Tasty Soup for a Winter day

This is a tasty soup that contains ingredients that can easily be obtained in winter.  It's quick and easy to throw together and cooks all day long in the slow cooker.

Warm Up Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound ground meat (I use turkey, pork, or beef, whatever is on sale)
3 medium onions, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
64 oz beef broth
30 oz diced tomatoes, undrained
4 large carrots, chopped
4 large celery stalks, chopped
2 cups frozen cut green beans
4 small potatoes, chopped (i leave the peeling on, but you could peel it if you have pickier eaters)
1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1/2 tablespoon dried sweet basil
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
Salt/Pepper to taste: optional

Another option is to cook about 2 cups of pasta and add that into the slow cooker about 30 minutes before serving.  My kids really like some gluten-free pasta added in, I usually use elbow noodles or penne pasta.


Instructions:

In a large skilled, brown ground meat over medium heat. Add in onions and garlic, cook about 3-5 minutes longer, until onions and garlic are tender and meat is no longer pink and well cooked.  Drain off fat.   Add meat mixture to 6 quart slow cooker.  Add all remaining ingredients and give it a good stirring, cover, set to high and cook for 8-9 hours.

Stir slow cooker contents before serving.  Enjoy!