Vegetable Soup with variations

variations: crock pot, and completely vegetarian

*1 cup serving is about 120 calories*

1 14 oz can petite diced tomatoes (I prefer Red Gold)

1 14 oz can tomato sauce (Red Gold)

1 46 oz bottle Spicy V-8 juice (comes in low sodium too)

1 lb ground beef (can use soy crumbles or leave out for vegetarian)

1 medium onion chopped

5 stalks celery chopped

6-8 potatoes chopped into large dice (want to visually have the same amount as carrots)

1 lb carrots chopped

3-5 shakes tabasco sauce
1 tsp basil
salt and pepper to taste, I like to add some garlic salt too
1 bay leaf
4 c water

In skillet, brown and drain ground beef
at same time in large soup pot, cook all vegetables EXCEPT potato until crisp tender
add beef and all other ingredients to soup pot
add 1 can of water for every canned item, plus about half of the bottle of V-8 filled with water (leave this out if making in the crock pot)
stir well
bring to a boil for 45 min to 1 hour
turn down to simmer about 3 hours
stir occasionally very gently (if you stir too hard the potatoes could get mushy)
at the end you could add cooked elbows if you like

for the crock pot:
brown ground beef
add all ingredients to a 6 qt crock pot
DO NOT add the extra water per can
cover and cook on low 8-10 hours depending on how how yours runs

This recipe freezes wonderfully.  I have eaten it up to 8 months later!

Until Next Time.....
Franny