Using Up Summer Produce

One of the advantages of moving is that you can get a really good look at what is in your freezer.  Yes, I am one of those people who puts things in the freezer and forgets about it.  In the move, I discovered that I had an uncured smoked ham hock.  I also had bags of homemade chicken stock.  So, I again decided that I needed to make a soup.  The nice thing about the end of summer is that we get quite a hodgepodge of produce.  I have been trying to decide what to do with certain items: zucchini, the excess of tomatoes, a pattypan squash, etc.  So, last night, I put the stock, the ham hock, and some of this produce into the crockpot and made a vegetable soup.  Please note, this soup will work with whatever produce you might have available, however, if you would like to use Swiss chard, spinach, kale or beet greens in place of the collard greens, save them until the last hour of cooking.  Collard Greens require longer cooking than the other greens. 

"Potluck" Crockpot Vegetable Soup

• 4 cups homemade chicken stock*
• 1 large uncured, smoked ham hock*
• 1 medium pattypan squash*, cut into 8 wedges and then sliced thin
• 1 medium zucchini squash*, cut in quarters lengthwise and then sliced thin
• 2 medium slicing tomatoes*, diced
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels* (from approx 2 cobs)
• 1 Tbsp dried marjoram
• 1 tsp dried thyme 
• 1 Tbsp dried basil
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 1 small bunch collard greens*, stems removed and cut to bite-sized pieces

Place all ingredients in crock of Crockpot.  Cook on HIGH for 1 hour.  Reduce heat to LOW and cook 6-8 hours or until vegetables are cooked.  Remove ham hock; cool.  Pull meat from ham hock and shred; return to Crockpot.  Heat through.  Adjust seasoning as needed.

*CSA ingredients