Soup Sundays

Dust off your can opener or reach into the dark recesses of your canning cupboards!  This recipe is a family favorite and is gar-un-teed to warm you from your toesies northward. 

Excuse the oatmeal and red lentils waiting to be dry canned.

Kit's Ski Country Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

2 lbs stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes*
1-6 oz. can tomato paste
1-10 oz. can condensed onion soup*
5 Cups water
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 Cups sliced carrots
1 Cup sliced celery
1-1 lb. can green beans*
1-15 oz. can kidney beans
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

Combine meat and tomato paste in Dutch oven or large, heavy soup pan.  Stir in onion soup, water, salt, basil and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer about an hour and a half, or until the meat is tender.  Add carrots, celery, undrained green beans, and kidney beans.  Continue simmering 30-40 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.  Stir in Parmesan cheese.

*Things I have changed when needed:  Ground beef also works.  No beef?  Double the bean content - mix and match your beans.  Just mix the tomato paste with the soup, water and herbs.  No canned onion soup to be found?  Use dry onion soup mix and toss in an additional cup of water.  It goes without saying that you can substitute your home-canned green beans, too.  I have even substituted a jar of Dilly beans, but I drained and rinsed them and then added them to the soup with a little extra water as needed.

This soup is even better the second day.