Soup Season Has Begun!

I would like to officially announce that Soup Season has begun in our house!! I know, I know, I shouldn't be this excited. I can't stand the cold and the only thing that makes it better is a big bowl of soup. MMMMmmm! In our house, we tend to eat soup atleast five times a week during the cold months (in Maine, that's pretty much the entire year).

I started Soup Season with a new recipe, Chile and Beef Soup. I got the idea from an actual recipe, but altered it quite a bit. Here's our version of Chile and Beef Soup. I tend to make HUGE pots of soup and freeze the extra in dinner size portions for fast meals.

Chile and Beef Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 diced onion
• 1 pound lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans or 8 ounces chopped green chiles
• 1 sweet red bell pepper, sliced (Hubby's allergic, so we skipped this)
• 8 tablespoons flour
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes (or stewed tomatoes, whatever's in the pantry)
• 5 cups beef broth (I tend to use bouillon cubes. Not as yummy, but TONS cheaper.)
• 2 cans beans (any kind, kidney works well), drained and rinsed

Preparation:

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and ground beef; cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until beef is browned. Add garlic, bell pepper, chopped green chile pepper, and flour; stir to blend. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil. Stir in beans. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Serves 8.