A GOOD POT OF VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP

RECIPES THAT TAKE THE CAKE, MAKE THE GRADE AND GIVE YOU THE FEELING THAT YOU’RE MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.

Here is some soup that you can make for your mother-in-law or your boss or your visiting out-of-state relatives and they will think that you are the best soup-maker west of the Pecos (wherever that is.) It isn't just that it tastes good, it's that it tastes like fall and home and happiness and all the good things of life that seem to go with a good meal, well cooked and well-served. It makes you think of the "good old days" when you came home from school on a cold and frosty day and your Mom was there, waiting for you to taste the great soup that she made "just for you". It wasn't really just for you, but she told you that so you would feel obligated to eat it, but you were glad you did because it tasted so good. Since this is the time of year when so many fresh vegetables are available, it's always fun to use them in soup because it makes you feel all earthy and domestic and it brings out the true "culinary diva" in you and that's a good thing. Homemade soup always makes you feel that life is good and whatever else might be wrong in your life, here is one thing that is marvelously and wonderfully right. Don't feel daunted and intimidated by the recipe because it has so many things in it. It has to have a lot of things in it to be a really good soup, but they're simple and easy things--most of them you already have on hand and if you don't, just go borrow whatever it is that you need or remember to buy it the next time you go to the store. So, let's get started:

1/2 lb. lean hamburger

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 medium onion, chopped

4 stalks of celery, sliced very fine

1 C. matchstick carrots (or 2 carrots peeled and thinly sliced)

2 ears of corn

2 medium potatoes, diced

5 medium fresh tomatoes, skinned and chopped

1 pkg. brown gravy mix

1 pkg. dry onion soup mix

2 quarts of water

1 tsp. Accent

1 C. tomato ketchup

1 tbsp. Heinz 57 Sauce

3 bay leaves

1. Brown the hamburger in a large soup pot. Add the onion and keep cooking until the onion is clear and transparent.

2. Season with garlic salt.

3. Add the sliced celery and keep cooking until the celery starts getting transparent.

4. Cut the corn from the cob and add to the meat mixture.

5. Add the matchstick carrots. Keep stirring.

6. Peel and chop the potatoes into small cubes.

7. Skin and chop the tomatoes. If you don't have fresh ones, use 1 medium can of chopped tomatoes.

8. Add 1 and 1/2 quarts of water to the meat mixture. Bring to a boil.

9. In a 2-cup measuring cup, add 2 cups of water and the brown gravy and onion soup mixes. Stir well, then add to the soup.

10. Add the Accent to the soup.

11. Add the ketchup and the Heinz 57 sauce.

12. Put in 3 bay leaves and then let the soup simmer for one hour. Remove the bay leaves before serving. Put it in a lovely soup tureen or just put the put on the table. Serves 4-6. Enjoy!