Hearty Vegetable & Ham Soup Recipe

Recipe by FT – Food Tasty! 

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
½ medium-size white onion, diced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1 large tomatillo, chopped
2 cups of ham - cut into bite-size pieces
½ a link of smoked sausage - cut into bite-size pieces
2 roma tomatoes, diced
3 bay leaves
¼ tsp. onion powder
garlic powder, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste

  1. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat.  Add onion, a pinch of salt & pepper, and sauté until onions are slightly browned.  Add carrots, celery, and another pinch of salt & pepper--saute for another 5 minutes.  Add minced garlic, tomatoes, tomatillo, ham, and sausage and saute another minute being careful not to burn your garlic.   
  2. Add 1/2 cup water and let simmer for 7 minutes.
  3. Add 6 and ½ cups of water, bay leaves, onion powder, a dash of garlic powder, mushrooms, 1/8 tsp. salt and pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper.  Let simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.  
  4. Taste soup and salt/pepper to taste. 
  5. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with green onions, if desired.
Makes approximately 8 servings.