GET IT GIRL STYLE: Lasagna Soup

Listen. I am one of those people who sometimes will get in a routine cooking rut. I ran across this recipe, and thought it looked good visually. This soup WAS/IS sooo good. My 12 year old was iffy about it. Being a boy. Let me say. After he was done eating. I caught him eating out of my pot. Must have been really good. This soup literally is lasagna in a bowl. I kid you not. The gooey ricotta at the bottom, mixed with the mozzarella on top….My next go round will probably include carrots, or a spicy chicken sausage. My husband toasted some French bread with olive oil on the Foreman grill, so we had bread and unsalted crackers as a side option. If you try this…when you do. Please let me know.

Lasagna Soup

2 teaspoon olive oil
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
4 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 28-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken stock (I used a little more)
1/2 box rotini pasta (I added a little more)

garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste…plus little extras that I have
3 cups of fresh spinach

Cheesy yum:
1 cup ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add meat, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Then drain. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, pepper, salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.
Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum.

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, and grated parmesan.
To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in a soup bowl, ladle the hot soup over the cheese and top it all off with mozzarella cheese.

Here is the original….and what drew me in.