Friday, January 7, 2011

All You Can Eat Soup, Salad & Breadsticks...At Home!


Why go out for dinner when you can make your own breadsticks, salad and soup right at home?  The best part is you can eat your supper in your pajama pants!
Just like a restaurant,
only right in your kitchen!
The soup party guests!

Get all of your prep done ahead of time: 
Chop your vegetables


Drain the beans and tomatoes
When your prep is done ahead of time,
then all you have to do is add everything to the pot!


Heat the olive oil in your Dutch oven
Saute the onion, garlic, celery,
green beans and zucchini
Don't forget to add salt and pepper here,
seasoning the layers as you go makes all the difference.

This will take about 5 minutes for the onions
to get "translucent"

Add the broth, beans, tomatoes,
carrots, water, herbs and spices and cook for 20 minutes

Next goes the spinach and pasta shells
In 20 more minutes you have
delicious Minestrone Soup
Minestrone Wallpaper of course!
Time to dig in!


Minestrone Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, minced
1 small zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup frozen Italian green beans
1/4 cup celery, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (14.5 oz) vegetable broth
2 cans (14.5 oz) red kidney beans, drained
2 cans (14.5 oz) cannelini beans or great northern beans, drained
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup julienned carrot
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups hot water
4 cups fresh spinach
1/2 cup small shell shaped pasta

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat.  Saute onion, garlic, celery, green beans and zucchini until onions are translucent.  (About 5 minutes.) 
Be sure to salt and pepper these veggies.  Don't be afraid to layer the flavors. 

Add vegetable broth, tomatoes, beans, carrot, hot water and spices.  Bring to a boil, then reduce and let simmer for 20 minutes.  Add spinach and pasta and cook for 20 minutes more.  Taste and adjust seasoning before serving with salad and breadsticks!

Prep Time:  Approximately 25 minutes  Cook Time:  Approximately 45 minutes




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