Eats: Winter Soup

Eats: What's Cooking in the Kitchen?

I'm a frugal shopper, especially when it comes to yarn and food. In the yarn department, I'm often on the look out for sales and deals (this applies to patterns, too), and when it comes to food, I've become quite the comparison shopper. But this isn't to say that I don't have a healthy yarn stash (at last count, I have 96 skeins in my cupboard -- what?) and my food pantry is no different.

Over the last couple of trips to the grocery store, I couldn't resist some great sales on vegetables, canned goods, and dried pastas. I love a well-stocked pantry, but there are moments when I have to face the fact that my inability to close the cupboard doors is a problem.

I decided to set myself a goal this week to cook every meal ONLY from what's in my pantry and refrigerator. I have this sinking excited feeling that I'm not going to have any problem doing this. So, what's first up on the menu?  Everyone is a little under the weather in my house today so I whipped up my favorite winter soup recipe which is incredibly simple and healthy. All the ingredients were easily found in my kitchen ... potatoes, carrots, stock, beans, and orzo. 

Left-over carrots from a previous dinner 

Canned chickpeas

I'm known to sprinkle a handful of grated cheese on soup, and my winter soup is no exception. So, one meal down and (counting on my fingers) 14 meals to go!

Winter Soup

serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

10 baby carrots, diced

3 potatoes, diced

3 cups of vegetable or chicken stock

1 can of chick peas, drained

1 cup orzo

salt & pepper

shredded cheese of your choice for garnish

buttered toast or biscuits

In a large dutch oven, sautee onions and garlic in olive oil.  Add carrots and potatoes with a pinch of salt & pepper and cook for two minutes.  Add stock and let come to a light boil before lowering flame to simmer.  Add chick peas and orzo and let soup continue to simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve hot with shredded cheese (cheddar for creaminess; mozzarella for stringiness) and buttered toast.  Enjoy!