Vegetable Soup - My Mother In Laws Favorite

When my Mother In Law was sick a few months ago I just happened to have a fresh batch of Chicken Stock and decided to whip up some Vegetable Soup. She swears it is what cured her!

Recently she came home from the hospital after a knee replacement, and I decided I better make it again so she could enjoy it for a few days. It is so simple and easy, the key is homemade Chicken Stock! You can of course add chicken or use any veggies you have around!

I cook a batch of rice so you can put it in while you are heating it up, if you put it in when making the soup by the next day the rice has sucked up most of the broth. One more plus to this soup, it is Gluten Free!

3-4 quarts chicken stock

1 leek, peeled, cleaned and sliced thinly

1 medium onion cleaned, cut in half and sliced thinly

6 stalks of celery sliced

6 large carrots, peeled and sliced into coins

5-6 button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

2 large zucchini ends removed and sliced

Cooked Rice

In a good sized stock pot saute the leek and onion in several tablespoons of oil at a medium high heat until reduced in volume and a bit caramelized, you will have bits of brown stuff in the bottom of your pot, you want that yummy stuff, add in a cup of chicken stock and stir until it incorporates into the liquid.

Add the remaining stock and carrots and let simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes to give the carrots a head start, then add the celery and let simmer for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the carrots and celery are nearly done add in your mushrooms and zucchini, let cook an additional, 10 minutes or so and serve or if you are not eating it immediately immerse into a bath of cold water (I use my sink) to cool it down quickly, then refrigerate