I’m sure by now you know that I’m kind of a food fanatic.
I grew up eating delicious home-cooked meals almost every night of the week (thanks Mom!) and I just got spoiled by good food.
My mom was also always on the lookout for new recipes, so our family ate new and different things on the regular. We weren’t one of those families that had Meatloaf Mondays, Spaghetti Tuesdays, Chicken Wednesdays, etc.
We enjoyed lots of family favorites mixed in with new things mom would cut out of magazines or find in cookbooks. That was a time before food blogs even existed (a fact that will someday blow the minds of my children, lol).
As a result of being surrounded by amazing food growing up, and having it be one of the most consistent things in my otherwise chaotic life, I am an adult who loves to eat and loves to cook.
It works out well for my hubby :)
Not so much for my waistline…
One of the many things I’m thankful for this month is new recipes.
My idea of a good time is browsing Pinterest, blogs, recipe books and even Google for new meals to make. I love watching some of my favorite Food Network shows (Rachel, Giada and Ina) during Grace’s afternoon nap because prime time is just a mess of shows that don’t interest me (Mystery Diners and Health Inspectors…yuck!).
This is very quick and easy recipe that is equally delicious and perfect for this time of year! I made this a few times last year but never managed to blog about it. After posting this picture on Instagram and Facebook the other day, I have had a few requests for the recipe so I decided to work it into this thankful post. I’m crafty like that.
I’ve said this before, but don’t dismiss it as being just like this recipe or this recipe that I’ve already posted. This soup has it’s own good thing going on and deserves a place in your weekly meal plan.
It’s rich and hearty with a little kick of spice from the red pepper flakes (that you can omit if you’re a pansy). If you make it with veggie stock instead of chicken stock it’s Vegan!
Quick & Easy Pasta e Fagioli
from Budget Bytes
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 medium carrots
- 3 stalks celery
- ½ Tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- few dashes crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 (15oz) can kidney beans
- 1 (15oz) can white beans
- 1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes (I didn’t have any and used halved grape tomatoes and it was delish!)
- 1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup frozen green beans
- 3 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock
- 1 cup dry pasta (I like Ditalini)
- salt and pepper to taste
- Chop the garlic, onion, celery and carrots. Place them in a large pot with the olive oil and cook over medium heat until the onions are soft (about 5 minutes).
- Add the parsley, basil, oregano, red pepper, beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and the frozen green beans. Drain the canned beans but not the tomatoes before adding to the pot. Stir everything together and bring it up to a simmer.
- Add the chicken (or vegetable) stock. Add the dry pasta and bring the pot up to a simmer. Add a lid and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is fully cooked. Stir the pot occasionally as it simmers to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.
- Enjoy!
