Recipe for Hob Stew

Beef or chick broth
canned or leftover meat
canned, frozen or fresh carrots
canned, frozen or fresh tomatoes (diced)
canned, frozen or fresh peas
canned, frozen or fresh green beans
pasta of some type
package of seasoning mix

Since I make this in a slow cooker, I'm going to discuss using one of these instead of any other type of cookware.

Pour the broth in a slow cooker and add water if you think there isn't enough broth to cook the pasta. Using this recipe you don't drain the pasta after it's cooked. Add a package of seasoning to the broth in the slow cooker. It doesn't matter what type of seasonings you use, so whatever package of seasoning mix you have is all right.

Bring the broth, seasoning mixture to a boil or at least hot enough to start cooking the pasta. You have to realize that I'm sometime very impatient when it comes to cooking in a slow cooker, so if the water looks and taste hot enough then I put in the pasta. Stir the pasta at appropriate intervals to prevent it from sticking together. You don't want your pasta stuck together or to the bottom of the slow cooker when making Hobo Stew.

After the pasta is done, then you can add the meat. I suggest breaking up or cutting up the meat into bite sized portions. Let the meat, pasta mixture become hot and then add the veggies. I normally use a mixture of canned, frozen or leftover fresh vegetables. Put uncooked fresh veggies in first and let them cook until they are almost done (this is according to your own idea of what a cooked veggie looks like). Next add any frozen veggies you are putting in the cooker. After the stuff in the cooker becomes hot, then you can add the canned veggies.

When this is cooked to your taste, then turn the slow cooker off or down to simmer. Since this is summer and I am planning to eat the Hobo Stew cold I turn the cooker off. Hobo Stew can be eaten either hot or cold.

I made Hobo Stew yesterday using chicken broth; beef stew seasoning, frozen green beans, canned beef, tomatoes, carrots and peas. I will eat the Stew cold over the next couple of days, the reason for this is that my central air is out and I want something cold to eat rather then something hot.