Hamburger Vegetable Beef Soup

An easy vegetable beef soup recipe made with ground beef just like the old-school cafeteria lunch rooms once served!

JUMP TO RECIPE

A few months ago I asked folks on the facebook page if they ever had hamburger soup in grade school (most of you had and loved it).

Then I asked if it was served with the bestest soup-dunking sammich known to man – peanut butter and honey on white bread – which launched a bona fide throw-down.

This is pretty much how the camps were divided that day:

• Never had the soup. 

• Had the soup; never heard of the sandwiches. 

• Had the soup; never heard of the sandwiches but they sound gross. 

• Had the soup and the sandwiches. 

• Had the soup and the sandwiches and they were amazing. 

• Had the soup and the sandwiches and they were amazing and if you call them gross again I’ll punch you in the throat. 

The one thing EVERYONE agreed on was that they all LOVED the hamburger vegetable beef soup and had the best memories about eating it!

I loved this soup so much when I was a kid that I set out to recreate it a few years ago and came up with this recipe.

Trying to make it as close to the original meant using ingredients I wouldn't typically use with my Classic Vegetable Beef Soup but I was trying to be authentic so I used ground beef and canned mixed vegetables (like Veg-All).

If you had this growing up, you have GOT to try it now because I swear it tastes exactly like what I remember! And hopefully you’ll whip up some peanut butter and honey sandwiches to serve along with it!

Speaking of the those Peanut Butter & Honey Sandwiches, here's how to make them:

Just mix up some peanut butter and honey in a bowl until it’s the consistency of jam and spread it on the softest, whitest, carb-loadedest, stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouthidest white bread you can find.

Also? Pancake syrup is awesome too if you don't have any honey. And I think might actually be what my school used. Because we were country. And broke.

Looking for a more traditional vegetable soup made with beef chuck or stew meat?? Be sure to check out my recipe for Classic Vegetable Beef Soup.

Recipe for Hamburger Vegetable Beef Soup

Hamburger Vegetable Beef Soup

Yield: 8 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 10 M

An easy vegetable beef soup recipe made with ground beef just like the old-school cafeteria lunch rooms once served!

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef (90/10 or better)
• 1 small onion, diced
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 2 cans mixed vegetables (such as Veg-All), undrained
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can water
• 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
• 5 beef bullion cubes (or equivalent amount of granules)
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

1. Brown ground beef with onion, salt and pepper in a Dutch oven or soup pot until beef is cooked through. Do not drain. *GASP!* Trust me, you need the fat and flavor and we’re using lean ground beef, remember?
2. Add remaining ingredients and simmer over medium-low heat for one hour. Remove from heat and allow soup to rest, covered, for 30 minutes before serving.

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2012/11/hamburger-vegetable-beef-soup.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2012

ground beef, hamburger, beef, vegetable, soup, school, cafeteria, veg all, easy, cheap, recipe, how to,

dinner, soup

american

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Mama’s Famous Chocolate Pudding Pie

The EASY semi-homemade chocolate pie recipe my mama gets asked to make more than any other made with cook-and-serve chocolate pudding and chocolate chips.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. JUMP TO THE RECIPE
2. 7 NOTES ABOUT MAKING IT
3. MORE EASY HOLIDAY DESSERT RECIPES

I know there are fancier chocolate pie recipes out there that are more scratch-made than this one but I’ll tell you what... you won’t find one that tastes better!

My daddy literally ate two of these all by himself one Christmas. TWO!!! And he was not a big man! He kept himself up and got on the scales every day but he made exceptions sometimes. 

These pies and Chicken Bog were the two things he always ate too much of. He'd go for a 3rd helping and I'd hear him say something like, this is gonna hurt.

Nothing gets more attention or creates more conversation at holiday dinners among my crew than these pies. We usually have to make four because deciding who gets the leftovers creates an all-out war.

The oldest has been known to hide one or, if it's cold enough outside, run one out to her car before we eat to ensure she gets plenty to take home.

Arguments have occurred when slicing the pies to serve if the pieces aren't the same size. It would all be hilarious if I didn't think they might get in a physical brawl someday. As they're getting older, my kids have gotten very territorial!

I have a feeling Mama found this recipe on the side of a pudding box or in a holiday advertisement once upon a time but no one can remember.

I've thought about trying to recreate the recipe without the pudding mixes - using cocoa powder, sugar and cornstarch - and then ask myself why??  What am I trying to prove? And to whom?

These pies are literally perfect so why, OH WHY, would I try to change anything or make things more complicated?

