Spaghetti and Meatball Soup | Italian Wedding Soup | Cooking for Two

Now that the kids have grown and flown, it's just the hubby and I home for dinner. A nice bowl of homemade Italian Wedding soup , along with some homemade bread is just the answer for dinner.

Italian Wedding Soup

There are many recipes I make with spaghetti, that thin Italian pasta. Spaghetti doesn't always have to be covered with red sauce, or as some say, gravy. I make my mother-in-law's favorite Irish Spaghetti Casserole, made from ham and spaghetti and an easy and quick weeknight supper. It also happens to be my oldest daughter's requested favorite birthday meal! For real!

Try this easy version of little meatball soup for lunch or dinner some night with homemade bread.  This soup can also be made Mediterranean Diet friendly.

If you enjoy your pasta with authentic Homemade Spaghetti Sauce (also known as Red Gravy) here in the Northeast, check out my favorite recipe.  It can also be used on Homemade Pizza.

Easy kitchen clean up with my Handmade crochet Reusable Handmade Dish Cloths from my Moomettes Crochet shop!

Spaghetti and Meatball Italian Soup

1/2 lb. Hamburg (ground beef or ground turkey)
1 c. Bread Crumbs (Whole Wheat if following Mediterranean Diet WOE)
1 Carrot, grated
1 Onion, chopped
1 Egg
salt, pepper (to taste)

Chicken Broth 
Orzo (Whole Wheat Pasta can be used)

*Meatballs:*

Combine hamburg (or ground turkey or ground chicken), bread crumbs, onions, carrot, egg, salt and pepper.  Roll into small, mini meatballs.

*Broth:*
Simmer the chicken broth with meatballs, tomatoes and spices until the meatballs are cooked.  Add zucchini, cook 15 minutes.  If you have homemade broth, that's even better. Then add pasta of your choice, cook 5 minutes more.

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© Frugal New England Kitchen 

Adapted from: Never Enough Thyme

Crockpot | Hearty Hamburger Vegetable Barley Soup | Slow Cooker Recipe

It can get mighty cold here in Connecticut in winter and we’ve certainly had our share of extreme snowfall!  I’ve been giving my crockpot a good workout and treating my family to some delicious new meals, soups and chowders. Like this Crockpot Hamburger Barley Soup - with ground beef, or chicken or turkey.

Crockpot Soup

My daughters learned to enjoy homemade soup as my Yankee Grandmom would always make a big batch and send us home with some after a visit.  This recipe for Hearty Hamburger Vegetable Barley Soup made in the slow cooker has turned into one of my family favorites.

Chock full of meat, mixed vegetables of green beans, carrots, corn, peas and lima beans - you can add barley or pasta to make it a hearty minestrone and add body.  Use your favorite ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken as the base.

If you don't have one or need a new one, here are some wonderful crockpots to help you get started.

The addition of grains to your meals makes this Vegetable Soup Mediterranean Diet friendly!.  Choose Barley, Bulgar, Farro, or Lentils as your favorite grain of choice.

Make up a batch of this yummy minestrone and take a container to your Mom, Grandmom, family friend or neighbor who’s a shut-in.  Send the kids back to college with a savory soup that’s homemade!

While the soup is in the slow cooker, fire up the breadmaker with your favorite bread recipe!  You'll have a complete balanced meal with meat and vegetables.

Easy clean-up with my crochet handmade Cotton Dish Cloths from my Moomettes Crochet shop!

Serve along with some of my favorite homemade bread recipes
Dill Bread

Easy Sourdough Bread (great for bread bowls)

Other favorite homemade soup recipes
Spaghetti and Meatball soup (Italian Wedding Soup)
Fire Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Garden Vegetable Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

Hamburger Vegetable Barley Soup

1 lb. Lean ground beef ( or ground turkey or ground chicken )
2 c. frozen mixed vegetables
1 c. sliced celery
1 package (1 ounce) dry onion soup mix
1 package (1 ounce) Italian salad dressing mix
¼ tsp. Salt (or to taste)
¼ tsp. Black pepper (or to taste)
3 c. boiling water
1 can (about 14 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 Tbl. Soy sauce
2 c. Barley, cooked
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbl. Chopped fresh parsley
Elbow or Ditalini pasta noodles (if desired)

Brown ground beef in large skillet 6 to 8 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring to break up the meat. Drain fat.
Place vegetables in crockpot or slow cooker. Top with beef, soup mix, salad dressing mix, salt and pepper. Add water, tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce and soy sauce, mixing well. Cover, cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours.
Stir in cooked Barley and Grated Parmesan cheese. Cover; cook on HIGH 15 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Can also be made on stove top.

