Homemade vegetable beef soup

I have wanted to find a favorite vegetable beef soup recipe for some time now, and I think I finally have. I had the best vegetable beef soup at a restaurant this past fall, and asked the waiter what all they put in it. After looking around online and including what they mentioned, I played around with a recipe that I've now made twice, and we all love it. It's just a traditional vegetable beef soup but I love the flavor. The combination of chicken and beef broth along with vegetable juice is one I love because it gives a great flavor but isn't too beefy or tomatoey. I also used a sweet potato instead of a white one, not knowing how it would turn out, and we loved it. It adds a subtle sweet yet savory flavor to the soup, but is not at all overwhelming- just a good, healthy addition that I'll use from now on. This soup is very quick and easy to make and it makes enough for the four of us to have for two meals.  Pasta could also be added to make it go further. I didn't measure out my spices but sprinkled them generously over the soup. We had this for dinner but it also makes great leftovers for lunch. I would love to double this next time and freeze half of it.

Vegetable beef soup

I N G R E D I E N T S :

2 Tbsp XVOO (could also use vegetable oil, I just use olive oil because it's healthy)

1 medium-large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb beef

28 ounces tomato (roughly chop up a can of whole tomatoes or buy diced), drained

15 oz chicken broth

15 oz beef broth

1 Tbsp. better than bouillon chicken base  (I know this stuff isn't nutritious but it gives great flavor!)

1/2 Tbsp. better than bouillon beef base

1 1/2 cups vegetable juice, like V-8

28 ounces frozen vegetables (I used a mix of corn, green beans, peas, carrots, etc)

1 cup frozen lima beans (you can also add more of other frozen vegetables, too)

1 sweet potato, diced

dash of Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper (add more if you like)

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Oregano, dried

Basil, dried

Parsley, dried

Parmesan cheese, to sprinkle on top of soup

Ciabatta or any other good bread, or crackers for serving along with soup.

D I R E C T I O N S :

Heat oil over medium-high heat and sauté onion and garlic until onion is translucent and garlic is turning a golden color. 

Add ground beef and brown until completely cooked. Drain all excess oil.

Add tomatoes, broth, chicken and beef bases, vegetable juice, vegetables, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to pot. Generously sprinkle remaining spices over the soup (going a little lighter on the garlic and onion powders). Bring back to a boil on medium heat, and then let simmer on medium-low for 10-15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. 

Adjust seasonings to taste.

I find it best to let the soup sit on low for a little while to continue to let the flavors combine, so I'll make this a couple of hours before dinner. 

Top individual bowls with a small amount of parmesan cheese, and serve with bread or crackers. I took a loaf of ciabatta, cut it in half to make two long slices, and brushed it with melted butter before sprinkling it with a very small amount of garlic powder and salt and topping with a little parmesan. I baked it on 350 for 10-15 minutes until the edges were just turning brown, and it was a great addition to the soup. 

a yummy twist on tomato soup and grilled cheese

I don't know about you, but I totally get stuck in a rut about what to have at lunch. I'm always pinning fun lunch ideas on Pinterest, but rarely follow through and then find myself at the deli counter, once again, getting my weekly pound of deli meat and 1/2 lb of cheese. Last week, I decided to make a few things I could freeze and pull out for lunch time. I made spaghettio's, which were a hit, black bean soup, and this yummy tomato basil soup. I've made it before and always love it, and my daughters wanted some and they loved it, too. I saw an idea on Pinterest for grilled mozzarella cheese sandwiches and thought that sounded so good to go along with it. I had part of a leftover block of mozzarella cheese that I used, and a loaf of frozen focaccia bread in the freezer that I thought would be good for the sandwich. (I used this recipe for the focaccia-I made it a few weeks ago to compare it side by side with my new focaccia recipe. I've decided I still really like it for sandwiches because it rises a little more, while my new one is my favorite for soup.) The two went great together and our lunch was much better than usual (I'll still buy my deli meat and cheese, but it's great to mix things up and not have the same thing daily!), so I plan on making this more often. I doubled the recipe and froze it in batches. 

