Back At It: Souper Sunday!

I've had so much on my plate for the last several months that my blog was put on the back-burner.  I am a bit excited to be able to get back at it again.  I have found that I really enjoy writing and this is a great tool to share everything from recipes to the difficult choices in life.  I have several recipes and home projects to share in the upcoming month, as well as some new kid projects.  Throw in a few thoughts on parenting and some ways for "mommy time" and that will keep the posts a-flowin'.

Recently there's been a post floating around Facebook for Lasagna Soup.  It looked delicious, so we gave it a try for dinner last night.  Yum!  I made some adaptations and kept it dairy-free and the result was a hit and approved by the pickies!  Eating as much organic as we can is very important to us.  Thanks to Target stocking so many organic products now, I was also able to make the soup using nearly all organic products:  tomatoes, chicken broth, and spices.  Awesome result!

Lasagna Soup

Adapted from Cooking Classy

2 T. Olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 yellow onion, diced (calls for 1)
1 t. garlic from the jar (calls for 3-5 garlic cloves, minced, to taste)
4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes (I used regular)
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes (calls for 14.5 oz.)
2 1/2 T. tomato paste
2 t. dried basil
3/4 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. dried rosemary, crushed (I left out)
1/2 t. fennel seeds, crushed (I left out)
1 t. granulated sugar
3 t. dried parsley (calls for 1 1/2 T. fresh parsley)
salt and pepper to taste
8 lasagna noodles broken into bite-sized pieces
1 1/4 c. shredded mozzarella (I left out)
1/2 c. finely shredded parmesan cheese (I left out)
8 oz. ricotta cheese (I left out)

Brown ground beef and drain.  Heat olive oil in a deep soup pot.  Saute onions until they begin to soften.  Add in garlic and cook another minute.  Add in tomatoes, ground beef, paste, broth, sugar, seasonings, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  In a separate pan, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions.  Add 1 c. of pasta water to the soup and drain the rest.  Add noodles to the soup and simmer five minutes longer.  If using the cheese, mix all three together with a fork.

Ladle the soup into bowls and add cheese mixture to the top if desired.  Enjoy!