Stuffed Pepper Soup

This week the weather has changed.  Our warm balmy summer nights of grilling burgers and chicken breasts have given way to cool fall breezes and steamy pots of bubbling soup.  Bell peppers are in season right now so I compiled this recipe from a few online recipes and my favorite veggies.  By using one pound of ground beef and one pound of Italian sausage it adds a lot of flavor to this hearty soup.  

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef                    3.85
1 lb Italian sausage               1.81
1 sweet onion                        1.06
2 cloves garlic                         .05
2 stalks celery                         .25
2 carrots                                  .25
3 bell peppers (any color)     2.00
28 oz crushed tomatoes        1.79
32 oz beef broth                    2.89
2 cups instant brown rice      1.25
4 cups water
2 Tbsp all purpose seasoning
2 tsp black pepper
parmesean cheese and parsley for topping

Directions:

In a large pan brown the ground beef and Italian sausage together.  Meanwhile chop the onion, mince the garlic, chop the celery and peel and grate the carrots.  Once the beef and sausage are browned drain the grease and set aside.  Pour 2 Tbsp of olive oil in the pan and saute the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots.  As those veggies are softening up chop the peppers and set aside. 

Once the onions and celery start to get soft, add the peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes longer.  I love all the beautiful colors in this dish!

Next find the biggest soup pot you have in your cupboard.  This recipe makes between 4 and 5 quarts of soup.  In your soup pot add the sauteed vegetables, browned beef with sausage, 28 oz of crushed tomatoes, 32 oz of beef broth and 4 cups of water.  Stir well and bring to a boil over medium high heat.

Once the soup is boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and add 2 cups of instant brown rice.  Let simmer 5 minutes.  Next turn off the heat and allow to cool.  Sprinkle in 2 Tbsp of all purpose seasoning and 2 tsp black pepper.  I find that the soup gets plenty of salt from the sausage, crushed tomatoes and beef broth, but you can add a little if you like. 

Divide into quart freezer containers.  I had enough for 4 quarts to freeze plus two bowls of soup for dinner tonight.

We topped our soup with Parmesan cheese.  This is also tasty with parsley.

             This soup was so fabulous.  It has a great hearty quality from the brown rice and ground beef with sausage.  All the vegetables give a crunchy texture and a wonderful fresh flavor.  The crushed tomatoes were sweet and didn't need any sugar to mellow the flavor.  It's a well rounded dinner that freezes beautifully.

I was able to make 4 1/2 quarts of soup for $3.38 a quart.  Not bad huh? 

Enjoy!
Christie aka Keeza