Of course, I didn't write down a recipe. But if I had to guess, I used a 2 ½ lb beef chuck roast that was trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch cubes. I seasoned them with salt and pepper, browned them really well in a large Dutch oven, and set them aside.
Then, in the same Dutch oven, I sautéed approximately 4 carrots (slices), 1 small yellow onion (diced), and about 6 cloves of garlic (minced) for a few minutes until very aromatic and the onions were translucent. I added 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes, about 8 cups of beef stock, and returned the beef to pot. I seasoned the soup with a generous amount of Italian seasoning blend and a good splash (2 tablespoons?) of Worcestershire sauce, along with black pepper and salt to taste. Bring it to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
Once simmering, I added about 8 oz. of sliced crimini mushrooms, and two Yukon gold potatoes (cubed). Allow to simmer for a couple of hours for the flavors to come together. Right towards the end, I add corn and frozen peas (as much as you like), as well as some small pasta shells (which I actually cook first and rinse with cold water before adding to the soup…the pasta retains its texture better that way!).
Serve with oyster cracker, and enjoy the leftovers! This seems to taste even better on the second day.
