I’m a big fan of “community cookbooks”!

You know – the ones that a women’s group might publish as a way to raise funds for a worthy cause. The recipes are often little gems! Most are family favorites, and some are family heirlooms – passed down from Grandma to Mom to Daughter!

I have a small collection of these books with tiny post-it notes marking my favorite recipes in all of them.

Here’s one . . . an easy recipe for soup!

Doesn’t it sound delicious? 🙂

Italian Garden Soup

2 Tbs. butter
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium clove garlic
1-1/2 c. thinly sliced carrots
1-1/2 c. thinly sliced celery
1 medium zucchini, sliced
28 oz. chicken broth
1 (16 oz.) can Italian tomatoes (reserve juice)
¼ tsp. oregano, crumbled
¼ tsp. basil, crumbled
1/8 tsp. pepper and salt
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Croutons (optional)

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is soft (5 min.)
Add carrots, celery, and zucchini; sauté 4-5 minutes
Add chicken broth, tomatoes and reserved juice, oregano, basil, pepper and salt.
Bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer until vegetables are “crisp tender” (10-15 min.)
Serve with Parmesan cheese and croutons.

A mug of this with half a grilled cheese sandwich???

Hmmm, hmmm! 😉