Family Recipes - Mom's Minestrone Soup

One of my favourite things to do is to make a scrumptious dinner for my sweet family. And when it's one of my Mom's recipes, it's even more special. This is Mom's Minestrone Soup. I need to ask her where this recipe came from, as I'm 99.8% certain that we have no Italian heritage. You wouldn't know it, by how much we enjoy Italian foods, though. And this is one of our faves.

Mom's original recipe called for dried kidney beans. I don't think I've ever made it with dried beans, but feel free to do so. The above photo is incomplete, as I had forgotten to get out the garlic. And another ingredient that's missing is fresh spinach, because I had forgotten that I used the spinach in another dish a few nights ago. Whoops.

It starts with chopping some yummy veggies - celery, carrots and garlic. Sauté the trio in a little butter and olive oil for 3 or 4 minutes, then add in 3 cans of kidney beans, that have been drained, rinsed and half of them crushed. Mix in a large can of crushed tomatoes, some dried basil, dried parsley, 3 bay leaves, 2 boxes of chicken broth (or water), salt and pepper. Let that simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. Add in the macaroni pasta and cook for 15 more minutes. 

Fresh Parmesan cheese is the perfect topping to this delicious and filling soup. Serve with garlic bread or bread sticks, like I did last night or just add a green salad. Either way, it's the perfect meal for a chilly January night.

Mom's Minestrone Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
4 carrots, sliced
4 celery stalks with leaves, sliced
4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cans kidney beans, drained, rinsed and half of the beans crushed
1 large can crushed tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried parsley
3 bay leaves
2 boxes of chicken broth (or the equivalent of water)
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
1 to 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 cups macaroni pasta
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Chop celery, carrots and garlic. Sauté the trio in a little butter and olive oil for 3 or 4 minutes, add in kidney beans. Stir in crushed tomatoes, dried basil, dried parsley, bay leaves, chicken broth (or water), salt and pepper. Let that simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. Add in the macaroni pasta and cook for 15 more minutes. Add spinach in last 5 minutes of cooking.

Add Parmesan cheese as a garnish. Enjoy!

This recipe serves 8. It can easily be vegetarian by switching the chicken broth to vegetable broth or water. And it's a frugal recipe, too!

Blessings and love. xo

Happy Thanksgiving 2015!

Hello friend,

Happy American Thanksgiving! 

You may wonder why in the world I am pointing out the American-ness of the holiday. Due to having lived in two other countries, most recently Canada, I learned that, of course, not everyone celebrates American Thanksgiving. Today in Canada, it's just a regular Thursday (They do celebrate their own Thanksgiving, in October.). So, for all my international friends and readers, Happy Thursday!

I hope my American friends have a fantastic day celebrating all the blessings we enjoy in this country. We are so fortunate, and even when life is hard and confusing, we still have so many things to be thankful for. Enjoy time with family and friends, celebrating traditions and making new memories. I pray we thank God every day for all He has given us. Cheers!

Blessings and love. xo

Enter the Food Lion Pumpkin Contest!

Do you decorate with pumpkins for fall or carve pumpkins for Halloween? We love this tradition in our family and have such fun memories from our pumpkin-carving over the years. Food Lion is having a neat contest to celebrate your creativity this autumn. Submit a photo of your best pumpkin carving or decoration. Share the post with your friends to get the most votes and you could win.

Click below to find out more details and enjoy carving your best pumpkin yet!

Join the Food Lion Pumpkin Contest now!

Blessings and love. xo 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. I will receive compensation for each entry. Thank you!

Ishtar's Odyssey - a new advent book!

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links. This simply means that if you make a purchase through my links, there is no additional cost to you, and I make a small commission. Many thanks!


I'm so excited that there is a new book in our favourite advent series by Arnold Ytreeide!

This one is called Ishtar's Odyssey and it is on my wish list now! We usually read one of these books during the month of December, which has become a special family tradition. 

The other books in the series include . . .

1. Jotham's Journey

2. Bartholomew's Passage

3. Tabitha's Travels 

And now . . . 

4. Ishtar's Odyssey

Have you read any of these books? Which one is your favourite? I'd love to know what other advent books you've enjoyed!

Blessings and love. xo

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

In case you don't already have a favourite pumpkin bread recipe, I will gladly share my recipe again. It is one of our Royce family autumn traditions and we've made it several times during this season already. As you can see in the above photo, I enjoyed a slice with a little cream cheese and my homemade apple butter, accompanied by a steaming cup of coffee. It made a delightful breakfast one morning. It's also just as yummy to eat it plain.


Spiced Pumpkin Bread

2 cups canned pumpkin
3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable or light olive oil
4 eggs
3 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, water, oil and eggs. Beat until well mixed.

Combine all dry ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, beating until smooth.

Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans and dust them with flour. Evenly divide the batter between the two pans. Bake for 60 - 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 - 15 minutes before serving. (You can make muffins instead. Just change the baking time to 18-20 minutes.)

These loaves (or muffins) freeze well, too.

Enjoy!

