Small Recipes...Hamburger Veggie Soup

It was in the 50's yesterday...but it's colder and it snowed some overnight.  

So here's an easy soup I make to use hamburger mix that I can or freeze.  You can also brown hamburger plain and freeze it to use in recipes like this.  Either method gives you a head start on your meal.  You can use a mixed vegetable blend as purchased, or mix together odds and ends from your frozen vegetable collection to use them up.  If I don’t have my own home canned beef broth I like canned consommé for the good flavor.   Use any small pasta you like, just weigh out the same amount.  I freeze any tomatoes I have left and use them in other recipes.

Serve with some kind of bread, biscuits, muffins or crackers, a small side salad and fruit for dessert for an easy meal that pleases most everyone.    It makes 2 nice bowls of soup with no leftovers.              

                       Hamburger Veggie Soup

  1          half pint  hamburger mix -- or 4 ounces cooked ground beef, thawed if needed

  1          half pint  beef broth -- or consommé

  2          tablespoons  chopped onion

     2/3   cup  frozen mixed vegetables -- thawed - 3 ounces

     1/2   cup  canned stewed tomatoes

     1/2   teaspoon  Worcestershire sauce -- optional

  1          bay leaf

    1/16  teaspoon  pepper

     1/3   cup  uncooked spiral pasta -- 1 1/2 ounces

Combine all ingredients, cook until pasta is done.  Takes 15 to 20 minutes or until pasta is done as desired, depending on the brand of pasta you buy.

If needed, first cook 4 ounces ground beef; drain and crumble to use in place of hamburger mix.  Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Serves 2