Tasty Tuesday: Chinatown and Minestrone

Chefdruck's Tasty Tuesday

The kids are off from school this week but we've been even busier than normal. Our town seems immune to the recession as so many people went away for the break. But we stayed put. I was worried that we would be bored during our staycation and I planned many adventures to keep us busy. I may have over-planned...

We kicked off the week by heading into New York City yesterday for a Dim Sum feast in Chinatown. I love Chinatown, always have, even back when I was a recent college grad working downtown. I discovered my favorite restaurant, Jing Fong, with some colleagues while we had a long lunch on a slow summer day. I still have the dog-eared card with the map to the restaurant in my wallet. I replace the wallet but always keep the card. We made a girl's day of it, leaving Jack at home with a friend, and picking up my sister along the way. Although Bella and Juliette were skeptical about whether such weird looking things could actually taste good, I gave them an A for effort for trying. Once Juliette got going, there was no stopping her.


After lunch, we walked around a bit and took in the atmosphere. I think that it's important for them to experience what it's like to be a minority, to feel so different than everyone jostling around them. We checked out a few shops, and I was so caught up in the freedom of our adventure that I caved on the pet issue. I spontaneously bought two tiny red eared turtles. They came in a teeny tiny little tank which we upgraded after reading up on turtle care. I'm taking bets on how long these guys will live, but for now, the excitement level over our pets is pretty high around here.

and not just with the kids!


My Tasty Tuesday recipe is not from Chinatown, but from a neighborhood just a few blocks away: Little Italy. As I write, a big pot of Minestrone is simmering away on the stove. The recipe is adapted from Elissa Shreiner's, the Grandma behind Grandma's Shoppe. If you're not familiar with this cute online store, head on over to Chefdruck Reviews to enter their giveaway. Elissa makes this soup for her grandchildren to get a little nutrition in them. I'll be serving it to Juliette and some friends tomorrow. I've never made Minestrone before so I can't tell how authentic the recipe is, but I can tell you that it's quite tasty!

Minestrone adapted from Granny's Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 onions, minced
3 cloves of garlic
3 stalks of celery
4 peeled and minced carrots
two medium zucchini, cut in small cubes
one red pepper, coarsely chopped
a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 cans of white kidney beans
2 cups of chicken stock
water
salt and pepper
bay leaves, oregano, basil
alphabet or other pasta
parmesan cheese

1) Mince the onions, carrots, garlic and celery.
2) Add oil to pan and heat on low setting. Add the vegetable mixture and saute until soft, for about ten minutes.
3) Add the zucchini and red pepper. Saute for another 5 to 10 minutes, until they are soft but not dry.
4) Sprinkle everything with "sunshine" (oregano, basil, salt and pepper)
5) Add beans and crushed tomatoes.
6) Add chicken stock. Fill the empty tomato can with water once or twice to cover the vegetables with liquid.
7) Turn heat to medium and simmer for 30-40 minutes.

When you're ready to eat, add the noodles and the parmesan. If you keep the noodles in the soup, they will get soggy and drink up the liquid.