Creamy Tomato Soup with Ground Beef and Noodles

Creamy beef tomato soup with noodles is a hearty, easy, and family friendly one-pot meal!
Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef (or sub with Italian sausage)
• 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 c total)
• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed (about 1 teaspoon total)
• 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
• 4 c chicken broth or beef broth
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 tsp brown sugar (optional)
• 1 tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
• 1 c (about 3 ½ – 4 ounces) uncooked small pasta, such as small shells,
  elbow macaroni, ditalini, or mini wagon wheels
• 4 oz (half of a block) cream cheese, diced into cubes and softened at
  room temperature

Directions:

1. Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add the beef and onion.
3. Sauté until the meat is no longer pink and the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute.
5. Drain off the excess grease.
6. Stir in the jar of marinara sauce, broth, tomato sauce, brown sugar, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
7. Bring the liquid to a simmer.
8. Add the pasta.
9. Simmer until the pasta is al dente, according to package directions.
10. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
11. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.
12. Remove the pot from the heat.  Important – before you add the cream cheese.
13. Add the cream cheese.
14. Whisk until the cheese melts smoothly into the hot broth, about 3-5 minutes.
15. Ladle into bowls.
16. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
17. Garnish with plenty of freshly grated cheese or chopped fresh herbs for an extra flavor boost

Serves: 6  for dinner,  10 for lunch
Source: theseasonedmom.com/ Author Blair Lonergan

Notes:
Here is what I really did.  A recipe is just a suggestion!

1. Put a large soup pot on the stove and turn on  medium-high heat.
2. Add the beef and start chopping the too old onion .  Forage freezer for more onion.  Add some red onion I found.
3. Sauté the meat/onion while I gather everything else.  Stir once or twice.
4. Add  garlic from a jar. and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute.
5. Drain off the excess grease.
6. Stir in the 2/3 of a jar of marinara store brand tomato basil sauce I found in the freezer, broth, tomato sauce, brown sugar, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Make up for the missing sauce with old store brand cocktail sauce from the back of the fridge.
7. Bring the liquid to a simmer. boil
8. Add the pasta.
9. Ajust heat to simmer. Simmer until the pasta is al dente, according to package directions.  No package, just a plastic bag.
10. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
11. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.
12. Remove the pot from the heat.
13. Add the cubed cream cheese.
14. Whisk stir until the cheese melts smoothly into the hot broth, why dirty another tool.
15. Ladle into bowls freezer containers.
16. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
17. Garnish with plenty of freshly grated cheese or chopped fresh herbs for an extra flavor boost. Save out one bowl for lunch.