Soup is good anytime. These recipes are all a twist on some old ones.
Beef barley soup with spinach
2-1/2 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into 1-in. pieces
5 C water
1 pkg. dry onion-mushroom soup mix
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 C medium pearled barley
4 C loosely packed fresh baby spinach
Combine beef, water, soup mix, thyme, salt and pepper in stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 60 minutes. Stir in barley; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; continue simmering, covered, 45 minutes to 1 hour or until beef is fork-tender and barley is tender. Stir in spinach; cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
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Beef vegetable soup
2-1/2 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into 3/4-in. pieces
2 cans (14 to 14-1/2 oz. each) beef broth
1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed, drained
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 C water
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 C frozen mixed vegetables
1 C uncooked small pasta
shredded Romano cheese (optional)
Combine beef, broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, water, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in 4-1/2 to 5-1/2-quart slow cooker; toss to coat well. Cover and cook on high 5 hours or on low 8 hours. (No stirring is necessary during cooking.) Stir in mixed vegetables and pasta. Continue cooking, covered, 1 hour or until beef and pasta are tender. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Stir well before serving. Serve with cheese, if desired.
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Bacon cheeseburger soup
1 lb. beef, cooked and drained of fat
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (32 oz.) container chicken broth
4 C potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 C sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 C heavy cream
1/2 C carrot, chopped
1/2 C green bell pepper, seeds removed, chopped
1/4 C all-purpose flour
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. chili powder, optional
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
bacon, crumbled, optional
Place ground beef, tomatoes, potatoes, carrot, bell pepper, onion, celery and garlic in a slow cooker and pour chicken stock over top. Season with chili powder, salt and pepper, then stir everything together. Cover slow cooker, turn on high and cook for 3-4 hours, or until vegetables are softened. Stir flour into heavy cream until no chunks remain, then pour mixture, along with cheddar cheese, into slow cooker. Stir to combine, then cover and cook for another 20-30 minutes, then ladle into soup bowls. Top with more cheese and crumbled bacon, if using, and serve hot!
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Thought – Why do I have to press one for English when you’re just going to transfer me to someone I can’t understand anyway?
If you would like to share a recipe with me, just send it to the J-T or email it to me.
(Melanie Behrens – melb@marysvillejt.com)
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