Tomato Basil Soup
recipe mine

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

28 oz canned diced tomatoes or tomato puree 

1 cup water plus two chicken bullion cubes (or two cups chicken broth and you can add bouillon for extra flavor)

2 Tbsp. butter

2Tbsp. flour

2 Tbsp. fresh basil, or 1 Tbsp. dried

freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. salt, if desired (i find this soup salty enough on its own after using chicken bullion)

D I R E C T I O N S :

Saute onion and garlic in a small amount of oil until tender.

Puree or chop canned tomatoes to desired texture. If using home canned tomatoes, press through mesh sieve to remove seeds. 

Add tomatoes to onion and garlic. 

Add one cup water and two bullion cubes, or chicken broth. Let simmer over medium heat for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan, and stir in the flour to form a roux. Add to soup mixture after it has finished simmering, and stir until well combined.
Add basil, salt and pepper.

Add a little cream or half and half, if you want.

If using diced tomatoes, you can puree the soup with an immersion blender for a smoother consistency.

Great with ciabatta, focaccia, french bread, with a salad, or even on its own. You could also grate up some good cheese on top, or add a dollop of sour cream. Yum!

Homemade Spaghettio's

I am always looking for new lunch ideas, because the everyday ham or turkey sandwich we enjoy at home for lunch can sometimes get old. I recently saw this post for homemade Spaghettio's and thought it looked fun to try. I try to not buy canned pasta because of the processed ingredients, but I have to admit that I have been tempted at least a time or two, just because it's something different, as well as easy. This recipe, however, is extremely easy to make. I doubled it so that I could freeze it in smaller portions to pull out before lunchtime. I could not find ditalini pasta at my grocery store, so I used elbow macaroni-it tastes the same! It really did not take much time at all to make, and it was delicious. I enjoyed it just as much as my daughters did!

Homemade Spaghettio's

from Seeded at the Table

Yield: 4-6 adult servings, 6-8 child servings

I N G R E D I E N T  S :

8 oz ditalini pasta (or other small pasta-I used elbow macaroni)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, pressed

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (I left this out)

15 oz can tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp granulated sugar

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces (I only used half of this)

1/4 cup milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

D I R E C T I O  N S: 

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water, to al dente (about 10 minutes).

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, water, tomato paste, salt, pepper, sugar, and butter. Heat while stirring, until the butter is melted. Slowly stir in the milk, then turn the heat to low. Simmer at low heat for 10 minutes.

Stir the shredded cheese into the soup until melted. Drain the pasta and transfer to a serving bowl. Pour as much of the tomato sauce into the pasta as desired; stir to combine (there may be some left over if you do not like it too soupy; usually about 1/3 cup is left over).

new potato salad with parsley and capers

The Memphis Botanic Gardens has a great little restaurant which serves a potato salad that I just love, and I used to love getting it every time I had lunch there.  I loved it so much, in fact, that I actually called them once and asked if they would mind sharing the recipe, and they were so kind to do so. This is not your typical fattening, mayo based potato salad, but is instead a very light and healthy alternative. It's refreshing and a great accompaniment to lunch or an outdoor picnic. 

New potato salad

Based off a recipe from Fratelli's in the Garden.

I N G R E D I E N T S :

6 medium-large new potatoes (or 8 smaller new potatoes), diced

1 bunch of parsley

2 1/2 Tbsp. capers

1/4 cup XVOO

D I R E C T I O N S :

Bring a pot of salted water and the diced potatoes to a boil, and boil for 12 minutes. 

Meanwhile, combine parsley leaves, capers, and olive oil in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.

Once potatoes are done boiling, drain and move to a serving bowl. Pour parsley/caper sauce over potatoes, stir until combined, and allow to chill for a few hours in the fridge while the potatoes cool and the flavors combine. Season with salt, if desired.