Grandma's Junk Stew

When I was younger I spent a lot of my time with my grandma, so I picked up a couple of her recipes along the way. I wish I would have picked up more cooking tips and tricks from her but I didn't sadly. She wasn't a fan of her baby girl being in the kitchen around hot things. I at least got to help with this one a couple of times so I was able to pick up on it pretty easily. This recipe makes a large pot of stew, so it could either feed a large family or a small family for a couple of days. One of the great things about this recipe is that you can change it in all sorts of ways. You can add or remove vegetables. You can also change, add, or remove any seasonings you want. Here is how we do it in our house!

Grandma's Junk Stew

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 40 minutes Serves: 6-8 people

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs Ground Beef

• 2 cans Whole Kernel Corn

• 2 cans Cut Green Beans

• 1 can Sliced Carrots

• 2 large Red Potatoes

• 1 pack Taco Seasoning

• 1 cube Beef Bouillon*

• 1 cup Water*

*You can use a cup of beef broth in place of the cube and water.

Instructions:

1. Wash and cube the potatoes and boil in a medium pot for about 10 minutes or until they are soft. Strain and set aside.

2. While the potatoes are boiling you can go ahead and brown the ground beef in a 10" skillet. Once the meat is done, strain and add to a large pot.

3. Open all of your cans and pour them into the large pot with the meat. Don't drain the cans! We want the entire content of the can in the pot. Add your seasonings, the cube of bouillon, the water, and anything else you would like to add at this point and give it a good stir. Finally add the potatoes and stir in somewhat gently. We add them last so they don't just fall apart when we are stirring the seasonings in.

4. Heat to boiling and cover. Let it boil for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce to medium heat and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Scoop into bowls and let stand for a few minutes to cool. To store leftovers you can either put the lid on it and just store it that way refrigerated, or you can use a bowl with a lid and refrigerate it that way. This will last in the fridge for about 3 days, just keep in mind the fats will float to the top when cooled, so don't be grossed out by the layer on top. When you reheat it, it will melt back down and be just as tasty!

When we make this recipe at home we always add extra seasonings like cayenne, red pepper, and basically whatever else my husband wants to add until he is satisfied. It always tastes amazing so I usually let him have free reign over that part. The taco seasoning is more than enough but we like a little extra something. If you try this recipe please leave a comment and let me know if you liked it! Also, if you change anything about it let me know, because I might have to try your version too!