A Hearty Fall Soup

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My mom was a school teacher so going 'Back to School' was always a big event for the whole family. Normally, in the last weeks of summer we'd be soaking up the last of our holidays at the cabin, preparing our backpacks with all the necessary school supplies, playing in the school gym while my mom set up her classroom and... harvesting the garden.

We my mom would grow carrots, peas, potatoes, lettuce, beans, tomatoes and the occasional zucchini. We had some raspberries, strawberries and a rhubarb patch and two very plentiful apple trees. Needless to say, there was no shortage of fresh produce when we went back to school.

So while deciding what sort of things to make for dinner this week I immediately gravitated towards a hearty vegetable soup. I had never actually made one before but I researched a few recipes and tried to remember what would be brewing up in the kitchen as a kid. I made a list and fortunately our neighbourhood grocery store had more than enough options (no garden for me yet).

I followed my instincts and although the soup wasn't 'exactly' how mom used to make, I'd say the end result was pretty good. I learned what worked well (saute the veggies) and what I could do a little differently next time (less pepper). Danny seemed to like it too so I feel encouraged to try again!

First Fall Soup!

Ingredients:
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 medium white onion
- 3 celery stalks
- 3-4 large carrots
- 1 large potato
- 2 ripe tomatoes
- 1 cup shell pasta
- 2 bay leaves
- salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
- Pre cook shell pasta in boiling water, drain and set aside.
- Dice and slice the veggies doing your best to keep the pieces consistent in size
- In a large pot, melt 1 Tbsp butter, add onion, celery and carrots and seasoning. Mix well.
- Add chicken broth, tomatoes, potatoes and bay leaves. Bring to a boil
- Let soup simmer until vegetables are fully cooked. Add pasta and enjoy!

Bear with my directions, they're obviously just from memory, but fortunately this soup is very flexible. You can add more or less broth, try other veggies and seasonings (zucchini, mushrooms, parsley) or even add some chicken or rice. I'm sure there will be many iterations to come!