Wednesday Scoop 'O Soup

Welcome to my favorite "Tried&True" soup recipe!
Veggie Minestrone

This is one of those recipes that is so familiar I can shop for it and prepare it from memory.....but I remember when it was new to me.

I remember googling soup recipes that day. 
I was sitting in a brand new kitchen, in a newly built house. It was my home, but I was 707 miles from anything I'd ever known.
My husband (of only 5 months) had just driven away to his first day in a new office, and I was gearing up to go buy groceries to stock our bare fridge and cupboards.  We had just moved from our born-and-raised hometown of Racine, WI. to NorthWest Arkansas so that Steve could fulfill a 2 year rotation in his job with SCJ.

My eyes landed on this recipe. It sounded good. 
I added the ingredients to my list, and off I went, with map in hand, and directions to what I thought was the nearest market.  Later, I would learn that in my 18 mile drive, I had passed 3 other markets that would have been much nearer to our new house. =)

Those were hard and very, very good days!  Steve and I had only each other, and we loved it!!! God was so faithful - sovereignly caring for even the littlest details - like leading me to a soup recipe that would become a family favorite for years to come!

Ingredients:
4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
4 cups tomato juice
1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 medium carrots, sliced (1 cup)
2 medium celery stalks, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (3 oz)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cups uncooked rotini pasta (4 1/2 oz)
Shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired

Step 1:
In 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients except pasta and cheese.
Step 2:
Cover; cook on Low heat setting 7 to 8 hours.
Step 3:Stir in pasta. Increase heat setting to High; cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes longer or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.
Note: I prefer to cook the pasta while I'm preparing the soup, immediately rinsing in cold water and coating with a small amount of Olive Oil....then adding into the soup for the last 5-10 min to heat through.  This avoids their becoming too soft!

Wednesday Scoop O'Soup

My Man's favorite. Heavy on the chicken, cooked-just-right egg noodles, in a spicy (thanks to Mom's secret added kick) steamy broth.  The first time Steve had this soup was during our dating days.  I was way far away (too far away) in Dallas, and he was sick here in Racine.  I petitioned my Mom to take care of him, and given the fact that he still requests "your mom's chicken noodle soup - you know - the one she brought me when I was sick" to this day, I'd say she did a good job of it. =)

"Your" Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup:

4-5 large frozen chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite size pieces.
32 oz. Chicken broth.  My Mom makes her's by straining the chicken water and adding salt to taste.
  I like the Organic Free Range Chick Broth by Pacific Natural Foods.

2 C chopped celery
2C chopped carrots
1 C sweet yellow onion, diced.
AND.... here's Mom's secret... 1 Tbl Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce.
(There is nothing like it on sore throats and swollen sinuses.)

1 16 oz Bag of Reames Frozen, Homemade Egg Noodles.  Freezer section at the market.

Add all ingredients, except the noodles, together in slow cooker on low (for all day), or in pot on the stove. 
Simmer until veggies are tender. 
This recipe can be prepared to this point and then frozen for ease in later use.

Add the egg noodles and continue to simmer for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. 
Serve hot, be filled, and feel better!