Vegetable-Beef Soup

Ingredients

• 3 pounds beef shank crosscuts
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn
• 2 cups chopped, peeled tomatoes or one 16-ounce can tomatoes, cut up
• 1 1/2 cups cubed, peeled potatoes
• 1 cup fresh or loose-pack frozen cut green beans
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 cup chopped onion

Instructions

1. In a large Dutch oven or kettle combine meat, bay leaves, salt, oregano, marjoram, pepper, and 8 cups water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Remove meat. When cool enough to handle, cut meat off bones and coarsely chop. Discard bones. Strain broth through a large sieve or colander lined with layers of cheesecloth. Skim fat and return broth to kettle. Stir in meat, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, carrots, celery, and onion. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 15 to 30 minutes or till vegetables are crisp-tender. Discard bay leaves.
2. Shortcut Vegetable-Beef Soup: Prepare as above, except substitute 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, for the beef shank crosscuts. Before adding ingredients to Dutch oven, brown meat in 2 tablespoons hot cooking oil. Drain fat. If desired, omit straining broth.