Friday, September 5, 2008

Mmmm mmmm good...

We just got home from running errands and I was starving, so I popped some leftover vegetable beef soup I made for dinner last night in the microwave. OMG so good! Even better than last night!

This was a new recipe I tried for dinner last night from the Food Network site. Here it is with my modifications...

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 to 3 pounds boneless chuck roast
4 quarts cold water
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
2 bay leaves
1 cup diced celery
6 cups frozen mixed vegetables (green beans, corn, carrots, peas)
2 cup diced potatoes
1/2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the roast in the skillet and cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the roast from the skillet and cut it into 1 1/2 to 2-inch cubes; discard the fat. Place the beef cubes in a large stockpot.
Add the water, tomatoes, onions, dried parsley, beef bouillon, dried Italian seasoning, House Seasoning, seasoned salt, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, black pepper and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the pot; reduce the heat so that the liquid simmers, and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender.
Add the remaining vegetables and the macaroni and return the soup to a boil, stirring to distribute the ingredients. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Just before serving, season with salt and pepper to taste. To remove excess fat from the surface of the soup, swirl a lettuce leaf around the surface—it will pick up a lot of the fat.

House Seasoning: 1 cup salt 1/4 cup black pepper 1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.