Day 10: Minestrone Macaroni

This recipe is from one of my bestest friends, Laura. We have been best friends since we were freshman in high school. We have shared everything: clothes, secrets, and even pregnancy, so of course it's only natural that we'd share recipes too. Laura swears by this one pot wonder meal, and I do too. It's so easy and so healthy and is prepped and on the table in less than 20 minutes. The other huge bonus is that it makes a TON. It feeds my family of four three times. I'm sure it would freeze well if you wanted to save some for a later date rather than eating it a few days in a row, but I do not freeze and reheat anything(another one of my weird food phobias). The kids were super tired after a full day at Legoland with me followed by an igloo building class in the backyard from Daddy, so I decided we needed to pack in the protein/fiber to restore some of their energy which is why I chose this meal. BTW: Austin told me that we(him and I) were going to be sleeping in the igloo tonight. I said, "I don't think so, buddy." He replied, " Yes we are. George does, and I want to be just like George." I tried to explain that George was a monkey with a lot of fur, but he wasn't buying it. I asked him if he wanted to play UNO in an attempt to change the subject, and he took the bait. Phew, I was starting to worry that my big tushie was going to have to crawl into that igloo with him just to prove a point about how cold we would be. I may have to call PBS in the morning and have them add a "Do not try this at home" clause at the beginning of Curious George.

Minestrone Macaroni
1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)

2 cans (14 oz each) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained

2-1/4 c. water

1-1/2 c. uncooked elbow macaroni

2 beef bouillon cubes

1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

small onion, chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

chili powder (you decide how spicy you want it)

Directions:

1) In large skillet cook beef and onion over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain.
2) Add the tomatoes, water, macaroni, salt, chili powder, and bouillon. Bring to a boil.
3) Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12 - 15 minutes or until macaroni is tender.
4) Stir in beans and cook til heated through.

Kitchen Play by Play: I have to admit that technically tonight I failed this challenge. I couldn't get the kids to come inside to help me cook. Cooking did not seem as fun as building an igloo with Daddy. So, tonight I cooked alone. It took about 6 minutes total to prep this dish. I only put in 1/2 of an onion because Austin hates them and picks every single one out. I used whole grain penne pasta because I didn't have macaroni. I used about a teaspoon of chili powder and thought that was plenty. I didn't want it to taste like chili since we had chili earlier in the week. Dinner was on the table in 17 minutes. We sprinkle ours with grated Parmesan and call it a day. Everything you need for a well balanced meal is all in one pot: meat, carbohydrate, veggies, and cheese on top.


The Verdict: Nicole: I really enjoy how simple this is to make and clean up. I also find it really tasty. I give it a 4. And, as stated above, we had a lot leftover which makes it a winner in my book because now I don't have to think about lunch tomorrow :)

Paul: He gives it a 3. Didn't have much to say about it, but he ate it.

Austin: He ate almost his entire bowl. He especially likes the garbanzo beans. He asked what they were and I told him that they were beans that gave him lots of energy and helped him go to the bathroom. Within seconds, he was grabbing his tush and running to the bathroom. He is quite the jokster these days. He gives it a 5.

Peyton: She took down every bean and noodle in her bowl, but not one single piece of meat or tomato touched her lips.