Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup
(File Photo)

The chilly weather has arrived! At dinnertime a bowl of hot soup filled with veggies will taste so good. It is at this time I remember Minestrone Soup. Usually the ingredients are in our pantry and our freezer. Yes, they have been located today, so before dinner I will be getting this soup ready.  These days I stay away from carrots- due to the recall, so they will not be one of the ingredients today.  

If you enjoy a bowl of soup, make a batch of Minestrone this weekend. I freeze the extra portions to enjoy on another cold evening.

My easy recipe for Minestrone Soup. It is delicious!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

 

~Minestrone Soup~

Minestrone Soup
(File Photo)

With this damp chilly weather that we are experiencing here in Western MA it is a great time to prepare a batch of Minestrone Soup for dinner.  You know, a bowl of soup that is just filled with veggies. With every spoonful the chill of the day is gone for a while. It is so easy to prepare, too! All of the ingredients are placed in a large pot and after the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer. Simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. What could be easier?

I always freeze the extra portions in freezer containers to enjoy in the future.  It does freeze so well. There will be other chilly days in our future and you will be able to take portions out of your freezer to defrost. Just add extra chicken broth when defrosting/ reheating. This soup tastes so good on a chilly day!

Click here for my recipe for Minestrone Soup.  

Enjoy!
Yummy!

 

Veggie Sauce

Veggie Sauce
(File Photo)

It's the time of year to use my slow cooker (crock pot) to prepare Veggie Sauce!  It contains chunks of local Eggplant and local Zucchini and local Green Peppers along with canned tomato sauce and tomato paste.  After a quick walk to my spice rack the dried Basil and dried Oregano are added to the slow cooker's pot.  Dried Parsley is a great addition, too! Now, is when the local veggies are available at the roadside stands, farmers' markets and grocery stores.  It is good to "buy local" and support our local farmers!  The fresh veggies are so delicious, too! 

**When preparing this sauce if I have ground beef in the fridge, it is browned in a skillet, drained and also added.  I have learned over the years that with my slow cooker's "non stick" coating it is still always best to spray it with PAM, first.  Then, I add the Green Pepper Chunks.  If ground beef is used it is added to the pot second.  

I like to prepare this sauce with or without the meat.  It is easy to prepare and tastes so good.
Click here for the recipe.     

In the colder months it is always a treat to take out a container of this yummy sauce to defrost/ heat and serve over pasta for dinner.  Do you prepare foods to have "on hand" in your freezer, too?  They make great "take out" meals! Just reach into your freezer and take it out!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Roasted Asparagus

Roasted Asparagus
(File Photo)

Roasted Asparagus is delicious! Growing up my family always (and I do mean always) enjoyed Asparagus at dinnertime in the Spring.  It only made an appearance on our dinner table when the fresh local veggie was available at the road side stands in nearby Hadley, MA. My mom always boiled/ drained the cut strips and we would drizzle melted butter over them.  As much as I always liked that method of preparing Asparagus, that is now a Memory!

Now, after preparing the stalks I roast them in a 425°F oven for 12- 13 Minutes.  Oh yes, Olive Oil, dried Basil and dried Oregano and maybe powdered Garlic are in the mix, too before the cookie sheet containing the Asparagus is placed in the oven.  What a great method of preparing this green vegetable!

Ready to be placed in my oven!
(File Photo)

 
For the complete recipe that I have posted in the past click here for Roasted Asparagus!    

It is so delicious!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Turkey a la King

Turkey a la King
(File Photo)

There are slices of roasted Turkey in our fridge. Yes!  Tonight, we will be enjoying Turkey a la King served over sliced toasted oatmeal bread.  We enjoy this dinner. Think small chunks of roasted Turkey that are surrounded by mixed veggies in a creamy white sauce- oh yum!  After Thanksgiving Day this is always a "go to" dinner for me.  The Turkey was cooked yesterday and the veggies are in our freezer.  A can of chicken broth is in our pantry.  What can be easier?

Why roll out or purchase/ use another pie crust to prepare a pot pie?  Using toasted bread is so much easier!  So much quicker too!  There is no need to bake anything in the oven.   

Take a short cut today or tomorrow.  Prepare Turkey a la King using this easy recipe! (Click here for recipe.)  Just remember the Cranberry Sauce!

Enjoy!
Yummy!             

Turkey a la King!

Turkey a la King
(File Photo)

It's like clockwork! The day after Thanksgiving we always enjoy slices of roasted Turkey, mashed potatoes, some stuffing and gravy along with Butternut Squash at dinnertime.  Then, the following day it's Turkey a la King!  Now, this is a very easy meal to prepare!  It is much like a Turkey Pot Pie, but without the pie crust or phyllo dough crust.  Small pieces of roasted Turkey in a creamy sauce along with mixed veggies!  It is served over slices of  toasted bread.  You cannot beat that for easy!  It is so tasty, too!

These days I usually double or triple the recipe and freeze the extra portions in labelled freezer containers for quick easy dinners in the future.  When defrosting, I add a small amount of milk and stir it in.

My Recipe is here (click).     

This is a great dinner! Just remember to place cranberry sauce on your dinner table, too!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

   

~March 6, 1930~

My Freezer Door
(File Photo)

It was on March 6, 1930!  The location was Springfield, MA!  That was the day that Clarence Birdseye test marketed his new product- frozen food!  That was way before my time, but Springfield is just north of my town.  What an interesting story of Massachusetts history!   

