Recipe: Mom's Hamburger Soup

1 lb. ground beef
1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 medium onions, chopped
15-20 baby carrots, quartered lengthwise
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/3 cup pearl barley or alphabet pasta
¼ cup catsup
1 tbsp. instant beef bouillion granules
2 tsp. season salt
1 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1 bay leaf
5 cups water

In large saucepan, cook ground beef until browned, drain. Add remaining ingredients. (NOTE: If you are using alphabet pasta, don’t add it until last 5 minutes of simmering.) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf before serving. Serves 6. (I usually double the recipe so there’s plenty of left-overs – it tastes even better the second day.)