soup bowl sunday!

winter minestrone at il ritrovo


Call me un-American, but this year I'm not going to pretend that I actually like watching either the Super Bowl or the much-hyped commercials. I plan on watching Sense and Sensibility on PBS--now there's some edge-of-the-seat action and suspense! I suppose fitting snacks might be a cream tea, or at least a pot of Earl Grey with cream and sugar and one, no, two, no, a handful of World Peace cookies...

But, before that, I'll likely cook up another pot of soup. Most soups I make are spur-of-the-moment, foraging in the freezer, fridge, and cupboards kind of affairs. I'm amazed at what delicious soups I can make out of scraps.

Dharmagirl's Soup Starter

saute two cloves of garlic in olive oil; add one carrot, diced, some diced celery and onion to taste. sprinkle with salt. once the base starts to soften and release sugars, add water and a bay leaf or two. toss in whatever cooked beans you have on hand and more water. bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer.

variations:
lentils with curry powder and chickpeas
navy beans with crushed tomatoes and italian herbs
cannellini beans with greens, rosemary, and small pasta (cooked separately), garnished with parm
navy beans with diced potatoes and sweet potatoes and rosemary


The possibilities are endless, nutritious, and delicious...have fun, and happy soup bowl Sunday!