Big Batch Vegetable Soup

I racked my brain trying to come up with something to cook for this week - We are meat eaters. At every meal. But in the interest of broadening our horizons and celebrating this month's theme - we decided - if we were going to go veggie - we were going all the way.

So tonight we ran to the store for some veggies - could not believe the difference in price - You mean I can feed a family of 6 for just over $10?

I would have thought that impossible...but for tonight supper - we spent a grand total of $12.80.

I bought an onion, celery, carrots the real kind - you know the ones that you have to peel much cheaper,
bag of red potatoes, large can of diced tomatoes, 2 zucchini and some saltine crackers.

I used on hand: salt and pepper, olive oil, tomato paste and Italian seasoning.

I still have almost an entire bag of potatoes, a ton of saltine crackers and about half the stalk of celery - the rest went into this HUGE pot of vegetable soup.


Big Batch Vegetable Soup
marthastewart.com

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 cups chopped onions or thinly sliced leeks (whites only)
1 cup thinly sliced celery
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Coarse salt and pepper
3 cans (14 1/2 ounces) vegetable broth
1 can ( 28 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
8 cups mixed fresh or frozen vegetables such as: carrots, corn, green beans, lima beans, peas, potatoes or zucchini.  (cut larger vegetables into smaller pieces.)



Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onions or leeks, celery and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.



Add broth, tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste, and 3 cups of water to pot; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered for 20 minutes.



Add vegetables to pot, and return to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.





Not only was this soup sooo good. It made enough so much - that I could freeze it - but am going to reheat it for supper tomorrow along with grilled cheese sammies.

So really I am getting 2 meals - plus what I had left for $12.80. With savings like that - I might just switch over a few meals a month to meat free!!



Outtakes:

While making this soup - Miss Maddy was helping cut the veggies. It was so much fun to see her chowing down on celery and carrots that she cut herself. She was even sweet enough to share with one of her brothers.





While the kids seemed a little more interested in the saltine crackers - they did eat a fair amount of this soup - one of them even drank the rest of his broth - I chided him a bit - but secretly?

Love my veggie lovers.