Lickety-Split Vegetable Beef Soup

Often I turn leftovers into new dishes, rather than eat the same meal twice.  An example: I cut leftover meatloaf into cubes, freeze them, than when I need a quick meal, I take out the frozen meatloaf, slide the cubes into fresh bell peppers and microwave until done.  Voilà ... baked stuffed peppers in about ten minutes.

Early this week I used leftover steak to made a hearty homemade soup.  It was about as fast and easy as opening a can of soup.

Lickety-Split Vegetable Beef Soup 

Ingredients:
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes (Use what you have: whole or diced tomatoes work.)
28 ounces water

16 oz bag frozen mixed vegetables (green beans, corn, carrots and lima beans)

½ medium onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, diced

10 oz steak, diced (I used top round steak, leftover from a meat and gravy dinner)

1 large bouillon cube (or 2 small) chicken, beef or any flavor

2 teaspoons garlic

½ - 1 teaspoon salt (I used smoked sea salt)

12 turns of the black pepper mill

dash of nutmeg

dash of oregano

dash of basil

dash of parsley

Directions:
Throw all ingredients into a soup pot and bring to a boil on the stovetop.  Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the flavors mingle, about 20 minutes. Serve.  Divide up what you don't eat and spoon into 16 ounce containers.  Freeze for future quick lunches and dinners.

If you don't have leftover beef, you can substitute lean sausage, ham, lowfat hotdogs, or tofu.  In lieu of vegetable beef, use a protein you like and have on hand.  If I have fresh turnups, I dice and add them to the soup.

There was a time, I ate both homemade and canned soups.  Lately, I don't like the taste of canned soups.  Although expensive, they look and taste watered down.  Either my palate has changed, or canned soaps (errh ... soups) have changed.  Homemade soup is so much better.  It's subtantial, delicious ... and cheap.  Bon appétit!

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