Recipe: Two versions of Frisch's Vegetable Soup

Two versions of Frisch's Vegetable Soup
Version 1:

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup ea. diced: carrots, celery
1/2 cup ea. frozen vegetables:
peas, corn, cut green beans, baby lima beans (can use canned baby limas)
1 can, 14.5 oz, diced tomatoes with juice
2 quarts beef broth
1 quart water
1/2 teaspoon ea. thyme, garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup potato, diced
1/4 cup pearl barley
1/4 cup long grain rice
Salt to taste

In a large soup pot, saut onion, carrot, and celery until onion is soft but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add rest of ingredients except potato, rice and barley. Bring to boil and lower to simmer partially covered for 30-45 minutes.
Add potato, rice and barley, bring back to boil, lower to simmer, partially covered, for another 30 minutes or until potato, rice and barley are done. Add salt and pepper.

Version 2:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds trimmed chuck roast, cut into small pieces
1 generous cup chopped onion
1 generous teaspoon minced garlic
1 can, 14.5 oz, diced tomatoes
1 pound bag frozen soup vegetables
10-16 oz. frozen mixed vegetables
1 bay leaf (opt)
2-4 cups vegetable juice (like
V-8)
5-6 cans, 14.5 oz ea. beef broth
1 cup quick cooking barley or 1/2 cup quick cooking barley and 1/2 cup rice
Salt and pepper to taste
Water to taste

In a large pot, start browning the meat in a bit of olive oil. Then add everything but barley, rice and salt and pepper. Regarding the vegetable juice and broth, start out with the lower amount and add more if you want. Bring to a boil and boil gently about 30 minutes or as long as an hour (by then the meat will start to fall apart). Add barley or barley and rice and cook another 15 minutes or so. Remove bay leaf and season to taste, adding water or more broth if necessary. Serves 8-10.