This recipe was created on one of those “clean out the fridge and the pantry and get creative” kind of nights. I made this soup using items I had around, and my family ended up really liking it. It got its name from my kids, who asked for this dish again another time. In fact, this was one of my daughter’s favorite soups for several years, so I always saved a little ground beef when I made other dishes.
Ingredients:
- ½ pound of ground beef (about a handful will work)
- 1 – 8 ounce can seasoned tomato sauce
- 1 can mixed vegetables
- 1 cup cooked, drained elbow macaroni
- 1 cup water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Brown the hamburger meat and drain off the fat. Add the tomato sauce and then the vegetables. Do not drain vegetables. Stir in water and bring to a boil. Boil for about five minutes. Decrease heat and stir in elbow macaroni. Season to taste and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Variations:
1) Use ground turkey instead of ground beef.
2) Instead of using a can of mixed vegetables, you can also use those little bits of frozen vegetables sitting in the bottom of the bag in your freezer or leftover bits of vegetables from other meals. Add an extra ½ cup of water.
3) If you don’t have seasoned tomato sauce, you can use regular.
4) If you don’t have elbow macaroni, any type of pasta will do.
5) Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.
6) Serve with bread and butter or crackers if desired.
This recipe makes a hearty meal that will serve a family of four for about 65 cents per person. There should be enough left over for a couple of extra servings, which will make a great lunch the next day.