Central West Virginia's Guide To Life

RECIPES FROM MOM

By Lisa Cooper Laughlin
(taught by Helen Cooper Burns)

I awoke at ten until two.
My throat felt swollen, I didn't know what to do.
I woke mom and told her I was sick.
She got out of bed real quick.
What is wrong and what can I do?
She said I had a fever, it had to be the flu.
I was coughing and sneezing and rubbing my eyes,
as mom came back with a great surprise.
She had a bowl of soup that she made home made,
along with a glass of fresh lemonade.
The soup was steaming hot with crackers too.
That was the nicest thing for my mom to do.
This moment was a memory I will carry on.
My family will know it to pass along.
When a loved one is hungry and thirsty or even sick,
one of mom's recipes will do the trick.

Mom's Homemade Vegetable Soup
Start with 6 medium potatoes diced into one inch cubes. Dice a small onion, two carrots, two stalks of celery, and a small head of cabbage and roast, cut up in small pieces. Let this cook, boiling for fifteen minutes, then add a can of diced tomatoes, peas, corn and green beans. Let simmer for thirty minutes. You may have to add more tomato juice, depending on how soupy you want it.
You can also add anything you especially like. Like noodles, macaroni, beans, parsley, spices... Just be sure to salt and pepper to taste and add a little butter, and it's good to go! All you need is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.