I start with boneless stew beef or ground beef, lean as possible, brown meat drain off any fat add chopped onion a little chopped garlic to pot that meat was browned in and scrape up any of the brown bits in bottom of pot, saute for five minutes return meat to pot add bag of mixed vegetables along with one can of crushed or diced tomatoes, beef stock or boullion (add water if using boullion cubes or powder) let simmer for about an hour, season to taste as you go.