WHAT'S COOKIN' IN JUNE

What a year we are moving right along can you believe we are half way through the year. June doesn’t have a major holiday but my family celebrates June 19 with a big Juneteenth picnic. This month I will share some of my family favorite Juneteenth recipes. I would love to share the story of Juneteenth with you, it one of those story every African American should know.

HAT’S ON HAND VEGETABLE SOUP Here is a simple recipe for chunky vegetable soup using ingredients that you have on hand. This is easy to make and can be served as a starter or as a main course. Don’t worry if you don’t have every vegetable listed; this soup recipe is very flexible. Use whatever you have on hand. 1 onion, diced 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced 2 carrots, thinly sliced 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 8 cups water or low sodium or low fat vegetable stock 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 sweet potato or rutabaga, diced 1 cup green beans, cut into bite-size pieces 1/2 cup fresh peas 1 cup chopped cabbage, kale, collards, or other green 1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried herbs (thyme, rosemary, tarragon, savory, etc.) 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley salt and black pepper to taste Place onion, celery, carrots, and oil in large soup pot. Sauté 10 minutes over medium heat until onions are soft. Add water or stock, garlic, potatoes, beans, and vegetables. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add remaining ingredients except parsley, and seasonings. Simmer 10 minutes until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley. Season with salt and black pepper