7 NOTES ABOUT MAMA'S FAMOUS CHOCOLATE PUDDING PIES

1 - Use two regular pie shells (not deep dish).

2 - You can make one deep-dish pie but - and I don't know why - my crew doesn't like it as much.

3 - I either use frozen pie shells in the aluminum pans or use the refrigerated pastry in my own 9-inch pie plates.

4 - It's very important to let the pie cool to room temperature before refrigerating or the pie may split or crack.

5 - I haven't tried this with sugar-free pudding.

6 - For practical reasons, it's best to wait until serving to add the whipped cream. It's easier to store and you won't have to worry about the topping keeping its shape.

7 - I almost always use Cool Whip when serving these pies but you can make your own whipped cream or use the canned stuff (just remember the canned stuff will "melt" after a while so don't use it until you're plating).

MORE EASY HOLIDAY DESSERT RECIPES

ITALIAN BAKELESS CAKE - A layered no-bake dessert with vanilla wafers and creamy pineapple “pudding” made with sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice topped with cool whip, coconut, cherries and pecans. 

BLACK FORREST OREO DESSERT - A decadent no-bake icebox dessert recipe layered with Oreo cookies, chocolate pudding and cherry pie filling that's super quick and easy to make! 

CHOCOLATE DELIGHT - The original layered dessert recipe with chocolate pudding, cream cheese and cool whip on top of a pecan shortbread crust. Also called Better Than Sex Cake, Robert Redford Pie and Chocolate Lush! 

EGGNOG CREAM PIE - This easy no-bake cream pie with real eggnog, a graham cracker crust and a sprinkle of nutmeg is a must-have for your Christmas dessert table!

Recipe for Mama’s Famous Chocolate Pudding Pie

Mama’s Famous Chocolate Pudding Pie

Yield: 2 Pies

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min

The EASY semi-homemade chocolate pie recipe my mama gets asked to make more than any other made with cook-and-serve chocolate pudding and chocolate chips.

Ingredients

• 2 3.4-oz boxes cook-and-serve chocolate pudding
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 9-in pastry pie crusts, cooked & cooled

Instructions

1. Combine pudding mixes and milk in a medium saucepan then whisk until well combined.
2. Add butter and chocolate chips then cook ingredients over medium heat just until mixture comes to a boil; stirring continually. Remove from heat then cool for 2 minutes; stirring several times to prevent it from setting up.
3. Pour filling into pie pastries, cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate. Serve with whipped cream.

Notes

• Use two regular pie shells (not deep dish).
• It's very important to let the pie cool to room temperature before refrigerating or the pie may split or crack.
• Other questions are likely addressed in the post above.

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2012/11/mamas-famous-chocolate-pudding-pie.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2012

chocolate, chocolate cream, pudding, custard, french silk, cook-and-serve, easy, recipe, best, mama's, momma's, famous, dessert, pie, fudge

dessert

american

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Italian Bakeless Cake

A layered no-bake dessert with vanilla wafers and creamy pineapple “pudding” made with sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice topped with cool whip, coconut, cherries and pecans.

JUMP TO RECIPE

Two things I have to tell you about this Italian Bakeless Cake:

1. It’s not Italian
2. It’s not cake.

Ha! This recipe's at least 50 years old and I have no idea why it's called an Italian anything but, as I've said before, we Southerners will give something a fancy name a minute!

This was Nanny’s recipe and is one of the many recipes I wish I could ask her about. Where did she get it? Is it her own creation? Why is it Italian? Why is it called cake?! 

We always have this at Easter. My family has a thing with coconut and Easter dinner 🤷

This was one of the very first recipes I ever made for South Your Mouth. Even though the pictures were horrible, it went viral! It was in the Top 10 most visited recipes for five years straight! 

I made it again today to update the photos and had to stop myself from eating the whole thing! Literally. I had to physically walk it over to Mama’s and put it in her fridge to keep myself from gorging on it. I LOVE THIS STUFF.

There’s just something about the combo of pineapple, cherries, coconut and pecans that does it for me. I think it’s the texture. Or I don’t know, the flavors go together perfectly too so maybe that’s it. It’s probably both.

This eats a LOT like banana pudding because the vanilla wafers soften and become cake-like and the filling is creamy like pudding. 

And lemme tell you about the filling. Because you will certainly think I left out an ingredient when you look at the recipe. When we mix the lemon juice with the sweetened condensed milk, the acid in the lemon juice reacts with the milk and naturally thickens it into a pudding!

