Borscht (Vegetable) Soup

Submitted by: Luella Zinter - Monango, North Dakota

A nutritious main dish soup that tastes even better the next day!

Soup meat
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1 teaspoon salt
3 quarts water
10 peppercorns
2 cups diced potatoes
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup diced beets (optional)
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup rice or barley
cabbage (optional)

Combine soup meat, bay leaf, salt, water and peppercorns. Cover and simmer gently 4 hours. Remove scum occasionally. When meat is tender, strain the broth to remove the bay leaf and peppercorns. Add remaining ingredients. Cook about 30 minutes.