February 22, 2012

Minestrone



Every week we have produce delivered from a little store up the street.  We shall call her Connies because that's the name of the little store.

Every Monday is like Christmas around here.  Natalie and I anxiously await the arrival of the produce delivery truck.  What will be in our little box this week?  What glorious meals will we discover with our week's ingredients?


We could always go and sneak a peek at the website to find out what they will lovingly package up for us but, I mean really, that's no fun.  We like the element of surprise.  Yes, we lead pretty lame lives here in Missouri and there's often not much to look forward to.  But, we will always have our Monday produce delivery.

Our ears perk up as we here him round the corner and truck up the hill towards our house.  We rush to meet him at the door with big smiles and grab the box from his hands and rush to the kitchen.  We pull out the scissors and tear in to the box to discover our glorious organic fruits and vegetables.

We are often met with broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, oranges, apples, bananas, the list goes on and on.  We giggle with excitement as we lovingly lay each item out on to the kitchen island.  Ideas pop into our head and sometimes the ingredients are eaten at that very moment.  Others are lovingly packaged away in to the fridge where they will soon be thrown in to a new recipe.

This evenings dish was chock full of fresh veges just the way I like it.

Minestrone
Yields: 12 servings

Ingredients:
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2 cups chopped celery
  • 5 carrots, sliced
  • 2 cups chicken broth (vegetable broth if you're making it vegetarian)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (24-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with basil
  • 1 (24-ounce) can whole tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
  • 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
  • 1 pound fresh green beans
  • 2 cups baby spinach, rinsed
  • 3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 (24-ounce) box rotini pasta
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions:
  1. In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots, saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
  2. Add chicken broth, water and canned tomatoes, bring to boil, stirring frequently. If desired add red wine at this point. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach leaves, zucchini, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, the longer the better.
  3. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add rotini and cook until tender. Drain water and set aside.
  4. Once pasta is cooked and soup is heated through place 2 tablespoons cooked pasta into individual serving bowls. Ladle soup on top of pasta and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
Cooks Note: 
  1. This recipe makes a shit ton of soup!  We had it for dinner two nights and I froze the rest. 
  2. Serve with French bread to sop up the left-over soup.

Servings: 1 bowl
Calories:   445
Total Fat:  5.3 g
Cholesterol:  1 mg.
Sodium:  293 mg.
Protein:  20.2 g.

15 comments:

  1. I love minestrone and this sounds scrumptious!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I used to get veggies and fruit delivered in Vancouver. I do miss the excitement of it! I think I might have to consider it again :) That minestrone looks full of love <3

    ReplyDelete
  3. This soup looks delicious! Love how excited you get over the delivery truck!

    ReplyDelete
  4. You obviously felt guilty about the Monkey Bread. :) Can't get much healthier meal than this one. I love a good minestrone and this looks delicious especially with kidney beans. Never would have thought of using those. Sounds wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  5. ohhh..yeah...this looks soooooooooooo good & tempting..;)

    Tasty Appetite

    ReplyDelete
  6. I keep meaning to sign myself up for a produce box. I love the idea that you never know what is going to be in it and the challenge of perhaps having to cook something you´ve never tried before. Your minestrone is fantastic Dee. I´m going to have to have some of that this weekend to keep the chills away.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a delicious looking minestrone, Dee. So hearty and warm. Love it! Thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love minestrone, and this looks like a great version. I'd love getting all those vegetables too, then planning my meals around them.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh-this is about the chunkiest minestrone I have seen-yum! I sure wish someone would deliver some produce here. Nothing like fresh ingredient to impart some big taste in soup. I will need to try this version-yum!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh my!! Love this version of minestrone! Can't wait to give it a try :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love your minestrone, Dee! It looks so hearty and delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  12. This looks fantastic bbff. I need to get into one of those produce thingies. Such a cool program.

    ReplyDelete
  13. So delicious! You should go enter into TidyMom's Soupapalooza - they've got some awesome prizes!

    ReplyDelete
  14. i could eat minestrone every day of the week! looks yummy :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. It's back to soup weather again today...and this fabulous recipe would hit the spot!

    ReplyDelete

Comments make me smile! Thank you for your love :)