Food For The Soul With A Recipe Minestrone Soup 2/21/2018

Good Morning,

I have to chuckle a little as I begin this morning. I chose Door County Irish Crème Coffee today just to irritate a buddy this morning. He wishes I would just say coffee with cream.

The subjects of my blog have been pretty heavy lately and I thought I would soften it up a little today and post a thought or two about encouragement. The best place to start is with some Bible verses that warm the heart and feed the soul. Sometimes life has a few bumps in the road and it is important to know Who is in your corner and Who has your back. When God is for you, who can be against you? Anyone who will be at my side through life just plain old must love me. Thank you God for your love.

1. Isaiah 43:2

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

2. Proverbs 3:5

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.”

3. Psalm 16:8

“I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

4. Romans 15:13

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

5. 1 Corinthians 16:13

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”

6. James 1:2-3

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

7. Exodus 14:14

“The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.”

Well, it's time for me to go to work now and I leave you with this thought. Read these verses and know that God is with you and you are loved. I have attached a recipe for one of my favorite soups. Make some soup and dine on the Word of God. Your soul will feel better.

Marty

 

Minestrone Soup

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Yield: Serves 6

You can use canned beans (use a good quality brand, I recommend S&W or Bush's) or you can cook dry beans.
If starting with dry beans, soak about 3/4 cup of dry beans overnight in cold water (or pour boiling water over the beans and soak for 1 hour). Drain. Cover with a couple inches of salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for an hour, or until tender enough to eat. Then drain and use in this recipe as directed.

 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped carrot
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme or a teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
• 1 yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 2 cups sliced savoy or curly cabbage
• 1 zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 2 medium fresh ripe tomatoes (romas if available), cored, peeled, chopped
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 15-ounce can of cannellini or great northern white beans, drained (about 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Parmesan cheese, grated for garnish

Method

1 Sauté onions, carrots, celery, garlic in olive oil: Heat oil in a 4 to 5 quart thick-bottomed pot on medium high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more.

2 Add herbs, potato, vegetables, stock: Add the bay leaf, thyme, fennel seeds. Add the potato, cabbage, zucchini, and tomatoes. Add the chicken stock.

3 Simmer until vegetables are cooked through: Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and cooked through.

4 Add beans, parsley, salt, pepper: Add the beans and parsley to the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs.

Serve with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese