My daughter and I found ourselves in a relatively quiet house this weekend when husband and son traveled to Kentucky for a sodden soccer tournament. I had just rolled paint on the final corner of a bedroom ceiling, when Katie asked what was for dinner.
My daughter and I found ourselves in a relatively quiet house this weekend when husband and son traveled to Kentucky for a sodden soccer tournament. We busied ourselves with household chores (me), homework (her) and attending high school basketball tournament games (both).
I had just rolled paint on the final corner of a bedroom ceiling, when Katie asked what was for dinner and could she get it started. That would have been nice, except I didn't have meal plan. I didn't want to venture to the grocery store or a restaurant in paint-flecked hair and clothes.
I opened the refrigerator and hoped for inspiration.
The refrigerator contained little bits and pieces of meals eaten earlier in the week. I believe there is a television show that challenges cooks to prepare a meal from the contents of a stranger's refrigerator and pantry. My family is way ahead of that game.
My mother is so adept at putting together a tasty meal from the contents of small plastic containers in the refrigerator that my sister-in-law dubbed the process "pulling a Linda." For years, Mom listened to my brother and me (mostly my brother) yell, "There's nothing to eat," then she'd make a delicious, healthy meal from, well, nothing.
Our refrigerator contained some leftover tomato-basil soup, cooked diced chicken and basmati rice that looked promising. Colcannon, the potato and cabbage dish from last week's column, didn't make the cut. A bit past its prime, it made it to the garbage, instead.
The soup was a little thick, so I added some chicken stock and tomato juice. As it simmered, I added the chicken and rice. I chopped some fresh spinach, added that and simmered a few minutes more. I ladled it into soup bowls, dusted it with grated Parmesan cheese and served with toasted slices of crusty multigrain bread and a green salad.
We're both soup lovers, so two nights of soup in a row don't bother us.
It took less than half an hour, and I had "pulled a Linda."
To contact staff writer Julie Robinson, e-mail jul...@wvgazette.com">jul...@wvgazette.com or call 348-1230.
Tomato Basil Soup
My daughter and I found ourselves in a relatively quiet house this weekend when husband and son traveled to Kentucky for a sodden soccer tournament. We busied ourselves with household chores (me), homework (her) and attending high school basketball tournament games (both).
I had just rolled paint on the final corner of a bedroom ceiling, when Katie asked what was for dinner and could she get it started. That would have been nice, except I didn't have meal plan. I didn't want to venture to the grocery store or a restaurant in paint-flecked hair and clothes.
I opened the refrigerator and hoped for inspiration.
The refrigerator contained little bits and pieces of meals eaten earlier in the week. I believe there is a television show that challenges cooks to prepare a meal from the contents of a stranger's refrigerator and pantry. My family is way ahead of that game.
My mother is so adept at putting together a tasty meal from the contents of small plastic containers in the refrigerator that my sister-in-law dubbed the process "pulling a Linda." For years, Mom listened to my brother and me (mostly my brother) yell, "There's nothing to eat," then she'd make a delicious, healthy meal from, well, nothing.
Our refrigerator contained some leftover tomato-basil soup, cooked diced chicken and basmati rice that looked promising. Colcannon, the potato and cabbage dish from last week's column, didn't make the cut. A bit past its prime, it made it to the garbage, instead.
The soup was a little thick, so I added some chicken stock and tomato juice. As it simmered, I added the chicken and rice. I chopped some fresh spinach, added that and simmered a few minutes more. I ladled it into soup bowls, dusted it with grated Parmesan cheese and served with toasted slices of crusty multigrain bread and a green salad.
We're both soup lovers, so two nights of soup in a row don't bother us.
It took less than half an hour, and I had "pulled a Linda."
To contact staff writer Julie Robinson, e-mail jul...@wvgazette.com">jul...@wvgazette.com or call 348-1230.
Tomato Basil Soup
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 14.5-ounce cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced, or 1/4 cup prepared pesto
Basil leaves (optional)
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in the broth, salt, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes. Stir in basil or pesto.
Place half of the soup in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed soup into a bowl, and repeat procedure with remaining soup, leaving some chunks of tomatoes to desired consistency. Garnish with basil leaves, if desired.
Nutrition information (based on fresh basil version): 157 calories, 4.7 grams fat, 2 milligrams cholesterol, 644 milligrams sodium, 16.7 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fiber.
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