Thoughtless Thursday: Steak and Vegetable Soup

How happy am I that fall seems to have finally arrived, and with it weather conducive to all the soups and stews I love to make?  After the weekend’s excesses (can we say Halloween candy, roasted marshmallows, and more hot dogs than I care to admit that I ate?), I was in the mood for something healthy with loads of flavor.  So of course I hit the freezer and immediately thought of some kind of crock pot soup, which of course I must pass on to Souper Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen.  I had 3 New York strips in the freezer, so I decided to turn them into a soup.  Adding a jar of this and a handful of just about every other vegetable in my freezer, and I came up with this tasty and flavorful dish that goes great with a grilled cheese.  Mmmm.  This makes 4-5 servings in a 4 quart crock pot.

Ingredients:

• 3 steaks (your choice…I used New York strips and trimmed all the fat) cut into 1″ cubes
• cooking spray
• 1 jar favorite salsa (I actually used some homemade canned salsa from my husband’s aunt)
• 1/3 cup green beans
• 1/3 cup sweet peas
• 1/3 cup lima beans
• 1/3 cup corn
• 1/2 cup diced sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup carrots
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup whole wheat macaroni
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth

Directions:

1. Spray a skillet with cooking spray and saute your steak until you get a nice caramelization.
2. Add to crock pot.
3. Add the salsa, vegetables, and beef broth, topping off the liquid with water (or more beef broth if you happen to have it).
4. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5.
5. Throw the macaroni in at the tail end and cook until soft (about 15-20 minutes depending).
6. Serve with your favorite grilled cheese.

Printable version.