Before I go any further, I want to share that I just survived my first “have my own website crisis”!
Rewind a bit…I was so proud of myself today: I posted a “bonus post”, Bloody Orange Fizz, this morning after my walk with the dogs and then I pulled together next week’s dinner menu. Just sailing along…I got the provisions for this evening’s Minestrone Soup with Cheese Tortellini dinner pulled together…
Attended a committee meeting, picked up Max from school & then it happened…I came home to find my website was down…WAY DOWN {as in NOT FUNCTIONAL}!!!!
I am not a genius when it comes to these technical matters. Hell, I am not even well-versed enough to discuss these matters with those “in the know”. I started this little website, all on my own, knowing absolutely NOTHING! I took an on-line class & learned about domains, hosting, layout, plugins, widgets, uploading, downloading, SEO, HTML etc. I do it all myself {makes cooking seem like a walk in the park}. It may not be perfect, but…it is mine, ALL mine {for better or worse}. So when something goes wrong, I am presented with a learning opportunity. Tonight…I learned something. After one tense hour on the phone with the angels at HostGator {my web hosting machine}…The Dinner Concierge was, once again “on-line”. I don’t want to sound like a commercial but…those folks {John C. especially} at HostGator are AWESOME!
Thank the heavens above…tonight’s dinner, Minestrone Soup with Cheese Tortellini, was so easy! The ingredients, pictured above, came together as follows {recipe adapted from Food52.com}:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, peeled & chopped
- 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 leek, trimmed & sliced thinly
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 small zucchini, chopped
- 1 potato, peeled & chopped
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 {15 ounce} can, cooked chickpeas, preferably organic
- 1 {28 ounce} can, San Marzano peeled, whole tomatoes, with juice
- Salt
- 1 cup kale, chopped fine
- 1 {9 ounce} package of high-quality, all-natural, fresh, cheese tortellini
- Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, leek & garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until softened.
- Add the chopped carrot, celery, zucchini, potato and stir around for a minute or two.
- Add the stock, the chickpeas, and then the tomatoes, crushing them with your hands as you go. Add a few generous pinches of salt. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender.
- Add the kale and the tortellini, and continue to cook over a simmer until both are tender and cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Serve immediately, with a side of Herbed Parmesan Bread.
OK…let me be truthful here…more than a few years ago, I slaughtered the very first leek I tried to chop {I totally did it wrong!} So, in order to save you from that fate, click here to learn how to trim & chop a leek, the proper way, from Gourmet
The bread was so easy ~ a fresh, artisan bread…
Split in half. Add some of the herb butter left-over from Sunday’s dinner & a sprinkling of freshly-grated Parmesan cheese. Wrap in foil and bake in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven, unwrap foil, slice & enjoy!
And the finished dinner plate…
It is Friday…the end of another week, and tonight’s sunset comes from Beverly @ Beverly Jacobs Equine Massage...
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, peeled & chopped
- 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 leek, trimmed & sliced thinly
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 small zucchini, chopped
- 1 potato, peeled & chopped
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 {15 ounce} can, cooked chickpeas, preferably organic
- 1 {28 ounce} can, San Marzano peeled, whole tomatoes, with juice
- Salt
- 1 cup kale, chopped fine
- 1 {9 ounce} package of high-quality, all-natural, fresh, cheese tortellini
- Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, leek & garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until softened.
- Add the chopped carrot, celery, zucchini, potato and stir around for a minute or two.
- Add the stock, the chickpeas, and then the tomatoes, crushing them with your hands as you go. Add a few generous pinches of salt. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender.
- Add the kale and the tortellini, and continue to cook over a simmer until both are tender and cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Serve immediately, with a garnish of pesto & a side of Herbed Parmesan Bread.
Thanks for the leek washing information. I always try to wash them before I cut. I’ll have to try this way, though it is hard for me to leave the dirt on!
Bev…it does feel a little odd cutting sandy leeks the first time but know that putting the sliced leeks into the cold water bath really gets rid of ALL the dirt & sand.