Crockpot Vegetable Beef Soup

My sister lives in Northern Colorado in the center of the agricultural region. She went to a working farm and collected red potatoes (for an incredible bargain!) and was sweet enough to share with us. It started to snow today and I always seem to want to use the Crockpot when the weather begins to cool! This wonderful recipe yields 12 hearty servings at approximately $12.00. You can enjoy on a cold day and have leftovers for a few lunches, it also freezes really well!

5 medium red potatoes, cubed

5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced – approx. $1.20

1 medium onion, sliced – approx. $1.00

2 pounds stew meat - $5.99

3 beef bullion cubes

6 cups of water

1 12oz canned diced tomatoes - $1.49

1 small head of cabbage, chopped $1.00

1 12oz bag frozen corn - $1.00 , on sale

Brown meat in skillet, remove and place in Crockpot. Add 2 cups of water and bullion cubes to the pan drippings and bring to a boil Reduce heat and stir. Simmer until bullion cubes are dissolved. Layer onions, potatoes, and carrots on top of meat. I use the layering technique when I use my Crockpot to ensure the vegetables that take longer cook (like potatoes and carrots) cook thoroughly. It also ensures that you don’t end up with soggy cabbage. Add can of tomatoes, bullion mixture, and additional 4 cups of water. Finish with cabbage and cook undisturbed for 5 hours on high. Stir and add corn in final 1 hour of cooking. I love to serve with toasted slices of fresh French bread and butter.