Minestrone Soup

This soup is hearty and filling, and full of flavor. The prep is kind of labor intensive, so you may want to chop the vegetables the night before, or make the entire thing the night before since most soups are always better the next day. If you double the recipe, which is what I did for Lifegroup, use the biggest stock pot you can find, because it makes a lot! I couldn't use all the water it called for since it wouldn't fit, but it just made the soup taste yummier and richer. This serves 6.

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped onion
4 cloves minced garlic
1/3 lb. ground beef
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup cubed carrots
2 cups tomato puree (I used an organic brand for better flavor)
2 14.5 oz. cans stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 14 oz. can beef broth
1 10.5 oz. can condensed French onion soup
5 cups water
1/4 cup red wine
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chopped zucchini
2 cups spinach, rinsed and sliced
1 cup uncooked pasta (I used HEB brand Garden Shells)
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained
1/4 cup chopped parsley

In a large stock pot, cook onion, garlic, and beef. When onions are translucent, add celery, carrot, pureed tomatoes, whole tomatoes, broth, condensed soup, water, wine, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Cook for 15 min. Then stir in zucchini, spinach, pasta, garbanzo beans, and parsley. Cook for 15 more min. and serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Emily

Curry Beef Rice

I made this recipe tonight & loved it. It was a dutch oven recipe but can be made in any big pot.

Ingredients

2 lbs lean ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cup chopped apple

1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes, with liquid

1 cup uncooked white rice

1 1/2 Tbsp curry powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp beef bouillon

2 Tbsp chopped peanuts (optional)

Directions

Heat dutch oven (or pot) on high.

Add beef & onion & stir until meat is browned.

Drain excess fat.

Add all ingredients except peanuts & heat to boiling, then reduce to simmering.

Simmer for 45 minutes or until rice is cooked through.

Serve & sprinkle peanuts in top, if desired.

My modifications: I used ground deer since we have an abundance of it, & it was really good. I never add onion so I substituted onion powder, & nixed the peanuts. I also bought fire-roasted tomatoes because I like the added flavor. I used a golden delicious apple; I think the flavor of them complement curry well.

-Court

London Broil with grilled vegetables

Me again (see below)... I also received a grill pan for Christmas so I can grill inside (the hubs does the outside grilling) so here is a recipe for indoor or outdoor grilling.

London Broil

I bought 2 pounds of London Broil (which is usually top round roast, or flank steak, but was labeled London Broil at my market), about 1 1/2 inches thick. I marinated the meat in extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, roasted minced garlic, & rosemary for about 8 hours (you can do it up to 24 hrs). Using my grill pan, I warmed it up to medium heat, & grilled it for about 8 minutes on each side (but it depends on your grill - check between 5-10 minutes per side to see how it's coming along). Let it sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice it thinly against the grain. The marinade makes the meat taste great!

I also grilled some corn, zucchini & squash. Leave the corn in the husk to grill it. I seasoned the zucchini & squash with seasoning salt. Grill to your liking on medium-high heat (but make sure the corn husk is nicely charred before removing it).

-Court

Cider-Braised Short Ribs

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

I was given a Dutch oven for Christmas that I was anxious to use, so I found this delicious recipe (don't worry, if you don't have a Dutch oven, you can still make it in a roasting pan).

Cider-Braised Short Ribs

Ingredients:
•3 to 4 pounds short ribs, cut in 3-inch pieces
•salt and pepper
•1/2 cup flour
•2 tablespoons vegetable oil
•2 cups apple cider
•1 1/2 cups beef broth
•1 teaspoon dried leaf rosemary
•1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
•1 large onion, coarsely chopped
•1 clove garlic, minced
•1 medium onion, chopped
•1 cup baby carrots
•1 cup sliced celery

Preparation:
Heat oven to 300°.
Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper; toss with the flour.

In a roasting pan*, heat oil (over 2 burners, if possible) over medium heat. Add the short ribs in 1 layer. Cook, turning frequently, until well browned. Add cider, beef broth, herbs, coarsely chopped onion, and the garlic. Bring to a boil.

If necessary, the ribs can be browned in a Dutch oven, turning frequently. Continue with adding cider and beef broth, the large coarsely chopped onion, and herbs, then transfer to a roasting pan if the Dutch oven isn't ovenproof.

Cover and bake for 3 1/2 hours. Remove short ribs from the pan and strain the broth into a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Skim off excess fat; bring to a boil, uncovered, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes, uncovered. Add the remaining onion, celery, and carrots to the broth. Cover and cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Return the short ribs to the broth and heat through. Garnish with parsley to serve.

My modifications: I nixed the onion & vegetables & instead made brown rice & vegetables as sides, so I just left the ribs in the pot when I took it out of the oven. I also used olive oil instead of vegetable oil, because it is yummy. :-)

-Court