Green Bean Soup - Soupe aux Haricots verts

I think there are certain activities, like going the beach or camping, you should do every year.  If you don't live near a beach, an annual trip might not be feasible.  I live close enough to go, but I have not gone this year.

The summer went by so quickly, and I never set time aside to go.  Even though the summer is over, I am going to the beach in October.  Not the typical month for a beach trip, but it works.

I went camping this weekend for my first camping trip of 2014.  I camped in Pennsylvania with people I go to church with.  The weather was beautiful.  It was a little cold at night, but my feet kept warm.

Excursions like camping help me feel refreshed.  Because I have the same routine day after day, it is easy to feel stagnate and stale.  A quick weekend trip helps me see what is beautiful about life.  It helps me put things into perspective.

I made this soup last week.  It makes a great lunch or dinner during cooler months.  I got the recipe from a blog called Traditional French Food.  It has many many delicious looking French recipes.  I added a few spices and chicken broth to the original recipe.

The ingredients are 1 bay leaf, 3 whole cloves, butter, 6 slices canadian bacon, 1 onion, 2 pounds potatoes, 2 pounds green beans, 3 cups chicken broth, salt, pepper, milk, and parsley.

I melted a couple of tablespoons of butter in a large pot.  I added the diced onion.

I added the cubed canadian bacon after a few minutes.  The original recipe called for regular bacon.  I cooked the onions and bacon until the onions were soft and pale.

I added the 3 cups of broth and about 7 cups of water to the pot.  I added the chopped potatoes and green beans.

I added a bay leaf, some whole cloves, salt, and pepper.

I brought the soup up to a boil and simmered it for 30 minutes.  The original recipe said to simmer the soup for an hour, but I think that's a bit excessive.  

I splashed a little milk over each serving and garnished with chopped parsley.  The original recipe suggested cream, which would only be more delicious.

It was a simple but good soup.  It was warm, filling, nourishing, and wholesome.  

 Soup season has begun, and this would be a good recipe to add to your repertoire.

 It is simple as I mentioned, but the flavors are clean, and it isn't bland.

 I had no problem finishing off this soup.  I took it to work for a few days, and it reheated well.