Veggie Beef Soup

Culinary Traditions and Hidden Nutrition: A Family's Gastronomic Journey

I just finished prepping all the veggies and putting them in my Veggie Beef Soup. This is a 6 1/2 quart Dutch oven and it can't get any fuller. I use whatever I can find in season. When I need to, I use frozen or canned. Anything goes in veggie beef soups. The more, the merrier when it comes to veggies. This time, I added carrots, celery, potatoes, corn, and string beans. The rest depends on what I have or want, LOL.

My mama taught me to cook when I was young, and my daddy's cooking also influenced me. They were both great cooks. Mama had to cook for her whole family when she was only 7. She had to put a chair to the stove so she could reach everything. During the depression, her Mama had to help her daddy and go to work. Mama had to have supper on the table for everyone when they got home from work. She had 4 younger siblings and babysat them while fixing her family supper. Even though one of her siblings died at 1 year old, she still had three dependents plus her parents. Cooking looked so effortless to me when she was cooking. She really enjoyed it. I am the same way. I love cooking for my family and making them happy. I love a good family meal with my children and grandchildren around the table. It has never been work for me. I love cooking. I love seeing them eat their favorite foods I have created for them with all the love I could manage into preparing it for them.

I like to hide veggies in this that my hubby will not eat because we need the nutrition. So you will see in my picture the sweet potato cut into small pieces. That is so hubby thinks it is carrot, and I normally put a couple yellow crookneck squash as well. I peel it and cut the seeded part in the middle out, and then cut into cubes, and it looks like potatoes cut up. My hubby is an extremely picky eater, so I have to be sneaky. He never even knows. Just in case any of you ladies need to hide veggies, there is always more than one way. Also, please always change ingredients to suit your own needs whenever you feel the need, because you are making your soup, and it is to please you and your family.

I use all organic ingredients. It is what my Gary and I are used to. Doesn't mean it is right or wrong. Just what I prefer.

This soup takes about 3 to 4 hours if prepping while you cook. I never go over medium and simmer heat. Also, only start off with 1 quart of broth and add the other a bit at a time while cooking to keep the liquid level up. It does cook down quite a bit over the 3 or 4 hours of cooking. I never prep ahead. I add each ingredient as I peel and dice. I start with the hardest root veggies and end with the softest.

Recipe:

1 & 1/2 pounds lean beef, diced up (I use lean beef such as London broil. It is what I prefer. I have had to improvise many times. I wait and get my London broil on sale when it is BOGOF. It is half price that way. I cut it up and vacuum seal it. I like to freeze it in 8 oz packs. This soup has 3 - 8 oz packs of London broil.)

2 quarts beef broth

2 cans diced tomatoes w/juice

6 medium peeled and diced carrots

2 small Vidalia onions, diced

1 small bunch organic celery heart

4 large red potatoes, peeled and diced

1 large russet potato

1 small peeled and diced sweet potato

4 fresh corn on the cob, cut off

2 cups cut frozen string beans

1 cup frozen sweet peas

2 bay leaves

Pink Himalayan sea salt and fresh ground rainbow peppercorns, to taste.

I use everything either no sodium or low sodium and add my own type of salt to my taste. Sea salt has less sodium than table salt. But most people tend to put more because it has less flavor than regular table salt. I do not need bunches of salt, and neither does my hubby.