This inventor was born in 1886 in Brooklyn, NY & attended Amherst College in Amherst, MA for a period of time. Later, when Clarence lived in Labrador with his young family it was challenging to feed his family.  It was during this time that he watched the Eskimos "quick freeze" their food.  His interest in "quick freezing" grew.  Now, his name Birdseye is so familiar to us.  We see it on packages of frozen foods in the grocery stores.

For the complete story from MassMoments click here.  I always enjoy reading Massachusetts history!!!  

Thank you Mr. Birdseye!!!
We enjoy your idea!!!

    

~Minestrone Soup~

1st Day of Spring- 2015

Looking at the snowflakes falling on Friday reminded me of Minestrone Soup!  It was the 1st day of Spring & I've been waiting for the piles of snow in our front yard to melt.  My Snow Crocuses are deep in the ground- waiting to pop up!  Just sayin'!  Snow meant chilly temps.  Chilly temps called for a bowl of hot nutritious soup!  What can be easier than locating the ingredients at hand & combining them?  Usually, I add 1 Potato cut into chunks into the pot, but it was not to be found.  Sometimes, you gotta' go with the flow & use what's on hand!  This Minestrone Soup tasted so good!      Yum!       

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:
1 can Red or White Kidney Beans (15.5 ounce)
1 can Tomatoes, drained (16 - 28 ounces)
1 lb. Carrots - peeled & cut into slices or "baby carrots" 
1 box frozen Spinach - defrosted
1 Cup Elbow macaroni
4 cans Light & Fat Free Chicken Broth (14.5 ounce each)
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Oregano
1/4 teaspoon Basil
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder (optional)

*1 washed/ cut into slices Zucchini- was in my fridge, so I added it into the pot.

Method:

1.  Drain Kidney Beans.  Rinse in cold water & drain.  Repeat again.
2.  Place Kidney Beans in large pot.
3.  Drain Tomatoes & cut into quarters.
4.  Add to pot.
5.  Rinse Carrots in cold water & drain.
6.  Add to pot.
7.  Add the remaining ingredients into the large pot.
8.  Stir.
9.  Bring to a boil.
10.  Reduce heat & simmer for 1 hour. Carrots should be tender.
11.  Place in bowls & enjoy along with a slice of Rye Bread.

Yes, there were extra portions!  After this yummy soup cooled the portions were placed in Ziploc Freezer container(s) & then in our freezer.  There will be other chilly days & a bowl of hot hearty soup will be defrosted for dinner! 

 **When reheating, add 1 can (14.5 ounce) Light & Fat Free Chicken Broth.

Enjoy!
Yummy!

   

Thank You Clarence Birdseye!

~My Freezer Door~

The date was March 6, 1930!  The place was Springfield, MA!  The event:  Clarence Birdseye began his test marketing program for frozen food!  

This inventor was born in 1886 in Brooklyn, NY & attended Amherst College in Amherst, MA for a period of time. Later, when Clarence lived in Labrador with his young family it was challenging to feed his family.  It was during this time that he watched the Eskimos "quick freeze" their food.  His interest in "quick freezing" grew.  Now, his name Birdseye is so familiar to us.  We see it on packages of frozen foods in the grocery stores.

Read the interesting story about the history of Birdseye on Mass Moments by clicking on this link, "Clarence Birdseye Tests Frozen Food"!  For so many of us eating nutritious veggies & dinners at home are possible because of Mr. Birdseye!

Thank you Clarence Birdseye!

Hearty Minestrone

Hearty Minestrone
(File Photo)

A bowl of hearty homemade soup on a cold winter day!  Sometimes, it's the perfect food for dinner.  It sure is if & when you feel a bit under the weather.  Ah, Minestrone Soup!  Earlier this AM, I could see a pot of colorful nutritious veggies simmering in chicken broth on my stove.  That brought me to my pantry to locate the cans of chicken broth, the canned tomatoes & the kidney beans.  Spinach & green beans were in the freezer, with carrots in the fridge, so I was definitely good to go!

It's been a while since I've made a pot of Minestrone Soup.  It's also been a very long time since I've had the "common cold" (that seems to be lasting forever right now).  So glad that I always get the yearly flu shot!  The "common cold" is unpleasant enough.

About an hour ago my Dutch Oven pot & cover were located and I was on my way to make a batch of this easy, yummy hot hearty soup!  Woohoo! 

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:
1 can Red or White Kidney Beans (15.5 ounce)
1 can Tomatoes, drained (16 - 28 ounces)
1 Potato, cut into small chunks, if available
1 Cup Green Beans - defrosted
1 box frozen Spinach - defrosted
1 lb. Carrots - peeled & cut into slices or "baby carrots"
1 Cup Elbow macaroni
4 cans Light & Fat Free Chicken Broth (14.5 ounce each)
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Oregano
1/4 teaspoon Basil
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder (optional) 

Method:

1. Drain Kidney Beans.  Rinse in cold water & drain.  Repeat again.
2. Place Kidney Beans in large pot.
3. Add the remaining ingredients into the large pot.
4. Stir.
5. Bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat & simmer for 1 hour.  Carrots & potato chunks should be tender.
7. Place in bowls & enjoy.

Remaining portions can be placed in freezer containers & into your freezer they go to enjoy on another cold winter evening.

**When reheating, add 1 can (14.5 ounce) Light & Fat Free Chicken Broth.

With a little more snow predicted for tomorrow, "Oh no!" this just may be a repeat dinner tomorrow evening! 

Minestrone is an easy nutritious yummy soup to make.  I usually have the ingredients in my well stocked kitchen.  Do you keep these ingredients in your kitchen?

Enjoy!
Yummy!