Recreating and Modernizing the 1992 Perkins Family Cookbook

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Aerial View of the original Perkins Family Farm in Owenton, Kentucky showing the main farmhouse and barns.

Back in 1992, before the mainstream use of computers and the World Wide Web (www), I set out to create a very special Perkins Family Cookbook to preserve our family’s southern, country recipes and honor the memory of our beloved granmama, Anna Margaret Perkins.

Using a typewriter and a copier, I enlisted the help of everyone in the family that wanted to participate in its creation. I asked the young children to make drawings and artwork to use on the designated, chapter-title pages, and the adults to supply their favorite family recipes and/or stories about special times spent on the farm. I wanted the Cookbook to pay tribute to our granmama who was born in 1918 and passed away at age 63 in 1981. Our grandaddy, Stanley Perkins, survived her and was able to also contribute his thoughts to the Cookbook about the family and farm history. In March 1995, at age 81, he tragically passed away in a fire clearing brush off the beloved family farmland. We truly miss his unique wit and personality.  

I titled the Cookbook, WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED? because granmama often said those 5 sweet, simple words each mealtime to anyone gathered at her table, which was always filled with food, friendship, humor, and love. That year (1992) the cookbook project was a labor of love.  In December, I gave the family cookbooks out as Christmas presents to everyone, including grandaddy. To this day, the memory of that Christmas and the Perkins Family Cookbook is a beautiful reminder of our strong family history, ties, and values.

For years, I have wanted to update the Cookbook, not just because my working copy is completely falling apart from its frequent usage, but because I wanted a way to easily continue sharing our family heritage, memories, recipes, and traditions with all the newer additions to our family; the Millennials and Gen Zers.

I finally decided the best way for me to update and modernize the Cookbook was to ultimately recreate it in a digital form as a new food and travel blog. This would enable me to preserve and pass-on our family recipes (new/old) and provide easy access to share them with everyone (family/friends) on an internet platform; both cutting costs and eliminating paper waste. Additionally, I wanted an opportunity to share my passionate “foodie” side and knowledge with others; including market and restaurant recommendations, global food trends, food merchandising ideas, and personal travel tips and adventures.

2019’s Annual, Fall Perkins Family and Friends Reunion hosted by Aunt Lynn and Uncle Gary Bishop

So…for my first blog article and recipe, I wanted to share with you one of my all-time favorite, comfort meals that Granmama would make…her delicious Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup. I hope you make the recipe and share the soup with your family and friends. When they gather around the table to enjoy the meal, please do me a very special favor and genuinely ask them…

WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED?

Print Recipe

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

This is a generation-tested recipe handed down from my Granmama Perkins
Prep Time2 days
Cook Time5 hours
Total Time2 days 5 hours
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10

Equipment

  • 8 – 10 Qt Stock Pot and Lid
  • Cutting Board
  • Knife
  • Can Opener
  • Strainer
  • Vegetable Peeler

Ingredients

  • 2-3 pounds Beef Short Ribs
  • 14.5 oz can of Swanson Beef Broth
  • 28 oz can of Red Gold Whole Peeled Tomatoes
  • 2 stalks Celery diced into small chunks
  • 3-4 Potatoes peeled and diced into small chunks
  • 3-4 Carrots peeled and diced into small chunks
  • 1 medium Sweet Yellow Onion peeled and diced finely
  • 14.5 oz can of Del Monte Whole Kernel Corn, Peas, or Green Beans (optional-choose one/drain off liquid)

Instructions

Day One:

  • In a large stock pot, cover the short ribs with water. Bring to a boil. Then simmer over low heat for 3 hours. Add water, if necessary, while cooking, to keep the ribs covered.
  • While still warm, remove the short rib meat from the bones and cut into bite-size pieces. Place the meat in a separate bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
  • Put a lid on the stockpot liquid/broth and refrigerate overnight as well.

Day Two:

  • Pull the stock pot from the refrigerator and take off the lid. Remove the exposed top, white, fatty layer from the broth with a large spoon and discard.
  • Bring the broth in the stock pot to a boil again and add one can of beef broth for additional flavor.
  • Dice the fresh celery, potatoes, carrots, and onions. Cut-up the canned whole tomatoes, reserving all the liquid.
  • Next add the diced fresh vegetables, cut-up tomatoes with liquid, and, bite-sized short ribs to the soup broth and continue to simmer for 1 more hour. Add additional water (if needed) to keep the vegetables and beef covered.
  • Drain the optional canned vegetable (of your choice) and add to the soup to warm. Soup will be ready to serve in 15 minutes.

Special Notes:

  • I do not add salt or pepper to the soup while cooking. I prefer to allow each person the ability to season for themselves. Personally, I prefer to add the Mrs. Dash (salt-free) Table Blend seasoning.
  • I also recommend serving the soup with hearty Oyster Crackers (they tend to hold up longer in the soup).
  • This soup reheats well and even tastes better on the second day.
  • Additionally, the soup freezes well in air-tight containers.

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