Vegetable Beef Soup

This is one of our favorite soups. The kids really like the broth and I usually add abc noodles so they think of this a "kid" meal.

2.5 lbs beef roast or stew meat (I use bottom round), cubed
2 pkgs frozen mixed vegetables
1 64 oz can of vegetable juice (like V8, but cheap)
2 cans beef broth
2 cubes beef boullion
1 pkg italian dressing mix

Place all ingredients in crock pot or large stock pot. I usually start with a frozen roast (suprise, suprise) and when it's thawed in the crock pot I remove the meat, cube it, and return it to the soup. If you don't have enough liquid to cover the goodies add some water. If the soup needs salt after it's cooked I sometimes add another boullion cube. I also add ABC noodles the last 15 minutes or so. Some days we feel like Barley Beef Soup and omit the noodles but add a couple handfuls of barley at the beginning of the cooking time. Usually we cook this for about 8 hours but it can be ready much faster... the beans get nice and mushy the longer it cooks... we like that, you may not.