Recipe: Easy Beef Vegetable Soup

Fall has finally arrived and I’m making soup.  I love a big bowl of hearty soup with some crusty bread.  So very comfort food!   The other thing I love about – easy.    Oh, you could spend hours letting is simmer on the stove, but who really has time for that these days.  Nope!  I’m a get’ er done kinda gal and prefer something tasty and quick.  No need to worry about ‘what’s for dinner’.   I made this for dinner last night and the boys ate it all.  (I had one bowl.)  Give it a try this fall.

Starwoodgal’s Easy Beef Vegetable Soup

1 to 1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat – (I recommend getting the good stuff. Lean trim)
1 can diced tomatoes (14 1/2 oz)
1 can tomato soup
4 cubes beef bouillon
Water
1 large onion – chopped
2 cloves garlic – chopped
2 stalks celery – chopped
3 or 4 carrots – sliced
1 can green beans
1 cup frozen corn
thin spaghetti
salt and pepper to taste

Drizzle some olive oil in deep pot or dutch oven and heat.  Add sliced/diced onion, garlic, and the stew meat.  Season with S&P and brown the meat.  Add everything else except the spaghetti.  Add a couple of cans of water (use soup can to measure).  You’ll need enough water to make sure ingredients are covered, but visible.   You can always add water if you need it later.  Be careful about adding salt because your bouillon cubes are salty already.  Simmer for 30 minutes or so.  Add spaghetti.  Just enough to have a few pieces on each spoon full.  Break into 1 inch pieces.  Cook for an additional 12 to 15 minutes and enjoy with bread or saltines.

Y’all Enjoy! 

Recipe: Homemade Tomato Bisque

I am so ready for fall foods. Soups, chili, chicken-n-dumplings, etc. Let’s face it. There are certain foods we just don’t cook during the summer. At least, I don’t.

Here’s another easy homemade soup for you to try. Homemade Tomato Bisque. So, so, so, SO much better than the canned stuffed. Give it a whirl this fall with a grillled cheese sandwich. It is yummy!

HOMEMADE TOMATO BISQUE

1 pound tomatoes (canned)
2 cups milk
2 Tablespoons margarine or butter
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the tomatoes in a saucepan. Heat milk and butter in a separate saucepan, but do not boil. When tomatoes are hot (not boiling) stir in soda and pour into the hot milk and stir. Remove from heat and season to taste. Can be doubled or tripled but do not increase the baking soda.

**Recipe note from my mother*** ‘This recipe sounds like what Maw Maw Bussy used to make for me when I was a child and didn’t feel well. She would walk across the field between our houses and bring it to me. I thought it was wonderful!’

In case you’re wondering: ‘yes. Still quite dizzy and sleepy. Can’t tilt my head backwards or to the right without setting it off. Praying that it goes away sooner rather than later.’

Recipe: Family Reunion Macaroni Salad

I have no idea why the title of this recipe is ‘Family Reunion’ Macaroni Salad.  That’s how it is typed up in my mother’s recipe bible.  I do not question ‘the cooking bible’ because it has literally saved me from being a cooking disaster.  It is my I-Ching of cooking.   And, she keeps it simple.  So simple it is almost cheating at cooking and everyone thinks ‘oh, you’re such a good cook’.    (Evil laugh!)  Just smile and say thank you while hiding the recipe.

This salad is so stinkin’ easy to make and really delicious.  Goes well with anything and a great take-along to (duh) family reunions, picnics, church potlock, teacher’s meetings, parties.  Whatever.  So grab a ‘blue box’ and make this salad.

FAMILY REUNION MACARONI SALAD 

1 pkg. (28oz.) or 2 pkg. (14 oz.)  Kraft Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
1 cup Miracle Whip Dressing
½ cup milk
½ cup sliced green onions
4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled, chopped
½ cup finely chopped celery
1 small red pepper, finely chopped

 Cook macaroni as directed on package; drain.  Rinse under cold running water until cooled.  Drain well.

 Mix cheese sauce, dressing and milk in a large bowl until well blended.  Stir in the green onions.

 Add macaroni and remaining ingredients to sauce mixture; stir gently until well blended.  Serve immediately.  Or, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Y’all Enjoy!