The June 2021 soup is Minestrone Soup paired with an Italian hoagie and an Italian vegetable hoagie. Here is the link for soup recipe,

https://cookieandkate.com/classic-minestrone-soup-recipe/. This recipe is easy to follow, and I selected it because you can use a variety of vegetables depending on what is in season and what you have on hand. I decided to use summer squash, zucchini, red onion, carrots, celery, tomatoes, and green beans. I made my own vegetable broth and added more red pepper flakes. I followed the recipe for the remaining ingredients. The soup is colorful and delicious. Shredded Parmesan cheese and some fresh ground black pepper is the perfect garnish.

For the hoagies, I used these recipes, https://wonkywonderful.com/hot-italian-sandwiches/ and https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252443/italian-vegetable-hoagies/.

Because we have experienced some extremely hot days, James opted not to bake his hoagie, so I baked the vegetable hoagie instead. The Italian hoagie called for hot Italian giardiniera, so I found this recipe,

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/81581/hot-italian-giardiniera/?did=247862-20210626&hid=&utm_campaign=recipe-to-a-friend_lifecycle&utm_source=allrecipes.com&utm_medium=email&utm_term=bounceexchange&utm_content=062621&cid=247862&mid=60833666722

James decided to use hot banana peppers instead of the giardiniera, so I used it on my vegetable hoagie because you can never have too many vegetables. I also sauteed mushrooms for my hoagie and the result was delicious. What I really like about all these recipes is there is flexibility to customize them to suit your family. The hoagies can be assembled with your favorite cold cuts, cheeses, and vegetables. You can choose to bake them or serve them cold.

For next month, our August soup will be Broccoli Cheddar Soup paired with Quinoa Salad.

The Twelve Months of Soup

January – Chicken Noodle Soup and Mandarin Orange Salad

February – Seafood Bisque and Strawberry Spinach Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette Dressing

March – Potato and Leek Soup and Beet Salad

April – Vegetarian Vegetable Soup with a Vegetable Panini

May – Black Bean Soup and Mexican Kale Salad

June – Italian Wedding Soup with a Chicken Wrap

July – Minestrone Soup with a Hoagie

August – Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Quinoa Salad

September – Tomato Basil Soup with a Grilled Cheese Sandwich

October – Slow Cooker Black Bean Chili and Pomegranate and Wild Rice Salad

November – Butternut Squash Soup with a turkey sandwich

December – Split Pea Soup with a Ham Sandwich