Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup with Meatballs & Parmesan Rinds

For the Soup:

Olive Oil

1C Onion, Chopped

½C Celery, Chopped

½C Green Bell Pepper, Chopped

1 ½lbs Ground Beef

1T Garlic, Minced

1 14.5oz Can of Beef Stock

1 14.5oz Can of Vegetable Stock

1Q Water

1-2T Chicken Base

28oz Can of Diced or Crushed Tomatoes

1lb Frozen Peas & Carrots

2C Corn, Okra, Roasted Mushrooms, & Chopped Haricot Verts

1-2C Parmesan Rinds, Cut into Small Cubes

16oz Mini Pasta, Cooked

15-20 Mini Meatballs, Cooked

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Hot Sauce & Worcestershire Sauce, To Taste

Fresh Parsley, Chopped

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat some olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, and pepper and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the ground beef and brown the meat until cooked through. Add in the garlic and cook another minute. Stir in the beef stock, vegetable stock, water, chicken base, and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat, and reduce the heat, so that the liquid simmers. Add in the peas & carrots, corn okra, mushrooms, haricot verts, and Parmesan rinds. Simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked, but still have some bite, and the Parmesan rinds are slightly soft and chewy. Lastly, stir in the cooked mini pasta and meatballs. Cook on medium heat for another 10-15 minutes. Just before serving season with salt, pepper, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and parsley to taste.