FAQ ON ITALIAN BAKELESS CAKE

WHAT MAKES IT ITALIAN?  Nothing. This was my grandmother’s recipe and the name she called it and I would never, ever question anything Nanny did in the kitchen.

IS IT CAKE?  Nope. It is sort of an “icebox cake” in that cookies soften in a creamy filling and become cake-like but it isn’t a cake. Just like with the Italian name, if that’s what Nanny called it, then that’s what it’s called.

WELL, WHAT IS IT?  This is a layered dessert made with vanilla wafer cookies and a pineapple “pudding” topped with whipped topping, coconut, chopped pecans and maraschino cherries. 

WHAT THICKENS THE “PUDDING”?  Magic! Or chemistry. I won’t bore you with the details (lots of science stuff with pH, proteins, bonds and acid) but ultimately the acidic lemon juice reacts with the sweetened condensed milk in a way that naturally thickens it like custard or pudding. Cool, right?

CAN I SUBSTITUTE ______ FOR THE LEMON JUICE OR SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK?  No. Absolutely not. See bullet point above. I don’t know about using fake lemon juice because I’m not sure if it has the same acidity and pH as real lemon juice. I also don't know about using fat free or reduced fat condensed milk - I haven't tested them so I don't know if they work or not.

CAN I OMIT THE COCONUT, PECANS AND/OR CHERRIES?  Yes, but the culinary perfect storm won’t hit with quite as much ooomph.

Recipe for Italian Bakeless Cake

Italian Bakeless Cake

Yield: 12 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 15 MinInactive time: 6 HourTotal time: 6 H & 15 M

A layered no-bake dessert with vanilla wafers and creamy pineapple “pudding” made with sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice topped with cool whip, coconut, cherries and pecans.

Ingredients

• 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 20-oz can crushed pineapple, drained well
• 1 box vanilla wafers
• 1 8-oz carton cool whip, thawed
• 2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 20-22 maraschino cherries

Instructions

1. OPTIONAL: Set cherries out to dry a bit on a few layers of paper towels to prevent the bright red juice from staining the coconut.
2. Whisk together sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Stir in drained pineapple.
3. Line the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish (typically 9x9 or 7x10) with vanilla wafers. Pour all of the pineapple mixture over vanilla wafers then add another layer of vanilla wafers on top of pineapple mixture.
4. Spread cool whip evenly on top of vanilla wafers then cover evenly with coconut.
5. Sprinkle pecans over coconut then top with cherries.
6. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least 6 hours) before serving.

Notes

• The lemon juice and sweetened condensed milk will thicken into a custard.
• 1 large lemon usually yields about 1/4 cup juice.
• You won't use the pineapple juice in the recipe but it's perfect in a cocktail!
• Any other questions are likely answered in the FAQ section above the recipe card.
• Recipe updated 1/30/24 from 8-oz undrained pineapple to 20-oz drained. Either works great but I prefer more pineapple and it's hard to find the 8-oz cans these days!

Nutrition Facts

Calories

303.68

Fat

12.59 g

Sat. Fat

7.77 g

Carbs

44.49 g

Fiber

2.54 g

Net carbs

41.96 g

Protein

3.88 g

Sodium

74.09 mg

Iron

1.84 mg

Calcium

125.36 mg

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2012/11/italian-bakeless-cake.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2012

icebox, ice-box, layered, nobake, no-bake, bakeless, dessert, pudding, custard, lemon juice, sitalian, vanilla, nilla, wafers, sweetened condensed milk, icebox, coconut, lemon juice, cool whip, whipped cream, topping, pineapple, pecans

dessert

italian, southern

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Tuscan Chicken Stew

A hearty, rustic chicken stew recipe made with chicken, potatoes, white beans, fresh tomatoes and tons of country-Italian flavor.

Recipe post and photos updated January 2024.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. JUMP TO THE RECIPE
2. TWO WAYS TO MAKE IT
3. A FEW COOKING NOTES

If you’re here for the recipe because you’ve made it before, you’ll notice things look a little different!

I updated the photos AND I also included instructions for making this with boneless thighs or breasts because so many have asked over the years.

I first published this recipe in 2012 – as of today, that was 12 years ago! My Lord, where has the time gone?? I’m almost feeling a little misty-eyed typing this, thinking how much has changed.

I only have one baby left at home and he’ll be leaving in the Fall for college and I’m just gonna go right ahead and tell y’all now, it is going to KILL me when that day comes. He’s the baby and he’s my only boy. Everything you’ve ever heard about boys and their mamas is true. I’m pretty sure my heart is going to break right in half.

