Mom's Ground Beef And Vegetable Soup

Total Time: 5 hrs 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 5 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1/2 lb extra lean ground beef
• 2 large carrots, sliced crosswise into thin slices
• 1 teaspoon italian herb seasoning (or 1/2 tsp. each dried oregano and basil )
• beef bouillon cubes or beef bouillon granules
• 1 1/2 cups hot water
• 3 cups vegetable juice
• 2 tablespoons instant minced onion
• 2 large bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup small macaroni pasta
• 1 (14 ounce) package frozen corn, red bell pepper, celery, and black bean medley or 1 (14 ounce) package similar frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 1/2 cups frozen cut green beans, thawed

Recipe

• 1 combine the beef, carrots, and italian herb seasoning in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. cook, stirring to break up the beef, until is is just cooked through, about 6 minutes.
• 2 put the cooked beef mixture in a 3-quart or larger slow cooker. stir in the water, bouillon mixture, vegetable juice, onions bay leaves, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, pepper, and pasta. stir in the frozen vegetable medley and green beans. (the liquid may not cover all the vegetables at this point.).
• 3 cover the cooker, and turn on the high setting for at least 30 and preferably 45 minutes. turn to the low setting and cook for at least 5 hours and up to 10 hours. thin the soup with a little hot water before serving, if desired. taste and add more garlic salt, if desired.
• 4 discard the bay leaves as the soup is served.