Instructions:

Rusty's Old Fashioned Vegetable Soup

3 1/4 pounds stew beef
2 quarts water
1 tablespoon salt
1 bay leaf
10 peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon thyme
2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 carrot, whole
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 stalk celery, whole
1 cup cabbage, shredded
2 cups green beans
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small onion, whole
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups frozen peas
1 (1 pound 12 ounce) can tomatoes

In a large stockpot, cook stew beef in salted water with one whole carrot, one small onion, one stalk of celery, bay leaf, and peppercorns until stew beef is cooked through and tender (about 1-1/2 to 2 hours).

Remove beef from broth and strain broth through cheesecloth. Return broth to stockpot. Discard cooked vegetables. Refrigerate stew beef until needed.

Into the broth, add marjoram, thyme, potatoes, sliced carrots, chopped celery, and cabbage. Cook until potatoes and carrots are tender (about 1 hour).

Add chopped onion, corn, peas, and tomatoes. Cook until all vegetables are soft.

Return stew meat to soup and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.

Servings: 8