Simple Vegetable Soup

Soup, comfort food that I remember eating at almost every meal while growing up.  Cool days are perfect for some hot soup and a simple Vegetable Soup made with vegetables from your very own garden - nothing is better than that.  This soup is just a base for what you can create, change up your vegetables,  add more or less tomatoes, if you like heat add some hot peppers it is so very versatile.

Growing up my Dad made homemade horseradish spread and this is must to eat with Simple Vegetable Soup along with a few tablespoons of dry cottage cheese...fresh homemade bread...

this sure brings back the memories!

It takes me back to my Mom and Dad's table, the smells, the laughter.....FAMILY

Enjoy.

 

 

Simple Vegetable Soup

 

Some of the ingredients you will need.

Butter melting

Onions, celery and carrots sauteeing in the butter, garlic will be added after

The tomatoes and quartered potatoes have been added 

corn will be added in the last 10 minutes (last minute decision)

Barley and steel cut oats are added and all will simmer for about 15 minutes
The corn, beans and diced potatoes are added in.

The quartered potatoes are removed

 

 Potatoes are mashed with the cream and butter, salt and pepper added

 

 

The mashed potato mixture is stirred into the pot and brought to a boil.

Soup is ready.

 

 

VEGETABLE SOUP RECIPE

 

1 medium onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomatoes, fresh or canned (if using fresh, pulse in food processor)

4 medium potatoes, three quartered and one diced

1/2 - 1 cup chopped purple/green/yellow beans

1/2 cup corn, fresh or frozen

1/4 cup pearl barley

1/4 cup steel cut oats (Irish oats)

2 Tablespoons butter

1/4 cup whipping cream (or half and half if you prefer)

Salt, pepper to taste 

In a Dutch oven (or large pot) melt butter over medium heat, add diced onions, carrots and celery.
Saute until onion and vegetables are tender then add in the minced garlic. Saute for 2 minutes then add in the tomatoes, simmer for approximately 10 minutes then add the quartered potatoes and 6-7 cups of water. Bring to a boil then turn down heat and simmer until potatoes are tender enough to put a knife through them. Remove the potatoes to a bowl add  the cream and 1 Tablespoon of butter, salt and pepper, mash and set aside.
Add the barley and steel cut oats to the pot and simmer 15 minutes then add the beans, corn and diced potatoes. Simmer for another 10 minutes then stir in the mashed potato mixture.
Bring this to a boil and turn off heat. 
Soup is done!  I like to make this in the early afternoon and reheat for dinner.
I also pour some into jars and seal, storing them in the fridge until needed.


 

'Friendship consists in forgetting what one gives, and remembering what one receives.'

Dumas, The Younger