Beef Vegetable Soup

I make this all the time, as you both well know.  So yummy and just a "feel good" soup.  Very filling too.  Easy to throw together for a great week night dinner.  I make a lot and freeze some as well.  How easy to come home and pull a container from the freezer.

Ingredients:
3-5 pounds beef for stew (already cut and pre-packaged at the grocery store) or I buy two London Broil or Top Round steak and cut into bite-size pieces -- Note:  partially freeze the London Broil or Top Round, and you will find it is much easier to cut into bite-size pieces

about 3/4 bottle of Lakewood organic super vegetable juice
3-4 boxes of Swanson low-sodium beef stock
3 small cans diced tomatoes and 1 large can whole tomatoes
2-3 medium onions, diced in food processor
1/2 bag celery, diced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
about 3-4 drops tabasco
2-3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon celery seed
salt and pepper to taste (I use a lot of freshly ground pepper)
1-2 tablespoons old bay seasoning (optional) -- easy on salt, as old bay has tons
Small head of cabbage - rinse and chop roughly
1 bag of frozen peas
1 bag of frozen lima beans

Other vegetable suggestions:  corn, carrots, green beans, potatoes, okra

Directions:
Sear stew meat in batches -- sprinkle generously with freshly ground pepper prior to searing.  Place each batch on a plate until all meat has been seared.  When finished searing all the meat, add back into large stock pan and proceed to add all the ingredients above with the exception of the cabbage, frozen peas, and limas.  The cabbage, peas, and limas should be added during the last 20-30 minutes of cooking time.  If you are adding other frozen vegetables -- i.e., green beans, corn, carrots, add these during the last 20-30 minutes of cooking time as well.

Of course, you can add carrots, potatoes, green beans, corn, and other vegetables of your preference. Pasta can be added as well. I don't love the potatoes and carrots in the soup because potatoes thicken the broth and the carrots can sometimes sweeten the broth.  I feel the same about the pasta -- it will absorb the broth in no time.  So, if you love a lot of broth like I do, just add a little pasta or cook separately and add to individual servings. The green beans sometimes get mushy, especially when reheating, so this is my reasoning for not using.