Recipe for Wastebasket Soup

Ingredients for Wastebasket Soup:
1 1/2
pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes 
1 cup coarsely chopped
onion 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 teaspoon minced garlic
 
1 teaspoon salt 
3 (10 1/2 ounce) cans condensed beef broth
 
3 cups water 
1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning* 

1 (15 ounce can great northern beans or navy beans, rinsed and drained
 
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can tomatoes, cut up 
1 1/2 cups thinly
sliced carrots 
1 (6 ounce) can pitted ripe olives, drained 
2
cups sliced zucchini 
1 cup dried small pasta shells 
Grated
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Wastebasket Soup preparation instruction:
* If you don't have Italian seasoning,
substitute 3/4 teaspoon dried basil, crushed, and 3/4 teaspoon dried
oregano, crushed. 
In a 4-quart Dutch oven combine beef, onion, oil,
garlic, and salt. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 40 minutes, stirring
occasionally. 
Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350
degrees F. Carefully stir broth, water, and Italian seasoning into the beef
mixture. Cover and bake about 1 hour more or until beef is almost tender.
 
Stir in beans, tomatoes, carrots, and olives. Cover and bake 20
minutes more. Stir in zucchini and pasta. Cover and bake about 20 minutes
more or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese,
if desired. 
Makes 8 to 10 main-dish servings.