I made a pretty gigantic batch of vegetable soup last week and just finished the last bowl today. It was such a nice color — a crazy vivid beet pink! Two quarts went out to friends, and Andrew and I polished off the rest handily.

If you want to make yourself some too, this is my very easy, very flexible recipe:

Pink Soup

You’ll need:

1 cup barley + water for cooking it
3 containers of vegetable or chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
1 bunch of carrots, chopped
1 bunch of beets, chopped
1 can of corn
1 can of Italian tomatoes, coarsely chopped
olive oil

Bring water to a boil and cook the barley for 40 minutes until it is nearly done. Drain the excess water away and add 1/2 container of broth and the onion, carrots, and beets. Bring it back to a boil and simmer it for 10 or 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes and corn and stir in the rest of the broth, bringing it back to a lively simmer. Let it cook until the vegetables are a nice consistency, and serve with Parmesan.

Makes about 10 servings and freezes well. Like most soups, it’s even better the next day…

ps: don’t forget, if you want to enter to win the Adorn craft book contest, tomorrow (Tuesday 12/11, by 5 pm EST) is the deadline!

ps 2: a warm welcome to beautiful baby Wren, who came along this morning! I have never been so happy to edit a post!