Italian Vegetable Soup

All I can say is this soup is a winner. It took no more than 30 minutes from serving the family to the crockpot being empty. I'd call that a good meal.



Italian Vegetable Soup

1 lb Italian sausage
1 onion; chopped
3 potatoes; diced
2 carrots; sliced
4 stalks celery; chopped
1 can red kidney beans (if using dried - 2 cups soaked and boiled)
1 can garbanzo beans (if using dried - 2 cups soaked and boiled)
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
6 cups water
1 1/2 tsp salt & pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp Mrs Dash
1/2 tsp each dried Basil, Thyme, Parsley
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce (Lea & Perrins)
5 Beef bullion cubes

Cook meat and onions together until meat is no longer pink and onions are translucent.

Prepare all vegetables.

Add everything to the crockpot. Mix well (especially the tomato paste).

Set crockpot to high. Cook 4-6 hours until all vegetables are done.

Season additionally if needed.

Sloppy Joes

I'm not much of a fan of the canned sloppy joe concoction. However, I do like homemade sloppy joes. I like to tinker with it some. This is how we make them at home.


Sloppy Joes

1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound Italian sausage
1/4 cup chopped dehydrated onion
1 Tbsp worcherstershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Brown hamburger and sausage. Add onions, worchestershire sauce, and a little salt to meat. Add all other ingredients. Simmer 10 minutes.

Serve on buns.