Yesterday morning, with several tasks on the day’s agenda ahead of me, I decided I was going to make that vegetable soup one way or another! Michael had to be out on a morning job, so to manage schooling the little ones (5 year old triplets) and make my soup, the kids took all of their school work and moved to the breakfast bar from the school room.  It was the perfect set up for us to still be able to work together, communicate and multi-task. So they got to work in their books, taking turns reading the concepts and directions, etc, and I got to chopping! : )

Of course, they were on the distracted side, wanting to watch what I was doing in the kitchen. (Whenever we’re cooking in the kitchen, the kids come like ants to a picnic.) Then {O} says in that sweet, polite little voice:

{O} “What are you cutting up there, Mama?  Are those green peppers?”

(Me) “Yes, they are green peppers, Honey.”

{O}  “Ohhhh.  I sure love green peppers, all cold and crunchyyyy.”

{S}  “Me too!”

{J}  “Me too!”

Next thing I know, we have green peppers and pencils sticking out of little fists all over the place. The room was filled with the chewing sound of crunching vegetables and the scratching of writing pencils on workbooks.  As I kept working on the soup, they kept working in their books, with very frequent breaks to look up and see what I was doing next, and asking questions about what this was, or why I was doing that. I guess they were having a culinary arts class, as they did their reading, writing and math!  They really loved the smell of garlic saute’ing in the pan.

Eventually they got all of their work done, and my soup was really coming together! Both tasks took longer than they would on their own, of course, as I also needed to stop what I was doing sometimes to help them with something one or the other was stuck on, (which was ok of course), but both jobs did get done, which was all that mattered.

Once Michael got back in awhile later, and after a little soup-taste-test from every mouth, big or small, in the house, I had some errands to run.  Later when I got home, it was time to put together the May Baskets. They just took turns putting the goods in each basket, and tied a bow and ‘Happy May Day’ tag on it.  But really, they were far more anxious to eat dinner (as early as it still was), because they just kept asking if it was time for dinner to have that soup yet.

I have to say, it came out way better than I even expected! They eagerly scoffed up one bite after another, injected with the occasional “Mmmm” or “This soup is so good, Mama!”.  After emptying their bowls, and eating up their sandwiches, I offered them graham crackers, which they of course eagerly accepted, and then guess what?  Two of the kids wanted more soup!  Michael had another big bowl too. I had to chuckle, because it turned out {O’s} mouth wanted more, but her belly was quite full already. So she couldn’t quite eat her seconds, but I was happy she enjoyed it enought to want more.

I guess now I should share this new soup recipe of mine, huh?  (I can call it ‘mine’ because it’s an altered version of another recipe, and because I will be making more.)  As good as it was, it is so simple in ingredients and really, I am not always inspired to be in the kitchen cooking. I have to be in the mood I guess.  Of course with a family this size, I am in there quite a bit, whether I am in the mood or not! But I am also very blessed to have a husband who usually rather does enjoy cooking, and is quite helpful in the kitchen.  If we’re in there together, he makes it fun for me, with his humor and sprinkles of loving hugs. (Always when my hands are wet or dirty, or I have sharp knife in my hand – nothing stops the boy. lol)

In giving you the ingredients, I have no real measurements.  I mean, it’s soup!  It’s a montage of ingredients and it depends how liquid-y you want it, or how much stuff you want in it. I just eye-balled it all. (What a funny saying…lol.) So here’s the contents of the soup:

• Green & red peppers, zucchini, summer squash, and onion, coarsely chopped
• Minced garlic
• * Swanson Natural Goodness Chicken Broth (w/ 33% less sodium)  *During Lent, replace with College Inn Vegetable Broth
• Condensed (Low Sodium if possible) Tomato Soup
• Salt, Pepper & Basil

• Just  spray a 4qt+ pan with non-sticking spray, and saute’ chopped onion and minced garlic for 2 minutes over medium-high heat.
• Add rest of chopped vegetables, and saute/stir until tender-crisp.
• Pour in broth and condensed soup, stir, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat, cover, and let cook for 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
• Add salt, pepper, and basil to taste.
• Serve hot & enjoy!    : )

It may not be a gourmet soup, but it got 4 gold spoons in my family!