Wednesday's Chow - Italian Vegetable Soup

Note: This first appeared on my blog in 2008. But it actually FROZE in Houston last night, so I decided I needed to pull out this recipe and share it with you all again:

I've had this recipe for about 20 years now. One day I received a magazine in the mail "The Farmer's Wife" or some such title. It included all these hints on how to can or freeze food, work the farm and had several recipes, too.I think someone sent it to me by mistake, believing I was domesticated!
I have a couple of the other recipes that were in it, but this is really the only one I make. It's pretty simple, once you get all the vegetables chopped. And it's yummy, good for you and filling. You may want to add water (or red wine) to it when you put in the macaroni, because that really soaks it up. Oh, and I usually don't add the green beans, but I think that's because I have canned, since I hate frozen green beans. I do get fresh sometimes, so maybe the next time I make this, I'll add fresh ones.

Italian Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 cup diced onion
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup sliced carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (16 oz) tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, undrained
2 cups water
5 teaspoons beef bouillon granules or five bouillon cubes
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon sweet basil
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup frozen or fresh green beans, in 1-in pieces (optional)
½ cup small elbow macaroni
Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions:

Brown beef in large heavy kettle; drain off fat. Add all the ingredients except cabbage, green beans and macaroni. Bring to a boil. Lower heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add cabbage, green beans and macaroni; bring to a boil and simmer until vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes). If you prefer a thinner soup, add additional water. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese before serving.

Anna Kathryn Lanier
http://www.aklanier.com/