Summer was back, but it’s on the way out again! Here’s an easy beef and vegetable soup to warm you up when the temperatures drop. It’s a cool weather favorite around our house! My grandma used to make this soup on the stove top, but I love the ease of throwing everything into the slow cooker so I can set it and forget it! Ingredients:  1 pound lean ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped 3 cups of water 3 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes 1 can (14.5 oz) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained 1 can (11.5 ounces) V8 juice 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped carrots 1 cup frozen corn 2 cups frozen green beans 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes 2 teaspoons dried basil 1 bay leaf Salt and pepper to taste or approximately 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper Elbow macaroni (optional) Prepearation: In a non-stick skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, drain. Stir in salt and …