Posted by Dana

Growing up I remember my Grandmother making big pots of this soup for the work hands on the farm, which consisted mostly of family!

My Grandparents (on my father’s side) raised five boys and a lot of tobacco.

I can remember tobacco patches as far as I could see and thinking how huge those tobacco fields looked.

I guess when you’re a child things tend to look a lot bigger than they seem, because now I can pass by those same fields and they don’t look so big. However, those same fields aren’t filled with rows of tobacco anymore, instead they are sprinkled with houses.

I can also remember my grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles stripping tobacco in a little run down house that was insulated with old newspapers and had a pot-bellied stove in it that was feed with coal.

Often times my grandmother would have a pot of  soup “keeping warm” on top of that old stove.

The kids would play in the back rooms of that old house while the adults stripped the tobacco.

Of course, when us kids got old enough the playing ceased and we were put to work!

Things sure have changed in the last 40 years, but these memories will be with me forever.

I hope you will make this soup and make some memories with your family as well.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck

3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 medium onion, chopped

1 quart tomato juice

1 can beef broth

1 can petite diced tomatoes

1 cup sliced carrots

1 can green beans

1 can whole kernel corn

1 can green peas

Directions

Brown and drain ground chuck.  In a large stock pot combine all ingredients and cover with enough water to make soup.

Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Make a big ole pone of cornbread to serve with this and you talk about good!!