Ingredients

This soup keeps on "low" for several hours. If you use pasta, the noodles will break down and thicken the soup over time, so you may need to thin it with 1 cup of chicken broth.

1 to 2 pounds of beef stew meat, cut in small chunks
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 cups water
6 beef bouillon cubes
1 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup dried onion flakes
2 to 3 potatoes, peeled and diced
3 cups carrots, cut in 1-inch chunks
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (or 1 small can tomato sauce)
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup corn kernels, canned or frozen
1 cup frozen peas

Options: 1 cup dried pasta (such as broken spaghetti, rotini or elbow macaroni), 1/2 cup chopped red or green pepper, 1 cup frozen green beans, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Brown beef in oil in a large stock pot. Add water, bouillon cubes, celery and onion flakes, and cook about 30 minutes or until beef starts to tenderize. Add potatoes, carrots, garlic, thyme, tomatoes (don't drain), pepper and corn. Simmer about 30 minutes, or until the carrots and potatoes are tender. Correct seasonings (you may want more garlic, more bouillon, thyme or pepper, depending on individual taste).
If you add pasta, add about 10 minutes before serving, and increase the heat so that soup comes to a boil. Add the peas during the last few minutes of cooking so they don't lose their color. Makes about 1 gallon of soup, or about 16 1-cup servings.

Directions

Chicken variation: Use about 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts and chicken bouillon.