Hamburger Soup

Yesterday I made a pot of Hamburger Soup for my husband. I tried making it in the crock pot, but I started rather late in the day so i had to finish cooking it on the gas stove in the stainless steel Dutch Oven. It's a simple recipe:

HAMBURGER SOUP

1 and 1/2 pounds browned ground beef

2 Cans Beef or Chicken Broth plus 2 Cans Water
                  OR
8 cups of water plus soup base powder to make 8 cups of broth.

2 cans Pureed Tomatoes

3 medium Potatoes cubed in 1/2" pieces (2 cups)

3-4 Cups frozen mixed Vegetables (Or as much as you like) I use at least a 16 OZ bag

1/2 cup barley

2 tsp Mrs. Dash Original

1 TB Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder (I should have used 3 cloves fresh I suppose)

1/2 tsp Pepper

Salt if you think the soup base wasn't salty enough

1 tsp Thyme

I just throw everything into the pot and let it simmer or slow cook until it's done. Of course this recipe can be made much better if you add celery and fresh cut carrots and whatever other veggie you like. My husband doesn't like celery but the Mrs. Dash has celery seed in it, (you can smell it too), so I do get some of the flavor. I prefer Hamburger or beef soup without any tomatoes, but I add them just for my husband.

NOTE: I used to add QUAKER 10 Minute Barley but after getting BARLEY BUGS in the remainder even though stored in a zip lock freezer bag for 6 months or so until I made soup again the last two times I bought it I don't even keep it in the house.