Crockpot Vegetable Beef Soup

Yum! This is what I made Friday night.


CROCKPOT VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP

2 med. potatoes, peeled and diced
2 med. carrots, peeled and diced
1 1/2 lb. beef shank or neck bones
1 med. onion, peeled and chopped
1 can whole tomatoes (16 oz), quartered
1 can corn (17 oz), undrained
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground savory
2 tsp. instant beef bouillon
3 c. boiling water

Place the first 7 ingredients in a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker in the order listed. Sprinkle parsley and the next 5 ingredients over the vegetables. Dissolve bouillon in boiling water and pour over spices. Cover and cook on low setting for 8-10 hours. Remove beef shank and bay leaf; recover. Remove meat from bones; cut into bite-size pieces. Return meat to soup; mix. Serves 8 to 10.

Notes:
1. I cooked the neck bones (2) first, discarded the fat and liquid. It was too fatty for my taste. There wasn't much beef, but it didn't deter from the taste.
2. I increased the amount of vegetables and used a 5qt crockpot.
3. I used diced tomatoes, and frozen corn. I added frozen peas.
4. I added extra water to make more broth.
5. At the end of the cooking time, I added a few handfuls of barley and allowed it to cook 1/2 hour more.