Thursday, February 3, 2011

Sisterly Soup

There are certain things that you can only share with a sister.

For instance, only you and your sister know about that weird face your mom makes when you say something you shouldn't have in a room full of company.

And, in my case, only your sister knows what it's like to drive you and your first-ever date to your first-ever high school dance (9th grade band dance in 1997. My dress was seriously made of velvet.).

And when you get your wisdom teeth taken out, only your sister knows how ridiculously chipmunk-swollen your face looked. And she still made you a bowl full of pudding anyway.

Sometimes, when you're lucky, your older sister will even make dinner for you. Tonight was one of those nights.

My Hungry Spoon Sis cooked up a big pot of Minestrone Soup--fresh veggies, brown rice pasta (never tried it before; loved it!), and lots of beans. I must say, this lady knows her stuff when it comes to vegetarian cooking...and she's not even a vegetarian. Do you remember her Spinach and Artichoke Lasagna recipe? Need I say more?

This soup is super-light, super-healthy, and deliciously warm--just what you need on a cold winter night. I recommend serving it with a hearty chunk of homemade bread. And some good sisterly company on the side.

Winter Minestrone
(recipe from The Root Cellar by Andrea Chesman)

This soup is so rich in flavor, I couldn't believe when my sister said she made it only an hour before serving--it tasted as if she'd made it the night before (soups always seem better the next day). Don't forget to serve with hearty chunk o' bread.

Ingredients:
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 celery root, peeled and diced
  • 1 carrot, peeled and diced
  • 5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 6 cups of veggie broth
  • 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
  • 3 cups chopped kale
  • 1 can (15 oz.) white beans
  • 1 tsp. dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1 cup pasta
  • salt n' pepper to taste
Directions:
1) Heat a dash of olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery root, carrot, and garlic, and cook until just tender--about 4 - 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, kale, beans, rosemary, and basil. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

2) Return soup to a boil, add pasta, and cook until pasta is cooked--about 10 minutes. Reduce heat, season with salt and pepper.


12 comments:

  1. Sisters are the best! I'm always texting recipes back and forth with mine. :) This soup sounds like such a nice treat! Mmm, kale... :) One of my gluten-free friends let me try some of her brown rice pasta last week, and I also loved it!

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  2. this looks so much better than the canned vegetable soup I had tonight for dinner. And I wish so badly I had a sister.

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  3. WOW.. I think I'm a tad bit older than you... in the late 90's I was... um... in college.. gosh.. and now in my 30's.. same age as Drew B.. a smidgen older.

    I have a brotherly spaghetti I have with my siblings.

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  4. Awww! Sisters are the best :) I wish mine would cook for me more... I'm always trying to get her too :)

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  5. What a great sister you have to make such a delicous soup...Minnestrones make me swoon - they're amazing, no matter what the season.

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  6. How sweet of your sister to make you that soup. I love cooking with my sisters!

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  7. What a sweet sister you have! This soup looks soooo good. I love soup with lots of veggies, pasta and beans.

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  8. so glad you have a sis! i have no idea what that's like!

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  9. Soup and sister nights sound fantastic to me :) This does look delicious!

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  10. I think we all know that look our mothers give us when we say something that we really shouldn't in public. Story of my life ;)

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  11. Soups are my favorite winter food. I make at least one - sometimes two - pots every week. This looks wonderful and I love how chock-full of vegetables it is. A real meal in a bowl!

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  12. Sounds like a bowl loaded with veggie goodness!

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