Two Days Before Spring

Technically the first day of spring this year was March 20, 2013...that's for those of you who were buried under snow, hence not realizing it! Or like us, had a frigid week, beginning with a school cancellation due to ice, only 2 days before spring was to arrive. We have had 3 school cancellations this year due to weather, two of which came in March! Apparently, Old Man Winter didn't know he had over stayed his welcome and needed to move on.

Anyway, on this cold, icy "no school" day, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to play with my menu plan a little. See, I was supposed to be testing a new Crock Pot soup recipe later in the week, but since I had some extra time on my hands in the morning, plus what goes better with ice, wind and freezing temps, I switched a couple meals around so we could be warming up with a big bowl of soup later in the day.

This soup is a veggie lover's dream! So many colors, varieties and textures, you won't even miss the meat! In fact, if you use vegetable stock instead of the chicken (I used it because I had it on hand) it would make a fantastic, filling, vegetarian meal. The one ingredient that first caught my eye was kale. I love this dark leafy green, but I don't cook with it enough. In fact, the last time I did so was another soup, my Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice soup...and that was in January 2012! See, I told you I don't cook with it enough! This is also a great recipe because you can mix up the veggies you add. Whatever you have in the crisper, or whichever ones are your family's favorites, throw them in too! In fact, the original recipe didn't call for green beans at all, but I had some beautiful fresh, organic ones just waiting to be used up, so I thought why not.

If it is looking more like Spring where you are, I am sure you are as happy as can be. But if you are in an area that winter has camped out a little extra longer, find some solace in this soup. Either way, it's a comforting, healthy and delicious meal to come home to!

Crock Pot Minestrone Soup Adapted from Fix It and Forget It
6 c. chicken broth
4 carrots, peeled and diced
4 ribs celery, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small zucchini, diced
1 c. kale, chopped
1/2 c. fresh green beans, chopped
1/2 c. pearl barley
1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Mix everything in Crock Pot. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours until veggies are tender. Garnish with cheese if desired.

Shared on Make Ahead Meals Apr.1, 2013
Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box Apr. 3, 2013
Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Apr. 3, 2013
Shared on The Country Cook Apr. 5, 2013

Crock Pot at Very Good Recipes
Pin It

Technically the first day of spring this year was March 20, 2013...that's for those of you who were buried under snow, hence not realizing it! Or like us, had a frigid week, beginning with a school cancellation due to ice, only 2 days before spring was to arrive. We have had 3 school cancellations this year due to weather, two of which came in March! Apparently, Old Man Winter didn't know he had over stayed his welcome and needed to move on.

Anyway, on this cold, icy "no school" day, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to play with my menu plan a little. See, I was supposed to be testing a new Crock Pot soup recipe later in the week, but since I had some extra time on my hands in the morning, plus what goes better with ice, wind and freezing temps, I switched a couple meals around so we could be warming up with a big bowl of soup later in the day.

This soup is a veggie lover's dream! So many colors, varieties and textures, you won't even miss the meat! In fact, if you use vegetable stock instead of the chicken (I used it because I had it on hand) it would make a fantastic, filling, vegetarian meal. The one ingredient that first caught my eye was kale. I love this dark leafy green, but I don't cook with it enough. In fact, the last time I did so was another soup, my Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice soup...and that was in January 2012! See, I told you I don't cook with it enough! This is also a great recipe because you can mix up the veggies you add. Whatever you have in the crisper, or whichever ones are your family's favorites, throw them in too! In fact, the original recipe didn't call for green beans at all, but I had some beautiful fresh, organic ones just waiting to be used up, so I thought why not.

If it is looking more like Spring where you are, I am sure you are as happy as can be. But if you are in an area that winter has camped out a little extra longer, find some solace in this soup. Either way, it's a comforting, healthy and delicious meal to come home to!

Crock Pot Minestrone Soup Adapted from Fix It and Forget It
6 c. chicken broth
4 carrots, peeled and diced
4 ribs celery, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small zucchini, diced
1 c. kale, chopped
1/2 c. fresh green beans, chopped
1/2 c. pearl barley
1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Mix everything in Crock Pot. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours until veggies are tender. Garnish with cheese if desired.

Shared on Make Ahead Meals Apr.1, 2013
Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box Apr. 3, 2013
Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Apr. 3, 2013
Shared on The Country Cook Apr. 5, 2013

Crock Pot at Very Good Recipes
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No Sauce??

