Soup in Summertime

I don’t make soup very often in the summer. I don’t know why.

Yes, it is hot outside, but thanks to the miracle of air conditioning, it is plenty cool inside.

Summer is when the perfect ingredients are fresh from the garden and it is so easy to have a bowl of soup with a salad and be on our way.

We eat meals every day at home. I believe firmly in cooking and eating together, so soup is perfect. My kiddos can help prepare and add the ingredients and then we can enjoy the fruits of our labor together. Plus left overs can be a life saver on a busy day, and soup is often better the second time around.

The message of today’s post is this: Take time to consider options that are available to you which you wouldn’t normally take advantage. If there is a free service or program, check it out. Enjoy the things your community has to offer like park programs, nature talks, free concerts, art shows, car shows, or patronize a farmers’ market.

If fresh fruits and veggies make themselves available to you, be grateful for the source and share in the wealth. My father-in-law brought us a bucket of zucchini and potatoes from his garden. I prepped and froze some zucchini for us, grilled some, and shared the rest with our neighbors. It was a great excuse to visit them and share in the bounty of the season. Consider making some soup with your fresh ingredients and savor the healthy and delicious goodies summer has to offer. It goes by too quickly.

By all means, include your family and friends in your efforts! Invite them to attend the concerts or shows or have a bar-b-que. Make memories with the gifts of your day. Stir the pot, if you will, shake things up a bit, do something fresh and new and the results will be deliciously rewarding.

By: Melanie A. Peters