Hamburger Soup

It is a foggy, rainy day here in Connecticut.  I had thawed hamburger to make meatloaf for dinner.  Problem is - I'm not in the mood for meatloaf.  I'm in the mood for soup.

 

At first, I thought, "Cheeseburger Soup".  I looked up recipes and all of them used Processed American Cheese like Velveeta.  What is that stuff, anyway?  I'm pretty sure it's not cheese. 

 

So, then I thought "Hamburger Soup".  I looked up recipes, but didn't follow any of them.  What I did turned out pretty good, though.  It is a hearty, main dish sort of soup.  Rachel Ray would call it a stoup :).  I put a sprinkling of cheddar cheese and a few slices of jalapeno on mine, just like I do on a hamburger.  Yummy!

 

 

Hamburger Soup

 

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

4 celery ribs, sliced

4 carrots, sliced

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

about 2 cups of water

1 quart beef broth

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 pound uncooked macaroni (or whatever kind of pasta you want)

grated cheddar cheese (optional)

jalapeno slices (optional)

 

In a large saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink. Drain.

Add the carrots, celery, pepper, oregano, basil, thyme and salt.  Stir and cook for a minutes (this allows the herbs to cook and release their flavor better.)

Add the tomatoes, sauce, water (I usually just fill the sauce can with water), broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and macaroni.

Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the macaroni is cooked and the veggies are tender.

Serve with a sprinkle of cheese and jalapeno slices if desired.