Hi Friends–
Yes, I am thinking about you and you will hear from me shortly.
In the meantime, and because it’s finally Fall (hooray!), I thought I would give you my Chicken-Vegetable Soup recipe. We’re all eating a little more sparely to get in shape for Kirsten’s Wedding, so cutting out flour and sugar. This recipe is super healthy and anything but bland. Just look at the list of ingredients and you will probably find that you have most of what you need in your fridge and pantry. It takes about 30 minutes to prep and it cooks in about 30-45 minutes and makes the house smell divine.
Enjoy!

Annie’s Chicken-Vegetable Soup
I use a large Stock Pot and then I freeze leftovers into individual containers for quick lunches later. (Freezing allows them to be transported to work or school without spilling all over the place. Just 5 minutes in the microwave refreshes it.)
I just dump everything in the pot as I go, and nothing is precooked:
1 large can DelMonte Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano
1 small can tomato paste
1 can of rinsed Kidney beans (just because I like them)
3 Zucchini or Summer Squash, quartered and sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 head of cabbage, quartered, then sliced into 1/2” pieces — this takes the place of any pasta or macaroni in the soup and it looks like noodles when the soup is done. You may, of course, substitute the cabbage for noodles.
1 large bag of baby carrots (no chopping!)
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped small
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
2 quarts of Lower Sodium chicken broth
2 T. Knorr powdered chicken buillion
salt and pepper to taste
1 Bay leaf
1 1/2 t. thyme leaves
1 1/2 t. dried Basil
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces so there is a bit of chicken in every spoonful
Cook on high until soup begins to boil. Turn down to simmer and let simmer for 30 minutes or however long you can stand it ; )
The soup will be super-hot, so after ladling it into your bowl, let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
You can substitute anything you don’t like (one son doesn’t care for mushrooms) or add anything you DO want.
Now, I’m going to hunker down for the evening and watch the 2nd NLDS play-off game between the Giants and the Reds and have some soup. Gooooooo Giants!
oh…
Here’s a little peek at ONE of the things I’ve been working on for Quilt Market… (!)

©2012 Annie Smith All rights Reserved











Been thinking about you too and wondered what you were up to. Hope all is well in your world. Look forward to hearing more from you, you’ve been missed.
Hey, Lynn! How are you?! Where are you in NC again? I’m going to be teaching in Chapel Hill in November.
Thanks for commenting and letting me know you’re still out there ; )
I’m so glad you posted today. I keep checking itunes to see if a new podcast has been posted. Of course, I used netvibes to get your blog updates.
Hi Annie;
I’m in Davidson, north of Charlotte – exit 30 on I-77. What dates will you be in Chapel Hill?
I’ll be at Thimble Pleasures on Nov. 15th. Check out their website for the class details. Whenever I go to see my son’s family, I teach at Thimble Pleasures. I’ve been invited to teach at a Guild near Charlotte but we haven’t finalized details yet.
Frances Dowell from Off Kilter Quilt podcast frequently goes to Thimble Pleasures. You should get in touch with her. Doesn’t look like I’ll be able to make the dates to go, but I’ll be on the look out for the class for the guild close to Charlotte.
Annie,
I’m cooking up some soup on this rainy October afternoon here in Flagstaff. Thinking of you! Thanks for the recipe. It smells delicious!
You’re so welcome, Gina! ; )
Hi Annie,
Look forward to your return. I’ve missed you. Happy wedding. Joan
Glad to hear from you and learn that you’re OK. The soup looks yummy. I’ll definitely be making it.