Spring Soup

Yesterday seemed almost spring like outside once again. We've been teased before thinking that it was here and then woken to see the snow flying, but yesterday I felt sure that indeed it was time for a spring luncheon.
I needed a menu that had no gluten and decided that some fresh spring soup would fit the bill perfectly.

Fresh Spring Soup

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 4 leeks
  • 2 ribs celery
  • 1 medium yellow onion .. diced
  • 1 bunch of asparagus .. .sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 14 small red finger potatoes .. .diced
  • 2 - 3 carrots .. .diced
  • 6 cups of chicken stock
  • a small handful of fresh dill
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup of heavy cream (optional)

fresh chives to garnish

Trim the leeks. Remove and discard all but 2 inches of the green.

Slice them thin and then rinse well in a colander. (they tend to have grit)

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter and add the leeks and the onions and saute until tender but not caramelized.

Add the chicken stock.

Add all the veggies but the asparagus.

Add the dill.

Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender.

Add the asparagus and simmer a few more minutes

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Just before serving add the heavy cream to add richness.


It is a simple soup and even adding the cream it still feels like you have enjoyed a light lunch.

Over the years from time to time, the girl cousins that live in our area have made an effort to enjoy a lunch together.

There are seven girl cousins total but five that still live in our area.
Yesterday three cousins were able to come on short notice for lunch.


It is always fascinating to find that though we rarely run into one another nor do we chat on the phone, nor do we see each other at family gatherings often. . .
the connection remains.

When I was growing up,
I adored these girl cousins.
Not having a sister, they represented to me the
all important valued females in my life.



There was no greater treat on a Sunday afternoon than to be invited over to one of these girl cousins house for faspa.
(Mennonite Sunday afternoon supper consisting of homemade buns and homemade treats, peanut butter, jam. and cold cuts)



No matter how much time has passed when we get together our interests in the family continues to be our bond. We rejoice with each other in the happy moments of family life and we
are saddened by the difficulties that all families face.


The other girl cousins still have both their parents.
Some of the time we talk about how the aunts and uncles are doing.
It always amazes me that they ( my mothers siblings) continue on without my parents.

Somehow I thought that after my mom and dad passed away, the others close in age would soon follow. . .

They haven't.
This is a good thing.
The family lives on.

Something else we share. . . .
is one beautiful aunt that we all adore.
I call her Auntie Betty and I carry her name within mine .. .
She is really Aunt Lorena. . . some call her Betty as her Dad called her when she was young.
Some call her Lorena . . . her real first name.

I call her because I love her.

Since I hav invited her to read my blog. .
she does. . .
She is interested in my life ..
She cares, and it shows.



(oh and girls .. .even though you didn't fully give permission to have your picture up .. .
Auntie Betty trumps you .. .she said .. .
put it up)

(that is one of the reasons I love her so .. . she has spunk)

Have a wonderful day my friends.




Comments

  1. how beautiful, to share the ties of family . it is nice to be able to carry on after awhile of being apart as if there has not been a time lapse at all. I love those kind of get togethers. looks like a beautiful lunch as well.
    what a blessing..looks like great schpass..thanks tante betty for letting lovella post this ;-)

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  3. The salad and soup looks just wonderful! How special to have girl cousins. I was so close to one of my girl cousins growing up and I think its just terrible that I haven't seen her in 12 years! Yikes! I do love leeks!

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  4. Cousin Lovella! everything was lovely yesterday! (except that one of us was missing)
    You are such a good hostess and the delicious lunch was so elegantly presented. And how thoughtful it was of you to make it all gluten-free! Thank you !!

    I would like to make one correction in your posted recipe -- the heavy cream is NOT optional..I can't imagine the soup without it !! smile

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  5. Isn't it fun to do that with cousins?
    I had similar experiences while I was young. How true that we all stuck together and still we have such a strong bond. My bloggers not working today...

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  6. looks like you guys had a wonderful time!! the soup and salad look great!! definitely spring-y!

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  7. Oh shoot...Mr. T wasn't available to take a picture with all of you? That just doesn't seem like him at all, especially when there was good food around to enjoy.

    You, my fellow sisterless friend, are so blessed to have girl cousins to love and enjoy. I too have five girl cousins, only one of them even occasionally sends a Christmas card, other than that it is as if I didn't exist. I have to ask: Are these cousins from your mom's side of the family? Those kinds of cousins always seem to share the closest bonds in life.

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  8. How lovely Lovella. It is great to keep connected to cousins. The soup looks so yummy...

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  9. How wonderful that you are able to get together with your cousins like this. I have 15 living girl cousins and 2 died too young, and I haven't seen some of them in perhaps 20 years. One cousin and I get together once a year for dinner out when she's in town. (For the record, I have two sisters, as well as two brothers and 12 living boy cousins and 2 died too young). Lotta kinfolk, huh?

    Jill is right - the cousins on my mother's side are the ones who stay in touch better.

    I think I'll have to try that soup...it looks so good.

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  10. What fun you must have had at your luncheon..family ties are so special. It all looks so wonderful..thanks for sharing the pics, Lovella.

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  11. Beautiful family! It's cool that everyone was able to be together for a spring lunch...and what a lunch! That salad is so gorgeous, it ought to be framed.

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  12. It all looks so lovely, Lovella, from the quilted white place mats to the pretty yellow soup pot, and of course, the very best of guests! I like the color scheme in your house too.

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  13. Oh man.... I felt sorry enough for myself that I couldn't make the luncheon and now seeing the picture and food...... "sob".. I can see I missed out big time!! I miss you all and hope I do bump into you soon. I'm so glad you guys had a good time and yes... those cousin bonds are there for our lifetime! I agree Aunt Betty has always been so special!! Love ya all! Grace

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  14. Delicious soup recipe! Thank you! And I am loving your new blog roll! It's so fun to see the first part (teaser) of each blogs message.

    :) LaTeaDah

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