Cheese Steak Soup

This recipe developed using leftovers from the only meal my husband ever cooks, cheese steaks.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 lbs top round steaks, sliced thin for sandwiches or 1 (16 ounce) box  Steak-ums
• 1  large sweet onion
• 8  ounces white button mushrooms
• 2  tablespoons butter or 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  red bell pepper, roasted and sliced
• 4  ounces  pickled hot cherry peppers, drained
• 14 1⁄2 ounces diced tomatoes
• 32  ounces  beef stock
• 8  ounces provolone cheese, sliced thin

Directions

1. Slice onions and mushrooms, with stems, along the vertical.
2. In a wide, deep nonstick skillet, cook 1/2 the onion and all of the mushrooms slowly over low heat until the onion is soft and caramelized and all of the excess moisture has been cooked out of the mushrooms, about 20 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. In the same utensil, melt the butter or heat the oil and then cook the remaining onion quickly over medium high heat until translucent and seared on the edges. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Cook the beef over medium to high heat, turning often, until cooked through, less than five minutes. Remove from pan and pour off fat. Pull or cut into strips with spatulas or kitchen scissors.
5. Return onions, mushrooms, and beef to pan. Add remaining ingredients, except cheese, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes, or until flavors blend nicely.
6. Ladle soup into ovenproof bowls and set the bowls onto a cookie sheet lined with foil. Top each with sliced cheese and broil close to heat source until bubbly, 1-2 minutes. Serve with a crisp salad for contrast and tasty bread for end of bowl broth sopping.