Halloween Soup

It's amazing how a smell can evoke memories and emotions.  I made this Halloween Soup yesterday, and the smell of it cooking brought back those wonderful days of costumes and excitement and fun.  Our traditions for years and years is to eat this healthy soup before trick or treating.  I made it early this year, but believe me, there will be plenty to eat the leftovers on Halloween.  Soup is always best leftover anyway.  I purposely made it yesterday, cooled it in the fridge overnight to be ready to eat after church today.  Something about cooling it down and reheating it makes the flavors blend.  It was so delicious.

Halloween Soup

1 lb. lean ground beef, browned

Seasoning Salt and/ or Montreal Steak Seasoning

1 onion, diced

3 carrots, diced

3 stalks celery with leaves, diced

1 zucchini, sliced

1/2 small head cabbage, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

1 quart water, boiling with 

4-6 tsp. better than boullion in it.  

1 tsp. or so each of basil, thyme, Mrs. Dash 

Dash or Dashes of Tabasco sauce (makes it so much better!)

2 T. sugar

1 bay leaf, opt.  

Other veggies as desired: yellow squash, canned green beans, corn

Pearl Barley, 1/3 -1/2 cup

Brown the beef in a skillet with steak seasoning and season salt.  Put in a crock pot..  Boil the water in the microwave and add the boullion and stir and add to the soup.  Add the other ingredients except the zucchini, squash, beans, corn, cabbage, and barley. 

 Cook on high for several hours, then add the rest of  the veggies.  Cook for another couple of hours, then add the barley.  Cook until the barley is just done.