my accidentally amazing soup (a Crazymama recipe)

So, I've had this craving for soup. It has been chilly lately here in the A.Z. (read that like you would the OC)

freezing temps last week for a few days and a couple days in the 80's this week. It has been weird.  I don't love the cold and so today when it was cold and rainy again, I decided I must make soup.

I'd seen a few recipes on Pinterest, one with a bunch of cans dumped into it and mixed up and it sounded delicious.

Slight problem, I didn't have any cans of pinto beans in my pantry. BUT I did have dry pinto beans, so this morning I picked through the beans, then I put them in a pot, brought it to a boil, turned them off and let them soak for an hour, then turned them onto simmer all day. I had to watch them, I kept stirring them so they wouldn't burn to the bottom. I added water when it started to get low, I babysat those beans all day long.

and then....when they were almost done and ready to season,  it was time to pick up the teenagers. so I got in my car. drove across town. went an extra mile out of my way to hit Sonic for a water and get other beverages during happy hour, then  picked up the teenagers and headed home.

When I walked in. I could tell, my pot of beans had burned. burned so badly they were charred in the pot, smokey stench filled the house and the effort of making my beans from scratch was wasted.

sad panda.

I carried on with my plans for soup.

I got out some ingredients from the pantry, and threw them together in a pot. seasoned them perfectly and had the best soup I've had in YEARS.

 That is saying something,  I have recently had a ton of soup on a quest to satisfy my craving.

There is a new Zupas restaurant here in town, and I went to sweet tomatoes last week, and a few other places. and THIS MADE UP RECIPE is what hit the spot.

Some friends wanted the recipe on FB, I said I'd post it and Pin it and since I made it up as I went along I will attempt to tell you how to make it yourself.

cooked egg noodles according to package direction. drained but not rinsed.

 in a medium saucepan combine the following...

2 15 oz. cans of tomato sauce
and add a couple cans of water to thin it out.

1  10 oz can of zesty diced stewed tomatoes with green chili
1/4 lb browned hamburger meat. ( I had a baggie in the freezer already cooked)
a handful of dehydrated  minced onion, (use however much you like, I put a handful in everything)
a pinch of garlic powder
a pinch of black pepper
a pinch of salt
1 1/4 teaspoon of spice mix for salsa (see recipe for spice mix below)

stir together, add egg noodles, heat on medium temp. on stove until warm.

I added a squeeze of fresh lime in mine.  it was delightful.

the meat and the noodles are totally optional.you could probably do ground turkey, penne, bow tie pasta or macaroni noodles. or just more chunky veggies like sliced steamed zucchini or corn.



The spice mix for salsa recipe.

1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup dried cumin
1/2 cup dried cilantro
1/2 cup onion powder
1/2 cup oregano
1/4 cup garflic powder
1/4 cup dried tepin (dried hot Gerry)

Blend dried mix together and store in a container.

it makes a bunch, you can either mix it all together and keep a jar in the cupboard, or put it in smaller containers and give it away to friends and neighbors. (my brother makes it up and gives it away for Christmas to friends and co workers in mini jars and tupperwares, I have a stockpile in my cupboard)

  for salsa: add 1 teaspoon of the mix into any of the following: 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, 1 can stewed tomatoes or 1 can tomato sauce. add green chilies if desired.

you can blend it  with your tomatoes or pulse it or have it chunky or smooth. DON'T add a tablespoon full. it will be fire salsa. I made that mistake only once. I was 12. seriously only add a teaspoon and taste and add a little at a time until you like the flavor.


There we are. my made up recipe. it totally hit the spot tonight and warmed me up from the inside.

 I was going to add fresh pinto beans but it was glorious without. who knows, they might have ruined my accidentally amazing soup.

 My teenager said ,"this is delicious!" if you have a teenage boy, you know how rare any praise is, let alone a compliment.


Since I didn't think my whole family would enjoy the soup, I had options. I'd cooked enough noodles for an army, so I reserved half or more of the cooked egg noodles  and rinsed them and served them with white sauce or red sauce like spaghetti. I fed my family, a nephew, a neighbor girl and had a bunch left over. the soup however was all gone.



© 2013 crazymamaof6