Homemade & Hearty Vegetable Soup

3-4 lb rump roast
Salt & Pepper
About 8oz baby carrots, diced
About 8oz celery, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced or chopped
1 can of green beans, drained
1 can of peas, drained
4-6 medium potatoes diced, skin in tact (thank goodness)
1 can of corn, drained
15 oz can tomato soup
15 oz can tomato juice
28 oz can diced tomatoes, drained, hold on to can
Water

Place rump roast in crockpot. Salt & pepper it generously. Cover a little more than half of roast with water. Cook 6 hours on high or 9 hours on low. When done, strain liquid to remove fatty bits. Although this is a pretty healthy dish to begin with, if you're concerned about removing more fat, put the liquid in the fridge for a while until the fat rises to top and gets solid enough to discard. If not, then just set the meat and strained liquid aside. The meat will be added to the soup once all veggies are almost tender.

For the soup: in a large stockpot place the carrots, celery, onion, green beans, peas, potatoes, corn, soup, juice, tomatoes and strained liquid (= to about 2 cups) from roast. Also, fill the 28 oz can from tomatoes with water twice & add to soup. Add salt & pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes & carrots are tender. When they are, shred the roast into pieces with your fingers and add to soup. Simmer 20 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

I've loved making this soup for years now. The work is only in the dicing of the veggies but it's so worth it because it makes enough for many days of feasting, enough to bring to some friends, and enough to put in the freezer in individual portions. If you don't like the veggies above substitute your own. I am not a canned veggie person at all but I stick with the recipe because that's how my husband loves it. I am sure fresh beans, peas and corn would be lovely!!