After a week or two respite of Spring-like weather, we are back to cold, blustery winter weather and yet another sinus infection (which may be explained by these huge fluctuations in weather). I've been almost recovering from this sinus infection since Christmas. It's getting old. I'm feeling a little down.
So, today went a little something like this:
woke up (from a dead sleep with a pounding headache and sinus congestion) to the sound of J playing TRIOs, role-playing an elaborate Batman vs. Joker storyline, complete with the Joker's evil cackle (at the top of his lungs)
blow nose; cough; take Sudafed and guzzle water
shush J by wincing and pointing to my head
play LEGOs with J
put together a new birthday toy for N that (thankfully) has a volume control switch
blow nose; shush J
apply warm compress to face, but peel it back every 10 seconds to make sure N is not trying to eat LEGOs
repeat for the next 4 hours and pray I can muster enough energy to tire J out to the point that he'll agree to a nap
...
As I write this, the kids are napping (at the same time!) and I am lounging under blankets, watching it rain buckets from a bleak gray sky. Blah.
But the good news is that I pulled myself together enough to make a delicious hearty soup that I hope will help. When you're sick, you always want mom's chicken noodle soup, but this is right up there as well. It's my aunt's recipe for a vegetable minestrone, and I'm not sure where she got it. She brought us a pot of it the week we brought J home from the hospital, and it's been one of my go-to comfort foods ever since. It has a very savory flavor because it's made with bacon. Yes, bacon! Unusual, but trust me--it's good. And I'm not one of those people who thinks that everything tastes better with bacon on it. :)
Aunt Kathy's Minestrone
1/4 lb. bacon, cut into pieces
2 garlic cloves
1 large onion, diced
1 t. parsley
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
32 oz. carton beef broth
16 oz. can kidney beans with liquid
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 potatoes, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 can green beans with liquid
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. uncooked elbow macaroni
grated Parmesan to top
Brown bacon, garlic and onion in large soup pot. Add spices and broth. Stir in tomatoes and kidney beans. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, green beans and tomato sauce. Cook 1 hour on medium, or till vegetables are tender. Add macaroni. Cook 30 minutes. Season and serve with grated Parmesan.
Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Friday, March 4, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Goal: Cook More
One of my recent goals is to cook more frequently and be a better meal planner. Working three nights a week means I'm often eating PB&J in the car or heating up a quick frozen dinner on my 15 minute break. It's not the healthiest and I usually come home at 9:00 hungry. And, it leaves C and the kids up to their own devices. Which is okay; C is a good cook, but without a plan and a recipe, he usually resorts to frozen chicken nuggets or Marie Callender's chicken pot pies.
It's a kitchen-coordinated piece of stationery paper with the days of the week typed on to it. Slid into an 8x10 picture frame and paired with a dry erase marker, it makes a perfect meal planner. It's large enough that it has a presence on my countertop, meaning that I constantly notice it and am reminded to stay on track. At the end of the week, I wipe it clean with a paper towel and make a new plan without wasting any paper. As of today, we are rounding out 3 weeks of successful meal planning. It feels great!
So, my best friend must have sensed what we were going through, because look what she made me for Christmas.
I wish I could give credit where it's due...my friend got the idea from a blog somewhere out there, but can't remember where. So, whoever you are, I'm grateful!
What are your favorite resources for recipes? I'd be doomed without my subscription to Everyday Food!
What are your favorite resources for recipes? I'd be doomed without my subscription to Everyday Food!
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