Okay first thing is first. I can't let today's post begin without taking a minute to say Happy Birthday to the very best woman I know. The most patient, loving and kind person I know. The lady who has always been in my corner, and to this day will still spoil me and tell me every chance she gets that "I am her world". My person I can talk to like a friend, but get guidance from like a parent. That's right, today is my Mom's birthday, and nobody else on this earth deserves a happy, blessed day as much as she does. So, "Happy Birthday, Mom. I love you. I strive to be more like you every day, and treasure you a little more with each passing year."

Okay, now onto the food!

Pasta and sauce. Sauce and pasta. These words go hand in hand, and are pretty dependent on one another. Or so I thought. Until I found this recipe...

When I first read the list of ingredients I was pretty psyched because of all the veggies, especially the zucchini. I can't get enough of it, and don't have nearly enough recipes with it, so that was the first thing to catch my eye. (Side note: Be sure to remember this dish come summer when all of our garden growers have zucchini coming out of our ears!) The second thing, well honestly the second and third, thing I noticed (because I re-read the list again to make sure) was that it contained no sauce per say. Or at least not the conventional way I think of pasta sauces. So to be honest, I was a little leery wondering if it would be too dry for our tastes. Not at all! The saute of veggies and the renderings of the sausage truly make a sauce like quality, coating every inch of the pasta.

While I didn't do the actual math while shopping for this recipe, I can say with almost certainty it could easily be made for less than $10, especially since a couple of the things, like the onion and garlic, you might already have on hand. So if feeding your family on a budget is a weekly struggle, this is a great one to stretch a buck.

Sauce or not, this is a delicious pasta supper that will satisfy your hungry family any night of the week.

Bowtie Pasta with Italian Sausage From Comfy in the Kitchen
16 oz. bowtie pasta, cooked and drained
5 Sweet Italian Sausage links
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 zucchini, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
3 TBS olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced

While pasta is cooking, in a large skillet cook sausages according to package directions. Mine were browned on all sides and then simmered in 1/2 c. water until cooked through. When cooked, drain on paper towels and slice into coin shapes. Add the olive oil to renderings from sausage on medium heat. Add all veggies and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add sausage back in and mix well. Mix drained pasta with sausage mixture and add Parmesan cheese if desired.

Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Feb. 20, 2013
Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Feb. 21, 2013
Shared on The Country Cook Feb. 22, 2013

Pasta at Very Good Recipes
Pin It

Okay first thing is first. I can't let today's post begin without taking a minute to say Happy Birthday to the very best woman I know. The most patient, loving and kind person I know. The lady who has always been in my corner, and to this day will still spoil me and tell me every chance she gets that "I am her world". My person I can talk to like a friend, but get guidance from like a parent. That's right, today is my Mom's birthday, and nobody else on this earth deserves a happy, blessed day as much as she does. So, "Happy Birthday, Mom. I love you. I strive to be more like you every day, and treasure you a little more with each passing year."

Okay, now onto the food!

Pasta and sauce. Sauce and pasta. These words go hand in hand, and are pretty dependent on one another. Or so I thought. Until I found this recipe...

When I first read the list of ingredients I was pretty psyched because of all the veggies, especially the zucchini. I can't get enough of it, and don't have nearly enough recipes with it, so that was the first thing to catch my eye. (Side note: Be sure to remember this dish come summer when all of our garden growers have zucchini coming out of our ears!) The second thing, well honestly the second and third, thing I noticed (because I re-read the list again to make sure) was that it contained no sauce per say. Or at least not the conventional way I think of pasta sauces. So to be honest, I was a little leery wondering if it would be too dry for our tastes. Not at all! The saute of veggies and the renderings of the sausage truly make a sauce like quality, coating every inch of the pasta.

While I didn't do the actual math while shopping for this recipe, I can say with almost certainty it could easily be made for less than $10, especially since a couple of the things, like the onion and garlic, you might already have on hand. So if feeding your family on a budget is a weekly struggle, this is a great one to stretch a buck.

Sauce or not, this is a delicious pasta supper that will satisfy your hungry family any night of the week.

Bowtie Pasta with Italian Sausage From Comfy in the Kitchen
16 oz. bowtie pasta, cooked and drained
5 Sweet Italian Sausage links
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 zucchini, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
3 TBS olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced

While pasta is cooking, in a large skillet cook sausages according to package directions. Mine were browned on all sides and then simmered in 1/2 c. water until cooked through. When cooked, drain on paper towels and slice into coin shapes. Add the olive oil to renderings from sausage on medium heat. Add all veggies and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add sausage back in and mix well. Mix drained pasta with sausage mixture and add Parmesan cheese if desired.

Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Feb. 20, 2013
Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Feb. 21, 2013
Shared on The Country Cook Feb. 22, 2013

Pasta at Very Good Recipes
Pin It

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