Dorothy’s Soothing Beef Soup

            Paper, papers, papers; I want them to go away and never come back!  This next semester I have a choice between taking 4 classes and graduating with my English degree or continuing with more semesters and graduating later with a writing minor.  One would think that I don’t mind writing papers, since my minor is in writing.  Well normally I do not.  This fall, my concussion caused a bit of havoc in my head causing my face to go numb, and my world to spin.  My stomach wants to call Ralph.  I thought that the summer could cause me a lot of trouble with the big pressure changes during the thunderstorms, but this swirling, and blowing, with pressure changes in the fall have created a much larger problem.  Only if I could wiggle my nose, say a “complete, finito” and it would be done.  Being that I am only a muggle, this bit of wizardry will not actually take place.  Plus, I heard that if you are caught conjuring a research paper, you will be thrown out of school for unauthorized use of magic.

            Today I concocted a special beef soup for lunch.  Only if writing papers were so easy:

Dorothy’s Soothing Beef Soup

Put the following into a large soup pot and brown the meat, but do not cook it yet:

            Two soup bones with meat around them.  Cut off the meat and cut it into small pieces.

            1 pound of stew meat cut into small pieces

            3 tablespoons of Olive oil

After meat is browned fill pot with water to the half way line.

Add:

            3 bay leaves

            1 heaping teaspoon full of marjoram

            1 teaspoon full of Thyme

            1 heaping teaspoon full Gram Masala

            1 teaspoon full lemon pepper

            4 potatoes cubed into small pieces

            4 carrots cut small

            ½ rutabaga cubed small

            2 stalks of celery cut into small pieces

            14.5 can of diced tomatoes

            ½ cup of frozen corn

            ½ cup of frozen peas

            1 can of mushrooms

            2 lg beef bouillon cubes

            salt to taste

Cook in the oven on 350 until the meat is tender and falling apart.

Sauté until translucent:

             1 chopped onion

              2 large cloves of garlic

Add:     

       salt, pepper and paprika and ½ cup of flour.

Brown the onion mixture and add to the soup.  Cook for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally.  When serving, add one dollop of sour cream.