Soup for the Sick

My husband and kids have been hit hard with a cold.  They have been miserable all week.  My husband really wanted soup, and of course I don't have any on hand.  After a quick glance in the cupboards, fridge, and freezer, I was able to find a few ingredients to whip together a tasty soup.  I had that remaining 1 lb of ground beef that I froze earlier in the week.  There was leftover rice from my pork and rice wraps in the fridge.  I always keep frozen veggies on hand.  The black beans were leftover from nacho night, and after much digging, I found some beef stock in the cupboard.  My favorite part about this soup is the fact that I was able to use up a lot of my leftovers.

Easy Beef, Rice, and Veggie Soup

1 lb of ground beef, cooked
24 oz of frozen mixed veggies
1 1/2 c of cooked white rice
1 c black beans, cooked, drained
8 c water
3 Knors Homestyle Stock, beef flavor
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste



Combine all ingredients, minus the rice, together in a crock pot.  Cook on low for 4 hours.  Add rice and continue to cook on low for another hour or two.  Stir and taste continuously.  Add salt and pepper as needed.

Note:  Beans must be cooked.  Dry beans will not soften fast enough for this recipe if you just add them in.  Rice should also be cooked prior to adding.  Rice absorbs a lot of water and seasoning.  Cooking rice first and then adding it in later will not only prevent the rice from over cooking and turning to mush, but it will keep it from absorbing too much water and flavor from the soup.