How to Make Easy Beefy Vegetable Soup

This is my favorite vegetable soup - probably should say the "only" vegetable soup I like. My husband came up with this recipe and I love a hot steamy bowl of this during winter or even those blustery Fall or Spring days. It freezes really well, so don't be afraid to portion it out into plastic tubs and freeze for later consumption! I'm making this Instructable for my sister who has asked for this "recipe" many times and doesn't seem to believe how easy it is. We have given this soup out many people and they always seem to love it. Enjoy!

1. Be careful with the Red Hot Sauce! Start with the smaller portion (1 tsp) and add more if you think it doesn't have enough "zing". It's much easier to add more, than it is to figure out how to cut the heat if you've added too much.
2. Be sure to stir the pot of soup a couple of times while it's simmering so it doesn't stick or burn on the bottom.
3. When it's time to fill the plastic tubs with soup for freezing, let the soup cool down for about 30 minutes, or place it into the fridge to cool down. Be sure to use hotpads when moving the soup from the stove if still hot. Use a ladle and fill the freezer containers over the sink, rather than pouring the soup into containers, to avoid spilling.

2 lbs of lean ground beef

One 67 oz. jar of Prego Traditional Spaghetti Sauce

One 32 oz. bag of frozen mixed vegetables

Frank's Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce, 12 fl. oz.

McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning

Salt

Ground Black Pepper

Large Frying Pan in which to brown hamburger

10 qt Soup Kettle

Spatula or Hamburger chopper (see picture above), to mash up ground beef while cooking

Colander to strain grease off hamburger

Small bowl to catch grease

Tbsp and/or Tsp Measuring spoons to measure out hot sauce, salt, pepper and McCormick's Seasoning

Cook/Brown the hamburger, seasoning with McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning to taste. Drain off the fat. Place the cooked hamburger into a large (10 qt) pan.

To the pot, add:

• One 67 oz. jar of Prego Traditional Spaghetti Sauce
• Refill empty spaghetti sauce jar with water (67 oz), then add this water to pot.
• One 32 oz. bag of frozen mixed vegetables
• Add 1 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of pepper, or to taste.
• Frank's Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce - to taste - 1 or 2 Tsps - depending if you want it spicy or not.

Simmer for about an hour on low heat to allow the ingredients to come together. Stir every 10 minutes or so to ensure it doesn't stick on the bottom.