Who has been cooking a lot lately? Me! I do enjoy cooking and now I have a sous chef and his name is Bob! Bob does all the peeling, chopping and clean up, it is fabulous! In all fairness to other husbands and wives, we are both retired. We have a lot of free time to do what we love and now we have A LOT of free time! just saying, all dressed up with no where to go, might as well cook. This is a recipe that Bob’s Mother, Estelle Landry, passed on to him. She was an accomplished cook and he makes delicious soups from her recipes. Enjoy, Bon Appetit!

Estelle’s and Bob’s Vegetable Beef Soup

Ingredients:

1# rump steak cut into small cubes

Salt and pepper

1-2 Tablespoons butter

3 onions cut into chunks

2 celery stalks. chopped

2 – 28 ounce cans whole tomatoes

2 cans water, use tomato cans for measure

10 carrots, peeled and cut into rounds

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped and submerged in a bowl of cold water

2 small or one large yellow summer squash

3 bay leaves

Paprika

Dash garlic salt

3 shakes Italian seasoning

3 shakes rosemary

3 shakes or more oregano

3 shakes basil

Chili powder to taste

Pinch ground thyme

2 pinches savory

1 handful barley

1 handful rice

Prepare:

1. In a large pot saute salt, pepper, onions,in butter until transparent.

2. Add steak and seasonings to brown.

3. Pour large tomatoes in a bowl and crush by hand.

4. Add water, tomatoes to the pot and boil.

5. Add carrots and simmer for 1 hour.

6. Add potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.

7. Add squash, barley and rice. Cook for 30 minutes or  until done. Voila!