With rising food prices, we all look for ways to stretch our family food budgets. One of the biggest chunks of money we spend on food is for fish, meat and poultry. Except for vegetarians, most of us want to include at least one of the three in every dinner we serve, which can run our budgets pretty thin.
My mom, who lived through the “Great Depression,” learned to stretch food dollars so well she could even feed relatives who stopped by unexpectedly during those hard times. Soup was often her answer, and when an additional person showed up for a meal, she’d always say, “I’ll throw another potato into the pot.”
Thankfully, times are not as dire as they were back then, but even today it’s sometimes necessary to stretch ingredients for supper. And, a great way to make that meat go a little further is to make a slow cooker full of Hearty Steak and Mushroom Soup. Not only does it taste good on these cooler, autumn days, but also it can cook while you’re busy outside raking leaves or attending fall festivals. Another plus is some cuts of steak can be a little tough when grilled or fried, but slow cooking will make it more flavorful and tender.
I sometimes serve a Philly sandwich alongside a steaming bowl of this steak soup and it makes a great evening meal!
HEARTY STEAK and MUSHROOM SOUP
1 pound boneless beef round steak
1 pound (about 4 cups) small potatoes (red or white), cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 medium stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 beef bouillon cubes or 1 tablespoon beef bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 cans (14.5 ounces each) beef broth
1 small can of sliced mushrooms, undrained
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)
Cut beef into 2-inch long strips. Mix beef and remaining ingredients, except for water, flour and parsley, in a 5-quart slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low heat 8 to 9 hours.
Mix water and flour in small bowl; gradually stir into soup until blended. Increase heat setting to high. Cover and cook about 30 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley just before serving. Makes 9 (1 1/2-cup) servings.
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