Summer Minestrone

     After my daughter woke up, she came into my room. I said, "Welcome back."
She asked, "Huh?"
So, I said, "Welcome back from dreamland." She nods.
I ask, "How was your trip?"
She relies, "I'm tired."
I asked,"What did you do on your trip that you are so tired?"
Smiling, she replied, "I don't remember since I slept the whole time."
She is pretty clever even when she first wakes up.
     Since I had so many vegetables from my CSA share, I figured I should make some minestrone. I normally do not make soup in the summer but it was a nice change. My husband decided to make something else since all the vegetables scared him. He even asked why I put beans in it? I replied because I knew you weren't having any. The kids and I liked the soup a lot. I added the kolrobi since I have an abundance of it but you could omit it. I served it with french bread.

Minestrone
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrot, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup kolrobi, chopped
2 bay leaf
1 Tbsp thyme
4 cups chicken broth
28 oz. can plum tomatoes
1 cup water
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups potatoes, diced
2 cups zucchini, diced
2 cups shredded cabbage, shredded
1 cup pasta
1 can cannellini beans 
 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook for 7 minutes.
3. Add the carrots, celery, and kolrobi. Saute for 5 minutes. 
4. Add the bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. 
5. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, and the water. Allow to simmer for 1 hour. 
6. Add the potatoes, zucchini, and shredded cabbage. Cook for 20 minutes.
7. Stir in the pasta and beans. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
8. Stir in the Parmesan cheese before serving.

Recipe adapted from Michele Urvater. 

One year ago.............................I made Cherry Muffins.
Two years ago...........................I made Blueberry Coffee Cake.

Did you already know.....................
-The earliest forms of minestrone was made before the Roman Empire since their diet consisted mostly of vegetables. 
-The Italian word for soup is minestra, zuppa, and brodo.
-Minestrone is usually made seasonal vegetables with pasta and beans.

Mardi Gras

I normally dance with my daughters. I hadn't realized I don't just dance with my son without his sisters involved. Since he will be eight years old soon, he should learn to dance with just two people. I felt like we were in a mosh pit. I may be bruised up and down my sides. I'm not sure who taught him to dance like this but I have a feeling it may have been my oldest. We need a lot more practice or he may not have a date for prom. Yes, I think it may take that long.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 lb. kielbasa, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 bay leaves
7 cups chicken broth
1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. In a large Dutch oven, combine the oil and flour over medium heat. 
2. Stir constantly for 20 minutes or until the roux is the color of chocolate.
3. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Stir for 5 minutes.
4. Add the sausage, salt, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, and bay leaves. Stir for 5 minutes.
5. Add the chicken broth and stir until well combined.
6. Bring the gumbo to a boil and reduce heat to medium low.
7. Cook, uncovered, for 1 hour. Stir occasionally. 
8. In a bowl, combine the paprika, oregano, thyme, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper. 
9. Season the chicken breast with the spice rub.
10. Add the seasoned chicken to the pot. Stir to combine.
11. Simmer for 2 hours. Skim off any fat that surfaces.
12. Remove the gumbo from the heat. Remove the bay leaves.
13. Serve over rice.

Recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse.  
One year ago.......................I made Wild Mushroom Soup.

Did you already know.........
-In mosh pits, dancers slam dance normally at hard rock concerts.
-There are different types of pits to participate in moshing.
-Moshing is a form of dancing to let out energy/aggression but not to hurt others.

Enjoy Mardi Gras!

Week of Thanksgiving

Are you cooking Thanksgiving this year? Have you already started your shopping or prepping? I have already started my shopping but no real prepping yet. I try to get most of the prep work done by Tuesday night like peeling and chopping vegetables. On Wednesday, I will assemble my casseroles so they are ready for the oven the next day. I will check on the star of the meal to see if it is thawed. If not, I will be waking up early to thaw it in the sink. If it is thawed, then I will sleep a little longer since we tend to eat around 3 pm. See I need my sleep since I will be out early Friday morning with my sister. 

In preparation for Thanksgiving, I made up some chicken broth. It really is easy just time consuming. I ended up with 18 cups worth of chicken stock. If I buy chicken stock, it comes in a 4 cup container, so I decided to store the chicken stock the same way but in double lined plastic freezer bags. This way I can lay the bags down in the freezer to save space.

 Chicken Stock
1 whole stewing chicken
2 carrots, unpeeled
2 stalks celery
10 whole peppercorns
2 bay leaves
5 quarts water

Directions:

1. Chop the carrots and celery into 3 inch pieces.
2. Place the chicken, carrots, celery, and peppercorns in a large pot.
3. Add the water to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Once it boils, lower the heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour uncovered. 
5. Turn the heat as low as possible and simmer uncovered for at least 2 hours.
6. Remove the chicken and refrigerate it.
7. Using a large strainer, strain the chicken broth into a large container.
8. Discard the vegetables and refrigerate the stock.
9. Once the chicken has cooled, pull off the meat and store in the refrigerator for a couple of days or freeze.
10. Once the chicken broth has cooled, store in containers or double layered freezer bags in the refrigerator for a couple of days or the freezer until needed.

Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen Cookbook by Rebecca Rather.

One year ago................... I made Chocolate-Peanut Butter Whoppie Pies.

Did you already know.....
-In 1621, the Plymouth Pilgrims invited the Wampanoag Indians to the first Thanksgiving feast.
-The feast lasted three days.
-The pilgrims used spoons, knives, and their hands to eat the feast since they did not have forks. 

My daughter showing how I double line my freezer bags with the broth:

Really Mom, really?