Zoo Veg Beef Soup: Kids Delight!

Zoo vegetable beef soupPhoto byGin Lee

The heat from summer is finally dwindling down, and the change in the weather has me craving a bowl of homemade vegetable beef soup. This is a soup recipe that I think most kids will enjoy eating because it has cute zoo animal-shaped pasta in it.

I am not a fan of green sweet peas. So, I didn't add sweet peas to my soup, but if your family likes them, add a cup to your broth when you add the other vegetables in. Don't forget to taste your soup as it cooks, because our taste buds are all different. You may prefer using more or less seasoning than I did.

I also added cooked stew meat to my soup, but if you prefer, you can make the soup meatless. It's actually very tasty prepared either way.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of vegetable broth, or any other type of broth or stock that you'd prefer
• 1 15-ounce can of tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon of celery flakes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons of chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 6 potatoes, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 to 4 ears of sweet corn, cut off the cob
• 1 cup of sliced or diced carrots
• 1 cup of green beans
• 7 ounces of zoo pasta

• 2 cups of chopped beef stew meat, cooked
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 tablespoon of steak seasoning

Instructions:

First, wash and prepare your vegetables.

In a skillet, add 2 tablespoons of butter and allow it to melt over medium heat. Add two cups of chopped beef stew meat to the pan and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of steak seasoning on the meat. Cook for about 12 to 15 minutes until the meat has browned.

In a large soup pan, add 6 cups of vegetable broth or any other type of broth or stock that you'd prefer. Then add the cooked stew meat along with the meat drippings, 1 15-ounce can of tomato sauce or paste, 1 tablespoon of celery flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon of seasoning salt, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons of chili powder, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder together and stir well. Cook over high heat.

Now, add 6 potatoes, peeled and diced; 1 large onion, peeled and diced; 2 to 4 ears of sweet corn cut off the cob; 1 cup of sliced or diced carrots; and 1 cup of green beans to the seasoned broth mixture. Stir well. Allow the broth to come to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.

Cover the soup pot with a lid and allow the vegetables to cook until they're fork tender, about 45 minutes.

Once the root vegetables are tender, add 7 ounces of zoo pasta to your soup and finish cooking it for about 10 to 12 minutes.

Serve it and watch your family enjoy it!