Lasagna soup & crusty garlic bread

This is such a good tasting soup, absolutely delicious....  YUM YUM YUM is all I can say :) My recipe is an adaption from a recipe I saw on Pinterest.  I chose to do things just a little differently.. as always... I thought it needed some adjustments and this turned out oh so good.... The house smelled good and I could not wait to eat this soup...I served this with crusty garlic bread.. (recipe follows)...

And don't let the long list of ingredients scare you.. you are like me and probably have the majority of these things already in your pantry.  If you don't have something leave it out.. or substitute another kind of  pasta etc...you what you have and what you like.  My family loves mushrooms, so I use them, also with the green pepper, if you don't like it substitute it for say a yellow or red pepper or just leave it out entirely. Whatever you do... make this soup soon, you will love it... Enjoy


Lasagna soup

1 T olive oil
1 lb ground beef (use very lean meat so no excess fat has to be drained)
1/3  of a roll of sausage ( I use Bob Evans)
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 of a green pepper finely chopped
1/4 cup red wine
2 boxes beef stock, divided
4 cups water
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups water
1 can mushrooms, drained (optional)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 T worchester sauce
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 spaghetti sauce jar of water
16 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 4 oz can tomato paste
1 lb. package of campanella or any ruffled pasta
3 beef bouillon cubes

seasonings of your choice ( I used Italian seasoning,garlic & onion powder, dried thyme leaves, salt & pepper, paprika, basil, parsley flakes, rosemary, Mrs. Dash, dash of cinnamon and a pinch of red pepper flakes)

Cheese mixture
1 container ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozerella cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
1 t Italian seasoning
1/4 t each garlic & onion powder
pinch of salt & pepper
Mix cheese mixture well in bowl.  Place in fridge to let flavors mix.

In large soup pot, add olive oil, green pepper, onion, carrot, & celery.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Cook for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables start softening. Add ground beef & raw sausage.  Cook breaking up with a spoon until no longer pink and vegetables are soft.  Add minced garlic clove and cook for a couple of minutes until garlic is fragrant.  Add wine and stir for a few minutes or until wine is cooked into the meat mixture. Add tomato paste stirring well into the meat mixture cooking for a couple of minutes. Add 1 box of  stock, tomatoes, water, mushrooms, spaghetti sauce, worchester sauce, brown sugar & seasonings, stirring well to incorporate the ingredients making sure to mix well.  Bring to a boil turn down heat and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Turn heat up to medium high & add pasta to boiling soup mixture stirring well to separate pasta noodles.  Cook according to package directions to slightly aldente. Taste seasonings and adjust if necessary. Remove cheese mixture from fridge.  In bowls place a scoop of the ricotta cheese mixture and ladle the lasagna soup over the top, stirring slightly.  Top with additional shredded parmesan & a little mozerella.  Serve with crusty bread and enjoy.
**Note** When this soup sits the pasta keeps absorbing the liquid.  So I added 1 additional box of beef stock to make this a little more "soupy".  You can just add a little more water as well. 


Crusty garlic bread

1 stick of butter
1/4 t garlic, onion powder
1/4 t Italian seasoning
1 loaf french bread cut lengthwise down the center

Preheat oven to 400. In pan melt butter, add seasonings stirring well.   With a  pastry brush spread butter mixture over the bread and place the 2 halves of the bread together.  Wrap bread in aluminum foil & place on cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until hot.  Open foil and seperate bread and place butter side up in the pan and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until crusty.  Remove from oven and serve with soup.