Winter Minestrone

A few weeks back, when it was freezing outside and I was feeling just a little under the weather, I knew that the answer to my problems was one thing only - soup.  I went to one of my favorites, the Barefoot Contessa, and whipped up her Winter Minestrone one cold winter evening.  It definitely hit the spot - it was warm, hearty, and seemingly healthy!  While a new storm is brewing this week in Seattle, I'd highly recommend snuggling in at home and making a batch of this yummy and warming soup.  You'll be happy for days :)

Winter Minestrone

Ingredients
Olive Oil
4 oz pancetta {i used bacon}
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
3 carrots diced
3 stalks celery diced
2 1/2 cups diced peeled butternut squash
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
26oz canned chopped tomatoes
6-8 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf {optional}
Salt & Pepper
15oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked small pasta
8-10oz fresh baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tblsp store bought pesto

Instructions
1. Heat 2 tblsp olive oil over medium heat in large dutch oven.  Add pancetta and cook over medium-low for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.  Add onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
2. Add tomatoes, 6 cups stock, bay leaf, 1 tblsp salt, and 1 1/2 tsp pepper to pot.  Bring to boil, lower heat, and simmer uncovered 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
3. Discard bay leaf.  Add beans and cooked pasta and heat through.  If too thick, add more chicken stock.  Add spinach and toss.  Cook until leaves are just wilted.  Stir in white wine and pesto.  Season as needed.

Serves 6-8

adapted from Barefoot Contessa

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Magnolia Winterfest

Saturday night, after a fun day downtown Christmas shopping and seeing A Christmas Story {so funny}, Mom and I headed to Magnolia Village for my first ever "Winterfest" celebration.  We weren't sure what to expect, but the street was blocked off and we saw people meandering in and out of the shops, so we headed out to join them!  Some highlights - the tree {above} at the garden center, the carolers singing in the street, and our subsequent dinner sitting right next to them where they would spontaneously break out in Christmas Carols {amazing!}.  It was a fun night to get us really into the holiday spirit :)

 cutest

 carolling!

 "snow" {soap?} the floated from the trees

 cocktails and wine at the shops

 dinner at luigi's

reindeer!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Thanksgiving Weekend {in pictures}

{a full plate - and yes, I ate the whole thing}

 {shaun & sara}

 {classy thanksgiving attire}

 {hawks win!}

 {12th kitty}

 {traditional black friday lunch}

{the best dad ever hanging lights in the rain while both of us were sick}

Hope you had a wonderful holiday!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

It's almost like I knew I was going to get really sick this week.  Sunday morning, I searched Pinterest for "chicken noodle soup" and came up with Cooking Classy's slow cooker version that looked delicious.  I headed out to the store to pick up the ingredients and prepped everything that night.  I woke up Monday delirious from being sick, but had the foresight to throw everything in the slow cooker before heading to the doctor then straight to bed.  When I woke up later that night to the smell of homemade soup wafting through my house, I was so thankful that I had this little idea to make soup on my day off.  It has literally saved me this week {well, that and antibiotics} and if you feel a cold coming on this weekend, make sure to stock up on these ingredients ASAP.  Doctor's orders!

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts 
5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tblsp olive oil
6 cups low sodium chicken broth 
1 cup water
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp celery seed, crushed
Salt and Pepper
2 cups uncooked pasta {i used penne but egg noodles will hold up better}
4 Tblsp Chopped fresh parsley
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions
1.  Add chicken to slow cooker, along with carrots, onion, celery, and garlic.  Drizzle with olive oil, then add chicken broth, water, thyme, rosemary, and celery seed.  Season with Salt and Pepper.  Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
2.  Remove chicken and allow to rest a few minutes.  Shred with two forks.  Meanwhile, add pasta and parsley to slow cooker.  Increase temperature to high and cover, cooking 10 minutes longer {or until noodles are tender}.  Stir in lemon juice and chicken.

Serves 6

adapted from Cooking Classy

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Sick Days

Sorry for the radio silence!  I've been confined to the view above from my bed for the past 2.5 days, fighting off a gnarly virus.  While I've had some sort of cold for the past 3 weeks or so, it finally really got me Sunday night.  Now that I'm feeling slightly better, it's time to join the real world again {fresh air sounds so nice} and maybe even shower :)  Hope you've had a happy {and healthy} start to December - I can't wait to get my tree up!

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving!  While it's such a busy time of year, it's so nice to have this reminder to stop and reflect on the things we're oh so thankful for.  For me, it's long weekends, new babies, my sweet little home, red wine, weekend naps, family, girlfriends, cozy pj's, coffee, Ram football, surprise little presents, and snuggles :)

What are you thankful for this year??

xoxo,
stephanie marie

Around the Garden {fall}

Though the garden is pretty dead this time of year, there is still some beauty to be seen - like the maples that have turned the most gorgeous shade of red, the lone winter rose that didn't freeze, and the piles of colorful leaves {that I feel like I could rake daily and will never be gone}. 

xoxo,
stephanie marie