Quick ‘n Hearty Vegetable Barley Soup

Quaker

½ lb. lean ground beef

½ cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

5 cups water

1 (14 ½ oz.) can unsalted whole tomatoes, undrained, cut into pieces

¾ cup quick barley

½ cup sliced celery

½ cup sliced carrots

2 beef bouillon cubes

½ teaspoon dried basil, crushed

1 bay leaf

1 (9 oz.) pkg. frozen mixed vegetables

Vegetables!

In a 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, brown meat. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is tender. Drain. Stir in remaining ingredients except frozen vegetables. Cover; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add frozen vegetables; cook about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. 

Even more vegetables!

Additional water may be added if soup becomes thick upon standing.

I was ok with whatever thickness this was.

My Rating: 3/5 "This was fine. Like, it's food, and it's healthy food, and that's good. But damn the flavor is boring. One little garlic clove and some dried basil just don't have the might it takes to make frozen veggies interesting. Might be a good base recipe for better cooks to experiment with, though."