Fall Vegetable Soup

At the first hints of fall, I start thinking about soup. There's nothing better on a chilly day than a big bowl of warm, healthy, good-for-the-soul soup. My favorite is a vegetable soup my mom used to make. Although when she used to make it back then, I was not a big fan. It was only as an adult that I came to appreciate this simple yet delicious concoction.

Here's the secret: Lipton's Noodle Soup packets. Yes, the dry ones in the box. You'll need two packets (1 box) and a sifter. The recipe goes loosely like this, and it makes A LOT of soup:

Separate the bouillon powder from the noodles (I just toss these out) as best you can with a sifter, and bring that to a boil in 8 cups of water. Add about 3 cans of stewed tomatoes (chopped), a can of tomato sauce, and 1 box of chicken stock (32 oz). That's your base. You can really add whatever veggies you like, but I usually use these (chopped): a bag of carrots, 3 squash, 4 zucchini, a head of broccoli, a head of cauliflower, and a head of cabbage. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the veggies are soft.

The cabbage totally makes the soup. Even if you think you don't like cabbage, try this soup and see if it doesn't change your mind. It's hearty, healthy, and so yummy!