Texas Beef Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound lean beef stew meat

1 tablespoon seasoning salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped

2 1/2 cups beef broth

1 (15 ounce) can mixed vegetables

1 (11.5 fl oz) can spicy vegetable juice cocktail

Cooking Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet. Season the stew meat with seasoning salt and pepper. Cook meat in the oil along with onion and bell pepper until browned. Transfer to a slow cooker, and stir in the beef broth.

Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours, or until meat is tender. During the last 30 minutes, stir in the mixed vegetables and vegetable juice cocktail.

Yield: 6 servings

Texas Cowboy Stew

6 slices bacon
1 cup sliced onions
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cups cubed potatoes
2 large cans tomatoes)
1 can corn, drained or 1 cob corn, cut off

Fry bacon, remove from skillet. Sauté onions and bell pepper in bacon drippings. Add beef and garlic. Brown together and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add salt, pepper, chili powder, tomatoes and potatoes. Cook over low heat until potatoes are done. Add corn; simmer 10 minutes.

Crumble bacon over top.

San Antonio Stew

2 pounds boneless beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can condensed beef broth
1 cup hot water
1 cup PACE picante sauce
1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16 ounce) can whole tomatoes
3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 ears fresh or thawed frozen corn, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium zucchini (about 1 ounce), cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup cold water
2 tablespoons flour

In large Dutch oven, brown meat, half at a time, in hot oil. Return all meat to Dutch oven. Add broth, hot water, picante sauce, onion, parsley, salt, cumin and garlic. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1 hour or until meat is tender.

Drain and coarsely chop tomatoes, reserving juice, add tomatoes and juice to Dutch oven with carrots, corn and zucchini. Cover and simmer 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Gradually add cold water to flour, mixing until smooth. Gradually stir into stew. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute or until thickened.

Serve with additional picante sauce.

Makes 8 servings, about 10 cups stew.

Texas Shrimp Gumbo

This is a Texan classic.

4 quarts water
1/4 cup shrimp or crab boil
2 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons bacon drippings
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon file powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (10 ounce) package thawed, frozen, cut okra
1/4 cup uncooked long-grain rice

In large pot, bring water to a boil. Tie shrimp or crab boil in a cheesecloth bag. Add to water with shrimp. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Turn off heat; let stand 10 minutes.

Drain shrimp, reserving 2 cups broth.

In a heavy Dutch oven, heat butter and bacon drippings. Add celery, onion and green bell pepper. Cook until tender.

Add shrimp broth, tomatoes with juice, thyme, garlic, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, file powder, salt and pepper to vegetable mixture. Simmer, covered 45 minutes.

Add okra and rice. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes or until rice is tender. Add shrimp and heat through.

Makes 8 servings.

Texas Gumbo Rice

4 slices bacon
1 lg. onion, minced
1 chopped bell pepper
6 med. diced tomatoes
16 oz. can corn
1 c. cooked okra
1/2 c. long grain rice
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder

Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove from pan and drain. Measure 3 tablespoons bacon fat into skillet. Add onion and saute until tender. Add remainder of ingredients; cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.

South Texas Seafood Gumbo

7 tbsp. bacon drippings
7 tbsp. flour
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/2 bell pepper, seeded & chopped
1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes & juice
1 1/2 qt. water
2-3 chicken bouillon cubes
3 bay leaves
2 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen, sliced okra, or 1 1/2 lb. fresh okra, sliced into rings
2 tsp. thyme or 2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 lb. shrimp, peeled & devined (more to taste)
2 cans crab (least expensive kind)
1 lb. fresh crabs, shell on, or crab claws in shell, when available
1 (8 oz.) jar oysters w/liquid
1/2 c. cooked rice per person
Cayenne pepper, salt, freshly ground black pepper & Tabasco or other hot sauce & garlic to taste

Place flour and bacon drippings in a deep 6-8 quart pot and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, over medium heat until the roux is a rich, dark brown, but not burned. This step is very important to the ultimate flavor.

Saute onions, bell pepper and celery in 1 teaspoon oil in a separate skillet. Add to roux. Slowly add tomatoes and juice, stirring mixture constantly; break tomatoes into pieces. Add water all at once.

Add bouillon cubes, garlic, hot seasonings, bay leaves, thyme and okra; simmer uncovered 30-45 minutes.

Meanwhile start to cook rice separately. Add shrimp and crab to tomato mixture; simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes. Add oysters with liquid and simmer just until cooked and plump, 3-5 minutes. Serve with rice. Pass additional hot sauce.

Texas Taco Soup

2 pounds ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch Dip
1 can corn
1 can Ranch style beans
1 can stewed tomato
1 medium onion
1 can pinto beans
1 can Ro*Tel

Add water if needed. Brown ground beef. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer until thoroughly heated.

Serve with chips and shredded cheese