The kids are coming home from college this weekend and I’m digging up the last of my veggie garden. And the weather is finally cooling down. So what’s a busy romance writer/mom/wife to do? Make a huge pot of Autumn Vegetable Soup, cut up a loaf of crusty french bread and a block of cheddar cheese, and then serve it around the outdoor fire pit!
I hope you all have a wonderful October weekend!
Autumn Vegetable Soup
I love to serve this soup with a green salad, hot crusty bread, and apple cider in front of our fire-it on cold October nights. It's filled with fresh autumn vegetables which can be swapped out, depending on what you can find and what you prefer. This recipe came from my grandmother but I adapted it elements from a recipe I found in the now out-of-print cookbook "Autumn Nights, Winter Mornings".
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups water
- 2 large garden tomatoes peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 4 unpeeled new potatoes cut into 1/2 inch dice
- 1 small zucchini peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
- 1 small yellow squash peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels
- 4 ounce green beans ends trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 3/4 cup petite penne pasta
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Kosher salt to taste
- freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
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Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 10 minutes until soft and it begins to brown. Add in the garlic and saute for another two minutes, but don't let the garlic burn. Add the carrots and cover and cook for 10 minutes.
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Stir in the chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil and lower to medium heat. Add the tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini, yellow squash. Simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered, stirring frequently.
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Stir in the corn and green beans. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, covered.
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Check the vegetables to make sure the carrots and potatoes are soft. If not, cook for another 5-10 minutes. If they're ready, add the pasta and cook for 5-8 minutes, according to the pasta directions.
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Stir in the basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and top with parmesan cheese.
