A,B,C -- Easy As 1, 2, 3 (Alphabet Soup)

In my hastily posted menu plan yesterday, I included a link for Scrabble Soup for Wednesday. Because of mood schedule changes, I often make my menu items on a night other than the one I have planned.

So yep, we had Alphabet Stew tonight. I did not use the Scrabble Soup recipe I linked to but, instead, made up my own. It turned out great, especially with the fabulous bread my daughter makes (by herself other than getting the honey out of the gallon jar) in the bread machine. Everyone, including Mr. Picky Pants, loved it. I am going to attempt to write out the recipe below so I can make it again. If you want to make it also, have at it.

Be forewarned that preparing this soup, or even thinking about it, could bring on your own kitchen performance of ABC, ala Jackson 5.

Off The Cuff Alphabet Soup

Put about 10 cups cold water in a gorgeous pot. Mine is a red Le Creuset 8.5 quart I purchased at Costco with my rebate check a couple years ago.

If the pot is pretty it makes all the difference in the world.

Throw some beef bones in there and add 2+ Tablespoons plain old white vinegar. Vinegar helps extract more nutrition out of those old bones. I say 2+ Tablespoons because I actually really like the tangy flavor it gives so I use more than the recommended amount. Why is it, that when I talk about "those old bones", I keep thinking of myself? Hmm.

Add:

~ 1-2 turnips, peeled and diced

~ 1-2 carrots, sliced thinly

~ Celery stalks and/or leaves and parts, cut up

~ 1-2 cloves garlic

~ 1 onion, sliced

~ Sea Salt, maybe about 2 teaspoons

Now go correct your kid's math, get caught up on laundry, cut up all of the produce you bought yesterday and freeze them on cookie sheets for smoothies later -- or whatever it is that you do all day.

Then pour yourself a glass of wine. We're going to be here awhile.

This is my friend Julie, getting some wine. Not while she made soup. It was at her birthday party. But, still. She was getting some wine and she looks cute in her new dress so I'm leaving it up.

Let those bones and veggies boil for hours and hours, maybe even overnight.

Then, if your family hates the veggies you have included, take them out and blend them up so they don't know they are in there. Then put 'em back in. If they don't have that hatred, well, I'm happy for ya, and just leave them alone.

Remove the bones, strip the little bit of meat that might have still been attached, shred it up and throw it back in the gorgie pot. Add some more veggies of your choice, as many or as few as you'd like.

Add:

~ 1 32 ounce box Beef Broth

~ 1/4 - 1/2 cup onion soup mix (I buy in bulk from Frontier), to taste

~ 1 packet Simply Organic Mushroom Sauce Mix (because I had it, you don't have to)

~ 1 Tablespoon Oregano

~ 1 Tablespoon Dried Basil or fresh to taste

~ Sea Salt to taste

~ 4 Tablespoons Worchestershire Sauce

~ Veggies of your choice (I did not add any additional veggies because I was hoping to slip one over on Mr. Picky Pants, which I did).

~ 1 Pound Cooked Beef of your choice, I used ground

Bring back to boil and add Alphabet Pasta. I found the alphabet pasta for $3.00 through my co-op.

Like, um, a year ago.

So when I cleaned out my pantry and saw I still had it, I decided I better use it. Tomorrow is my co-op order day. I am glad I know how much we like it so I can order more. And it will not be a year before I use it this time.

It is especially fun for little ones who don't like "veg-a-bles". Mine got so distracted with the alphabet and the colors of the pasta that he didn't say a word about the veggies. It helped that the veggies were soft and sort of fell apart in the soup also.

If you want soup, add about 1/2 cup of the ABC pasta. Or, you can be like me, reason that you have had the box for a year, it's time to use it up, and dump the whole thing in, creating a thicker stew.

Whatever. The picture is from my cell phone because my camera is broken. At least now you have a blurry idea of what an alphabet stew might look like.

Serve piping hot, preferably with a slice of homemade bread and a pat of real butter.

Some of us are dippers. This bread is too good to dunk, but the crust can be sacrificed to use as a great dipper.

E-A-T U-P!