Here's our final meal (recipes to follow)--next time I'll try to remember to "stage" the picture so I get both dishes in one shot and it doesn't look quite so haphazard!
Pasta Fagioli
(originally found here)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 15 oz can Great Northern (or other white) beans, drained
15 oz can tomato sauce (or crushed tomatoes if you like things a little chunkier)
1 large bay leaf
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp parsley
1 tsp oregano
2 14 oz cans chicken broth
1 cup water, plus one can full
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) dry Ditalini pasta (or other small pasta--we used mini shells)
Grated Parmesan or Romano (optional)
In a deep pot, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, blend the can of beans with one can water in a food processor until almost smooth. Add blended beans to pan, followed by the remaining ingredients except for pasta and grated cheese. Bring to a slow boil. Let simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pasta and cook uncovered until pasta is al dente, according to package directions. Ladle soup into bowls and top with freshly grated cheese.
Like any soup, it takes a little bit of time on the stove (and makes the house smell fantastic while doing so!), but it's the perfect amount of time to whip up a batch of breadsticks!
Parmesan Breadsticks
(I think it's from a Taste of Home magazine from years ago? I've had this one for awhile, but have modified the directions to include my fail-proof method for getting the bread to rise)
2 packages active dry yeast (1/4 oz each)
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp butter plus 1/4 cup, softened and divided
1 tsp salt
4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic salt
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the milk, sugar, 3 tbsp of the butter, salt, and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. At this point, turn the oven on to it's lowest heat setting. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 6-8 minutes. Once the oven has preheated, turn it off and prop the door open slightly to let some of the heat escape. Place the dough into a greased bowl and turn it once to coat the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. I usually keep the oven door propped open for the first twenty minutes or so, then close it for the remaining time. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 36 pieces and shape each piece into a six-inch rope. Place two-inches apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 25 minutes. At this point I either slightly preheat the oven to stick the breadsticks back into the warm oven, or if it's sunny out I'll find a spot in the sun for them to rise for the short period of time. Melt the remaining butter and brush over the dough; sprinkle with Parmesan and garlic salt. Bake at 400* for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
I hope my notes made sense; Darrell and I don't keep our house nearly warm enough to allow dough to rise properly, so finding this suggestion was a lifesaver. Because nothing beats the satisfaction of kneading bread dough or the smell of freshly made bread in the oven. We also always halve this recipe; as it is we eat the eighteen that a half recipe makes in less than 24 hours, so we certainly don't need more temptation sitting around the house!
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