Crockpot Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

2 lbs. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups tomato juice (or Spicy V8, if you want a little kick)
2-3 carrots, sliced
2-3 ribs celery, sliced
half a green pepper, chopped
10 oz. frozen corn
10 oz. frozen green beans
2 medium potatoes, cubed (or substitute with one cup of barley)
2 cups water (or if you want it extra beefy, use one cup water and one cup of beef broth)
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce (I used Lea & Perrins original)
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
dash of hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons dry onion soup mix, or 1 beef bouillon cube
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper  (Salt and pepper can be adjusted to taste. Feel free to add a little hot sauce, such as Tabasco, if you want it extra spicy.)

Directions
(1) Brown meat and onions in saucepan. Drain. Stir in garlic and tomato juice. Heat to boiling.

(2) Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.

(3) Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours.

Variation: Use 1 c. barley in place of potatoes.