You need a fairly large pot and if you don't have one, cut the recipe in half.

Quart or liter of V-8 or tomato juice.

four nice spuds--peel and cut into eighths

two carrots--peel and slice or dice

two stalks of celery--dice or chop, your option

two medium onions or one big sucker--dice

two cloves garlic--crush

get a two or three pound roast. Cut into one inch chunks. It is better to brown in olive oil but if you don't want to, so what

If you can find them, get a package of beef neck bones

find a rutabaga, if you can. Peel off the wax, and cut into one inch cubes. (REMEMBER THAT RUTABAGAS MADE ATTILA THE HUN MEAN!)

Can of tomato sauce that is about the size of a coffee cup

two bay leaves

Remember the Simon and Garfunkel song "Scarborough Fair Canticle?" Well you need parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

Tablespoon parsley, teaspoon rosemary leaves (crush the leaves), half teaspoon of sage and half of thyme. (If you don't have some of these spices, throw in some other green spice.

Tablespoon paprika. If you don't have paprika, mix white and red pepper. If you don't have that, use black table pepper.

Get your pot and throw in some water to cover the bones. Bring to a boil. Skim off the foam. Throw in everything else. Add enough water so that it is a couple inches or so from the top. Bring to roiling boil and turn down so it simmers. Put on the lid. Cook for a couple hours. Get off your buns and stir once in a while.

Serve with hard crust bread and butter. A hearty red wine hits the spot, but nothing fancy as the soup is spicy. Try Carlo Rossi Paisano or some vin ordinaire. Get sour cream and put a glob right into the soup.

I hope you enjoy it.