Illinois - The Prairie State, State flower: Violet

1. Old Fashioned Vegetable Soup
2. Wilted Salad Pepper Steak
3. Corn Oysters
4. Midwestern Hash Browns
5. Rye 'n' Injun Boys
6. Cottage Cheese Apple Pie

Old Fashioned Vegetable Soup - Makes 8 portions

Beef shank bone
2 Tbsp salt
6 outside stalks celery
1 large potato, pared
1 large Bermuda onion
6 medium carrots
1 small head cabbage
2 white turnips
2 Tbsp parsley
2 cups canned tomatoes
Salt to taste

Place shank bone in large, deep pot...a 4 to 6 quart casserole will do. And cover with cold water. Add salt. Bring water to boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for two hours.

Put celery though meat grinder using coarse blade; next grind potato to catch the celery juice. Run other vegetables through the meat grinder as well. Add parsley and tomatoes. Combine the vegetable mixture with the meat stock (about 2 quarts). Add salt to taste. Simmer gently for 1 hour.

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