When DH and I were in college, we used to go to a little diner that served the best beef vegetable soup you can imagine. I’ve always tried to make my soup as close to that one as possible. So here’s my best try.  DH says I’ve almost got it!

Mrs. Moore’s Beef Vegetable Soup

1-1/2 pound chunk of lean beef
2 quarts beef stock (or 2 qt. water with 2 t. beef soup base added)
half a large head of cabbage coarsely chopped
1 med onion, coarsly chopped (optional)
1 can (about 3 cups) petite diced tomatos (I like Hunts)
1 clove garlic, minced
bay leaf

Cover and cook in 6 qt. crockpot on high about 6 hours (or 8-9 hours on low), pull meat apart.  Correct the seasoning, and add some black pepper, and a couple of shakes of Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning.  (or substitute a little cayenne.)

Add:
1/4 C. barley (not the flakes…the whole grain)

Turn crockpot to low and cook another hour or so until the barley plumps and softens.  Then add a 2# package of frozen mixed vegetables and continue heating until soup gets hot again and vegetables just cook till crisp tender.  (You can speed this part up by microwaving or steaming the veggies so they go into the soup hot.)

Serve with some good crusty whole-grain bread and butter.