Soup For The Soul

I have become the soup maker at work which is hilarious to me. It is hilarious because a year ago I would tell you that soup is one thing I am not so great at making. Up until recently I really had no heart for it. I know its strange....I love eating it, in my opinion my mother-in-Law or MOML as I refer to her makes the best soup on the planet and that will ring true for the rest of my existence I am sure.

But I have been called to be the soup maker for the store on the corner of Smith and Northwest and it has been so satisfying. First of all the girls in store title all of my soup Best Ever, or Mamas (that is their nickname for me) so if you go there that is how you know I made the soup.

So now that soup has become a new love for me, we have been eating a lot of it. I realize good soup takes some idleness as you wait for flavors to blend and stocks to thicken, however feeding the end result to someone and watching them warm from the inside out is the greatest reward. We have a guy that comes in and orders soup everyday and I find myself asking the girls if he finished it, what his comments were did he like it, and it is doubling exciting if he orders the same kind more than once. I love to feed people what can I say:)

Here's a recipe for you.

I am calling it...Best Ever Tomato, Beef and Bean Soup
(I could work on the naming part I suppose)


1/2 cup each onion, carrot, celery diced (mirepoix)

1/2 lb- 1lb of ground beef Use however much you feel like or don't use any at all....my husband likes to have a bit of meat but I still only use 1/2 lb

1 can black beans with juice

1 can diced tomatoes - 15oz can

1 can tomato sauce - 15oz

4 cups chicken stock - homemade is best but boxed or canned is fine. I like to use low sodium so I control the salt though.

1 tblsp- cumin

1 tblsp- oregano

salt to taste

2-3 cups of little shell noodles

-Saute off the beef and veggie matter - until beef is brown and veggies are tender

-add beans, tomatoes, sauce and stock. Add Cumin and Oregano

-Simmer for awhile - 20 to 30 minutes this lets all the flavors come together

-Taste and add salt you desire.

-Add Noodles and cook for 10 minutes.

Everyone gobbled this up last night even Grace who declares she does not eat soup. She said she wanted more beans????? Who would have thunk.

I do not aspire to tell anyone what kind of choices to make when feeding their families, or even declare that I feed mine any one way. However I do like to stay under the umbrella of healthfully. Trying to keep in mind that what I put in their bodies is the fuel that gets them through the day. So with my recipes always feel free to used dried instead of canned, home canned instead of store bought, homemade instead of packaged, organic or regular. Its up to you.

Let me know if you try it:)

The Angry Blueberry:)