Minestrone Soup -- Tried & True!! - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb medium ground beef
1 cup diced onion (1 large or 2 small)
1 cup diced zucchini (I use 2)
1/2 cup diced okra
1 cup cubed potato (I used 2 med and 1 small sweet potato)
1 cup sliced carrot (I used about 3)
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup rice or 1/4 cup barley
1/2 cup noodles
1 1/2 quarts water or 1 1/2 quarts beef broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon leaf thyme
3 teaspoons salt, to taste (or less)
pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Preparation

Brown ground beef.
Add vegetables, water and seasoning and bring to boil.
Sprinkle rice or barley and noodles into mixture. Cover and simmer at least 1 hour.
Serve sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese.
Best cooked longer and the day before. Chill and skim off fat.
You can really use whatever veggies you like. If it is too thick, thin with water, beef broth, tomato juice or vegetable juice.