White Bean and Sausage Pesto Soup

So last night was really stressful, that is why I feel a cold coming on. I came home from grocery shopping at 7:oo pm, ready to make my bbq baked beans. When I got to the space in my alley there was a white Escalade sitting between my house and the house next door that I have never seen before. It pulled up when I parked but backed up afterwards, trapping me in my spot. I got scared and went straight to my back door without my groceries, figuring that I would get them later, and I find my back door ajar. Now I have to point out there is another family that lives underneath us (and can be irresponsible) but it scared the heck out of me so I went straight to the front of my building and walked a few houses down and called the police. I guess if you dont sound like someone is actively killing you they dont go very quick so I waited outside and heard people coming out of the building but they didnt get in my downstairs neighbors car or in the white Escalade (which sped away when they got in). I waited out in the freezing cold for another 10 minutes without the cops coming by. It was around 8 degrees outside. Finally I couldn't handle it anymore so I went to the back door. It was closed but unlocked, which still freaked me out so I got in my car and pulled out quickly waiting for the cops. They showed about 2 minutes later and I drove right behind them but they didn't stop at my house and I didn't feel comfortable honking at police. I got out of my car behind them and waved my arms, but they just kept on going. I then drove away and sat in my car until my husband came home from the football game. He felt it might be the people downstairs and checked the house. We were ok, but I am so upset with the irresponsible people downstairs. It is not like we live in the country, the suburbs... we are in the city. My aides' son was shot and killed by someone in the hallway of his apartment. I cant wait until I get out of here.

So last week was really cold and my car was in the shop for a while so I couldn't go out to grocery shop. I wanted something warm and something I could make with the stuff in my cabinets and freezer. I didn't have much left but I managed to make a great meal (not vegetarian though- sorry!)

White Bean and Sausage Pesto Soup

Ingredients

1 pound of Italian sausage, removed from casing and crumbled

1 chopped onion

4 chopped cloves of garlic

6 cups of chicken stock

1 15 oz can of cannellini beans (drained)

2 Tbs of pesto (I used oregano pesto)

1 cup of spinach, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups cooked gluten free small shells

1 Tbs lemon juice

1 Tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the sausage on medium heat in a pot until crumbled and cooked all the way through. Pour sausage onto paper towels to drain some of the fat. Add the olive oil in the same pan and add onion and garlic. Saute until tender. Add the sausage, beans, pesto, and red pepper flakes to onions in pot. Saute for 2 minutes then add chicken broth. Simmer for 20 minutes, uncovered. Add the spinach and simmer until it wilts. Take off of heat and mix noodles and in lemon juice.

Oregano Pesto and Marinated Artichoke Hearts

It is the end of the season here and I still have a pot of fresh herbs growing outside. This year all I grew was oregano, rosemary, thyme and chives. Last year I grew so many more but with feeling so low energy from the GP and allergies and knowing that I would be gone for a week during the hottest part of the summer I didn't think I could keep up. Then, unfortunately, I really didn't use the herbs either during the summer. I was off of cooking, feeling that everything just made me sick, and just made basic meals. Since Im on a cooking vegetarian kick right now I wanted to do something with all the oregano that grew. It and the chives were the only things that really thrived this year. I was in the grocery store, getting food for the cats, and figured I could make an oregano pesto.

The store also had a display of cans of artichoke hearts. I haven't had artichokes since I was in elementary school. My dad wanted me to try a steamed artichoke and I refused, however I wanted to move my bedroom from one room to the spare room in the house. My dad said that he would do it if I ate the whole artichoke. So, I ate it. Didn't enjoy it, but I dipped the leaves in Italian dressing and at the end ended up eating artichokes and nacho cheese Doritos and managed to finish it so I could move my bed. Now Im trying them again for the first time to try to expand my veggie diet. Again, my phone was my handy recipe book, and found a recipe for marinated artichokes while in the store.

Oregano Pesto

Adapted from this Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup of oregano (leaves removed from stems)

1 cup of toasted pine nuts

1 head of garlic

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup of olive oil, oil for drizzling

Place peeled garlic cloves in olive oil in a saucepan and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Toast pine nuts. Place garlic and oil, pine nuts and oregano into a food processor and drizzle in olive oil until it is at the consistency you like.

I mixed my pesto with gluten free pasta, sun dried tomatoes and parmesan cheese.

Did you know you can freeze pesto? Put pesto into a ice cube tray. People recommend first putting it into a zip lock bag, cutting a hole in the bag, and piping it out into the trays but I just use a spoon. Place plastic wrap over the top so it doesn't oxidize. Freeze the tray. After the cubes are frozen take them out of the tray and put them in a freezer bag so they last longer.

Marinated Artichoke Hearts

Adapted from Saveur

2 cans of artichoke hearts

1/2 cup good olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon fresh oregano

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Rince artichoke hearts under cold water. Put together the artichoke hearts, olive oil, salt, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature and stir in lemon juice.