Soup's On....

Spring made an appearance for a brief 2 days........we relished the warmth and held our faces up to the sun.......and watched the snow melt.  Then Winter burst in once again and we have cold, more snow, and that awful wind that sent the chills down my spine.....what's a gal to do???    Make soup, I say!!!

Out came the soup pot and in went the fixin's..........the house smelled so good and it put moisture back in the air!!!  So dry with the furnace running all the time, I feel like a prune!!!

This is a veggie based soup that I add cooked meat to (cooked bacon, diced ham, chicken or beef) and use bouillon cubes or broth as liquid.  I basically brown all the raw veggies, (carrots, onion,celery, green beans and some frozen corn or peas) in good olive oil.  Then add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of diced canned tomatoes, and the meat.  Add water, usually 4 cups, add cubes ( I use 2 beef or chicken plus 2 vegetable cubes), more if needed, fresh parsley and s&p if desired.  Simmer for awhile..........then add one can of beans rinsed, I like cannelinni, but any other such as chic peas or kidney work just as well. Continue to simmer and add about 1/3 to 1/2 cups of white rice, not instant......I like Basmati rice for this.  All done in about an hour!!!  I had a nice loaf of hearth bread and sprinkle on the grated cheese!!!  Oh, yum!!!

You can even add some spinach or escarole to this, shredded cabbage is good too, and so is diced zuchinni.  Whatever you have on hand........it always changes, never the same!!!

I use a regular small can of diced tomatoes......one can gives me 3 portions for soup, I use one and freeze the other 2 portions in baggies so its ready for another soup day!!!

Thanks for stopping by, and hoping you are safe and warm......