Artichoke & Garbanzo Soup, February 3, 2015

Tonight, I was pretty sure we were ordering pizza. Jeannene came in, took one look at the soup I had on the stove, and said, "So, should we just order pizza?" She is seldom a fan of dishes I make that have no meat in them and no food group is subject to her skepticism like a broth-based vegetarian soup. I popped a ciabatta loaf in the oven to finish baking, anyway, and waited for Jeannene's verdict. Finally, I decided to give her a sample, to elicit a decision, one way or another. I was almost positive we'd be calling Jet's & I'd be eating soup for lunch the rest of the week. I pulled the bread out and asked if she would like some. She said she would---then, she said, "The soup will be okay, too. It's good." Hurrah! Turns out, it was really very good. The whole time we were eating, Jeannene was making happy little "Mmm" noises and dipping her ciabatta cheerfully into her soup. For dessert, I had a bowl of frozen sunshine, a funny little retro fruit salad that is quite refreshing and delicious.

Artichoke & Garbanzo Soup

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

5 small carrots, peeled & chopped

1/4 tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. coriander

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 potato, chopped

1 tsp. salt

32 oz. broth (I used beef, but feel free to use veggie broth)

1 can diced tomatoes

2 cans artichoke hearts, drained & chopped

1 can garbanzos, drained

Heat oil in a soup pot. Add onion and sauté 5 minutes, until softened. Add carrots, cover, and cook a few more minutes. Add cayenne, coriander, & garlic. Cover & cook a few more minutes. Add potato, salt, and broth. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are nearly tender, 10-15 minutes. Add the rest, adjust seasonings, and heat through. Serves 8. 

Frozen Sunshine

1/2 c. sugar (this can be reduced)

1 tbsp. lemon juice 

6 oz. frozen orange juice, thawed

6 oz. water

15 oz. crushed pineapple

15 oz. peaches, drained & chopped

4 bananas, sliced (optional)

Mix sugar, juices, and water. Add fruit. Put in muffin tins with paper liners. Cover and freeze. Thaw for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serves 12.