Dad's Old Fashioned Hamburger Soup - with the secret ingredient

Tonya was looking at stuff on Facebook and she ran across this recipe.  

Since it is cold out and I'm looking for some "comfort food", this looks like this will fit the bill.  Time to start cooking...

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef
1 white onion, peeled and diced
3 to 4 stalks of celery, sliced
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1/2 teaspoon dry basil
1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 envelope onion soup mix
6 cups water, more to desired consistency
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
2 or 3 carrots, sliced
2 or 3 potatoes, cut into small cubes
2 or 3 cups of macaroni
garlic salt, to taste
shredded parmesan cheese, to serve
sour cream, to serve

Stuff you will need

Porcelain Dutch Oven
Pam cooking spray
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Wooden spoon
Vegetable peeler
Mandolin (for slicing the carrots thinly)
Steamer (to cook the veggies, see pro tip)
2 quart pot & colander (to cook the macaroni, see pro tip)
Ladle
Love (secret ingredient)

Directions

In the cold dutch oven, spray the inside with Pam cooking spray.  You will thank me when it comes time to clean up.

Brown ground beef, along with the celery and onion in a large pot.

Add spices and onion soup mix.

Stir in water, add corn, diced tomato, tomato sauce and soy sauce. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients up to the potatoes bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until potatoes and carrots are tender about 30 minutes. (Add more water if needed).  

Pro tip:  I have a steamer that I should have steamed the potatoes and carrots.  Then they would have been fully cooked and cut down on the requirement to boil them in the soup.  I will remember that for next time.

Pro tip #2: Tonya said to boil the macaroni separately.  Once it is done, add it to the soup.  Again, cuts down on the wait time so that you can have this soup.

Season to taste with garlic salt.  Although I used Garlic Plus, something that I was able to get at Superstore.  Not quite as salty (Obviously)

Serve with shredded parmesan cheese and sour cream.

Comments and suggestions are always welcome!