It’s another rainy day here, in most of California that’s as close to a winter storm as we get, and I haven’t been feeling great this week, so I just want to make myself a big cocoon. I’m wrapped in blankets, wearing cozy socks, and once Bear gets home we’ll all sit in front of the fire. The perfect companion for a day like today? A big bowl of soup.
Of course, the stuff you get in cans is just so gross. Even the expensive stuff is barely edible to me. So that means I make it myself.
Homemade Vegetable Soup
1/4 C butter
1 1/2 C onions, diced
1 1/2 C carrots, diced
1 1/2 C celery, diced
3 C red potatoes, diced
2 cans V8 vegetable juice
1 qt chicken broth
1 can green beans
1 can corn
Herbs to taste
Melt the butter in a large stockpan, and then add the onions, carrots, and celery and let them sweat at a low temperature until soft. Add the potatoes, vegetable juice, and chicken broth, and let that all cook on medium heat until the potatoes are cooked through. Skim off any foam that might develop from the starchy potatoes. Add the canned vegetables and then season to taste. Salt is a necessity, then use your favorite herbs. Oregano, thyme, bay leaves, marjoram, and celery salt are what I happened to pull down from the cabinet and added. Put it back on the stove and let it simmer at a very low heat for an hour or so to let all the flavors meld together.
Would you like a demonstration? All right then!
Soup is one of those things that seems so much harder than it actually is. After a little dicing the stove does the rest of the work, and if I’m really desperate I can just by the veggies pre-diced. I’ve got dinner simmering on the stove making the house even cozier, and making a rainy day something to celebrate.
