The Simple Things

Brrrrr!!!  Today would have been a good day to stay in bed!!  We woke up to a fast moving snow squall this morning, and we have had wind and cold that have stayed with us all day long.

~Snowman-Lucas~

The dogs of course were un-phased by it all. And they loved being outside, taking a moment or two to roll in the little bit of fresh fallen snow.

~Lucas~

~Sheba~

 Inside it was time to try a new soup recipe for lunch; beef-pasta-florentine.  To me there’s something so comforting about hot soup and fresh, warm bread on days like today.

I think the simplest things can bring the most comfort on a cold, blustery winter day, don't you?

For those of you who love a good hearty soup, here is the recipe for the soup I made today.  The recipe calls for heavy cream, and I realize that some of you may not like to use it.  But my suggestion is to not think about the fat and calorie count and just drizzle a little over the top of your soup. Don’t forgot to enjoy it with warm bread.

Beef Florentine Pasta Soup with Basil and Cream

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 lb cubed beef stew meat
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
5 Cups beef broth
14 oz can Italian diced tomatoes, with basil and garlic
½ lb dry Campanelle pasta
4 Cups fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped

½ Cup heavy cream
½ Cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
½ Cup fresh basil leaves, cut into long, thin strips

Place olive oil into a large dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onion and carrots for 5-7 minutes or until slightly softened. Stir in stew meat, salt and pepper. Cook until browned and cooked through. Stir in fresh garlic for 1 minute then stir in broth and tomatoes. Increase heat to medium high until soup comes to a light boil. Pour in pasta, reduce heat to medium and cook for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Reduce heat to low and stir in spinach leaves. Let simmer for 20-30 minutes. Serve each bowl of soup with a drizzle of heavy cream, a spoonful of parmesan cheese and basil ribbons