Cabbage Soup and Life with my Niece

Its been 16 years since you invaded my life and three years since I  moved into yours.

Three years of you sharing your bedroom with your younger cousin. I can't thank you enough for being such a trouper about our cramped living accommodation.

Three years of you babysitting on demand for me.

Its because of you I am still sane

... and broke.

Three years of shared eye rolls when the burden of living with someone with bipolar disorder becomes overbearing or hilarious. It can swing either way and sometimes laughter is our only defense for not crying and becoming insane ourselves.

Three years of yelling behind you to wipe up the bathroom counter and not leave it wet.

Three years of you yelling back that its not you but a leaky pipe.

It IS so you ;-p

Three years of seeing you go from a gangly girl transformed to young lady. You are beautiful inside and out.

Three years of lolling about on my bed talking about secret crushes.

Three years of asking me to check your French homework. Hey, I keep telling you I suck at French!!!

Three years of making me laugh, cheering me up when I am down, bringing me cups of coffee.

And more importantly, three years of you being brave enough to taste test EVERYTHING from seaweed accra to this which you loved, this which you didn't and now this soup.

FYI I loved that you 'squeeeeeeed' over the fact that there were turnips in this and that you were über excited to try it because of 'The Enourmous Turnip' children's story.

You are too funny;-)



Cabbage Soup 

4 turnips
1 1/2 cup cooked corned beef, ham or bacon, chopped
1 cup onion, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup celery, chopped

4 cups shredded cabbage
1 ( 10 1/2 oz ) can white beans, drained
6 cups beef broth
4 cups water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper or multi-coloured pepper corns


Directions

Boil turnips in a small saucepan until almost cooked through. Throw away the water. Peel and cut turnips into cubes.

In a large pot, sauté chopped corned beef  ( bacon or ham ) for a minute or two.

Add onions, garlic, celery  and cook to soften.

Add the remaining ingredients. Bring soup to a boil. Lower to medium heat and cook for 10 mins - 15 mins. Taste and adjust salt and black pepper. Remove from heat and serve with thick slices of crusty bread