Thursday, August 21, 2008

green bean soup

Green bean soup was my favorite soup as a kid...and I still quite like it! Yesterday being a rather soupy kind of day (we broke some August rainfall records)...I decided to cook up a large batch of bean soup. It's one of those soups that I've never had a recipe for...so I'll do my best at guessing amounts...and you can feel free to add a little more or less of any ingredient suit yourself.

Green Bean Soup

2-3 qts. soup stock (made with ham of farmer sausage)
3 or 4 potatoes, peeled and diced
3 carrots, sliced
6 cups beans, cut in pieces
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
fresh summer savory (small handful)
fresh parsley
salt & pepper to taste

Add vegetables to soup stock in large pot.
Simmer until tender...about one hour.


I put the summer savory and parsley in a spice ball and add along with vegetables.


Summer savory is the key...you can't skip it!
I grow it in the garden specifically for this soup...
it also freezes well.

(Use about 2 teaspoons of dried summer savory if fresh is not an option.)

Serve with fresh bread...
and call it a meal!

Traditionally we added milk or cream to this soup...now I prefer it as is.

Since the weatherman has promised us two days without precipitation, we are taking a quick end-of-the-summer camping trip with Emme and Spencer. The RV is packed...and we're ready to go. We loaded the girls bikes and Ryder came with his trike...saying, "Me too! Me too!" He sobbed his little heart out...and has no understanding why he can't go along. I think Grammy would be willing to take him...but his sisters would not be too thrilled. Maybe next time, Ryder!


Have a good weekend...

12 comments:

  1. yup......good ol' fashioned bean soup. i love it and so does my family. it feels like a soup meal here today too. lets see if i can raid my parents garden (or freezer) for some beans..;-)

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  2. I'm glad you added the summer savory... I think I can smell it.
    The sun is supposed to be shining.
    Have a great weekend.

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  3. This soup makes me wish that I liked vegetables. Yes, I'm one of those whacky adults who has never learned to enjoy them...texture issues I guess. It sure looks pretty and hearty.

    The summer savory is so attractive in the garden that I would grow it for that alone. To have it to add to soups and stews is an extra.

    Have fun today with the grands! (Ryder's day is coming soon, I'm sure...poor little guy...wonder what fun things his mommy will have to come up with for today to help him through.)

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  4. When I first moved to South Texas, I couldn't find any summer savory in the grocery stores' spice section. But you can't make green bean soup without it so it didn't take long for me to "import" savory. It's definitely time to make some soup again - even if it's 100 degrees outside. Now if only I had some Mennonite farmer sausage! I hope you have a fun camping trip! I'm sure Ryder's turn will come.

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  5. oh my ....this was the last thing my mother asked of me before she passed away....and you know....this was something that brought back memories of my grandmother too. I simply cannot find fresh peppakraut (sp?) anywhere this year....sigh. Will have to go 'inland' more to find those great markets and farmyards eh?

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  6. Mmm..green bean soup! I grow my own summer savoury as well because it's just too hard to find anywhere. Then I freeze enough for winter soups.
    Have fun on your camping trip..now we have soupy weather, did you have to send it our way?? hehe

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  7. Looks good! I wish we had some fresh beans in this part of the world!

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  8. Oh that is so SAD! Poor little guy, that sort of makes me want to cry...but that could be just that I'm 8mo pregnant...and awake at 4:20am...

    mmm...expect me for lunch one day next week. I'm 'off' starting wed.

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  9. The soup looks and sounds delicious. It will soon be soup weather once again.

    I hope you all are having a wonderful time. But, poor little buddy.

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  10. My Dad made this soup recently. It was his first try at making soup since mom passed away in May and he was so proud of how it turned out. I hadn't made it for a long time, not having the requisite Summer Savoury(Pappakraut or PfefferKraut- that's what my mom always called it)so he gave me some that Mom had stashed in the freezer. I made the soup to take on our fishing trip and it was wonderful. Tonight he invited me for Borscht - he's getting to be a great soup maker!

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  11. My winter pfefferkraut is full of little white flowers. Is it still ok to freeze and then use for green bean soup?

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