This is one of my all-time favorite soups, because you can’t beat the basic meat and potatoes combination. The tomato juice base packs in lots of vitamins and veggie servings without adding the calories of a cream-based soup. Like a lot of soups, this one improves after a day in the fridge, but if you don’t want it sitting around simply freeze it in 1- or 2-serving portions. Makes a good, quick meal for another day!
1 lb. ground beef
Salt and pepper to taste
2 large potatoes, cubed
3 carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 large can/1 quart jar tomatoes (with juice)
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 64-oz. bottle tomato juice
Dill, garlic powder, salt, pepper, to taste
In a 2-quart pan or Dutch oven, brown and drain the ground beef with salt and pepper; set aside and discard the grease. In the same pan, simmer the potatoes, carrots, celery, and tomatoes with the bouillon and seasonings until tender. Add tomato juice and stir in the ground beef. Adjust seasonings to taste and simmer to allow flavors to blend.
Kitchen Hint: If you prefer a creamier soup, as my mom did, shake 1 C. milk with 3 T. flour in a jar until smooth and stir this in after the final step above. Stir continuously to keep the milk from scorching. Freezes well.