Cranberry Salsa
Thursday, January 21st, 2016This salsa was brought to my attention by my friend Michelle Latiolais who, having been to my house for dinner a few times, is well aware of my attitude towards complex recipes. Read More
Tired of constantly cooking? This site offers recipes, laughs and survival tips for all us Crabby Cooks!
This salsa was brought to my attention by my friend Michelle Latiolais who, having been to my house for dinner a few times, is well aware of my attitude towards complex recipes. Read More
I know there is a school of cooking these days that’s all about hiding vegetables in things so you can sneak up on your kids, nutritionally speaking. But I feel the way my mother does: children should get to know and befriend their vegetables. Read More
So far I have stuck to my New Year’s resolutions except for the part abut the peppermint bark. I resolved to eat nothing but healthy foods and have done so religiously since December 31st–except for the peppermint bark. I just gave the peppermint bark (what was left of it) to Aunt Christina so now I am totally on track.
I made this soup which is full of high-fiber vegetables and makes you feel virtuous even before you finish chopping the leeks. Tom and I have been eating it all weekend and we both feel as fit as say, that guy in “Creed.” (Michael B. Jordan, not Sylvester Stallone.)
I gotta be honest, it’s a pain in the ass to make but worth the trouble because you end up with enough to last for ages so it’s three meals for the aggravation of one. Plus you get all that upper-body exercise from the veggie choppage. Okay, it’s unlikely M.B.J. got those biceps by this method but still.
So give your peppermint bark to an unsuspecting relative and make this soup. You will be glad you did.
New Year’s Resolution Minestrone
(Makes about 12 lunch servings.)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
2 leeks (white part only), well rinsed and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
salt and freshly ground pepper
½ head Savoy cabbage, shredded
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs of celery, diced
1 medium potato (any kind) peeled and cut into ¾ inch dice
1 parsnip, peeled and diced
2 quarts’ low sodium chicken broth (see note)
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with their juices
½ cup frozen petite peas
½ cup frozen corn kernels (or fresh if it’s summer and you’re not too crabby to scrape a cob)
1 can (15 ounces) small white bens or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Variations
If you’re not too crabby already, you can add or substitute any vegetables for those listed, like green beans, broccoli, a turnip, rutabaga – anything your family will tolerate (or not notice). Also, at the end of cooking you can throw in a handful of diced cooked chicken or meat. You can also put a scoop of cooked rice or pasta at the bottom of each diner’s bowl and pour the soup over it.
Note
If I’m too lazy to make homemade, I like to use Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth, which is available at most Whole Foods storesl.