Homemade Minestrone Soup

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Happy weekend everyone!

I so enjoy my weekends lately.  It's a time for much needed relaxation after a grueling week at work.  We are seeing the first signs of spring here this weekend.  The weather is actually starting to warm up during the day and the sun is shining nice and bright.  But this is just a teaser of whats to come because they say there's rain in forecast again this week.

With all the cold weather and the rain I've been on a soup kick all winter.  I've made some of my old standards like Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup and Italian Chicken and Bean Soup and Cheesy Potato Soup and I've made some mouthwatering new ones.  So I going to bring you a couple of new soups to make before spring truly hits beginning with an Italian staple.

HOMEMADE MINESTRONE SOUP

This insanely easy dish will make your jaw drop.  It's that simple, and that GOOD!  The secret to a good soup is a good broth, and allowing the flavors to meld and develop a rich taste.  This soup is chock full of hearty vegetables and beans that are simmered in a chicken tomato broth and spiced just right with wonderful Italian herbs.  I also added a little kick to the soup by adding a pinch of red pepper flakes.  If you don't want the heat then you can certainly leave it out. 

What do I need to make this soup?  A good sturdy dutch oven such as this one is a must.  I just love mine and use it for so many soups and braised dishes.  A good knife like this one really makes chopping vegetables easy.  Wooden spoons such as these, make stirring a breeze.  To round this out some wonderful soup bowls such as these hold a nice portion of soup and are pretty too!

This soup cooks in about 1 hours which is ideal for weeknights and weekends.  We tend to cook them on Sundays after a day of running around.  They are perfect with a loaf of crusty bread and a nice salad.  This soup will is so tasty and filing it's sure to become a new favorite in your household.

Enjoy!

Homemade Minestrone Soup

serves 6


2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 small carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
1 small yellow squash, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
6-7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices
1 (15 oz) can Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can Kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach
1 cup Ditalini pasta
salt and pepper

Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender.  Add the zucchini, yellow squash, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.  Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth to deglaze the pan, using a spoon to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. 

Add the remaining chicken broth, oregano, thyme, black pepper, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, tomatoes, and drained beans. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for at least 20-30 minutes.

Add the spinach and the pasta.  Cook for 10 minutes more until the pasta is al dente. Remove the bay leaves and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Spicy Beef and Macaroni Tomato Soup

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I have been freezing all winter long...

We certainly are having very cold weather for living in Los Angeles.  I just can't seem to get warm enough.  I'm doing what everyone says which is to "layer, layer, layer" but I'm still cold.  So I'm filling our tummies with comfort food that warms the soul.  One of the ways to do that is make a great soup!  Nothing beats a pot of steaming soup on a cold winter night.

This year I think I make a hearty soup at least once a week, maybe twice!  To me it is one of the only dishes that warms me up on these cold winter days, and nights.  

SPICY BEEF AND MACARONI TOMATO SOUP

There are a lot of versions of a beef and macaroni soup out there to choose from.  My fresh twist on a classic recipe zips it up with a little spice to give you that little extra something.  Hearty and filing, this seriously comforting soup of beef, macaroni, and tomatoes will soothe your soul any day of the week!

This soup is easy to pull together and quick enough for a weeknight meal.  Dinner will be on the table in minutes and you'll be warming yourself up so thoroughly that you won't even mind the cold!

What do I need to make this soup?  A good Dutch oven such as this one, is the perfect vessel for this soup.  I just love my Hamburger Meat Chopper.  I think it is the best purchase in a long time.  I chops your hamburger meat into small pieces with little effort.  You will also need a good knife, (I use this one) wooden spoons, and a nice ladle.  Most of the ingredients are staples, but make sure to use a nice flavorful ground sirloin and a jar of marinara sauce that you enjoy.  

This soup will serve four people but you can easily double the recipe and serve a larger family or have leftovers that you can freeze in storage containers for a quick lunch along with a sandwich.  This will keep in the freezer for about 3 months.  Note: Due to the pasta soaking up some liquid you may need to add some chicken broth while re-heating.  

Serve this soup with some hot crusty bread, or homemade biscuits and you are all set!
I hope you enjoy this soup as much as we did and stay warm during the cold months.

Enjoy!





Spicy Beef and Macaroni Tomato Soup
serves 4

Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground sirloin
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp oregano
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 24 oz jar marinara sauce
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 Tbls fresh basil, chopped
1 cup elbow macaroni

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, add the ground beef and onion and cook until the beef is no longer pink.  Add in garlic and cook for a minute more.  Add salt, pepper, pepper flakes, and oregano to the beef and stir to combine.

Add in the chicken broth, marinara sauce, and diced tomatoes.  Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat to low.  Simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Add  in the pasta, and cook covered, for 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender.

Spoon into bowls and garnish with the basil. 

This post contains affiliate links to items you can purchase, in which I get a small amount of compensation for at no cost to you. I bring you items that I actually use that are of great quality that I can pass along suggestions to you

11 Healthy Soups to Eat This Winter

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Happy New Year!  

Are you off to a good start this year!  I've been trying to get out of the holiday goody mode myself.  We've been eating a lot of good food with all the treats thrown in as well.  Time to cut back and start back on a healthy eating track.

One way to do that is to eat healthy soups.  Winter time is the perfect time for soups.  They are comforting and warm and just soothe your soul.  Don't you crave a bowl of hot soup in the winter?

We just love hearty filling soups in our house.  We eat soup and salad for lunch or dinner quite a bit throughout the week.  
Today I've brought you 11 Healthy Soups you can eat all winter long.  Some are made on the stove, and some in the slow cooker, but all are hearty, healthy, delicious, and easy to make.

