EASY BEEFY VEGETABLE SOUP

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup diced onions
3 cans Veg-All mixed vegetables, including liquid
16 oz tomato sauce
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup orzo (rice shaped pasta)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp basil
1/8 tsp black pepper

Cook ground beef and onions together until no longer pink. Drain off fat. Combine vegetables, tomato sauce, broth, and seasonings in large pot. Add meat/onion mixture. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Boil 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to serve. While soup is boiling, stir orzo into a separate pan of boiling water and cook 5 minutes. Drain, then add orzo to soup mixture cooking for at least 5 minutes before serving.

This soup is also great in the crockpot, simmering on low all day. Cook and add the orzo at least 15 minutes before serving.

Originally posted 8/21/2007