SPICY BEEF VEGGIE SOUP RECIPE

This is my favorite soup recipe for braving those cold winter days (and nights! ;)) 

SPICY VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP via Teresa Medeiros

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground beef (or stew meat)

1 cup chopped onion (I like yellow)

2 cloves garlic

1 30 oz. jar of Ragu Chunky Garden Combination Spaghetti Sauce

1 10.5 oz can of beef broth

2 cups water

3-4 potatoes sliced ¼ inch thick (I boil these before putting them in the soup to make them fork tender.)

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 10 oz. can Rotel (Diced Tomatoes with green chiles). (ORIGINAL is great if you like a little heat, get MILD if not.)

1 16 oz bag of frozen vegetables (I like to get 2-10oz bags of Birdseye Steamfresh Mixed Vegetables and microwave them per directions, discard about 4 oz, then put them in already cooked and softened.)

DIRECTIONS

1) Spray large soup pot with Pam

2) Put chopped onion and garlic in pot and cook until softened a little

3) Add ground beef and brown. Drain and return to pot.

4) Add all other ingredients

5) Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. (If the soup is going in a crock pot or you have longer to cook it, you can cook the potatoes and the frozen vegetables IN the soup instead of preparing them ahead of time.)

Serve with cornbread or warm rolls and enjoy!

Like most soups, the longer you can let it sit before serving, the better it will taste. Also great after being refrigerated overnight, then re-warmed.

Serves 4 comfortably with a little leftover. Double up as needed.