Share a Spoon - Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup

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Share a Spoon - SOUPS
compliments of
The Truth According to Buffee
Growing up we ate soups and stews, a lot!  My mom used to cook soups all day and put a whole lot of love in those pots.  Lucky for me, I have learned some short cuts, and I don't have to spend all day making a hearty pot of soup in order to enjoy all that flavor.  Plus, THANK GOD for Food Network.  I swear, they have single handedly revolutionized the grocery stores and what's available at the local markets.
My secret for great soups is boxed stocks.  Now, once a year after Thanksgiving, I do make turkey soup and I make my own turkey stock and it takes all day.  However, that's a once a year kind of deal.  You know, holiday special.  Most of the time, it's quick fast and in a hurry.  I promise though, my shortcuts will give you a great bowl of soup in short order!
So here's my version of my mom's Vegetable Beef Soup.

Image provided via Google images.

I didn't make this yet this week, as I have been busy preparing for company.  However, me, That One Mom and Buffee will be having this soup TONIGHT!  That's right!  A blogger party at my HOUSE!  What's more welcoming than a big hearty beautiful bowl of soup?  Nada!
Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup
Ingredients:
1 Large package stew meat1 Large Onion diced4 celery stalks chopped3 carrots chopped4-6 red potatoes diced (I leave the skins on)2 tablespoons tomato paste1 clove of garlic(fresh) grated1 bag frozen soup vegetable mix1/2 bag of frozen sweet corn 1 large can petite diced tomatoes1 can crushed tomatoes2 boxes beef stocksalt n' pepper1 teaspoon dried oregano2-3 teaspoon fresh flat leaf parsley chopped
In a large heavy bottomed soup pot heat 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat.  Salt and pepper your stew meat and brown the stew meat on all sides.  Once beef is browned, remove from pot. 
Add onions, celery, potatoes and carrots and dried oregano to the pot.  Cook vegetables until they begin to soften.  5-7 minutes.  Grate the fresh garlic clove and stir into the vegetables.  Add tomato paste.  Stir well.  Reduce heat to medium and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add one box of stock and make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to pick up all the browned bits.  Add the meat back to the pot.  Add crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes.  Stir well.  Add the last box of stock.  Bring to a boil.
Stir in the frozen soup veggies and the frozen corn.  Cover and let the soup boil for 30 - 45 minutes.  Turn heat down to simmer and add the fresh chopped flat leaf parsley.  Allow soup to simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Serve with some crusty bread or my husband's favorite Premium Saltine Crackers.
NOTE:  This soup turns out great in the crock pot too.  Just brown the stew meat.  Add to crock pot.  Add all the additional ingredients, except for the parsley.  Allow the soup to cook in the crock pot all day (6-8 hours).  When you get home, turn the crock pot off and add the parsley.
Now, break out your favorite soup recipe and get over here and link it up!