American Nostalgia Combo: Vegetable Beef Soup and a Deconstructed Wedge Salad

Vegetable Beef Soup

Yield: 4 servings (4 pint-size Mason jars)

1 pound steak, cut into tiny pieces
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 10-ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables
4 cups beef broth or chicken broth
1 14-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes or regular diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste or ketchup, optional, see notes
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced (or hash browns)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste


Heat a Dutch oven or stock pot over medium high heat. Add in the beef and cook until browned and cooked through. Drain off all but about 3 tablespoons of the grease.
Return the pot to the heat, and add in the onion and garlic. Cook until the veggies are just tender and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Add in the frozen mixed vegetables, broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste or ketchup (if using), potatoes, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
Taste for seasoning, adding additional salt and pepper to taste.

Note: Out of onion and garlic? Sub 1 tablespoon onion powder or dried minced onion for the onion, and 2 teaspoons garlic powder for the garlic. To stretch this meal into six servings, add two more peeled and diced potatoes and an extra can of diced tomatoes. To reduce the amount of beef used, add an additional peeled and diced potato in place of half of the ground beef. The tomato paste or ketchup isn’t necessary, but it does give the base of the soup a richer body. If you don’t have it, just leave it out!

Nutrition Information: Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 568Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 1560mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 10gSugar: 11gProtein: 42g

Unwedged Wedge Salad in a Jar

1 wide-mouth pint and a half jar
3 tablespoons ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing (or a mixture of the two)
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1-2 cups chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce

Layer the salad ingredients in the order listed into the jar, packing in as much lettuce as you need to create a tight pack. Cover the jar, and place it in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
To eat, dump the entire contents of the jar into a bowl, toss, and enjoy!

Nutrition Information: Yield: 1 Serving Size: 24 ounces
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 664Total Fat: 48gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 31gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 1348mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 17gSugar: 18gProtein: 27g
Yield: 1 24-ounce jar

Source: Wholefully

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

3/4 cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, finely minced OR 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup fresh minced parsley OR 1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/4 medium onion, diced (about 2 tablespoons) OR 2 teaspoons onion powder
2 tablespoons fresh minced chives OR 1 tablespoon dried chives
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4-1/2 cup buttermilk

Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, shake until well combined. Alternatively, you can combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until well combined and smooth.
Refrigerate and let flavors blend for at least 30 minutes, preferably 2 hours, before serving.

Source: Wholefully

Blue Cheese Dressing

1/2 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons buttermilk

Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 tablespoons lemon juice)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 clove garlic, finely minced OR 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, shake until well combined. Alternatively, you can combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until desired consistency. Refrigerate and let flavors blend for at least 30 minutes, preferably 2 hours, before serving.

Note:

Use a fork to smash down any big chunks of blue cheese—you want the blue cheese flavor to be in the entire dressing.

Source: Wholefully