Showing posts with label Minestrone Soup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Minestrone Soup. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The Zuppa That Saved My Pregnant Life

When we left Christi and Grammy T., whom had no conceivable idea that she would be a Grammy let alone a Grammy to 26, they were sitting on a bed in the hotel in Montreal Canada.

Eventually I got a call saying that the plane was ready and to meet everyone downstairs to get on the bus to be taken back to the plane. We were to fly all night over the ocean, gulp. The ride was very turbulent at times, a lot of the times,  so I was in a constant state of prayer that my poor little baby would make it to Germany to see her daddy who she had not met yet. 

We landed in Paris and instead of getting on a plane to take us to Luxembourg where I was to meet Danny I had to change airports. But first I had to go into the women’s lounge bathroom and wait. While I was waiting a tribal women from Leopoldville with her baby came into the lounge. She undressed him and just left him in his little beaded tribal belt. And then she nursed him and I remember he played with the beads that she had on while he nursed. 

OK, so I’m 19 and I’m sitting in the same restroom with a mommy and baby that belonged to a tribe from Leopoldville, unreal. There was a French lady that was helping her and she also could speak very good English so I was able to hear the story. The story had to do with the war that was going on at that time in Leopoldville. 

After about six hours they had me get in a taxi cab to take me to the other airport. It was a Taxi cab ride from hell believe me. Just like in the movies, the driver screaming and gesturing out the window, etc.  but he could speak pretty good English so that was helpful. Scary but helpful.

Now it is getting dark and we get on a little prop plane not a jet. I was able to relax a little but when we landed my knees were like jelly and were not going to hold me up so I asked an airman that was on the same plane with me if he could carry my baby down the steps for me. He was young and single and very sweet to help me. So that was how Danny saw us for the first time. 

Oh well, it turned out OK because I told him I would have dropped the baby and myself too if I wouldn’t have had help from that very cute airman.

Everything was dark so I couldn’t see much in Luxembourg or Germany. I had been able to see Paris from the air with all of the street lights as we flew over it. It seemed very quaint and I did like that little plane a lot better than that huge jet.

What about the minestrone soup that saved my life? Oh, OK, I’ll tell you.  

Lake Como

Danny and I had gone to Lake Como in Italy for a holiday and camping and a few other European places where we had camped also. I was pregnant again by this time and had a pretty good case of morning sickness. We had pretzels and munchies but not much in the way of nourishing food. We were headed to another town in Italy after we left Lake Como. There was a lot of countryside and not much in the way of restaurants. Danny stopped to get a watermelon and that just made me sicker. And I was starting to get a little mad at my young husband who wouldn't ask direction. What is it with guys that they won’t ask directions?

Finally we came to a place that I thought I could get something to eat. It was really late by this time and the place we found was closing. In Rome that wouldn't have been a problem they stay open very late but this was somewhere in the country. The man said that they had Zuppa. And I was so excited and when brought it to me it was the best thing I had ever tasted in my whole life, I was starving and the baby I was carrying was starving for Pete's Sakes!

So that is how Minestrone Zuppa saved my Pregnant Life.

We stayed that night in a camping cabin by Pisa, Italy. And that was scary. It had spiders. Here is a picture of the leaning tower.

Love,
Grammy T.

Friday, January 21, 2011

No Funny Stuff, Just Soup :)

This my Darlings is a wonderful soup that I had yesterday at Carrabba's. It was so good that I decided to  make some tonight to take to Christi who isn't feeling well and a neighbor who is down and out. I will make mine vegetarian style but with a tiny bit of the Romano cheese and a tiny bit of bacon for flavor.
Minestrone Soup Like Carrabba's

Start with a basic Mirepoix (diced onions, carrots, garlic minced and celery) they are first sweated in unsalted butter and extra virgin olive oil. Then add green beans, Napa Cabbage and soften.


Then you add soup stock (vegetable or chicken) bay leaves, salt, fresh ground pepper, potatoes, carrots, stewed tomatoes, Italian Parsley and a chunk of Romano cheese. Allow to cook until potatoes and carrots are soft.


Remove the cheese rind and ham bone (if you use one, I didn't) and add cannelloni beans, kidney beans (I accidentally added pinto), and garbanzo beans (all canned with their juices), stir in grated Romano(or not) and serve. I have to tell you that this is one of the best soups that I have made in a long time.


This is from a former chef that worked at Carrabba’s.
~ Bon Appetit


Love,Grammy T.