...would like to share a yummy soup recipe with you!

Today was one of those quintessential early spring days in Washington. I was determined to get some work done in my yard, hoping to get a jump start on what I know is going to be a very busy summer, but the weather just wasn't understanding my need to get mucho work accomplished. Sure, there were some periods of no rain, but for the most part, it was replaced by chilly, chilly wind! At one point, I even had to go back in the house to warm up. I'm such a wuss! It wasn't until the evening that the cold wind let up a bit (replaced by more showers, of course). However, I was determined to get some work done, so work hard, I did!

How does this have anything to do with soup, you may ask? Well, one of my favorite things to make after a long, chilly day outside is the soup I'm about to share with you. But first, a pretty picture afforded by the very spring-timey weather today.

Ok, back to soup.

This recipe is actually brought to you by my wonderful neighbor, who made it for me once when I was sick. Yes, neighbors really still do that in this day and age! Especially when you have a neighbor like mine. ;)

Introducing....Matzo Ball Soup! This is the soup that I never knew I always wanted. (Name that movie!)

I love this soup because it's very simple, yet VERY tasty. Everyone likes it, even men, which is hard to believe being that it doesn't contain any meat!

What you will need:

• Matzo meal
• Chicken stock
• Celery (must have, in my opinion)
• Any other veggies you like!
• Herbs, if you're feeling adventurous

Sometimes, matzo meal can be hard to find, so if you come across it, stock up! Most stores have it around Passover, as it's generally used in Jewish dishes during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. I use the kind pictured below, but there are other brands to choose from.

Side note: Please pay special attention to the box. This particular brand has just matzo meal boxes AND matzo meal (and soup) boxes. The first time I made this, my box had only matzo meal packets, no soup mix. So it didn't matter what packet I mixed my ingredients with. The second or third time around, I discovered that just 'cause the box looks the same, the contents are not! I mixed my ingredients with the "soup" packet and needless to say, had to start all over with the correct mix. Duh!

Moving on...

Making this meal is "souper" simple! Ha, ha, ha! Just follow the directions on the box to make the matzo balls (making sure you're using the matzo meal!) ;)

One variation; instead of bringing water to a boil, substitute it with chicken stock. This brings so much more flavor to the matzo balls. In fact, it imparts so much flavor that you really don't need the "soup" packet seasoning. I actually prefer it without, as the soup seasoning is pretty salty! So, if you're trying to take it easy on the sodium, feel free to leave that out. Or, maybe just use a small portion of the packet. If you go this route, you might use low sodium chicken stock.

Drop your matzo balls into the water and then add any veggies you like. One veggie that you can't do without (in my humble opinion) is celery. Chop up a few stalks (leaves and all) and throw into the pot with the matzo balls. I personally don't care for cooked carrots, but I know a lot of people put them in too. Maybe you could even add onions...or leeks! Or chopped apples! Uh, oh...did I go too far with that? Does the thought of apples in a soup make you cringe? Hmmm...I think I'm gonna try it next time. There's something about pairing sweet with salty that works for me. That's the great thing about this soup. It's very versatile! Once the garden starts growing around here, I might even try mixing some herbs into my matzo balls.

Okay, so once everything's in your pot, boil it up for about 30 minutes, and then that's it! Pour yourself a big steamin' bowl and enjoy! Bon appetit!