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Winter Warm-Ups Sure To Please

beans

Does anyone love Olive Garden’s minestrone soup or Macaroni Grill’s  Bread? I have to confess that I am a pretty frugal person so restaurants don’t get my food dollars very often. I’m  always looking for a way to make something I love without actually having to visit the restaurant. I have a recipe for minestrone soup that I tweaked until we had a soup that may have been better than Olive Garden’s. Just maybe. . . I will often use dried beans that I’ve prepared the night before, but if you want to have the soup quickly then the canned beans work just fine.

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

  • 3 T Olive Oil (You can omit this if you want and just sautee’ the veggies in a bit of broth)
  • 1 cup finely minced onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped zucchini
  • 1/2 cup Italian cut green beans
  • 4 teaspoons minced garlic (about 3 good sized cloves)
  • 4 cups vegetable broth (I either make my own or buy the lowest sodium one I can find)
  • 2 cans, drained light red kidney beans
  • 2 cans, drained northern beans
  • 28 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup carrot, thinly sliced
  • 2 T parsley
  • 3 t. oregano
  • 2 t. salt
  • 1 t pepper (freshly ground if you have it)
  • 1 t basil
  • dash thyme
  • 4 cups hot water
  • 4 cups baby spinach (fresh)
  • 1 cup pasta (small shells are best)

Directions:

  1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot.
  2. Saute onion, garlic, zucchini in oil for about 5 minutes or until onions begin to become see through
  3. Add broth, tomatoes, beans, carrot, hot water, and spices.
  4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
  5. Add spinach leaves and pasta and cook for about 20 – 30 more minutes.
  6. If the soup is too thick, add some water as needed.
  7. Makes 8 servings. 

I know that sometimes the thought of yeast breads can be intimidating. Don’t be afraid to try this one – it’s super easy and really hard to mess up. I had a picture of it but I think I deleted it from my camera by accident!

Rosemary Bread

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup very warm water
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 1 t sugar
  • 1 1/2 t. salt
  • 1/2 t Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 t. black pepper
  • 1 T dried rosemary (crushed – don’t put the sticky things in there without crushing them up!!)
  • 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 1 1/2 t. dry yeast

Directions: (You can do this by hand)

  1. Put very warm water and olive oil  in bowl
  2. Add smaller amount of flour on top of water
  3. In separate sections on top of the flour, add salt, sugar, and yeast.
  4. Mix until a dough begins to form.
  5. Add seasonings.
  6. Knead like crazy, adding in additional flour so the dough is soft and elastic and not sticky.
  7. Allow to rise in the bowl until about doubled – about 1 hour.
  8. Punch down dough, and place in a loaf pan.
  9. Allow to rise one more hour.
  10. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for about 35 – 40 minutes or until golden brown.
  11. Enjoy! Makes 1 loaf.

I hope you will try both of these, because they are wonderful and filling, and good for you!!  What’s for dinner at your house tonight?   Diane

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January 16th, 2010 | 32 comments - add your thoughts!

32 comments to Winter Warm-Ups Sure To Please