Vegetable Beef Soup

2 c. (or more) leftover beef pot roast, diced fine

1 medium onion, diced

1 c. chopped celery

4-5 large carrots, peeled and diced

4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

2 ears of corn, kernels cut off the cob (or 1 1/2 c. frozen corn kernels)

2 c. cut green beans

1 c. frozen peas

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh italian parsley

5 c. vegetable juice (or tomato juice)

leftover beef broth and/or gravy (from the pot roast) plus water to equal 5 cups

2 tsp. beef soup base 

1 Tbsp. salt

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried marjoram

2 large bay leaves

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat; add a few drizzles of olive oil and add the onions and celery. Cook and stir for a few minutes and then add the carrots and potatoes. Cook for a few minutes more. Add the salt, pepper, oregano, marjoram, and bay leaves; stir together. Add the vegetable juice and the combination of leftover gravy and water and the beef soup base. Bring mixture to boil. Add the diced pot roast. Reduce heat to low; cover the pot and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the corn kernels (if you cut it fresh from the cobs, be sure to scrape the corn milk into the pot also, for additional flavor) and the green beans (if using precooked green beans, wait to add them). Simmer covered for 15 minutes. Add the peas (and precooked green beans), and the fresh parsley. Turn off heat and let set for 5 minutes. Check to see if it needs more salt or pepper. This is amazing soup with such rich broth! Whenever I make a pot roast, I try to prepare extra so that I have leftovers for this marvelous concoction. If you refrigerate the leftover beef, the fat will harden and you can strain it out from the meat and broth, before you use it in the soup. Feel free to customize your choice of vegetables; I've used the ones my family likes, but you can add whatever your palate dictates.