The neighbor’s daughter came over; she likes to come by and play with Ana – she pretends to be Ana’s mom, and Ana, well, she’s just the one year old that’s happy to see someone that’s not as tall as a building (I’m 5’7, but for her I am the Eiffel Tower ).
As I was getting things out of the pantry, the six year old neighbor asked, “What are you doing?!?”. I explained to her that I was cleaning out my pantry and that I was about to start working on a veggie soup. “SOUP?! – that’s not food! You guys need to eat pizza!”.
She later came up to me and again asked what I was doing. “Making soup”, I said. “That’s how you make soup?!? That’s not how my Mom does it.”. “How does your Mom do it?”. She went to my pantry, looked through it, turned around and asked me where my red and white cans were. At first I didn’t know what she meant, but after a few clarifications I figured that she was looking for the Campbell’s Soup can.
I told her that unlike her Mommy who works outside of her home, leaves at 6 am, and doesn’t come back until after 6 pm, I stay home where my kitchen is within a few feet of wherever I am, and while Ana naps I have time to go to my kitchen and whip up meals from scratch.
She stayed until I finished with the soup and then asked me if she could have a bowl now, and another one to go.
Couple days later her Mom came to tell me that her daughter wanted to eat her carrots, but only if they were cooked by Mrs. P. That girl knows what she likes.
Vegetable Bean Soup
You will need:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon basil
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups vegetable stock (you can also use chicken stock or just water)
- 2 large carrots, sliced crosswise
- 1 large potato, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup elbow macaroni
- 1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a deep stockpot pour in the olive oil and warm it over medium heat.
- Add in the onions and garlic; season with salt and pepper.
- Lower the heat and cook it for about ten minutes, or until the onion is soft.
- Add in the rosemary, thyme, basil, bay leaves, and stir.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the carrots and potatoes and cook for another ten minutes.
- Add the pasta, garbanzo beans, and kidney beans, and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove it from the heat, stir in a tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and remove the bay leaves.
I just made this, And yes I made adjustments from what I had on hand, but regardless, Hats off to you. It takes a great basic reciepe to be able to adjust.
For some reason the potatoes didn’t cook all the way through. Some were raw. Carrots were fine. I followed the recipe exactly too so I just left it for longer on a boil instead. I’m not sure what went wrong here, I don’t know if I’d try it again.
That soup looks so wonderful. I can’t wait to try your recipe, I do make something similar just without the garbanzo beans. I’ll actually have to add it more often to my recipes 🙂
You’re neighbor sounds fun 😀 I’m sure she enjoyed that soup a lot!!!
awwwwwwwww did you absolutely melt when her mom said that!? ahhh so wonderful =) The soup looks great and I loved the story that went with it!
well played! <3 hehe
that’s the most adorable story. Kids really do appreciate good food poor things just aren’t exposed to it much. Lovely soup Kate! 🙂
Too cute! I love the funny things kids say and do. I’d love to stop over and enjoy a bowl of this soup as well 🙂 It looks delicious and comforting!
OMG, Im grabbing a bowl and coming over. I looove soup – especially one with lots of beans. This looks great.
Cute story! Funny that she thinks soup only comes out of Campbell’s cans! I can see why she like your version so much…it looks delicious. Hearty and healthy!
That’s an awesome soup!!
This looks hearty and delicious. Perfect for the weather we’re having today in Chicago.
Perfect for a cool spring night!
Such a cute story! And the soup looks so hearty and delicious, love the beans and the pasta here!
Cookies, that is. 🙂
Cute story! I’ve had that happen while baking cooking. “Where’s the dough log?”
It’s so cute when we can make positive impressions on the young ones! I’d want a couple bowls of this too! It looks absolutely delicious! =)
You know I think it’s sad when children don’t know what real home made food is.. Parents have weekends, they can do at least that for their kids..feed them well.
Your soup is nice and Im sure now she knows what soup is 🙂
Kate: This is my kinda soup. Healthy, wholesome ingredients for anytime of the year. Fantastic with the kidney beans and garbanzos.
That’s a cute story about your neighbor’s daughter. I’m sure she won’t soon forget how delicious homemade soup is. =)
After the week I’ve had this is all I want to eat right now. Very cute story too!
Cute post! Always love some delicious soup too!!
Cute story Kate and even better recipe. So hearty and healthy.
I love this story and am glad that you are introducing your neighbor’s daughter to home cooking!
May I have a bowl to go too? Your soup looks amazing. Great post.
What a sweet story! And I had to laugh at you comparing yourself to the Eiffel Tower 🙂 Your soup looks fabulous~
What an awesome story! How flattering! The soup looks so healthy and delicious too!!! Bookmarked!
A sweet story to go along with your wonderful hearty bowl of veggie bean soup. I can understand why it’s so popular, it looks delicious as well as healthy:-)
your singing my song with these beans I love love love this soup!
mmm, i love garbanzo beans and homemade soup.
That is such a cute story! I remember thinking similar things as a kid, since soup in our house was campbell’s soup (which I now cannot stand… haha!). Lovely soup, looks so healthy and flavorful!!!
you know there was a time when i had more frozen packed food and less fresh food as i really had no time to cook. I used to leave for work at 8 and be back only by 9:00 Pm.. crazy life that was!! Now, it’s different .. i like to cook everything from scratch.. including stocks 😀 😀 LOL .. This is a great soup.. i like how light it looks .. and so healthy!
Before I had Ana, that was my schedule, too… I would leave to go to work around 6:30 and I would come back from work around 8… it was awful. I didn’t have time to eat, let alone prepare the food. And now, just as you, I even make my own stock. 🙂
What a soothing bowl of soup!! Thanks for the recipe
Don’t you just love kids? She is a very wise child indeed to love your soup!
Vegeetable soup is my favorite especially when there’s beans in it! This soup looks so flavorful and sooo good. 🙂 I can’t wait to try it!
Aw… you are such a good neighbor, Mrs. P! I can almost smell that soup from here. Love all those great herbs and flavors together!
This story is adorable! 🙂 And this soup must be really, really tasty if the kid liked it.
This looks so good, and easy….huge plus for me 😉
What an adorable story! And a delicious soup!!
I just love beans and I really like your recipe for this soup with beans in it. Thanks for sharing – I’ll toss all of my white and red cans and give this one a try ASAP! 🙂
This looks so good! Especially because of the gloomy weather today, I’m really wanting a hearty healthy soup right now. And if your veggies worked on a 6 year old maybe I should try this trick on my dad!
I love this story. While I cook a lot of dishes, I’ve never attempted a homemade soup (I’m more familiar with the red and white cans 😉 ). Probably because I don’t eat them a lot…but the rest of my family does, so maybe I’ll give it a shot someday! 🙂
This soup looks so good! I want some. Now.
What a hearty soup Kate! No wonder your 6 yr old neighbor loved it! 🙂