Warm hands, warm heart

Sitting here in the 70 degree weather of Southern California in January, I struggle with what to make for dinner. The Januarys of my past were cold, wet, snowy...I grew up in Ohio after all. January is the time for soups and stews...hearty meals that warm you right down to your soul. There's something about eating homemade soup that makes it different from any store bought soup...maybe because its a labor of love. Maybe all the time the ingredients spend simmering make it different. Maybe its because you can change it anyway you like and make it your own. Don't like peas? Leave'm out! Want extra potatoes? Toss'em in! Use chicken instead of beef...or venison even...anyways, I could toss out alternatives for this recipe all day long...anyway you like it, enjoy it...

Vegetable Soup

2 lbs of cubed beef roast, trimmed

64 oz beef broth

2 sprigs of rosemary

3 cloves of garlic

1 medium onion, cut in bite sized chunks

1 tsp black pepper

Put the beef cubes, broth, onion, and pepper in the crockpot. Make sure there is enough broth to cover the meat. Chop the garlic and add. Crush the rosemary between your fingers before adding (this opens the rosemary and makes the flavor more profound.) Cook on low, overnight (at least 6 hours).

1 bag frozen mixed vegetables

1 bag frozen soup mix (the one I found has okra, potatoes, celery, diced tomatoes, lima beans)

4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 c. ketchup

2 Tbsp chili powder

Add the frozen veggies and chili powder to the crockpot. Cook 4 hours or so. Add the potatoes and ketchup and cook another 4-6 hours or until all the veggies and potatoes are tender. 

The ketchup adds a slight sweetness to the soup. Feel free to substitute the beef for chicken, turkey, venison, rabbit, squirrel, or even tofu. If you choose a poultry, switch the beef broth to chicken broth. If you choose venison or other wild game, try using a vegetable broth to allow the meat's natural flavor to come out in the soup. Whichever type of meat you use, this soup is excellent with cornbread. Generally, I double this recipe and freeze half of it in individual containers for easy lunches.