Vegetable Soup for a Snowy Night

Wow! We've barely had any snow here in Green Bay this winter. The almost 30 inches we've had (down from 60 inches last year) have all been random 1-3 inch snowfalls, so no big storms. Last night we had about 4-6 inches of snow and I had a craving for some homemade soup. I always have a lot of veggies at home and I keep a stocked pantry, so I can throw something together any night. The great thing about vegetable soup is that you can put whatever veggies you have on hand in broth to make a soup. So easy!



Not a bad view outside of my apartment. It is a beautiful, snowy Saturday morning.

I can't believe I haven't put this vegetable soup on the blog because I make it at least once a month and I eat it for lunch at work for several days. It is a great addition next to a sandwich or a nice salad. I stepped it up last night and put fresh basil in the soup and it added fantastic flavor! This recipe is from America's Test Kitchen and I have never made a bad recipe from their Family Cookbook. I highly recommend that everyone have this book in their kitchen; I have learned so much!

Homemade Vegetable Soup is quick and easy for a snowy - or non-snowy - evening!

- 2 TBS Olive Oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped fine
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped fine
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt
- 5 cups low sodium veggie or chicken broth
- 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 - 14.5oz can of petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Pepper

Heat oil in dutch over over medium-low heat. Stir in garlic, onion, carrots, celery, and 3/4 tsp salt (if you don't have low sodium broth, just add a little bit of salt). Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the broth, potatoes, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Off the heat, add in the peas. Season with salt and pepper. At this point, I also add some fresh (but frozen) basil. You can also top each bowl with Parmesan cheese to add even deeper flavors. So tasty with your favorite glass of wine!

My favorite wine is Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. My current favorite is New Harbor.