If y’all run into me anytime after August, just know the smile on my face is hiding my inner Elsa and I’m chanting conceal, don’t feel… conceal, don’t feel with gritted teeth. If one of my eyes is twitching, ya might want to walk on by.

Meh, I’ll be alright. It’s funny how you love them enough to let them go. The baby girl left us last year for college (no, Husband is NOT ok). The big girl stayed in the area and went to the university downtown so it wasn’t quite as tough. At least I’m starting to get the hang of it.

OK, back to the stew! Though it’s old and the original photos were pretty terrible, this has been one of the most popular recipes EVER on South Your Mouth.

I got the idea when wondering how a vegetable soup would be with chicken instead of beef then decided to take things in another direction and use rustic Italian ingredients instead of traditional vegetable soup stuff.

This stew has so much flavor and is just the thing a cold winter day needs. A hot loaf of crusty bread or pan of skillet cornbread turns this into a meal I sometimes crave!

ONE RECIPE - TWO WAYS

WHOLE CHICKEN - The original recipe is made with a whole chicken. The chicken is stewed down to make the stock then everything else pretty-much just gets chucked in the pot. We don’t really have to do too much else because using the whole chicken brings so much flavor and richness.

BONELESS THIGHS/BREASTS - Because so many folks have asked over the years about using boneless breasts and/or thighs, I included alternate instructions so that it can be made that way too. To add more depth of flavor and to provide the needed richness, you’ll sauté the celery, onions and carrots in butter. I still say making it with a whole chicken is best but this way is pretty dang good too.

COOKING NOTES ON TUSCAN CHICKEN STEW

Both preparations are delicious but my preference will always be to use a whole chicken for soups and stews for max flavor.

Sautéing the vegetables in butter in the Thigh/Breast Preparation adds back richness and flavor lost from not using a whole chicken.

You can prepare the soup using the Whole Chicken Preparation using boneless chicken to save time and reduce fat/calories if needed but it won't taste quite as delicious. 

MORE HEARTY RECIPES TO EAT WITH A SPOON

CHICKEN & WILD RICE SOUP - A super flavorful, creamy soup recipe with tender chicken, hearty vegetables and wild rice that’s not too heavy but still oh, so satisfying.

CLASSIC VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP - A tried-and-true recipe with tender chunks of beef in a thick, savory stock and all your favorite vegetables. 

HOMEMADE CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS (Drop or Rolled) - n old-fashioned recipe for tender stewed chicken in a rich stock with soft dropped dumplings or use the same recipe for rolled and cut dumplings. 

Recipe for Tuscan Chicken Stew

Tuscan Chicken Stew

Yield: 12 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 1 H & 40 MInactive time: 20 MinTotal time: 2 H & 20 M

A hearty, rustic chicken stew recipe made with chicken, potatoes, white beans, fresh tomatoes and tons of country-Italian flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1/2 cup butter (for Thigh/Breast Preparation only)
• 2 cups diced celery
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5 medium red potatoes, sliced
• 1 15-oz. can great northern beans, drained
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

Whole Chicken Preparation

1. Add chicken, water, broth, salt, pepper and bay leaves to Dutch oven or stock pot then bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, cover, reduce heat to low then cook for one hour. Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Pour broth through a strainer then add back to pot.
2. Bring broth to a boil then add celery and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to medium then cook, uncovered 30-40 minutes or until carrots and potatoes are very tender. Taste for seasoning then add more salt and/or spices if needed.
3. Meanwhile, remove skin and bones from chicken then cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken and tomatoes to pot, continue cooking 5 minutes then remove from heat. Allow stew to rest 20 minutes before serving.

Boneless Thigh/Breast Preparation

1. Add 3 pounds boneless chicken thighs or breasts, water, broth, salt, pepper and bay leaves to Dutch oven or stock pot then bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, cover, reduce heat to low then cook breasts for 20 minutes or thighs for 30 minutes. Remove chicken; set aside to cool. Pour broth through a strainer into a bowl or pitcher; set aside.
2. Sauté celery, carrots and onions with butter in pot for 5 minutes (same pot chicken was cooked in). Add reserved broth and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to medium then cook, uncovered 30-40 minutes or until carrots and potatoes are very tender. Taste for seasoning then add more salt and/or spices if needed.
3. Meanwhile, cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken and tomatoes to pot, continue cooking 5 minutes then remove from heat. Allow stew to rest 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Both preparations are delicious but my preference will always be to use a whole chicken for soups and stews for max flavor.
• Sautéing the vegetables in butter in the Thigh/Breast Preparation adds back richness and flavor lost from not using a whole chicken.
• You can prepare the soup using the Whole Chicken Preparation using boneless chicken to save time and reduce fat/calories if needed but it won't taste quite as delicious.

