What a productive week the past seven days have been. I traveled to Kansas City to visit friends, did another college visit with our son, Phillip, and put energies into community service. I return to work today after a good winter break. The only thing wrong with break was I didn’t travel too much due to the weather! I couldn’t travel to my parents, as they’ve had snow and ice since the first of January. I left Kansas City this past Tuesday in time to escape their latest snowstorm.
It’s still time for soups as the winter chill lingers, but this time let’s give it a whole new approach. I wrote this springtime vegetable soup several years ago. I liked it because it was still a soup, but a soup with a lighter approach. As always there will be plenty of space for personal modifications.
This week while I was out shopping I noticed great buys on cabbage. This always makes me want to make a batch of freezer slaw. Or, a great casserole, soup or traditional slaw. With Valentine’s Day closing we look towards corned beef and cabbage and St. Patrick’s Day. Remember as you begin to plan for this fun holiday there are lots of options besides cabbage. Bangers and Mash started in England before it moved into Ireland, but it’s still a great menu choice. Guinness Stew, homemade biscuits and a salad makes a terrific St. Patrick’s Menu. Of course for the kids you can always whip up a little green eggs and ham! Green pancakes could be the ticket too.
Today my husband, Ervin, and I spent a wonderful day together. We started with a breakfast out, shopping at Walmart (not so grand), home to do laundry and put groceries away and then out to drive on a few hidden country roads. We wrapped it up with an ice cream cone at Pop’s Dari in Reed’s Spring. For the old timers this Dari has been in Reed’s Spring forever. Currently it’s being run by the 2nd generation. Rumor, our Corgi, accompanied us and she too enjoyed a scoop of ice cream! (Simplicity at its best!)
Over the past couple of months I’ve made some new commitments regarding the New Year and ‘balance’. I preach a pretty good sermon on how we need to keep balance in our lives. In all sincerity I feel like I am one of the worst! I keep watching folks drop out of their current jobs, which are way too stressful and doing a complete turn-around, it’s happening too often. I applaud these people for seeing the problem and doing everything they can to validate their lives.
As spring begins to ease back into our lives evaluate, organize and re-group to make your life the best it can be. Make this warming soup so you’ll have meals for lunchboxes and the neighbors!
Simply yours, The Covered Dish. www.thecovereddish.com
Springtime Chicken Vegetable Soup
1 small cooked hen, cooked and chopped
Olive Oil, 2-3 tablespoons to start
4 stalks of celery, diced
6 large garlic cloves, crushed
4 carrots, diced
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 pound asparagus, chopped into small pieces as you desire
6 ounces snow peas, chopped into angle pieces
1 cup white chardonnay wine
2 teaspoons crushed rosemary
Black kettle to taste/seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 cans chopped petite tomatoes, may use garlic type
1/3 cup barley
64 ounces chicken broth.
Chop all vegies and begin sautéing with the hardest vegies first, ending with the peas and mushrooms. Add the wine and rosemary and allow the mixture to reduce down. Mix remainder of the ingredients together.
6-8 quart stockpot. Should serve 8-12 persons
I am elated that I found this recipe. During the winter of 2015 I looked everywhere for this dish. I wanted to run it in my weekly column, and I just couldn’t find it anywhere. Behold I was opening an old disc and I found it! I really enjoyed this recipe. I’m sure you could think of some additional spices like thyme, oregano or basil to use in this creation. What inspired me to write it in the first place was the fact that I was tired of the ‘heavier’ soups of winter. Spring just seems to need lighter soups that aren’t heavy like chili and regular vegetable soups. If I had to put a date on when I wrote it I would say either 2009 or 2010.
