Craving Vegetables, 2 Recipes

Lately, I have been craving vegetables. This is a good thing since veggies are supposed to be so good for you. You're in luck today because you get two recipes for the price of one.

Last night, I had my heart set on a big pot of vegetable soup for supper. I thought I had posted my easy recipe for Homemade Vegetable Soup, but couldn't find it in the archive. So, just in case, here it is again.

I call this Basic Homemade Vegetable Soup because any vegetables can be added to the basic recipe below and I usually do that. Two of my favorites are fresh cauliflower and a can of Lima beans. My mother adds cabbage, which is another favorite. I've seen okra added, but not in my soup. When my husband makes this and we don't have cans of mixed vegetables, he starts opening and dumping whatever vegetables we happen to have in the pantry.

Basic Homemade Vegetable Soup

1 pound lean ground beef
2 cans mixed vegetables
1 large can tomato juice

Fry ground beef until done. Drain, and place in the soup pot. Add the mixed vegetables and tomato juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 30-45 minutes. This makes a large pot and leftovers can be frozen for use later.


My next recipe, which I plan to make this week after doing my grocery shopping, is called Marinated Garden Salad. This recipe belongs to my aunt and I've never made it, but I have eaten it and it's delicious. I've also seen many variations of it online.

Marinated Garden Salad

1 can whole kernel corn
1 can French-cut green beans
1 can peas
1 can mushroom pieces
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 C. celery, diced
1 C. green pepper, chopped

Drain all the juice from the cans of vegetables. Dump veggies in to a bowl. Mix together and set aside.

Dressing:
1 C. sugar
1/4 C. white vinegar
1/4 C. oil
1/3 C. water

Bring to boil, let cool and pour over vegetables. Store in glass jars and chill in the refrigerator.