Memories and Soup

I finally got around to cutting some lilacs and bringing them in the house. When our Princess was born, the lilacs were in full bloom in southern Minnesota where Mom and Marv live. They came up the day she was born with a five gallon bucket full of lilacs. You could smell them in the hospital hallway four rooms away. I have always liked lilacs, but ever since then they bring back to memory a very special day. The vase you see in the picture came from my Aunt J. When I moved out on my own, she gave me a couple boxes of things, one of those things was this vase. Do you remember that vase J? Oh yeah, I also came home with a kitten from their house that day. His name was Duke. Duke would sit in the recliner with The King and eat potato chips and olives! The doilie under the vase was made for me by my secret sister at church several years ago. She was a tremendous lady and is now at home with her Lord and Savior.

One night this week I made an old soup with a new twist, or splash. The King said it was okay, but I don't think he liked it as much as the traditional way. I thought it was pretty good. You'll have to give it a try and see what you think. The recipe came from my Taste of Home's BIG BOOK of SOUP cookbook and Brigitte Schultz of Barstow, California, submitted the recipe to Taste of Home.

Vegetable Beef Soup

1 pound boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I used a beef roast)

1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) beef broth

2 cups cubed peeled potatoes (I never peel potatoes, the peelings are good for you!)

1-1/4 cups water

2 medium carrots, sliced

1 tablespoon onion soup mix (I used a tablespoon of beef bouillon and a chopped onion)

1 tablespoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup white wine or additional beef broth (I used the white wine, that was the new splash!)

Sprinkle steak with 1/8 teaspoon pepper. In a Dutch oven, brown steak in batches in oil over medium heat. Add the broth, potatoes, water, carrots, onion soup mix, basil, tarragon and remaining pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and wine or additional broth until smooth; stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Yield: 7 servings.

That is the end of the recipe - but I added dumplings. What is a pot of soup without a bunch of dumplings floating around? I think my supper was broth and dumplings that night. Maybe a piece or two of carrot or potato got in my bowl.