Day 1: Beef & Vegetable Soup

When I turned on the news this morning and saw that is was only 22 degrees in Fort Worth with a high in the 40s, I immediately starting thinking soup. So, my first night at this, I made an old favorite: Beef & Vegetable Soup with Cornbread. (I've tweaked this recipe slightly from one of my mom's originals.)

Quick Shopping List:

• Mix of potatoes (I used about 6 to 7 small Yukons, reds and purple potatoes - about 1/2 lb.)
• 2 whole carrots
• 1 bag of frozen baby lima beans
• 1 can of corn niblets
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes
• 1 can of vegetable broth
• 1 beef bullion cube
• Cubed stew meat - about 1 lb.
  

Directions:

• Brown beef in skillet until all sides are browned. Drain fat.
• While beef is browning, wash and cube potatoes, peel and cut carrots into 1/4" rounds.
• Add beef, potatoes and carrots to a stew pot.
• Next add 2 cans of diced tomatoes, 1 can of vegetable broth, 2 cups of water, 1 beef bullion cube.
• Season with 1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt.
• Bring to a boil then let simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. (Use a fork to test them).
• Next add 1 bag of frozen baby lima beans and 1 can of niblet corn.
• Stir and simmer another 10 minutes.
• Serve and Enjoy!
  
  Serve with cornbread muffins. We used Jiffy Cornbread. It's quick and easy and only requires 1/3 cup of milk and one egg. A little sweeter than the cornbread that I'm used to, but much easier than making it from scratch.

I'm thinking my husband should start the 30 days of cleaning up the kitchen challenge.