Soup's On!

My, my... the first of February already! And as with a good percentage of you, we are getting another snowstorm, and will have over a foot of snow when this passes through Thursday. Mom and I had planned on going up to Middlebury, Vermont today, but there is already a few inches on the ground and it's coming down fast, so we will wait til Thursday or Friday.

I just stuck another loaf of bread in the oven, and am catching up on those odds-and-ends things one catches up on when housebound!

I haven't included a recipe in a while, so I will share my recipe for the soup I most often make... usually at the beginning of the week for lunches and suppers throughout the week til it's gone! I am a vegetarian, so I don't put any meat in mine, but you're welcome to toss in a pound or so of chicken, ham, turkey, or whatever appeals to you. Also, this isn't really a recipe, as it changes each time I put a pot on, but just use this as a guideline and use what you have on hand.

Simple Soup

Cover the bottom of your soup pot with a thin layer of Olive Oil and heat over medium heat. Add a chopped Onion or two, as well as a few cloves of minced Garlic and cook for about 5 minutes til transparent. (If you are using meat, now is the time to add it and let it brown with the onions and garlic)

Next add enough stock or water to fill your pot as you desire. (I use about 6 to 8 cups of water and add a big dollop of Miso and about a tablespoon of broth concentrate (Better than Boullion is what I prefer) Mix well and season as you prefer... Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Sage and Basil. Add a small can of Tomato Paste, and next add your chopped vegetables, using as much or as little as you see fit. I use the vegetables I dehydrated in summertime, and just throw in a few handfuls of each... Zucchini, Tomatoes, Green Peppers, Carrots, Peas, Green Beans... then chop up anything else I feel like including such as Potatoes, Broccoli,Ccauliflower... whatever you have on hand. I also throw in frozen or canned goods now... Black Beans, Edamame, Corn, a handful or two of Lentils and/ or Barley, and let this just come to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, and let it cook the day away (or at least a couple of hours!) Make sure to stir it on occasion, and add water as needed. Stick a loaf of bread or a batch of biscuits in the oven, and you'll have a wonderful supper waiting for you with so little fuss! Oftentimes I add a bit of Parmesan Cheese the last 20 minutes or so, but you can just as easily sprinkle this on top of your soup once it's in your soup bowl.