy portabella mushroom cooking sauce
3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In a saucepan, cook beef over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.

Stir in 1/4 tsp salt and all remaining ingredients except cheese and croutons. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese in each soup bowl; fill bowls with chowder. Sprinkle with croutons.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I know the pictures don't do it justice. Trust me, this is one of the easiest soups you'll throw together, but the flavor is amazing! I will absolutely make this one again and I definitely recommend it to you!

Italian Vegetable Soup

From: Back-to-School Lunches cookbook

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 bag frozen Italian vegetables or mixed vegetables
1 can diced tomatoes with liquid
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 cans chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp crushed dried oregano
1 cup uncooked wagon wheel pasta
1 cup cooked diced chicken, optional

Heat oil in Dutch oven. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook and stir over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in frozen vegetables, tomatoes, chickpeas, chicken broth, salt, pepper and oregano. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Stir in pasta. Reduce heat to medium and cook at a low boil 15 minutes or until pasta and vegetables are tender. If desired, stir in chicken with pasta.

Easily frozen: Just put it in a freezer container. Thaw overnight and you can pack it for lunch or eat it at home.

 
Verdict:
Thumbs up! Such a classic, feel-good, comfort meal! This was definitely a recipe meant for kids but it was delicious. I like this because it's easy to adapt. I'll definitely be making this again and I highly recommend it.