Blessings and love. xo


Linking Up: Good Tastes Tuesday, Try A New Recipe Tuesday, Hip Homeschool Moms

Marker-Miller Orchards

We started a beloved autumn tradition 10 years ago when we lived in Canada . . . going to the apple orchard to pick our own apples, buy fresh apple cider, play with our dear friends on the playgrounds, pet the farm animals, and enjoy the crisp autumn air. Thankfully, we have been able to continue our family tradition here in Virginia. This year we went out to a farm we had not visited before and it was a lovely experience.

Marker-Miller Orchards is located in scenic Winchester, Virginia. We took the drive out last Saturday for part of Maya's birthday celebration and it also happened to be the farm's annual fall festival. We were thrilled to see that we were not the only ones out enjoying the beautiful weather and this wonderful farm. 

 The beautiful stone house on the farm dates back to 1811 and the land has been in the family since 1908. I have said before that I enjoy supporting family-run businesses, and this is no exception. The Markers have been farming the land for five generations, with Mr. Marker's father planting the first apple orchards in the 1930's. And I am no farmer or expert in any way, but I have visited quite a few orchards over the years and these, by far, are the most beautiful and healthy-looking apple trees I have ever seen.

We thoroughly enjoyed the festivities of the fall festival and I have already been asked if we can plan to go again next year! My answer: Absolutely!

Yes, those are apple cider doughnuts you see! Oh my! We also enjoyed their delicious apple cider.

I just want to say a huge thank you to the Marker Family for not charging an admission fee to the farm. (I have been so surprised and quite appalled by local farms charging anywhere from $8-$12 per person just to enter the farm. For this family of seven, that is next to impossible. If I am going to your farm, it's not to just hang out and then leave. I will pick apples or whatever produce is in season and probably take part in other activities or buy other products sold in your store. I go there as a customer and to tack on another $70, give or take, is absurd.) So, thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Marker for offering your farm free of charge! We will be back soon.

Here are their upcoming events:


Apple Harvest Festival: Saturday, October 12th (9am-5pm) and Sunday, October 13th (10am-5pm)Everything apples!!!!!!!!!!! 20 varieties of apples to choose from, with pick your own available. Apple cobbler and apple cider slushees can be enjoyed while sitting on the front porch or listening to the music each day from 1-3 P.M. For the kids we have the cow train, a playground and room to run. A variety of food will be available at the food building. Wagon rides around the farm scheduled throughout the day.

Pumpkin Festival: Saturday, October 26th (9am-5pm)
Come find the "great pumpkin." Choose from ones already picked or pick your own. Enjoy pumpkin pie, pumpkin rolls, pumpkin bars and pumpkin donuts from our bakery.  A variety of food will be available at the food building.

Bakery Festival: Saturday, November 9th (9am-4pm)
Grab a plate and help us celebrate the Bakery Festival!  Enjoy a free sampling of some of our baked goods. We will be taking orders for Thanksgiving and Christmas.


Market Hours:

June – October 
Monday – Friday: 9:00-6:00
Saturday: 9:00-5:00
**Open Sundays in September & October: 12:00-5:00**

November:

Monday-Friday: 9:00 – 5:00

Saturday: 9:00 – 4:00

December: 

Friday: 9:00 – 5:00

Saturday: 9:00 – 4:00

3035 Cedar Creek Grade, Winchester, VA 22602
(540) 662-1980 

Connect with Marker-Miller Orchards on Facebook or sign up for their newsletter. 

Disclaimer: This post represents my own thoughts and opinions. No compensation was received. I just want my friends to know about this great family orchard!

Homemade Apple Butter

We love Apple Butter at our house. I guess it's the Southern in us. It is so yummy on toast, biscuits or even on a sandwich with peanut butter instead of jam. 

One of our favourite things to do at this time of year is to go to a local orchard and pick apples. We started this tradition in Canada and have such fond memories from over the past 10 years or so. There are so many mouthwatering recipes for apples, not to mention just eating them as a healthy and enjoyable snack. While in Canada I decided it would be a great idea to make and freeze my own Apple Butter to have during the year. I make mine in the crock pot and it is so easy and delicious. 

Emma made a batch yesterday, and we cannot wait to enjoy it for breakfast tomorrow morning!

Homemade Apple Butter

5-6 pounds apples, peeled
4 cups sugar
3-4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients in crock pot. Set on High for one hour, then turn heat to Low and cook for 10 hours. Stir occasionally. Let cool and blend with an immersion hand blender until smooth.

I like to start this right at bedtime and let it cook all night. I turn it off in the morning to let the Apple Butter cool, blend and then put it in freezer-safe containers and into the freezer. It will keep in the freezer for up to six months (not that it lasts that long around here!). I can also easily double this recipe in my crock pot since it cooks down so much.

I think next time we will add a little ground ginger to this recipe to give it a different twist.

What recipes are you pulling out for the start of this autumn season? 

xo


I am linking up with It's a Mom's Life and Try A New Recipe Tuesday this week. Hop on over and check out the links for delicious recipes and inspiring ideas for moms!