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2012/11/tuscan-chicken-stew.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2012

soup, stew, italian, tuscan, greek, chicken, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, recipe, easy, best, how to, rustic, country, whole, thighs, breasts, boneless

dinner, stew

italian

Keep up with my latest shenanigans by following South Your Mouth!

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Buffalo Chicken Salad

OK, this one's going to be short and sweet.  Like me!  Kidding.  I'm like 9 feet tall and I'm pretty sure no one's called me sweet since I was three.  Also?  When was the last time I ever just got right down to the recipe??

I had two huge leftover fried chicken breasts in the fridge.  Don't tell anybody, but I don't like cold fried chicken.  I know saying that is like spitting on the General Lee but I'm sorry, I don't like it.

I like to make chicken salad with it.  Don't be too quick to wrinkle your nose up at that... it's perfect for chicken salad!   The chicken is super flavorful and the texture is awesome.  Just pull the skin off and you're good to go.  Those little crispy, fried bits are where the money's at!

I usually make my chicken salad one of two ways; either super basic with just mayo, thyme, salt and pepper or super swanky with grapes or raisins and pecans.  But today I had this gorgeous, leafy bunch of celery and it was talking to me.

The next thing I knew I was thinking about chicken wings and voila, I made this Buffalo Chicken Salad.

Buffalo Chicken Salad
2 large cooked chicken breasts, chopped
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon hot sauce (such as Texas Pete)
Dash of garlic powder
1 stalk celery, finely diced
Salt & pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, hot sauce and garlic. Add chopped chicken, celery, salt and pepper then mix well.

Serve with crackers and/or celery sticks.  Consider serving with a wedge of bleu cheese brie too!

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Husband & the Colonoscopy

I saw this video today and almost peed all over myself laughing. This is a woman who just woke up from having her wisdom teeth cut out. And I swear to you I had the EXACT kind of conversation with Husband the day he had his colonoscopy.

Except Husband was talking about buttholes. Loudly.

Set the stage and watch this first...

Disclaimer: The following is Rated R and is not suitable for young people or prudes.

OK, Husband and the onions aren’t the only ones with nicknames. Husband has called me Buzzy for as long as I can remember. He never, ever calls me Mandy. I’m Buzzy. Always.

Now imagine Husband in the same state as this girl except he’s in a recovery room with several other people. And in I walk...

Husband [slurring like the town drunk]: BUZZY!

Me: Hey, honey, you awake now?

Husband: Woman, you are stunning.

Me [laughing]: Um, thanks. Are you about ready to get home?

Husband: Tha f#ck are you talking about going home? I juss got here… they haven’t done anything yet. I love you so much, Buzzy.

[Dozes off again…]

Husband: BUZZY! BUZZZZZZY!

Me: Hold it down killer, there’s like seven other people in here. And nurses.

Husband: Oh my God, I’m gonna shit my leg. You’re so beautiful.

Me: WHAT? Wait!

Husband: Do you think if I fart I’ll shit my leg? I’m just gonna shit the bed.

[Everyone in the room is chuckling]

Me: Don’t shit in the bed. Please.

Husband: How long is this gonna take??? I’m ready to get this over. I’m HONGRY. Did I just shit? I love you.

Me: NO! Stop swearing! Everyone can hear you.

Husband: I reeeeeaaalllly want to fart hard.

Me: Good, let it rip. They said you’d have gas and it might be painful so get it out if you can.

Husband: If I fart hard I’m gonna shit my leg. Or the bed. We gotta go home so I can fart hard in the yard (???).

[People have given up quietly chuckling and are full out laughing now]

Me: You’re done. We’re just waiting on you to come around a bit and we can go.

Husband: I juss got here. They said to count backwards from 10 and then they juss left.

Me: No, you went under. You've been back here for like an hour. You’re done.

Husband [“whispering” loudly]: I think they took my wallet so I couldn't go to Burger King. That ugly redheaded woman. With the teeth. I told them I was gonna walk to Burger King. I told them that. I told them you were pretty too. Did I just shit?

Me: No, you didn't shit. Um, Nurse, do you think we can LEAVE now??? Please!