Unstuffed Stuff Soup

Here we are.  It's been 10 months since my last recipe post!  It's amazing how fast that happens.  I've been a little busy with health issues, but I'm hoping that will all soon be behind me.

My great uncle Stan turned 75 this year!  He was married to my great aunt Ruth.  Stop me if you've heard this before.  She died young, but not before having two amazing daughters who I love.  Uncle Stan has 4 daughters who all held a birthday party for him this weekend.  It was a beautiful day full of family, friends and food!  He was happy!

Food is good.  It elicits comforting memories and helps to form new ones!  Before the lids were off of the crock pots, Stan's grandson Nate had a full plate of kielbasi...the good stuff, the real stuff.  Homemade.  So good, you can't say kielbasa.  It's kielbasi.  I noticed Nate's sister Emily had a pile of them too!  Their mom, my mom's cousin Lorrie, made her famous halupkies, known to most as stuffed cabbage.  They are amazing.
 
And someone made pierogi casserole.  There was pierogi casserole.  If you've never had a homemade pierogi, you must.  And it was in a casserole.  I'll let you process that...
I must locate this recipe.  Mashed potatoes, dough and fried onions?  If it's wrong, I don't wanna be right!

 


Why are we here?
Right.  I made something too!  I learned a long time ago from Rachel Ray, you can make almost anything into a soup.  I often envision making casseroles or other difficult dishes into a soup, because I'm lazy, and Rachel Ray is a pioneer.  I have no desire to blanch and stuff a cabbage leaf, but I'll chop it into a pot for soup.  Gasp ~ I should make Pierogi Soup!

Last week I decided to unstuff a pepper instead!  I had some cabbage too, so I unstuffed that.  It was beautiful and colorful.  I shall call this Unstuffed Stuff Soup!  I should mention that my great aunt Grace adds sausage to her stuffed peppers.  I stole that piece from her.  Her stuffed peppers are so amazing.  I have never liked stuffed peppers, until I tried hers!  Now I crave them.  Her stuffed cabbage is pretty banging too.  Not like Lorrie's halupkies because the Lazusky's come from a different county, but both are phenomenal!  I don't know how you all can keep up with this rambling.  I'm losing myself!

Unstuffed Stuff Soup

8 Cups Sweet Peppers (red, yellow, green), approx. 6 large diced

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Large Sweet Onion diced

2 Cups Cabbage, diced

1 Lb Ground Beef

1 Lb Johnsonville Breakfast Pork Sausage Patties (Original flavor)

1 28 oz Can Petite Diced Tomatoes

1 28 oz Can Crushed Tomatoes

1 28 oz Can Crushed Tomatoes (Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil flavor)

2 Cups Rice

Salt and Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Powder

2 Tbsp Dried Parsley

¼ Cup Brown Sugar

Mix the ground beef and sausage together, then sauté in a medium stock pot until cooked through.  Add the diced onion and peppers.  Continue to sauté until the onions are translucent.  Add the diced cabbage.  Add the tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper, garlic powder, parsley and brown sugar to taste.  The amount of brown sugar will depend on the tomatoes and your preference.  I think the salt is important if you choose to add cabbage.  Bring to a slow boil.  Add rice, stirring often until soft.  Reduce heat and simmer on low for at least one hour or in a crock pot for several hours.

Enjoy!