Day of the Soup ...

Today is one of our monthly department meetings. We normally have some sort of lunch during it as it covers the normal lunch hours. We post a sign-up sheet so reps can sign up to bring something (think pot luck style).

This month is soup.

So I made this (minus the vinegar). I made it a few times in the past and it really does come out just like the restaurant's soup.

I usually tweak it a little, adding a bit more oregano and basil because it can come out too tomatoey. And I don't use vinegar. I don't know why it calls for it, but I don't use it.

I also use the Italian Style diced tomatoes for extra flavor.

And where it calls for a full pound of pasta, I learned to only use 1 - 2 cups. And to cook the pasta before you put it into the soup. Otherwise you'll end up with something that looks like fancy Hamburger Helper, just way tastier. If you don't cook the pasta first, it sucks up all the soupiness. Which you'd think I would have realized the first time I made it ... but no. I learned that (obvious) lesson the first time.

Oh and it calls for a pricier shaped pasta - ditali. I just use the small shells. I used the ditali the first time and there really isn't any difference in flavor. So why pay more for a fancy shape?

It is a bit labor intensive at first. You have to dice the onion and celery, cook the meat, then throw the veggies (onion, celery, shredded carrots) together to saute for about 15 minutes. Then you add the rest of the stuff. I try to go cheap and easy where I can - I bought the pre-shredded carrots and the canned stuff was store brand.

Just as good, but much cheaper.

Not that it's a cheap soup to make. All told, it was $16 for the ingredients.

But I did end up putting some of the the meat & veggies into a smaller pot and kind of splitting the rest of the ingredients between them. The full recipe I needed (to feed at least 10 people) was too large for the largest pot we have. But it works out as I'm leaving the smaller pot here for Patrick and I.

So now I've already reheated it, gotten the crock pot out, a larger bowl out (my crock pot is small), and the pasta is on its way to boiling.

It's a lot of work, but it really is worth it. I highly recommend printing it out and trying it. It's especially good on a cold day.