Soup to Share

It only takes a few days of mid-50's temperatures to make me think of soup for supper. This week seemed to be the start of Fall, regardless of what the calendar said. So a new Hamburger Soup recipe that isn't too heavy was a good start to the cooler season. The best part - my favorite ingredients: beef, tomatoes, and peppers. And it is quick to fix. Originally the recipe is from the Pioneer Woman's website, but I made a few changes.

Hamburger Soup                                                               

Ingredients: 

2 pounds ground beef

1 medium onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (14.5 oz) canned diced tomatoes

2 cups beef broth

2 green and/or yellow peppers, seeded and diced

4 whole carrots, peeled and sliced

5 whole potatoes

1 can (12-oz) tomato juice

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

½ teaspoon ground oregano

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

Preparation: 

In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown ground beef with onion, celery, and gargle. Remove the pot from heat and drain as much fat as possible. Return pot to range and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir to combine, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pot and let simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes and carrots are tender. 

As with most soup recipes, it 'grows' to a larger amount than a small family can eat in a couple of days. So a few servings went to a friend who has been in the hospital, and a couple to the freezer to share with college-professor-son. "Soup to Share".