Our Osage forefathers had January pegged perfectly centuries ago, naming the month “Single Moon by Himself.” The name fits this time of year since the moon is dull and moody, the days are cold and gloomy and the landscape is bare of fruits and flowers.
On days like these, you need something to warm you up inside and melt away those gloomy feelings. What better way than with steaming bowls of hot delicious soup? Growing up, I’d spend hours outside playing in the snow and cold. I’d venture out even if the thermometer registered 10 degrees, as long as the sun was out. When I’d had my fill of cold fun, though, I looked forward to returning inside, especially to the aroma of a big pot of beef vegetable soup when.
Winter was the time for butchering beef, so we always had plenty of soup bones and hamburger to make soup throughout the year. It never tasted better, though, than on the coldest winter days!
While this Hearty Hamburger Soup is plenty for a meal in itself, I feel cold weather appetites require a bacon-cheeseburger and a crunchy dill pickle on the side to make it complete!
Hearty Hamburger Soup
1 pound ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 cups water
1/2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni or broken spaghetti (about 2 ounces)
1 medium stalk of celery, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 small zucchini, sliced (about 1 cup)
1 cup sliced okra
1 cup diced potatoes
2 beef bouillon cubes or 2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder or 1/4 teaspoon instant mixed garlic
1 tablespoon sugar
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained
1 (8-ounce) kidney beans, undrained
1 cup thinly sliced baby carrots
Shredded cheddar cheese, if desired
Cook ground beef and onion in 4-quart Dutch oven, stirring frequently, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in remaining ingredients, except the cheese; break up tomatoes. Heat to boiling and then reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables and macaroni are tender. Serve sprinkled with cheese and pretzel rods or bread sticks.
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