Dog Days Vegetable Soup
What to do with all the extra vegetables from our gardens? We do not want them to go to waste. My Great-Grandmother, Arizona Henry, would can, freeze, and make soups with all her extra vegetables. Grandma always told me never to waste food because one day you might not have food to eat.
Grandma’s soup-making always began with taking the largest soup pot out of the smokehouse, cleaning it, and chopping up all her vegetables. When the tomatoes piled up on the window sills of her screened-in porch, Grandma would tell me it’s almost time for a big pot of soup. She liked all her vegetables cut up into small pieces because she didn’t have teeth, but I enjoy mine cut into large pieces to add more texture to the soup.
Any vegetable soup made with fresh vegetables is flavorful, typically low in carbohydrates, high in fiber, and budget-friendly. This soup is designed to use up any leftover vegetables before they go to waste. Vegetable soup will bring you warmth and comfort anytime. This soup freezes well. I take all my leftover soup, when cooled, and place it in freezer bags measured to 2 cups for an easy lunch or dinner. This recipe can be adjusted to suit almost any vegetable you have in your kitchen.
Dog Days Vegetable Soup
3 medium squash, chopped
3 medium zucchinis, chopped
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 onions, chopped
4 cups fresh corn kernels
4 tbsp. butter
½ cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp pepper flakes
6 cups chicken broth
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cans of evaporated milk
In a large stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, squash, and zucchini, and cook for about 3 minutes. Then, add the salt, pepper, pepper flakes, and flour for another minute. Gradually add the chicken broth and bouillon cubes. Bring the heat to a simmer, adding tomatoes, evaporated milk, and corn. Cover the soup and let the vegetables cook until they are tender.
Stacy Schultz is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, a former Morgan County Commissioner and is the author of “It’s Stacy’s Grandma ‘Zona’s recipes” and “Great Grandma Zona’s Wisdom & recipes: Comfort food made easy.” She has been in healthcare for 35 years at War Memorial Hospital.