I ate a lot of Campbell's soup when I was a kid. My favorites were chicken noodle, tomato, and alphabet soup, which I ate on a weekly basis. My mother once bought Heinz because it was on sale, and I immediately knew it wasn't Campbell's, as soon as I tasted it. Gradually, I started eating more adventurous fare (at least I thought so at the time), like Knorr and Progresso. But, I still have a
soft spot in my heart for alphabet soup. When I was at the grocery store, I saw a package of alphabet pasta and decided to make my own version, modeled after Campbell's. It wasn't hard. Tomato based broth, chopped vegetables, and pasta. And I made sure the broth didn't have mystery floaty things in it, like onions or tomato pulp. I don't object to that now, but hated it when I was a kid. I enjoyed the soup I made, and thought it wasn't nearly as sweet as Campbell's, which makes me wonder if they're putting sugar into theirs.
This is my submission to Presto Pasta Night, which was started by the wonderful Ruth at Once Upon A Feast. Each Friday Ruth has a recap of wonderful pasta recipes from bloggers from all over the world. So, do stop by and check it out.
Alphabet Soup
Note: Add vegetables of your choosing.
1/2 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 15 ounce can chopped tomatoes
4-5 cups stock (chicken or vegetable), add more if you like
1 medium yukon gold potato, chopped small
1 stalk celery, chopped fine
1 carrot, chopped small
1/2 to 1 cup baby frozen limas
3/4 cup corn kernels
1/2 of a 7 ounce package of alphabet pasta, or orzo, or stars pasta (or more pasta if you wish)
pinch of herbs, if you wish. I used dried thyme
salt and black pepper to taste
Saute the onion, thyme, and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes, over medium heat. Add the can of tomatoes, including the liquid, and the stock. Simmer for about 10 minutes, then use a hand mixer or food processor to make the broth smooth. (You don't have to do that, if you don't want to.)
Add the celery, potatoes, limas, corn, and peas to the stock base, and cook at a low simmer for 15 minutes. Add the pasta to the soup and cook according to package directions--about 4 minutes, usually.
Awww, this is so cute, Sher! I love alphabet soup as a kid, too. And I think you're right, Campbells puts some sort of sugar in their tomato to make it more appealing to kids. I notice the same thing with Chef Boyardee products.
Posted by: Shannon | May 22, 2008 at 10:13 PM
How much time did you spend getting the letters to sit prettily on top? It would've taken me at least an hour...
Posted by: Vicki | May 22, 2008 at 10:22 PM
mmmm...I think I might make this for Isabella!
Posted by: Kristi | May 23, 2008 at 04:37 AM
Sher, this looks even BETTER than Campbells.
Posted by: breadchick | May 23, 2008 at 05:40 AM
Looks WAY better than Campbells, though I was also a big fan of their alphabet soup! I'm sure they load it with sugar. Yours looks so yummy!
Posted by: anne | May 23, 2008 at 06:10 AM
We had Campbell's every Sunday for lunch growing up. Now, I haven't had it in a long time!
I have seen this pasta at the store and have always wanted to make an alphabet soup. Yours looks so great!
Posted by: Deborah | May 23, 2008 at 08:04 AM
It certainly does look tasty. Thanks for sharing with Presto Pasta Nights. I'll be making this for my grandson when he starts thinking liquidy things are for eating not just playing in ;-D
Posted by: Ruth | May 23, 2008 at 09:02 AM
Isn't it amazing how one look can bring up so much emotion/memory? This picture just makes me happy! Reminds me recently of listening to Mark Bittman talk about tv dinners of salsbury steak and how people over 45 would be salivating. Nostalgia!
Posted by: Callipygia | May 23, 2008 at 10:13 AM
Of course it's better than Campbells!! The boys loved it when I found the letter noodles.
Posted by: MyKitchenInHalfCups | May 23, 2008 at 10:32 AM
so nostalgic!
It reminds me a lot of fun when I had it as a kid, like picking the alphabets of my name...
Posted by: gattina | May 23, 2008 at 10:48 PM
Love love love this! I ate a lot of alphabet soup when I was a kid, too. This looks great. I gotta get some alphabet pasta.
Posted by: Lisa | May 24, 2008 at 05:39 AM
This is so cute! My son would love it. I've never even thought of making it myself.
Posted by: RecipeGirl | May 24, 2008 at 08:23 AM
Talk about time travellin'...all I need is a grilled cheese sandwich and I'm back in Gr.6!
Posted by: Peter | May 24, 2008 at 09:04 AM
Mmm, I just had a nice childhood flashback.
Posted by: peabody | May 24, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Very cool. I love making things like that, old favorites from childhood. You've made me now want alphabet soup very badly! Great job.
Posted by: Glenna | May 24, 2008 at 06:48 PM
Hubby's outta town for a few days and I was wondering what I could make to keep body and soul together without a ton of fuss.
Looks like I'm having soup this weekend. Just made some chicken stock and I know I've got some alphabet pasta in the pantry. Thanks again for a meal save.
Posted by: jenna | May 24, 2008 at 09:27 PM
Brilliant. But then again, most of the recipes you post are just that.
I've been lurking in your blog for a while--(first blog recipe I made was edamame with scallops--huge success!)--I'm coming out now to finally say hi and thanks.
Your photos are beautiful, your stories are great, and the number of challenges you participate in amaze me. I can barely keep up with one, which I selected carefully because I thought it would be easy for me to do.
But back to the soup: I think my kids are going to like this one....
Posted by: gibblet | May 29, 2008 at 05:45 PM
Now, if I could only get MY blog address right!
Posted by: gibblet | May 29, 2008 at 06:43 PM
Hi!
I'd love to use this photo on a website I'm about to launch. http://whatdidyoueat.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/05/22/img_5171.jpg
Do you mind?
THANKS!
Posted by: Amy | August 27, 2009 at 10:59 PM