It's cold out and I want soup

A family favorite is Cheap Italian Vegetable Soup. Sounds like we are saying Italians are cheap....let's change the name to Easy Italian Vegetable Soup. No, wait, that's no good either.

How about...

Simple Italian Vegetable Soup

In a medium sauce pot...

• Small amount of olive oil
• Brown some garlic and remove it
• Brown a diced onion
• Add water - as much as you like says Mom. Amanda says 2/3 of the way to the top of the pot.
• Add small can of tomato sauce. We like it plain plain plain so we can add our own spices, but do as you like
• If you are going to add pasta- bring the water to a boil and cook the pasta.
• Add can of mixed vegetables
• Heat through

We used canned veggies to keep it cheap. I mean easy. Darnit, I mean SIMPLE. Feel free to use a bag of frozen mixed veggies if you're feeling wild and crazy.

If you're planning to freeze the soup, then boil the noodles separately. I know....TWO pots?!?! But, if you freeze the soup with noodles in it then you get mush.

Mom's version of an old Weight Watchers classic...Taco Soup.  It is so easy and done in one pot!  One Pot!!!  Brown the meat, drain the fat, open seasonings packets pour in and stir, open cans of veggies and beans, pour in everything including the liquids, and stir.  Could not be easier.

 

Healthy Easy Taco Soup

• 1 large jar of northern beans
• 1 can of corn
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 1 envelope ranch dressing seasoning
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 1 lb ground beef - browned and drained

1 can of water if you like more broth (Amanda adds about half a can.)

Brown and drain the beef - add everything else and cook 10-15 minutes

 

Even better with a little cheese, but that is pretty much true of everything in life.  Food, jokes, whatever.  You can use this for company by "dressing it up" put out bowls of toppings like 

chopped onion and tomatoes, shredded cheddar, and /or sour cream(or Greek yogurt) and taco chips - looks and tastes like a big deal and not much work or expense.

 

 

Stay warm out there!  Especially you folks in the Great White North of Michigan.