Friday Fun: Beef Tomato Stewp

Spring in Wisconsin goes a little something like this:

Cold
Cold 
Cold and Rain
Sunshine and Warmth
Cold 
Cold 
Cold & Rain

UGH!!! Is it too much to ask for to have more than one day of sunshine and warmth? Sawyer wants to play in the yard without three layers of clothes, our grass needs to be cut, and the dogs need to be groomed. That last one has nothing to do with spring; it's just a reminder to call the groomers this week.

The only silver lining is that we're still enjoying lots of hearty soups and stews; because we need food to stick to our bones. So much for working on our summer bodies! This past week we tried a delicious, hearty one-pot meal that warmed us up, and got dinner on the table in half an hour. 

The meal was originally described as a "soup" but by the time it cooked down, it was more of a stew. So we've dubbed this one a "stewp". If you're looking for a thinner broth, feel free to add more broth when you add the noodles to the recipe. Also, this would be a great meal to customize and add vegetables to: peppers, mushrooms, or celery and carrots would all be great additions.

Beef Tomato Stewp
Recipe courtesy of: Mantitlement

Ingredients
¾ lb. ground beef
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 (23.5) oz jar of pasta sauce
4 cups of chicken stock
½ cup of cream cheese, at room temperature
1½ cups elbow macaroni or short-tubed pasta
¼ cup fresh chopped basil, divided

In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion softens.

Add the ground beef to the onions, breaking up with a spoon and cook until no longer pink, then add the minced garlic and stir.

Next add the salt, pepper and oregano to the beef and stir to combine.
Now you can pour in the chicken stock and the pasta sauce, scraping the bottom of the pot as you stir.

Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Whisk in the cream cheese until it;s all mixed in and then add ½ of the fresh basil.
Pour in the pasta, stir and let cook for another 10 minutes with the lid on.
Spoon into bowls and garnish with the leftover basil.

This was an easy weeknight dinner to throw together, and made enough for lunch the next day. Fingers crossed we can start enjoying some of our favorite summertime recipes soon!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew