Some Recipes for You

Okay, I haven’t done a recipe blog in a while. Yesterday, on Facebook, I mentioned we were having hamburger soup and homemade bread for supper. A friend saw it and asked me for the soup recipe. So I thought I’d post it here in case any of you are feeling “soupy” today or tomorrow or sometime this winter. I got the recipe from a lovely older woman at church – many years ago.

Hamburger Soup

1 lb. ground beef

5 cups water

1 16oz. can tomatoes

1 cup chopped onion - about two medium

2 medium carrots sliced

2 stalks celery chopped

1/3 cup barley

1/4 cup ketchup

1 t. instant beef granules (or bouillon cube)

2 t. seasoned salt

1 t. dried basil

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat and drain. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer until vegetables are tender (I usually let it go for at least an hour). Leftover vegetables are a nice addition to this soup. When ready to eat, remove bay leaf and enjoy.

Serving suggestion: This recipe begs for crusty bread slathered with butter.

And – as a Bonus! – I’m giving you my recipe for Ugly Beans. Yeah, you read it right. It’s one my friend, Carol, gave me about the same time as I got the soup recipe from Kitty.  It’s one of Carol's own devising and has only three ingredients. But so good.

Ugly Beans

One pound of fresh green beans (not canned or frozen)

Butter

Soy sauce

Clean the beans, snap the ends. Melt a lump of butter in your fry pan and add the beans. Cook until they begin to soften and then add some soy sauce – a good splash. Continue to cook until the beans are wrinkled and ugly. Add more soy sauce if you’d like. Go ahead – taste one if you need to. Excellent side dish.

Image: freedigitalphotos.net