Minestrone Soup

it has actually been cold here in southern CA.  Yes it's all relative, but 32 degrees in the morning (yes that was the temp this morning) is truly COLD for us! BRRRRRRR). The saving grace is that  it does warm up to the 60s this time of year. And we can get crazy heat waves - like the 80 degrees forecast for early next week.  I don't like it when it gets that warm in the winter, especially during the holidays.  I want this time of year to feel brisk outside and I want to wear a jacket when I go outside.  I want to make a fireplace and curl up on the couch with the dogs. I love this time of year when I can settle down with a hot bowl of soup and be totally content.  It doesn't take much!

This recipe is a definite winter comfort food, made even better because the Ninja Cooking System did all of the hard work!

There were quite a few fresh herbs in this recipe so rather than hand chop, I used one of my favorite kitchen tools - the Kuhn Rikon Pull and Chop.  The two blades inside are VERY sharp (yes I found out the hard way!) and they easily mince herbs that are not always simple manage.  You can see how the herbs went from garden fresh to recipe ready.

Straight from my garden

 Ready for chopping

Mission accomplished - perfection!

MINESTRONE SOUP

Adapted from Cooking Classy

4 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups water

1 cup red wine (optional)

1 (15 oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes

3 stalks celery, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 yellow squash, chopped

1 1/3 cups pasta (ditalini, shell, orecchiette - I used the latter)

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 (15 oz.) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz.)  cannelini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz.) can cut green beans, drained

2 cups chopped fresh spinach

I Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

1 Tbsp. fresh chopped basil

1 tsp. fresh lemon thyme leaves
2 tsp. fresh chopped oregano

1 tsp. fresh chopped rosemary

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp. sugar

salt and pepper, to taste
shredded parmesan cheese to garnish or Sargento Italian cheese mix

Add stock, water, wine, tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and sugar to the crock pot/slow cooker.  I used my Ninja Cooking System and it was perfect. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook on low for about 7 hours.

When the vegetables are softened after the 7 hours, add the zucchini, yellow squash, pasta, garlic, kidney and cannelini beans and cook on high 30-40 minutes or until the pasta is done.  Add the chopped spinach and green beans and cook a few more minutes until heated through.  Serve warm topped with the Sargento Italian cheese mixture or Parmesan cheese.

Another look at the minced herbs and all of the yummy ingredients ready to become soup.

So satisfying and soooooooooooo good!

And since I had chopped extra rosemary, I decided to do a bit more and make a delicious loaf of garlic rosemary bread to go with the soup.  The aroma from this baking bread will have you swooning!

Stay tuned for that recipe to come soon!

Pin It Now!

Zucchini Abounds - Lemon Zucchini Bread and Italian Crescent Pie!!

My garden is bursting forth with zucchini. I just pulled these two giants off the vine and more are coming (and the acorn squash is taking over my herb bed - wow!!)

These were large - like almost a ruler length large!!  WOW!

First on the list was Lemon Zucchini Bread from "Eat Cake for Dinner"! (love the title of that blog!)

I really didn't alter the recipe so you can click on her blog above to get it.  I DID peel the zucchini so it is really well hidden in the bread and it came out quite moist.

Fresh out of the oven~

Adorned with lemon glaze

SO moist and SO good.... you can see the texture of the zest and zucchini!

And with the peeled zucchini it is incognito!! LOL

The  Zucchini Pie is one that I have had for decades and I used a lot of fresh herbs in it tonight which I think made it the best ever. This has always been a family treat and company pleaser.

ITALIAN ZUCCHINI CRESCENT PIE

4 cups thinly slices, unpeeled zucchini
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/4 cup butter
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1-2 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1-2  Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1/8 cup fresh chives, chopped
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1-2 cups shredded mozzarella
8 oz. can crescent rolls
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
parmesan cheese, optional

Heat oven to 375.  In a large skillet, cook zucchini and onion in butter till tender, about 10 minutes.  Stir in all of the fresh herbs and seasonings.

Zucchini sauteed with the FRESH herbs added - YUM!

 In a large bowl, mix the beaten eggs with 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Stir in vegetable mixture.

Take the crescent roll dough and separate it into 8 triangles.  Place them in an ungreased pie pan or quiche dish.

As you can see, you don't have to do this perfectly 

(not even sure what that would look like!!)

Press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides to form a crust. Spread the dijon mustard over the bottom of the crust.

It looks MUCH prettier when you pat it all down!

Pour the vegetable mixture evenly into the crust.  If desired, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese and 1-2 Tbsps. parmesan cheese (if desired)  and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Headed for the oven with all of that cheesy goodness...

Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Hot and beautifully golden

An easy way to eat those veggies, enrobed in cheese!

A closeup of all of that flavor - you just HAVE to try it!

Pin It Now!