SOUP/ VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP

        BY JOAN RICKETTS LOCKE
 
Everyone has a fond memory of Halloween, Trick-or-Treat.
Money was tight for our family of seven back in the 1950's and 1960's and store-bought Halloween costumes were unheard of. 
The fun was going downstairs in the basement cedar closet and the five Ricketts kids trying on different clothes, having fun making the most awesome Halloween costumes!  Mom and Dad's old clothes made the best costumes and the best memories!

 
Vegetable Beef Soup
INGREDIENTS:

1 pound of stew beef

If using canned veggies,
add one 16 oz. can of each.
Fresh veggies, use two cups.

Carrots
Peas
White Corn
Potatoes
Green Beans
Lima Beans
Onion (use only 1 cup)
Pinto Beans (or kidney beans)
Tomatoes (diced)
Cabbage (chopped)
Celery (diced)

Brown stew beef in fry pan.  Remove beef and place in large soup pot.
To the drippings in fry pan,  over low heat, add two cups of water, and the following seasonings:

2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. coarse cracked pepper
1 tbsp. parsley
1 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
(if you don't have fresh celery, add 1 tbsp. celery salt)

Stir and simmer for two minutes.  Taste for flavor, then add to soup pot.
Place all veggie ingredients in soup pot, stir and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer soup for two hours.  (This can be placed in a crock pot too.)
Twenty minutes before serving, you can add macaroni noodles, rice, or whichever pasta you choose.  Just increase the heat to a low boil until noodles are tender.

Serve a heaping bowl of soup with biscuits, corn bread, or your favorite
crusty bread.

Note:  If you are making this soup for Dad, omit the beef and use
country ham.  Also, leave out the corn, cabbage and pinto beans!

 

The Ricketts Family 1963
at home in Forestville, MD.


Momma usually made this soup every Halloween.  She
made sure we were warm on
the inside before venturing
out on Halloween's chilly
evenings.