Everyone is over it and getting cranky...including me! I just want to be sitting on my beautiful deck, having dinner and watching the sunset, without a parka and boots on!
I am really starting to feel sorry for my husband. Golf season is nowhere in sight, due to our unfavorable weather. He is getting so bored that he follows me around the house, along with the rest of our dogs.
We have completed two of our projects (which I will share later). Even though there are more projects to complete, I am rapidly seeing cabin fever set in for all of us!
Last weekend I watched Pioneer Woman make her 16 Min-estrone soup. It looked perfect for our cold days and with today being Ash Wednesday and start of Lent, I thought it would also be great for our no meat dinner tonight.
I decided to take the weekend and do some meal prepping, including this soup. Since my husband was getting restless, I asked if he would like to help. I figured I could give him the task of dicing up all the vegetables for me...that should take him awhile.
I pulled out the large cutting board and all the vegetables for him to chop for the soup. I walked over to get my Santoku knife (it's his favorite) for him. When I turned around, he had my KitchenAid out with ALL of the attachments. Let me say it again..."ALL" of the attachments!
He was not about to stand there and dice each vegetable with a boring knife. As only a man would do, he took the no nonsense approach and brought out the serious machinery to get the job done!
If John Gray, author of Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus ever decides to write the next sequel, this would make a great chapter!
16 Min-estrone
Courtesy of Pioneer Woman
Kosher salt
2 quarts low-sodium chicken stock
2 Tbl olive oil
1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces
Freshly ground pepper
8 ounces ditalini pasta
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, with the juice
One 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
One 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
chopped fresh parsley, for serving
jarred pesto, for serving
grated Parmesan, for serving
Add water and salt to a pot for pasta and bring to a boil. Add the stock to a pot and heat over medium-high heat until hot.
Put a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the chicken begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions.
Add the celery, bell pepper, onion, carrot and zucchini to the pot with the chicken. Add the red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beans, basil, oregano and hot stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with slat and pepper.
Drain the pasta and add it to the soup. Stir in the chopped parsley. Serve with a dollop of pesto and a sprinkling of Parmesan.
** If you are going meat free, just eliminate the chicken from this recipe...it's still fantastic!
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