Main Dishes
A
1-2 lbs Stewing beef, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into half-inch cubes
1-1.5 Tbl dried herbs (e.g. a blend of rosemary, thyme, tarragon)
Freshly ground black pepper
B
1 very large or 2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped into 1" pieces
C
5 cloves garlic, minced
D
1 can beef broth
4+ cups water
E
1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes (or whole tomatoes, diced), with their juice
2 cans (14oz ea) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
F
8oz small pasta (shells, bowties, rotini, elbow, etc)
3 carrots, peeled and chopped into quarter inch rounds or slices
10oz package of frozen green beans in 1" pieces
2 zucchini, in quarter inch thick rounds
Toss together A
Heat oil in a large soup pot and brown A in two batches; set meat aside in bowl
Pour 0.5C water into the soup pot to unstick all the bits stuck to the bottom; pour water over meat in bowl
Reheat soup pot and add oil to heat, then sauté B (onion); when it begins to brown, add C (garlic) & sauté just until fragrant.
Add D (liquids) & the meat-plus-pan drippings; there should be enough liquid to cover the meat and onions by about 1” (add extra water, if needed). Bring to a boil, then lower heat & simmer on low ~2 hours, until meat is tender.
About an hour before serving, add E, and then, keeping the soup at a low boil, add F, one ingredient at a time, leaving about 5 minutes between each addition. Once you’ve added the zucchini, bring the soup back to a boil and then turn it off and let it sit until it’s time to serve. If you continue to cook the soup, the veggies will get mushy; judge “done-ness” by the zucchini.
Taste & adjust seasoning (it usually needs salt, and sometimes pepper, as well) ... but that ill depend on how salty your canned ingredients are, which is why I adjust seasoning only at the very end.