Chicken Minestrone

Hello loyal follower(s)

     While Cyndy and I were soaking in  our Hot-Tub last night about 11:30 PM we shared our experience with the Turkey Minestrone that I made yesterday.  It appeared that we both found that the Turkey Minestrone did not "sit well" in our GI  tract.  The soup tasted great but after an hour or two the greasiness became apparent.  As we soaked we discussed the possible causes and how to  rectify them.
      First of all, why would you need to start with 2 tablespoons of oil just to cook bacon??  Answer: you do not need oil to cook bacon.   Eliminate the oil!
      Secondly after cooking the bacon yields a lot of fat, pour off the fat.
      Thirdly Ground Turkey purchased at a store has at least 10 percent fat.  Solution: replace turkey with chicken breasts processed in a food processor.
      Lastly, drain off the liquid and rinse the Navy Beans.   This will reduce the gas producing affect of the beans.
     The result of our soaking and thinking at the same time were three  fold:  First, the Turkey Minestrone would to be removed from Mr Nut's favorite recipes.  Second, the new Chicken Minestrone is to take the place of the now out of favor Turkey Minestrone and lastly we had to get out of the Hot Tub because the water was now too cool.

Tonight  I will make Ham and Pineapple with orange sauce for dinner, because Cyndy is playing in three concerts today, one is Peter and the Wolf.  Dinner will be between concerts.

The recipe can be searched by typing in Ham and Pineapple in the search box at the top of this blog.  I first made this recipe 2-12-12.

Below is the new recipe for Chicken Minestrone.

À bientôt,
Mr Nut

Chicken Minestrone

 Created in a Hot Tub by Mr Nut and his wife, Cyndy

Makes about 6 servings  

                                                     

12 oz ground chicken breasts, use food processor                                            

4 oz bacon, diced.                                               

1/2 cup  onion, chopped.                                          

2 cups celery, finely chopped.                               

3 cups carrots, cut into thin “wheels”.                  

2 cups zucchini, finely chopped.                          

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp oregano

1 can (14.5 ounces) tomatoes, diced.                  

1 teaspoon minced garlic.                                    

2  1/2 cans ( 5 cups) chicken broth.                    

1 can ( 15 ounces) navy beans; drained and rinsed 

5 oz (2 cups) frozen leaf spinach, chopped.        

1/4 cup dried parsley flakes                       

 1/2 cup pasta shells.                                   

1/2 teaspoon Sea salt

1/4 teaspoon  pepper

Directions:

1. Fry the 4 oz bacon in a large pot over moderate heat.   Then pour off the fat.
2. Chop up the chicken breasts in a food processor and Add the 12 ounces ground chicken to the large pot . When meat is browned add 1/2 cup onion, 2 cups celery, 3 cups carrots, 2 cups zucchini, 1 teaspoon rosemary, and 1 teaspoon oregano and saute, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. 
3. Add the 1 can tomatoes, 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 1/2 cans chicken broth, and 1 can (rinsed) beans, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to boil, add 5 ounce frozen spinach, reduce heat to low, and simmer, partially covered, until fresh veggies are tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook the 1/2 cup pasta shells in boiling, salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Taste test often, as brands differ. (Cooking pasta separately gives more reliable results.) 
5. Drain, reserving water. Add pasta and chopped parsley to minestrone. Minestrone is meant to be a thick soup, but if its too thick, add a little of the hot pasta water. Taste, and adjust seasoning as needed.