assignmentPREPARATION
Melt the butter in a large pot. Sauté onions just enough to soften in melted butter. Add mushrooms and sauté until most of the liquid evaporates. Add flour, stir to thicken soup, cook 1-2 minutes, making sure all flour is moistened. Add sherry to deglaze the pot. Once sherry evaporates, add the chicken broth with thyme leaves and start simmering; continue for 20 minutes.
Pureé a small amount of mixture in a blender and stir it back into the pot. Add in the cream, salt and pepper.
Ok to freeze up to 3 months omitting the cream until after defrosting and heating. Store in air-tight container with at least 1" at the top for expansion.
In a large stockpot, brown ground beef with onion, breaking the meat apart as it cooks.
Remove ground beef and onions from the pan and drain excess fat.
To the stock pot add the garlic and cook for another minute or 2.
Stir in the red pepper flakes and continue to cook one more minute.
Stir in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, uncooked pasta, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt and black pepper.
The paste will cook as the soup simmers.
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.
Add the ground beef back in and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the broiler on high.
Make the cheese topping by combining the three cheeses.