How To make Beef Carbonnade Soup with Spatzle

SOUP:

3 lb Beef
1 tb Oil
5 c Beef broth
4 c Tomato juice
12 oz Beer
1 c Onions, chopped
1 c Celery, sliced
2 ts Chili powder
1 ts Basil
3 ea Garlic cloves, crushed
2 ea Bay leaves
1 c Carrots
1 c Green beans
1 1/2 c Mushrooms

SPATZLE:

2 ea Eggs
1 1/2 c Flour
1/4 ts Salt
1/8 ts Nutmeg
3/4 c Milk
Brown meat in oil in soup pot. Add broth, juice, beer, onion, celery, chili powder, basil, garlic, and bay leaves. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer covered 2-3 hours. Add carrots and green beans and simmer until tender. Add mushrooms and spatzle and cook 10 minutes more. Noodles can be used in place of spatzle. SPATZLE: Beat eggs slightly. Combine flour, salt, and nutmeg. Beat eggs into flour mixture. Gradually add 1/2 c. milk, then add more milk a tablespoon at a time until the mixture is smooth, soft, and quite moist. Pour some of the batter into a colander and press it through the holes with a spatula into boiling salted water. Cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to soup.