As much as I hate to see Summer come to an end, it is hard to deny the pleasures of Fall: school (if you're a parent to school-aged kids), apple cider, pumpkin picking, fall foliage to name a few. My oldest son associates Fall with Halloween (naturally), his younger brother's birthday and Stone Soup.
My son's preschool would serve Stone Soup once a week for snack. Based on the old tale of hungry soldiers tricking a village into donating ingredients to make soup, each child is encouraged to bring a vegetable to be added to the school's version of Stone Soup (vegetable soup). Cute, huh? Even the pickiest preschooler enjoyed Stone Soup.
As soon as the temperatures dip below 60 degrees and the leaves show a tinge of red, soup is often a meal during the week at our house. I recently came across a Blue Ribbon Recipe (top-ranked recipe of all time) on epicurious for Pasta, Sausage, and Bean Soup (click here for the recipe). I adapted this recipe a bit using more veggies and white kidney beans. Staying true to our preschool's tradition, I had my son help prep and add the vegetables into the soup pot.
The result?
The Good: Easy to make, hearty, tastes better the next day. Both boys enjoyed it (and asked for seconds).
The Bad: If you don't drain the grease from the sausage, it can be very greasy.
Grade: A. Fall favorite!
