Deadline Recipes - Kitchen Sink Soup

When it gets down to the wire, it's gotta be fast, good, and there's got to be lots of it. Without resorting to the pizza takeout mega meal or a Chinese Dinner for 8, Donna Alward has a fool-proof recipe that takes 10 minutes to prepare.


Kitchen Sink Soup

This is great on a cold day, on a day you don’t know what to do with the leftovers in your fridge, when it’s getting close to grocery day and you’re scrambling to put together a complete meal…ON A DEADLINE....

Canned tomatoes are a staple in our house and we always have frozen veggies – sometimes just bits at the bottoms of bags that I need to get rid of.  Today’s version is using leftover peas and beans, fresh spinach, carrots, onions, mushrooms, 7 grain rice blend and ground beef.  I make it with whatever is on hand and no matter what I put it in it is delicious! My kids love it!

Just pick a base, your protein, the veggies of your choice, starch and your seasonings in any combination you like for a delicious (and nutritious) soup!

Base:

1 large can diced tomatoes
4-6 cups water
Chicken or beef bouillion, or 1 pkg onion soup mix

Protein:

1 lb of lean ground beef, ground chicken or turkey, or Italian sausage meat
1 can of kidney beans, bean medley, or bean of your choice such as romano or pinto

Vegetables:

Peas, green or wax beans , carrots, onions, green or red pepper, mushrooms, spinach, corn, celery, okra, or any other vegetable you like except perhaps squash or sweet potato, as they cook down too much.

Starch:

Any type of rice, potatoes, or pasta. If using pasta, cook it first and add it at the end, or add it ½ hour before serving so it doesn’t get mushy. Potatoes and rice can go in at the beginning.

Seasonings:

Garlic, basil, oregano, pepper, Italian seasoning, chili powder, parsley, thyme, rosemary to your taste

Scramble fry meat with garlic and onions, peppers and mushrooms if you’re using them. Put all other ingredients in a crock pot, add meat and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8.

Serve with rolls or baking powder biscuits.

Donna's latest release is Honeymoon with the Rancher, just finishing its run in North America and Australia. Next up - tomorrow in fact! - is A Family For The Rugged Rancher, out in the UK in June.