1lb. Ground beef (or substitute ground turkey...no need to splurge on ground chuck)
1-46 oz. can/bottle of V-8 juice or get the store brand "vegetable juice blend"
1-12oz. Bag of frozen mixed vegetables- I like the corn/carrots/peas/green beans blend
3/4 cup Quaker Quick Barley-this can be a little tricky to find...try the rice area of the store
Onion powder (optional to chop a fresh medium sized onion)
Garlic powder (optional to chop 1 or 2 cloves of fresh garlic)
1 bay leaf (optional--find in the spices section of the grocery but it can be pricey)
Beef soup base (find in the soup section by the "cup of soup" stuff)
Salt and pepper "to taste"
Ok, super easy. Brown ground beef over medium heat and drain off the fat. Add about 1/2 teaspoon each of onion and garlic powder. Pour in vegetable juice and about 2 cups of water and add frozen veggies and 2 teaspoons of beef soup base. Add barley, 1 bay leaf and salt and pepper, (maybe 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper). Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Simmer for about an hour (give or take) and the SOUP'S ON!!
