A Snowy Weekend and Hamburger Barley Vegetable Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 lb. ground beef (I only had 1/2 lb and it is still good)
• 6 c. water (I used 1 can of beef stock and added enough water to make 6 cups)
• 3 beef bouillon cubes
• 2 c. sliced carrots
• 1 1/2 c. coarsely chopped onions
• 1 1/2 c. coarsely chopped celery
• 1/2 c. coarsely chopped green pepper (I substituted 1/2 of a small cabbage, chopped)
• 1/3 c. barley (I substituted cooked pasta)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, undrained and broken up
• 8 oz. tomato sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 c. ketchup

In 5 quart Dutch oven, brown ground beef and drain. Add all other ingredients, bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves.

Recipe states it yields 10 (1 1/2-cup) servings and it is even better the next day.

Plenty to share or freeze.

NOTE: if substituting pasta for the barley, cook it in a separate pot of boiling water. When done, drain and add the cooked pasta to the soup at the end of the soup cooking time so the pasta doesn’t get mushy.