Sprinkle with parsley just before serving.
Freeze any leftovers 

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© Frugal New England Kitchen 

Easy Cheese Potato Soup | Winter Soup | Homemade Soup Recipe

On a cold winter day nothing warms a body like a fresh pot of soup, and, nothing warms the cook’s heart like an easy dish to prepare! This delicious homemade creamy Cheesy Potato Soup recipe makes everyone happy.

Easy Homemade Cheesy Potato Soup

Winter Soups

As a frugal easy supper, I often serve my family homemade soups for dinner.  Add a loaf of homemade bread from scratch, such as my Dilly Bread recipe, or a loaf of bread made in the breadmaker and you have a nice easy, quick meal.

You can put soup in a crockpot to simmer all day or wait until dinner time and whip it up in a hurry.

Change the toppings in each person’s bowl to make this recipe their own. You might try spinach and onions or tomatoes and croutons and the kids will like extra bacon.

Easy kitchen clean up with these Handmade Cotton Dishcloths from Moomettes Crochet Shop !




Enjoy!

Easy Homemade Cheesy Potato Soup

8 medium potatoes
1 large or 2 small Vidalia onions
1 package of John Morrell center cut bacon
1/8 cup of Pillsbury all-purpose flour
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
8oz Velveeta cheese
1 Tablespoon of Lawry’s seasoned salt
1 Tablespoon of black pepper

Heat a large pot on the stove over medium heat. As the pot is heating, cut the bacon into bite size pieces. Once the pot is hot, add the bacon pieces, stirring often until brown.
While the bacon is cooking, peel and chop the onion and potatoes. Make sure your potatoes are cut into bite size pieces. Set aside for later use.
Once the bacon is crispy, add the onions and stir. You want them to be semi-translucent and tender, not fried to a crisp.
When the onions are tender, add your flour and mix until the grease is absorbed; making a paste. This will help thicken the soup and ensure it has great flavor. If your bacon made a lot of grease, you may want to drain some of it off before adding the flour.
Pour the potatoes into the pot with the bacon, onion and flour.
Add just enough hot water to cover the potatoes.
Pour in the can of evaporated milk. This will help make your soup extra creamy. Add the seasoned salt and pepper and give it a good stir.
Depending on the size box of Velveeta Cheese you bought, you’ll want to cut about ¼ block of the large 32oz box of cheese or ½ of a small 16oz box into cubes. You can adjust the amount you use if you prefer a more or less cheesy taste.
Put cubes of Velveeta into a bowl with about 1 teaspoon of water. Microwave the cheese on high, stirring every 20 seconds, until it is creamy.
If you diced the cheese small enough, you could just add them directly to the soup, but I tend to use larger chunks so microwaving them first means they all melt completely.
Add melted Velveeta to the pot, and bring to a simmer. Let the soup simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the top of each bowl before serving.

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© Frugal New England Kitchen 

Garden Vegetable Soup | Homemade Vegetable Soup Recipe | Minestrone Soup

This Fresh Garden Vegetable Minestrone Soup recipe is a great way to use up those extra summer vegetables you have growing in your garden.

Summer Homemade Vegetable Soup

You can add any of your favorite garden vegetables to this recipe or remove any of your less favorites.  You can also add brown beef chunks to this recipe for a hearty dinner soup. This vegetable soup is Mediterranean Diet friendly!

Collect and pick up some fresh garden vegetables from your local roadside farm stands!

Easy clean up with Handmade Crochet Dishcloths from Moomettes Crochet !

Garden Vegetable Summertime Soup

4 tomatoes, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 c.  fresh green beans cut in half
2 small , cubed
1 yellow summer squash, cubed
4 carrots, sliced thin
2 celery ribs, sliced thin
1 c.  eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 c.  fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp parsley flakes
1 tbsp garlic and herb seasoning
4 c. of vegetable or tomato juice

Place all the vegetables into a 5 quart crockpot and stir to combine.
Sprinkle the parsley and garlic and herb seasoning over the vegetables.
Pour the vegetable juice into the crock pot and gently stir to combine.
Cover and cook on low 8 hours or until all the vegetables are fork tender.

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© Frugal New England Kitchen