Plaza III Steak Soup

This is one of my favorite recipes and it is a copy-cat recipe that I found online of the Plaza III's steak soup that is famous around Kansas City. The weather is starting to get a little cold, and this is perfect if you are wanting to make something on a busy week and needing leftovers. Yummy Yummy stuff! Hope you enjoy!

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

1/2 cup flour

4 cans (10 1/2 oz. each) beef broth

1 (8 oz) can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup diced carrots

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup diced onions

2 beef bouillon cubes

1 1/2 tsp Kitchen Bouquet

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 pound ground round/sirloin

1 (10 oz) package frozen mixed vegetables

Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat until just melted, do not brown. Whisk in the flour to form a smooth paste. Cook over moderate heat for 3 minutes, whisking all the while. Whisk in the consomme until smooth and slightly thickened. Bring to a full boil. Add the tomatoes and their juices, carrots, celery, onions, bouillon cubes, Kitchen Bouquet, and pepper. Return to a full boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Stir occasionally.While simmering vegetables, cook the ground round over medium heat until browned. Drain off the grease from meat. Add the ground round and frozen veggies to the soup. Simmer, covered, for another 15 minutes. Serve with oyster crackers.