Skip to main content

Minestrone Soup

It's been REALLY cold lately. 

We were up in Elkhart Lake this weekend, and stopped in to grab some soup and a sandwich at Off The Rail Cafe (love it). We had some minestrone and chili - both were awesome, and totally warmed us up from the inside out.  I was inspired to put some soup on the menu plan for this coming week, but also wanted to share a minestrone recipe we use for our freezer meal swaps.

Minestrone Soup

2 tbsp. EVOO
1-1/2 lb. Italian sausage, broken up
1 large onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ c. celery, chopped
½ c. carrots, chopped
½ c. green pepper, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 c. fresh baby spinach leaves, chopped
1 bay leaf
Salt & pepper to taste (about ½ tsp.)
2 c. diced tomatoes (1 19 oz. can)
6 c. chicken stock (Swanson Natural Goodness or Kirkland's Chicken Stock are great)
2 c. shredded cabbage

Include 1 can kidney or Great Northern beans, about 1 c. dried pasta (ditalini, elbow macaroni or other small pasta) packaged separately. Have Parmesan cheese on hand.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven, lightly brown sausage and drain. Add onion, garlic, celery, carrots and green peppers. Cook until somewhat softened (leave a little more firm than you normally would, if you're freezing and reheating the soup). Stir in parsley, bay leaf, salt & pepper. Stir in tomatoes and stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer about 10 minutes. Add cabbage and spinach. Take off heat, and let cool completely.  Freeze once it has cooled completely.

To prepare: thaw, add noodles & beans, and bring up to simmer. Heat through, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Popular posts from this blog

Layered Mexican Trifle Salad

So this is awesome.  It's a lot of work, but it is awesome.  Feeds a crowd, looks cool, tastes great.  What more can you ask for?  I first had this at a party, and then tracked down the recipe - I believe it was originally from Pampered Chef.  You can mix it up, but I really like this combo.  It's easy to double or whatever is needed, based on the serving dish.  The one pictured was MASSIVE, and was basically a triple batch - so much work, and at the last minute! Layered Mexican Trifle Salad I ngredients: Beans: drain, rinse and mix together 1 15 oz. can pinto beans and 1 15 oz. can black beans 1 15 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained (I've also used fresh) 1 large tomato, diced (I usually use several Roma tomatoes) 2 green bell peppers, diced 3 ripe avocadoes, diced and mashed with the juice of 1 lime and salt and pepper to taste 1 large onion, diced (red or white) 2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded 2 cups cheddar or jack cheese, shredded

Shredded Korean-Style Beef

I could eat this Korean-style shredded beef every week - the kids love it, the husband loves it, and it's so easy! This recipe is a great one for a freezer meal, too - I usually make a double batch to serve half and freeze the other half. It's a go-to when I need a meal to share with a someone who needs one in our school community. I'll throw in a bag of tortilla chips and guac with pico, some fresh pineapple or other fruit, and all of the fixings for the tacos.  You can even buy pre-washed lettuce leaves for wraps if you want to include those and you want a short-cut.  It seems to be a universal favorite for kids and adults. Shredded Korean-Style Beef 2-3 lb. chuck roast 1/2 medium white onion, diced 1/3 c. low-sodium soy sauce 1 tbsp. rice vinegar 1 tsp. sesame oil 1/3 c. honey 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated (or 1 tsp. ground) 1/2 jalapeno, minced 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper Put in the roast and onions in your slow cooker, and whi

Oven Baked Pizza Subs

I have fond memories of pizza subs from my college days. We would scrounge up any change or small bills we could find, and pile in someone's car and head to Mineo's for a late night pizza sub.  They were cheap, and they were hot, melty, and delicious.  Here's my attempt at a recipe: Oven Baked Pizza Subs 4-6  hoagie rolls oregano or Italian seasoning slices of provolone cheese (or mozzarella) slices of pepperoni (I get it sliced at the deli for nice big pieces) slices of genoa salami  slices of your favorite ham, sliced very thin 1/2 lb. Italian sausage, browned and drained (turkey Italian sausage is pretty good - optional) your favorite pizza sauce veggies if desired (and I desire them on the parental sandwiches) - thin green pepper slices, thin onion slices, mushrooms if you're into them, banana peppers, etc.   Have on hand: shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes and if you like, mayo - for a really delish spread, mix some mayo, a dash of red wine vinegar, a tiny scoop