Leftover Soup

Cooking for two leaves leftovers. I put the left over vegetables in a plastic freezer container freeze it and add layers throughout the month. I freeze leftover meat separately. And leftover rice or pasta in another container. Begin the soup by browning:
1/2 med onion diced
1-2 sticks celery diced
1 tbsp oil
1-2 fresh carrots, scraped and diced
2 med potatoes diced

Brown lightly. Add frozen meat. You can go all beef and use the other half of a previous roast. Or all chicken and use a pack of frozen cooked boned chicken meat. Or you can use ground beef. I have used barbqued ribs or chicken.

Add water to cover bottom of pan. Add frozen vegetables (corn,peas,greenbeans,beets,etc) and any diced fresh (firm) vegetable that is on hand: greenbeans, cabbage, turnips etc. If you froze the cooking liquid with the vegetables it will melt and you will not need to add as much water and bullion. If you add water and granulated bullion use 1/2 the amount specified on the container per cup liquid. The rest of the flavor will come from the ingredients of the soup. Or you can use a can of condensed vegetable soup or a 1/2 pkg onion soup mix. And add the water according to the product.

Put in a combination of some seasonings:salt (watch if you used canned veggies), pepper, parsley, rosemary, thyme, bayleaf, garlic, or mushrooms. For beef: a can of tomatoes and two whole cloves (the spice) make a nice variation. Chicken,celery,broccoli, parsley,( a little creole seasoning) and rice are another good combo.

Add water to cover. Simmer covered (lid) until the potatoes and carrots are almost done. 20-30 min. Add any other (tender) fresh diced vegetables:spinach, broccoli, squash. Add the frozen starches:rice, pasta,barley.

Simmer another 15 min. so the starch thaws and soaks up some flavor.

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