Occasionally......

Occasionally I make something that's NOT sweet that I want to share.......This is one of those times. I know it's like a zillion degrees in the states, but it's barely sixty here in England...so maybe you can squirrel it away for the cooler weather.

Hamburger Stoup

2 lbs. ground beef

2 tablespoons soy sauce or Teriyaki sauce

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil- or bacon grease

1 can diced or chopped tomatoes

2 medium onions, chopped

2 stalks celery, diced small(optional-but recommended- you cannot taste it if you chop it small enough and it makes all the difference in the world to the taste of the soup!!!)

½ cup carrot, chopped small

½ red bell pepper, diced medium

2 vegetable stock cubes

1-2 cups leftover Black-eye peas or pinto beans

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground pepper

4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into chunks

Heat oil or bacon grease in skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and celery to oil. Lower heat and continue to cook until onions are translucent- about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same skillet, brown ground beef. Drain excess fat. Add soy or teriyaki to ground beef. Dissolve the vegetable stock cubes in a cup of boiling water. In a large saucepan combine the ground beef and cooked vegetables. Then add the vegetable stock, tomatoes, salt, pepper, carrots, black-eye peas or pinto beans. Add water to the saucepan until it is 1 inch above the ingredients in the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for an hour. THEN add potatoes and simmer until potatoes are cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with biscuits, cornbread or crackers.