Soup and Baskets

I have to say that I made the best veggie soup the other day. It was one of those panic moments when Mother Hubbard looked in her substantially depleted cupboards and came up with veggie soup. I have 3 other veggie soup recipes in my hand written cookbook, but they are going to get tossed in favour of this one.

6-10 cloves of garlic sliced
2 onions coarsely chopped
3 sticks of celery 3/4 inch slices
2 med carrots quartered and 3/4 inch slices
1 yellow pepper coarsely chopped
1 green pepper coarsely chopped
2 small zucchini 1/4 inch slices
2 med potatoes 1 inch cubes
1 can chopped tomatoes
3 bay leaves
1 tsp each oregano, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
oil

Heat oil over medium heat in large pot. Saute onions and garlic in oil about 2 minutes. Add zucchini and celery, cook 2 minutes. Add peppers, carrots, and potatoes. Cover and cook about 10 minutes or until things start to soften.Stir often. Add can of tomatoes and two cans of water, herbs, and vinegar. Cook until done, about 20 minutes.

note: I used the tomato can to measure the two cans of water. Seems obvious, but you never know when someone might go to the store looking for canned water. My daughter is a literalist. I have learned to be careful about what I say.

So maybe my cupboards weren't all that bare. But it was good. This recipe make a big pot of soup, but I cook for 6, so it works out fine for us.

As for basket making.... I don't know about those backpack baskets, and I really have no desire to make one ( my back is wroteoff) but if you all want to learn how to make a small basket then I am more than willing to lead all you wannabe basket making Frederictonians in a informal workshop. But the thing that we need is water and space. The reeds that we use can reach about 10 feet in length, sometimes longer. They tend to get tangled and to untangle them required a bit of shaking. For the course that I took, there were 6 of us, plus the instructor in a room that was about 20' by 12' and that was cramped. As I say to the kids, we all like our eyes. So I will suggest that we go ahead in the summer, when we can soak the reeds (and our feet) in a kiddie pool, ( I have one courtesy of Liz) sit in someone's back yard ( I volunteer mine), and swill beer. Sound good ladies?

And my basket dried out so I gave it a test run last night. It worked out fine with no snagging. It may not work so well with a fine single ply silk like Kate is using, but does the trick for my wool.