Crazy Eight Can Soup

It's been raining on and off for the past few weeks and it's been getting pretty chilly these days. It's just the perfect weather for staying home in our flannel pj's with a big bowl of hearty soup and a few slices of bread. I was searching for a good, easy and inexpensive hearty soup recipe when I saw one for the Crazy Eight Can Soup from Heather's blog. It looked yummy and pretty easy to make, so I figured I'll try making a batch. I've changed the recipe up a little (added in a few things) but it's pretty much the same as the original recipe.
Here's all the ingredients that you would need to make this hearty soup. Three cans of Progresso's Homestyle Minestrone Soup (the original recipe called for Campbell's but Heather is right, Progresso is better), one can of Rotel's Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, one can of Hunt's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, one can of Whole Kernel Corn, one can of Sylvia's Seasoned Kidney Beans and one can of Seasoned Southern Style Black Eye Peas (the original recipe used two cans of Ranch Style Beans instead of Seasoned Kidney Beans and Southern Style Black Eye Peas). You would also need one lbs of ground beef, some hot Italian sausages and some elbow macaroni.

Start off by browning one lbs of ground beef and about 2 to 3 pieces of hot Italian sausages (that has been cut in smaller pieces) in a pan.

Once that's done, drain and place the beef and sausages into a large pot.

Now it's time to pour in the contents of the eight cans. Begin with the 3 cans of minestrone soup.

Next goes in the fire roasted tomatoes.

After that, pour in the diced tomatoes and green chilies. Remember, do not drain anything. Just pour everything into the pot.

In goes the seasoned kidney beans...

...followed by the southern style black eye peas.

Lastly, pour in the can of whole kernel corn.

Mix all the ingredients together well. Then, add in a few fistfuls of elbow macaroni and give it another good stir. Allow the soup to simmer for about an hour or so, then it's done!

Here it is! A big pot of hearty soup!! Doesn't it look yummy? It was such a big pot that after freezing some, we still had enough to eat for the next four days! It tasted great, so rich and hearty, with a lil spicy kick. Guess what? It tasted even better after reheating it the next day. We served the soup with some Cuban bread that we bought from our local bakery..mmm mmm mmmm! It's so yummy to eat, so easy to make and really inexpensive, this recipe is definitely a keeper!