fall's here; soup's on

If there’s one thing I really love around this time, it’s soup. Even living in season-challenged South Florida, chilly days come around and they long to be taken advantage of! This means a big pot of hearty soup simmering away on the stove. This means throwing anything and everything into a pot, covering it up with some stock, and making a comforting masterpiece.
Soup is the idea of comfort, the idea of warmth. Soup is one of the earliest memories I have with my grandparents. It’s something my mom used to sneak in some vegetables. It’s the perfect companion for a fall day.
The great thing about soup is that there is never a set anything. It’s a big pot of everything you want, everything you have, everything you need to use up. It will cook away and turn into a bowl of happiness.
The type of happiness that can always be associated with fall. Because fall is, after all, the reminder that the holidays are coming, the new weather settling in, the dusting off of jackets, and the revival of soup.

Beef & Vegetable Soup
1 lb top round steak
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
1 can diced tomatoes, optional
1 qt chicken stock
1-2 bay leaves

other options: just about any veggie you want.

1. Heat up olive oil in pot until almost smoking hot. Meanwhile, cut steak into ½ inch cubes. Drop into oil and season with salt and pepper. Brown.
2. Remove meat and toss in garlic, onion, celery, and carrots. Bring down heat and saute for a minute. Add in potatoes and saute for a minute or two more.
3. Add tomatoes, stock, and bay leaves and drop down to a medium simmer. Simmer for 1 hour, or until meat is tender.
4. Serve up with a nice piece of garlic toast.

Simple and oh-so-delicious.