Enjoy a steaming hot bowl of soup!







Greek Style Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup




Slow Cooker Turkey Tortilla Soup




Italian Style Roasted Chicken and Orzo Soup



Slow Cooker: Mexican Vegetable and Quinoa Soup



Chicken and Wild Rice Soup



Tuscan White Bean Soup 





Quick Taco Soup




Chicken Enchilada Soup




Romanian Lentil Soup




Easy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons 




Italian Chicken and Bean Soup

11 Best Dishes of 2018

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Happy New Year!

2018 was a year full of highs and lows but it seems that it went so fast that it was a blur.  The food we made was a full of variety.  The most popular dishes seem to have a comfort food theme with a little bit of restaurant flair thrown in.   

I've gathered the eleven most popular dishes (there was a tie for 10th place that I couldn't break) from 2018 in one spot for you to reference and enjoy!

Enjoy all the precious moments that 2019 will bring.  We only live once!

11 TOP RECIPES OF 2018

In no particular order...

Cajun Roasted Potatoes

Chili Lime Salmon with Roasted Vegetables

Baked Honey Soy Chicken Legs

Spicy Turkey Chili 

Garlic and Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken

Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Mediterranean Rice

Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Stew

Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Easy Cinnamon Peach Cobbler - Family Sized

Sheet Pan Beef Fajitas

There are plenty of dishes to come in 2019.  Lots of comfort food, weeknight meals, stir frys, southern dishes, and easy restaurant style meals.  Enjoy a prosperous holiday and I am so grateful for all of my followers.  I wish you the best to come in 2019 and will be talking to you in the new year!

Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Stew

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Whenever the weather change to fall then toward winter I love, love, love making soups.  

There's something about a comforting homey meal when you get home from work after a long day that gets me right there. (Pointing toward heart)  It soothes the soul, if you know what I mean.  

So to make these wonderfully tasting soups and stews during the week I turn to my slow cooker for help.  It gives you that cooked all day flavor without the effort.  So what to make?  I'm feeling like a comforting chicken stew is in order.  I have a French chicken stew that I make but I'm actually in the mood for Italian flavors.  Something with a tomato base.  So a Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Stew was in order.

Wonderfully simple ingredients such as onion, celery, and carrots are the base of the recipes as with many soups and stews.  What makes this special are the addition of Italian ingredients such as tomatoes and Cannellini beans along with Italian spices such as basil, oregano, add the zest this Italian stew deserves.  

What equipment do I need to make this?  I have several slow cookers but my favorite is this one.  It has a sauté feature that I love along with it being a multi-functional cooker.  Another standard slow cooker I have is this one.  It has a good price point but doesn't have timer functions.  Other items you might like are some wonderful spices such as this one, or this one. Staples such as these long lasting measuring spoons and this necessary ladle for soups and stews are great to have as well.

Warm and inviting, this thick and hearty stew will have you rubbing your tummy and going back for more!  The spices blend together beautifully throughout the day and give this a wonderful flavor. This is a stew that you will want on rotation throughout the winter this year.

Enjoy! 





Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Stew

2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts about 1 - 1 1/2 lbs.
28 oz crushed tomatoes
15 oz tomato sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 14.5 oz cans of Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups celery, sliced
1 1/2 cups carrots, sliced
4 Tbls. Italian seasoning

2 tsp garlic, minced

1/4 parsley, chopped

1 tsp. kosher salt 

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Add all of the ingredients to a 6 quart slow cooker placing the chicken on the bottom with the other ingredients over the chicken.  Stir to combine seasonings. 

Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred or chop chicken.  Place the chicken back in the slow cooker.  Stir to combine.  Serve immediately.

This post contains affiliate links to items you can purchase, in which I get a small amount of compensation for at no cost to you.  I bring you items that I actually use that are of great quality that I can pass along suggestions to you.

Game Day Winner: Spicy Turkey Chili

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Need an easy, crowd-pleasing dish for game day?  

Make a batch of my Spicy Turkey Chili.  Ground turkey along with black beans and a few pantry staples is all you need to make a batch of the BEST TASTING, healthier version of chili.  This has become my new favorite chili dish and it is comfort food heaven on a cold day.

Spiked with cayenne pepper and jalapenos for heat you can amp it up to another level or mellow it out by adding more or reducing the amounts used.  We like a little spice so I put about 1/4 tsp instead of a pinch in our batch.  Bam!  it was soooo good!  

I love that this is a healthy version of chili, reducing the fat by using turkey.  I also love that this is a little soupier chili, it creates a soupy broth that is full of flavor.  If you like your chili super thick then I would reduce the liquid by a cup.  This is comfort food heaven (Did I tell you that already?).  Easy enough to throw together on a weeknight, and one your family and friends will love!

Don't be surprised when everyone gathers around on game day for this chili, and comes back for seconds.  So make a double batch to feed the all the sports fans!

Other chilies you might like:
Lightening Fast So-Cal Chili
Southwest Chicken Chili

Spicy Turkey Chili

serves 4

1 Tbsp canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
Pinch of cayenne pepper (more for increased heat)
1 lb. ground turkey
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed
1 28 oz  can diced tomatoes
4 c. low-sodium chicken broth

Garnishes:  (optional) cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, tomato chunks, slivered onions 

In a large stockpot, over medium heat, heat oil.  Add onions and cook until tender and golden, about 6-8 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeno and cook 1 minutes more, stirring frequently. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring, 1 minute more.

Add turkey and cook, stirring, until fully cooked browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add black beans and canned tomatoes, stirring to combine, then add the chicken broth.

Increase heat to high until chili comes to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.  Serve immediately in bowls and garnish if desired.