Vegetable Soup

Once upon a time I lived in the ghetto center the Phoenix.  I cannot lie.  I struggled while living there.

  Perhaps it was the fact that I was enormously pregnant. 

Perhaps it was that the Doc was gone all time (but what else was new).  

Maybe it was the several Chihuahuas that my neighbors had that barked incessantly and hung from my calves by their teeth when I tried to tell their owners to turn down their music every day during nap time (I was a newbie mom, I would never do that now.  Now I'd just make the kid sleep through it).  

Or perhaps it was the several nights of being woken up by police helicopters shining their spotlights through our bedroom windows, or handing police officers cold cups of water while they tried to catch criminals that had run through our yard.  

Or was it the infestation of baby cats in my outside laundry room or hearing roof rats run across my roof at night.

Pish posh.  That is all in the past.  And frankly, not what I remember about Phoenix at all.

I remember my friends.  My dear, dear Phoenix friends who lifted me out of my self pity and gave me reason to sob for weeks when we moved away.

April was the first to reach out.  April, my dear red headed friend, could be counted on to be home ALL THE TIME.  I was (and am) a stay-at-home mom who hated being at home,  but April was the opposite.  I could always escape my red carpeted house (yes, it did have blood red carpet.  Bloody nose?  Quick!  Get over the carpet!) and spend hours with April.  Between the two of us, we solved every problem in the world.  We seriously could take over the White House if we put my blonde head and her red head together.  At least it felt like it at the time.

I miss April.  I think of her every time I make this perfect, simple Vegetable Soup.  Just like April:  perfect and simple.

Vegetable Soup
by April McIver

10 cups water
5 Knorr chicken bullion cubes
1 cup barley
1 large pinch of parsley
'1/2 t white pepper
1/2 t tarragon
1 t curry
1 handful of lentils
1 handful of red lentils

Simmer covered for 1 hour.

3 large white potatoes (I used red.  I have used sweet potatoes as well)
1 can drained carrots
1 can drained corn
1 can drained green beans
1 bunch of broccoli
4 stalks of celery, chopped

Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Makes a ton!  You are welcome to use fresh vegetables and add in as many has your heart desires.  This is a great one for me when I want veggies, but don't have them all on hand.  Cans to the rescue!

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

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