Margie's Kitchen

Creamy beef tomato soup with noodles is a hearty, easy, and family friendly one-pot meal!
Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef (or sub with Italian sausage)
• 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 c total)
• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed (about 1 teaspoon total)
• 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
• 4 c chicken broth or beef broth
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 tsp brown sugar (optional)
• 1 tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
• 1 c (about 3 ½ – 4 ounces) uncooked small pasta, such as small shells,
  elbow macaroni, ditalini, or mini wagon wheels
• 4 oz (half of a block) cream cheese, diced into cubes and softened at
  room temperature

Directions:

1. Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add the beef and onion.
3. Sauté until the meat is no longer pink and the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute.
5. Drain off the excess grease.
6. Stir in the jar of marinara sauce, broth, tomato sauce, brown sugar, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
7. Bring the liquid to a simmer.
8. Add the pasta.
9. Simmer until the pasta is al dente, according to package directions.
10. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
11. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.
12. Remove the pot from the heat.  Important – before you add the cream cheese.
13. Add the cream cheese.
14. Whisk until the cheese melts smoothly into the hot broth, about 3-5 minutes.
15. Ladle into bowls.
16. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
17. Garnish with plenty of freshly grated cheese or chopped fresh herbs for an extra flavor boost

Serves: 6  for dinner,  10 for lunch
Source: theseasonedmom.com/ Author Blair Lonergan

Notes:
Here is what I really did.  A recipe is just a suggestion!

1. Put a large soup pot on the stove and turn on  medium-high heat.
2. Add the beef and start chopping the too old onion .  Forage freezer for more onion.  Add some red onion I found.
3. Sauté the meat/onion while I gather everything else.  Stir once or twice.
4. Add  garlic from a jar. and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute.
5. Drain off the excess grease.
6. Stir in the 2/3 of a jar of marinara store brand tomato basil sauce I found in the freezer, broth, tomato sauce, brown sugar, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Make up for the missing sauce with old store brand cocktail sauce from the back of the fridge.
7. Bring the liquid to a simmer. boil
8. Add the pasta.
9. Ajust heat to simmer. Simmer until the pasta is al dente, according to package directions.  No package, just a plastic bag.
10. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
11. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.
12. Remove the pot from the heat.
13. Add the cubed cream cheese.
14. Whisk stir until the cheese melts smoothly into the hot broth, why dirty another tool.
15. Ladle into bowls freezer containers.
16. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
17. Garnish with plenty of freshly grated cheese or chopped fresh herbs for an extra flavor boost. Save out one bowl for lunch.

Roasted Fresh Tomato Soup is the perfect way to use up a glut of fresh tomatoes and requires just a handful of other pantry staples.  Obvioudsly I consider a recipe a suggestion – see substitutions.  However, it was a decent soup, especially when I added a scoop of sour cream.
If, by not using mid-summer ripe tomatoes, the soup tastes off, try adding a can of tomato paste.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs fresh tomatoes – really ripe, mid-summer ripe (ok, they were February tomatoes)
• 2 Tab avocado oil (used vegetable oil)
• 1 Tab unsalted butter (used salted butter)
• 1 ¼ c diced sweet onion  (I used diced frozen onions)
• 6 cloves garlic minced (I used the stuff in a ar 1 tsp=1 clove)
• 2 c vegetable broth (you know I used chicken broth)
• ½ c chopped fresh basil (It’s the middle of winter – use dried)
• 2 tsp salt (1 tsp because the butter has salt)
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp smoked paprika

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450° .
2. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
3. Cut tomatoes in quarters.
4. Place on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
5. Drizzle with the oil.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Let the tomatoes get slightly blistered and golden around the edges. (You could throw onions and garlic in oven to roast as well. )
7. Remove from oven.
8. Set aside to cool slightly.
9. Add the butter to a medium Dutch oven or soup pot.
10. Melt over medium heat.
11. Add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, or until translucent and starting to brown.
12. Add the garlic and saute another minute.
13. Add the broth, basil, salt, sugar, pepper, smoked paprika, and roasted tomatoes to the pot.
14. Stir to combine.
15. Bring to a simmer.
16. Once simmering, cover and cook at a low simmer for 30 minutes.
17. After 30 minutes, remove from heat.
18. Let cool for 30 minutes.
19. Blend the soup using an immersion blender until smooth. Alternatively, you can batch blend it in a regular blender. A food processor does not do the job.
20. Reheat or freeze.
21. Serve!

Servings: 4 cups
Soure:  Megan Byrd – theoregondietitian.com

Serving Notes:
Poured over cooked grains. Ladle over a scoop of quinoa, brown rice, or farro for a heartier veggie-packed bowl.
Higher Fiber & Protein – Blend in 1 cup of cooked white beans or red lentils for extra protein and fiber without altering the flavor much.
Top with extras. Swirl in a spoonful of Greek yogurt, coconut cream, or crème fraîche, and top with fresh basil, cracked black pepper, some crunch croutons, and/or a drizzle of olive oil.
Extra Creamy – Stir in ½ cup of heavy cream, half & half, or canned coconut milk after blending for an extra rich, velvety finish.
Strain through a fine mesh sieve if you prefer ultra-smooth soup.
Roasted Tomato Red Pepper Soup – Add a quartered and seeded red bell pepper to the roasting pan with the tomatoes for subtle sweetness.

Substitutions:
Fresh Tomatoes – Canned whole tomatoes can be used, but leave the sauce they’re packed in for the soup base. Rather than quartering them, split them open and lay them flat.
Avocado Oil – Canola oil is a less expensive but still relatively heart-healthy option. You can also use any neutral oil you have on hand.
Unsalted Butter – Use salted butter.   Simply reduce the amount of salt.
Sweet Onion – Red onions or shallots are pretty close substitutes!
Raw Garlic – feel free to use the minced jarred kind. In a pinch, you can swap in ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove of fresh.
Vegetable Broth – Chicken broth, turkey broth, or beef broth can also be used, but the tomato basil soup won’t be vegetarian if you do.
Fresh Basil – Dried basil can be used if needed. Use a third as much as you would fresh, as the flavor is more concentrated.
Granulated Sugar – Brown sugar works, too!
Smoked Paprika – Ground chipotle powder has the same smoky undertone, but adds a pop of spicy heat.