Meatball Ratatouille Soup

I admit I was a little nervous about this soup.  I don't like vegetables in soup that much (heck I don't even really like some vegetables out of soup), I don't usually like beef-broth based soups, and the night I had planned to make this I just wanted a big bowl of creamy mac & cheese.  But I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really liked this!  It had so much more flavor than I anticipated, and the medley of vegetables turned out to be really good.  This is a perfect way to get your kids (ahem, or wife) to eat vegetables.  We grated parmesan cheese on the top and served with freshly baked bread.

Meatball Ratatouille Soup

1 lb of meatballs, cooked through

1 onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 medium zucchini, diced

1 small eggplant, peeled and diced

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

10 oz beef broth + 10 oz water

1/2 tsp dried basil

1 bay leaf (I didn't have one)

salt and pepper to taste

grated parmesan cheese to garnish

Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a deep saucepan.  Add onion and green pepper and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic and meatballs and saute another minute.  Add zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, broth, and seasonings.  Simmer 15 to 20 minutes.  Serve with grated parmesan cheese.

source:  salad in a jar

Italian Chicken Soup

My favorite soups are always the creamy or cheesy ones.  Probably because they end up not being as healthy for you, but a warm, creamy bowl of soup on a cold fall day just hits the spot!  I made this soup several weeks ago, and it made enough to feed an army!  After we ate it for a couple of meals, I divided up the rest into containers and stuck them in the freezer.  I love having ready-made meals on hand, especially now that the days are shorter and starting on dinner when it's already dark out doesn't always sound like fun.

Italian Chicken Soup

1 lb Ditalini pasta

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 fully cooked rotisserie chicken

8 cups chicken broth

1 medium onion, diced

2 green bell peppers, diced

2 fresh jalapenos, diced

1 Tbsp olive oil

28 oz can diced tomatoes

2 cups heavy cream 

1 Tbsp dried oregano

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook pasta in pot according to package directions.  Drain and rinse in cold water to cool.  Toss in 1 Tbsp olive oil and set aside.

Remove the meat from the rotisserie chicken and shred.  Set meat aside.

Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to a large pot and saute the onion, green pepper, and jalapenos over medium heat until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes.  Add chicken broth, shredded chicken, and diced tomatoes with their juices. Bring a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover.  Can leave covered and simmering up to a few hours.  Before removing from heat to serve, add the cooked pasta, the heavy cream, and the oregano.  Add salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.  Top with parmesan cheese to serve, if desired.

source:  recipe adapted from the pioneer woman