Easy Hamburger Soup

As served by Patricia, Christmas Eve Eve, 2011

Satisfying soup makes about 6 servings.

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup cubed potatoes
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 2/3 cup diced celery
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup uncooked long-grain rice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme, crumbled
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• dash cayenne pepper
• 3 beef bouillon cubes or equivalent granules or base
• 1 1/2 quarts water (6 cups)
• 1/2 cup frozen peas

Brown ground beef and onion in a Dutch oven or soup pot sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Drain off excess fat. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, cabbage, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Add rice, thyme, bay leaf, salt, cayenne, bouillon, and water. Cover and simmer for 50 minutes. Add peas and cook another 5 to 10 minutes.
Ladle hamburger soup into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Hamburger Soup serves 6.