"Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts."
~ Janice Maeditere
SANTA
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HOLIDAY TORTELLINI SOUP
~ Year round favorite ... festive color for the holidays
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6-8 minced garlic cloves
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 quarts organic chicken (or vegetable) broth
16 oz. tri-color cheese tortellini
(love Monterey 5 cheese Tortelloni, a wonderful blend of parmesan, ricotta, swiss, mozzaarella & romano cheese)
2 28 oz. cans good stewed tomatoes
8 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves (can also use chopped frozen)
2 tsp. dried basil
coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
fresh grated Parmesan cheese
chopped fresh seeded Italian tomatoes (optional)
chopped fresh basil
- Saute garlic gently in olive oil (careful not to burn).
- Stir in broth and bring to a boil. Add tortellini and reduce heat to gentle boil (avoid boiling vigorously). Cook about 5 minutes or until tortellini rise to top.
- Add stewed tomatoes, spinach, and basil; simmer 2 minutes. Season with salt & pepper.
- Serve soup topped with fresh grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh tomatoes (if desired), and chopped fresh basil. (12 servings)
Note: Santa likes this soup with a glass of Michigan Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio and loaf of crusty peasant bread
There is nothing like soup on a day like today.
ReplyDeleteSuper Lovely Joey! Always a fabulous treat to read and enjoy!
ReplyDeleteDear Joey, A much needed reminder for this feeling wearied and harried gal. Almost all from my own doing;) for sure. Thank you, dear, gail
ReplyDeleteWonderful quote Joey! I love your Santa and soup too!
ReplyDeleteDear Joey,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful words and the recipe sounds delicious.
Vickie
Joey, good to see a post again and happy holidays. P.S. I find it endearing that you ID'd Santa! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's perfect soup weather here in Nova Scotia today, and this sounds wonderful! Santa has good taste. :)
ReplyDeleteSo nice to see your cheerful recipes and photos, Joey. Thanks for this recipe, we often have tortellini, but not as a soup. We will give it a try, for it sounds quite easy to make. We are making chicken mexican minestrone today to take the chill off our bellies! :-)
ReplyDeleteFrances
Hi Joey,
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you back!! Hope all is well.
The tortellini sounds great. Where do you get the five cheese you mentioned?
Take care. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New year!
Ann
Indeed MNG ... pots & pots of soup will be simmering on the back burner!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kiki! This is a 'tuck away' favorite!
I hear you, dear Gail :) Crazy/Busy here also ... have you had your surgery? Been so involved getting to know my new computer (shame on me) I forgot to check and lost many e-mails in the transfer :(
Thanks Vickie ... Happy Michigan December (we've been blessed so far) and Happy Holidays!
Hi Monica ... of course, Santa must be ID'd :) Catching up since lost data transferring from old PC ... still scratchin' head but moving forward ... 'putting one step in front of the other' :)
Santa has a discerning palate, dear Nancy :) Stay warm!
Do give it a try, Frances ... it truly is a year-round family favorite, often served early on Christmas Eve day before lighting luminaries and going to Children's Mass. (Your chicken Mexican Minestrone sounds like a melting pot of wonderful blended flavors)
Thank you, Carol ... I love my Santa and Santa loves my soup :)
Thanks, dear Ann ... I'm on a learning curve with my new iMac so between that and the holidays, I'm limping but alive :) Costco carries this tortellini almost all year round. Christmas blessings!
We certainly have the perfect weather for enjoying soup and this recipe for tortellini soup sounds delish.
ReplyDeleteI'm still lusting after the crisp mashed potato cakes. Haven't made them yet, but you can be sure I will.
donna
I see you're an early riser today too, Donna! Yes, looks like another soup day ... I could easily live on soup! Happy Holidays! (Your trip looks lovely!)
ReplyDeleteI'm always looking for a new soup recipe, Joey, and this one sounds not only delicious, but so easy! I'm going to try this one as soon as I get to the grocery store to buy some tortellini.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful quote to remember this season!
So glad you're posting again, which I hope means you've gotten your woes sorted out with tranferring files from old computer to new best friend! This soup sounds like I need to make it tonight-going out for groceries and errands now so I'll add tortellini to my list. (I'll probably add chicken meatballs to it so hubby doesn't whine about 'no meat'. It's an ongoing struggle...;-)
ReplyDeleteSimple & good, Rose, perfect for a busy schedule ... it just might become a favorite!
ReplyDeletePoking my head up again, Jodi. Still much to learn but what I know so far ~ lOVE! Still apprehensive about dragging 70GB of files into iPhoto so working my old way ... have a class on Mon. Enjoy the soup ... the addition of meatballs, perfect for hubby!
MMMM! I got 5 cheese tortellini AND some with porcini mushroom filling, so the soup is simmering away on the stove. Also found some rosemary pull-apart bread which I'll reheat at suppertime. Soup is a happy thing; Of soup and love, the first is best, some wag did say...
ReplyDeleteYum, Jodi ... rosemary bread, perfect ... bon appétit!
ReplyDeleteWhat a soft and cuddly little Santa.
ReplyDeleteSoup and a crusty loaf of bread sounds wonderful. Maybe that will be my dinner Saturday evening.
Marnie
I love this little Santa, Marnie ... it's actually a sock for my 1st grandchild. After seeing the snow in your post, I can imagine hot soup and a loaf of crusty bread would be perfect to warm the innards :)
ReplyDeleteMmmm, yummy! Can I stop by for a bowl full of this delicious soup? I have a similiar recipe, and now I'm in the mood for it!
ReplyDeletePlease do drop in, Robin! If not this soup, surely one will be either resting in the frig or simmering on the burner :) Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds absolutely scrumptious and perfect for warding off the cold--speaking of which you must be inundated with snow! Yikes! Fortunately your family is in the hands of a woman who will fend it off with the most wonderful of culinary skills and a warm heart to match. Merry Christmas, dear Joey! xoxo
ReplyDeleteHello dear Kathryn! Big hugs and thank you. I think your loved ones are also blessed by your culinary skills and warm heart :) Merry Christmas ... you are a gift!
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