Sometimes It's Okay to be a Copycat

My family eats in restaurants once or twice a week. There are some restaurant recipes that I just love and like to make something similar at home. It's a cold and cloudy day here in the midwest - a perfect day for a hot, comforting bowl of soup. Here are couple of my favorite copycat soup recipes. I've made both and they are close enough to the original that I can't really tell a difference. Enjoy!

Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup Copycat Recipe
This recipe makes about 9 quarts of soup. I put the extra in the freezer for future meals. It's also easy to cut the recipe in half. I serve this with garlic breadsticks or French bread and a dipping sauce made with olive oil, roasted garlic and grated parmesan cheese.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds ground beef
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups diced celery
2 large cans diced tomatoes
2 15 oz cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 15 oz cans white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 quarts beef broth
3 teaspoons oregano
2 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 cans or jars spaghetti sauce (26 - 28 oz each)
8 oz package small pasta (tiny shells, etc.)

Heat oil in a large stock pot. Brown ground beef in oil. Add onion, carrots, celery and tomatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for about 45 minutes.

Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup Copycat Recipe
I serve this soup with a salad and crusty bread or with sandwiches.

1/4 cup butter
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 lb. fresh broccoli
1 cup shredded or finely chopped carrot
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Melt butter in a large nonstick pot. Add onion and saute until onions are soft. Whisk in flour; whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add the half-and-half whisking constantly until smooth. Add the chicken broth whisking constantly until smooth. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the broccoli and carrots. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender and soup is thickened - 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Pour soup in batches into blender and puree.* Return to pot over low heat and add the grated cheese; stir until well blended. Stir in the nutmeg and serve.

*I only puree about half - 3/4 of the soup because I like some larger pieces of vegetables in the soup. This is a personal preference.