The Perfect Hamburger Vegetable Soup

I've been making this for years, changing things up, always playing with recipe. This year I think I have the perfect combinations of flavors and textures. Recipes are meant to be played with - you know your own tastes better than anyone else, so change spices, vegetables, etc. to your taste. The key thing to remember is to BUILD those flavors in the pot.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 20
• Yields: 8 quarts

Ingredients

• 1  lb ground beef (chuck, round, or ground turkey, your choice)
• 1  large onion, roughly chopped
• 12  ounces  sliced mushrooms (Baby Bella are what we like the best)
• 3  carrots, peeled, sliced (if big, half or quarter)
• 3  stalks celery, rough chopped
• 2  tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomatoes, diced
• 16  ounces  frozen mixed vegetables
• 16  ounces frozen baby lima beans
• 2 (32 ounce) boxes  low sodium chicken bone broth
• 2  teaspoons basil leaves
• 2 -3  bay leaves
• 2  teaspoons thyme leaves
• 1  teaspoon  salt & pepper (use more or less per your tastes)
• 2  cups tomato juice (can use V8)
• 1⁄2 cup rice (uncooked)
• 1⁄2 cup barley
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  dried chili pepper flakes

Directions

1. In a large stock pot cook ground meat until done. Season with salt & pepper, to tastes. Drain if necessary. Remove meat from pot and set aside.
2. Give the mushrooms a quick rough chop, place in stock pot and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often. If you need to add a little olive oil to the pan, you can. When mushrooms are brown, remove from pan and set aside.
3. To the pot now add the onions, celery and carrots. Sauté until golden brown, onions are translucent. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
4. Stir in the tomato paste - you will notice a building of fond on the bottom of the pan, THIS IS FLAVOR. Stir the vegetables to coat with the paste for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add in 1 box of the chicken bone broth. Stirring well to break up all the bits on the bottom of the pan.
6. Add the ground meat back into the pot. Stir well.
7. Add the entire contents of the bags of mixed frozen vegetables and lima beans. Stir well.
8. Add the tomatoes, tomato juice and seasonings. Stir well.
9. At this point add the other box of chicken bone broth.
10. Taste - does it need more salt? pepper?.
11. Let simmer for 2-3 hours or until ready to serve.