Early American Life Magazine & SOUP

The first time I saw Early American Life Magazine (from here on to be called EAL) I was at the Cherry Hill Library either picking up or dropping off a friend who used to work there but was retired.  Sometimes I borrowed books on his card although most of the time, I buy m books from amazon.  I like to keep them, like friends!

Anyhow, it was love at first sight.  At that time, I was a volunteer at the James and Ann Whitall house an enamored of all things Early American.  I had the full kit, shift, petticoat, fichu, autumn cape, winter hooded woolen cape, stockings and buckle shoes, aprons, bonnets, market basket.  I did NOT have a corset and was determined not to get that authentic.  EAL Magazine fit beautifully with my new volunteer work.

Along the way, after I stopped volunteering due to back and knee issues, I let my subscription slip, but recently renewed it hoping to get the Christmas issue, always my favorite.  It came today and along with a number of fascinating articles, there was one on SOUP!

Let me say right up front - I don't cook!  I don't like cooking, or food preperation and although there have been periods in my life that more or less necessitated that I do some cooking, I never took to it.  But come winter and the cold, like the cooks of old, I will forage around the kitchen for a couple of old favorites to take the chill off.  I make vegetable soup and I make vegetarian chili.

Vegetable soup: I always keep one or two cartons of vegetable bullion (low sodium) in the cupboard.  In the freezer, I always keep an assortment of vegetables that I choose from according to my momentary taste:  peas, corn, lima beans, green beans, carrots.
Also, I keep a few kinds of frozen pasta such as gnocchi or small cheese ravioli, and I like to choose one or two of these to throw into the soup pot.  In the cupboard again, I always keep canned spiced and diced tomatoes, lentils and beans:  red kidney beans, white cannoli, black beans.

For my super easy chili, I use all three kinds of beans, one can of spiced/diced tomatoes, a large jar of salsa, and a tablespoon of chili powder.  I buy a bag of lime flavored tortilla chips to crumble and put on the bottom of the bowl with two heaping soup spoons of chili on top and grated cheese sprinkled on top of that.

My super easy vegetarian lentil soup is simply two cans of lentils, a can of sliced potatoes, and frozen carrots.

Stay Warm my friends!
Jo Ann
wrightj45@yahoo.com