Old-Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound beef stew meat, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped (peeled if desired)
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas
2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juices (salt-free if preferred)
3½ cups beef broth (or two 14-ounce cans)
2 small bay leaves
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil (or cooking oil)
4 cups water
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce

DIRECTIONS:

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned on all sides. Remove the meat and set it aside on a plate.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot. Sauté the celery and onion until softened and lightly golden, about ten minutes. Stir in the browned beef along with the water, broth, diced tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, corn, bay leaves, and garlic powder.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about one hour, or until the beef is nearly tender. Add the peas and hot pepper sauce, then cover and simmer for another thirty minutes until the beef is tender and the vegetables are perfectly cooked …