Vegetable Soup/Sopa de vegetais

I’m not a big fan of soup, but on cold days during the winter in New England this soup was always great for warming up.  It's not so cold down south, but sometimes you just need a nice warm soup for dinner. This soup is great because it has a lot of flavors. The broth is tangy, you get some meatiness from the hamburger, and a burst of sweetness from the corn. I like to enjoy a ground chourico sandwich, kind of like a Portuguese tomato soup with grilled cheese. It could even be good enough to make a fan out of the non-soup lovers out there.

Vegetable Soup/Sopa de Vegetais

Ingredients

2 tbsp canola oil

½ medium Vidalia onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

¼ lb. ground beef

1 6 oz. can tomato sauce

2 Knorr chicken bouillon cubes

a pinch of garlic powder

a pinch of salt

a pinch of pepper

1 packet of Knorr French Onion Soup Mix

1 15 oz. can cannellini beans

4 cups water

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

1 medium Russet potato

3 tbsp. any small pasta (alphabet, pastina, stars)

½ small cabbage, shredded

Directions

11.     Add canola oil and onion to a Dutch oven (or a medium sized pot).

22.     Sautee the onions until soft.

33.     Add the celery. Sautee for a minute.

44.     Add the ground beef. Cook until browned.

55.     Add tomato sauce, bouillon cube, garlic powder, salt, pepper, onion soup mix, cannellini beans, and water. Mix well.

66.     Bring the mixture to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer.

77.     Simmer for 20 minutes.

88.    Add the vegetables, potatoes, and cabbage. Make sure there is enough liquid in the pot. If there is not   enough liquid add more water. Cover and let cook for about 10 minutes over low heat.

99.     Taste the broth and add more salt and pepper if you prefer more.

110. Add the pasta. Mix well. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Source: A Yum-Yums Original