Warm up with a bowl of great beef vegi.soup

Old Fashioned Beef Vegetable Soup

I made this soup 2 days ago, and we STILL have enough for tonights' dinner as well.  My kind of cooking!
Naturally, you can halve this recipe if you don't want enough for a small army, OR try freezing some of it for another time.

Beef Stock, canned or carton
2-3 lbs. beef (stew meat) chunks cut into 1 1/2" cubes OR ground hamburger OR ground turkey
1/2 onion, chopped
celery, 2-3 ribs, chopped
3 Beef Bouillon cubes
2 Tbsp. olive oil
5-6 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" coins or cubed
2 cans EACH:  corn, green beans, peas (any of these are optional or substitute more of one & less of another)
1 can diced tomatoes
salt & pepper
1 clove minced garlic, optional
1 bay leaf

Select a lean cut of meat.  By choosing a pot roast and slicing into cubes yourself, money can be saved over pre-cut stew beef.  Cut and cube beef, chop onions and celery.  You can optionally choose to prepare fresh parsnips and/or turnips at this time, for a heartier vegetable mix.  Add garlic at this point if you choose.

Dredge beef in flour and saute in olive oil until browned, adding garlic during last few minutes of browning. Add stock, bouillon cubes and bay leaf.  Other seasonings may also be added at this time (a pinch of oregano, a dash of garlic or onion powder, salt & pepper, etc.- to taste).  Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce heat to low.  Soup may be transferred to a CrockPot at this time.  If so, set to Low, add remaining ingredients at the start and leave to simmer for several hours, until vegetables are tender.

If cooking on the stove (as I do), add all of the fresh & canned  vegetables and diced tomatoes at this time.  Simmer for an hour or two or until vegetables are tender.  Remove bay leaf before serving. 
Yields 6-8 servings

It's Ham & Bean Soup weather here!

Old Fashioned Ham & Bean Soup

1 lb. dried Great Northern (white) beans, rinsed, drained & picked over
2 smoked ham hocks (about 2 lbs. total)  OR *I* use about  a 4-lb. Pork Shoulder Picnic Ham
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a large soup pot combine beans and cover with water.  Discard any beans that float to the surface.  Bring to a boil; cover.  Continue to boil 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow pot to stand, covered, 1 hour. 

Add ham, onion, garlic; cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 2 hrs.  Add the fresh parsley.  Cover and continue simmering, at least 1 more hour or longer.

Remove ham hocks or shoulder, separate meat from fat and bones.  Dice meat and return to soup.  Discard fat and bones.  Season to taste with salt & pepper.
Makes 6 hearty servings.