Venus de Milo Soup
This my version of a popular soup served at a well-known banquet facility in southeastern Massachusetts. It is simple to prepare using common ingredients you may already have on hand in your pantry and freezer. Feel free to vary the basic recipe with in-season fresh veggies and low-fat turkey or veggie-soy burger for the ground beef.
ground beef
1
pound
onion, minced
1
small
minced garlic
1
teaspoon
tomato paste
½
(6 ounce) can
crushed tomatoes
1
(28 ounce) can
onion soup mix
1
envelope
beef bouillon cubes
2
bay leaf
1
frozen mixed vegetables
1
(16 ounce) package
water
2
quarts
orzo pasta
⅔
cup
salt and ground black pepper to taste
 Cook the ground beef in a large pot over medium heat until completely browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain as much fat from the beef as possible. Add the onion and garlic to the beef; cook and stir until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
  Add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, onion soup mix, beef bouillon cubes, bay leaf, mixed vegetables, and water to the ground beef mixture. Raise heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir the orzo pasta into the boiling liquid; cook until the orzo is tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to serve.
