Quick Minestrone

Lots of "oh crap, it's dinnertime and I have no idea what to cook" recipes creeping in here. Which isn't a bad thing, I suppose. Everyone needs a stash of pantry-heavy staples to fill in when you just don't feel energetic enough to go all-out, or when you lack the fresh ingredients to make something else happen.

This soup is warm, flavorful and easy to slap together. If you were feeling slightly more motivated than I was, you could start by sauteing half a chopped onion and a clove of minced garlic in the pan before you add the other ingredients, and omit the garlic and onion powder.

I was just feeling lazy.

PS. Sorry, my husband and I ate all the soup before I had a chance to take a picture. I'll be sure to immortalize the next batch for you all.

PPS. I dunno if you're "allowed" to use pinto beans and call it minestrone. I don't care either! Kidney beans are not my favorite. I like pintos in something like this. They're more buttery and bland.


Quick Minestrone

1 can petite-dice tomatoes
1 can pinto beans, including liquid
1.5 cans water
1 large vegetable bullion square
1/4 cup green salsa
1/4 cup white wine (optional)
2 small zucchini, sliced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1/4 tsp thyme, oregano, basil and/or marjoram
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup orzo pasta (uncooked) (any small, short pasta will work, I like orzo)

Dump everything into a pot (about 2 quarts should do ya, if you're not using big cans of tomatoes and beans) and bring to a boil. Simmer on medium-low heat until the mushrooms and zucchini start to look cooked, about 10 minutes. Then add orzo, stirring well, and bring it back to a boil. Simmer on low for about 10-15 minutes, depending on the cooking time of the pasta you chose. Serve hot with warm rolls or crackers.

Better-Than-Sausage Gravy

(Pulled this recipe for further testing. Sorry guys! It's just not quite right!)

Tofu Scramble

When I decided to give up meat, I went to the store and bought a bunch of vegetarian foods to experiment with a whole new genre of cooking. It was exciting! ... but I wasn't sure what to think of the squishy white bricks of bean curd in my fridge until I tried a scramble recipe I found online. I've used a ton of variations on that simple recipe for a year now, and it's always come out delicious. This version is flavored with fenugreek, a potent spice that's really growing on me.

Tofu Scramble

1 block firm tofu
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 lb. button mushrooms, quartered
1/2 tsp ground fenugreek
1/2 tsp ground savory (optional)
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 T. soy sauce

Crumble the tofu into chunks, squeezing out excess water before tossing into a large frying pan on medium-medium high heat. Drizzle oil over the tofu and stir well. (I almost always add oil to a hot pan AFTER I put in the tofu. Tofu is, well, full of water, and it spatters like crazy if you just drop it into hot oil. Ouch!) Stir often, breaking up big chunks into smaller pieces, until the water really starts to cook off and the tofu starts to turn golden. Add onion and garlic and stir until slightly translucent, then add peppers and mushrooms. When the mushrooms are cooked through, sprinkle fenugreek, savory and turmeric over all, add soy sauce and stir well. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast, if desired and serve with Earth Balance margarine on whole-grain toast.