New (Accidental) Recipe!

Yes, you read that correctly. I'm sure you've been there before--it's dinner time and you have no idea what to cook. You don't have any meat thawed, leftovers are gone, no frozen pizzas, and you DON'T want to eat out. That's where I was tonight! I started looking through my recipe book to get ideas and skipped to the soups. I started getting ideas and inspiration, then went to look in my pantry to see what I had. Slowly I started seeing ingredients here and there that would make a fabulous vegetarian rustic Italian soup! I call it:

Gnocchi and Fagioli Soup (Italian Dumpling and Bean Soup)

I made this mostly with fresh ingredients, but you could easily substitute for what you have on hand or canned. Amounts are approximate because I don't measure!

2c (or 1 can) rinsed white navy beans

16-20oz chicken stock

1 package potato gnocchi

1c diced carrots

2 diced celery stalks

10-15 chopped cherry tomatoes (or 1 can diced tomatoes)

1tbs fresh basil

2 minced garlic cloves

1/2 diced onion

1 chicken bouillon cube

EVOO

In a large saucepan heat 1-2tbs olive oil then add garlic, onion, carrot and celery. Saute until tender. Add stock, basil, tomatoes, bouillon, beans, and gnocchi. Bring to a boil, then simmer until gnocchi are tender. Will thicken slightly, can add more stock for desired thickness. Serve hot topped with parmesan and buttered bread!

I was able to use several fresh ingredients I had around. The cherry tomatoes were grown in a coworker's garden, the fresh basil was frozen in olive oil from the summer, the navy beans were cooked and stored in the freezer, and the homemade chicken stock was leftover in the fridge from a previous recipe!

It was a big hit at my house! There are lots of leftovers, and plus it's pretty healthy!