This is turning out to be a pantry cleanout kind of week! But I certainly don’t mind. And on a night like tonight, when I once again turn to a premade meal-in-a-jar, I’m downright thankful.
Remember how I made a rendition of Five-Bean Soup last week, which was in actuality the direct result of a batch of Christmas gifts I made for family? Well, along with that recipe I also made a batch of vegan minestrone, which – if I do say so – opened to rave reviews with my relatives down South. I figured if they liked it, I would too, so I kept a jar for myself. As with the five-bean soup, I only wish I’d kept a jar or two more! Having a full meal mixed together and ready to roll at a moment’s notice is invaluable – and tasty, too.
Before the holidays rolled around, I pulled this recipe out of the archives and retrieved some unused mason jars from the cabinet. The preparation was simple: Just layer the ingredients into each jar (I prepared them assembly-line-style for efficiency’s sake), put the lid on, print out the instructions, and voila! Instant Christmas gifts that are hearty, healthy, and fun. I paired this soup with the five-bean variety, plus a few jars of preserves and jellies, in decorative baskets, and Santa was on his way!
Tonight, I added the contents of the jar to my trusty Le Creuset and then tossed in a few sliced baby carrots, some celery, half a head of chopped cabbage (left over from St. Patrick’s Day!), and a can of diced tomatoes, plus a quart and a half of water. I brought everything to a boil, then covered the French oven and let it simmer for an hour or so. A few minutes before we sat down to eat, I warmed up some garlic bread to go alongside the meal, and before we knew it, dinner was ready!
And boy, did we love the results. This minestrone is certainly heartier than some of the others you’ll find out and about; I have another recipe that is much heavier on the broth and tomatoes and lighter on the filling, that’s for sure. But we loved all the flavors and textures of this soup and found it difficult to compare the different styles of minestrone on a level playing field. The barley, split peas, pasta, and more all added up to a wonderful, flavorful, comforting soup that stretches forever!
Despite our best efforts to the contrary, we’ve got plenty of minestrone left for lunch tomorrow (and Saturday). It’s the gift that keeps on giving!
:)