Italian Cabbage Soup... and Sunday

Hello, dear ones...

Today is warm and March-like, even though the calendar still tells me it's not quite Spring. Several hopefuls in my neighboring town have announced they've seen robins strutting around their yards. I always cringe at news like that because, after all,  it is Missouri, and we have pretty big snows even into April!  I think of that song, "Poor Little Robin...  walkin' walkin' walkin' to Missouri. He can't afford to fly." In 1952 the Sammy Kaye orchestra recorded that song, written by Bob Merrill....  Finally... something a little bit before my time! But I do recall a slogan,  "Swing and sway with Sammy Kaye." That dates me,  I'm sure. 

My cat is sleeping on the end of my bed. She has to get her zzzz's in so she can keep patrol duties high during the night. She and I, both, it seems. I seem to have night time, on duty behavior...

This was taken a few years in the past. 

I have been watching all the seasons of FBI. I love watching movies and TV about high tech crime, and this fits the bill....  It is not very conducive to resting and calm, anxiety free life. However, once a person makes it through all thirteen seasons of Criminal Minds, they can pretty much stand up to anything...  but they may not be the same. We are watching The Mentalist for the fourth time (for me, 3 for my son)...  I think we will get the finale in tonight. Ah...  Lisbon and Jane...  very satisfying finale. One of the few in my opinion...

My supper awaits, and I can't really say enough about how yummy the house smells. I decided to create a huge Dutch oven of Italian Cabbage Soup.  It is soooo good! and totally healthy, I think. If a person is doing Paleo or Keto, the carrots might be pushing it, but for what we're doing, it's perfect.

Here is my recipe. I just made it up today, based on every cabbage soup anywhere.

Italian Cabbage Soup

Brown and drain if needed:

    1# Italian Mild Sausage

    1# ground chicken

In a large Dutch oven, 

Add the following to the meat

( didn't steam the vegetables in olive oil like I usually do because I had the pot all full of my meat already...)

2/3 large head chopped cabbage

1 chopped onion

1 chopped red pepper

1 c. chopped celery

4 sliced carrots

32 oz. chicken stock

2 cans or boxes (Colvita or your choice) crushed tomatoes

1 T. garlic paste

1 T. tomato paste

large pinch red pepper flakes (optional if you like heat)

1 t. salt (to your taste)

large handful Italian seasoning

1 T. Thyme)

1 T. Parsley flakes

1 t, onion powder

1-2 c. water (depending on how thin you like your soup)

I cooked it for a long time until the vegetables were soft enough for this girl to partake! I used to be an al dente afficionada.. when I had dentes...  At the end, I turned off the stove and added in a half of a large bag of fresh spinach leaves. I don't really taste it, but I've read it's really good for people...  lol...  I squeezed in two small, not very juicy lemons...  I'm not strong enough to really get much juice, but it made be feel very fresh and gourmet...  That's half the battle. I grated some fresh Parmesan Cheese on top....  Oh, I dare say I felt just like Giada... (but one glance in the mirror? Nah...  not Giada. My top isn't low-cut enough! lol..  Boy, howdy, did my mother used to fuss about that girl's low-cut sweaters. It was too funny!)

I think this soup will keep a while, and it would even freeze, but we probably won't be doing that. I thought about adding black beans or cannelloni, but my stew pot runneth over as it is! When there is cabbage in the soup, I never re-heat the whole pot because it starts to be a little too cabbagey for me. I just heat the bowls or a small batch (if I heat it. My son and I are those kind of people who really love a lot of foods cold.  This soup will be delicious chilled, I know. Like a big salad almost...  It would have been delicious with home made bread or bread sticks, but...  I am after all, trying for the health aspect. I thought the chicken might balance out the sausage, although lean ground beef  would be spectacular! Or leave that all out and add some more kind of salty flavoring for a Vegetarian Soup... 

Well, time to throw a load of Our Lady of Perpetual Care Laundry in the machine. I am pretty sure I could never keep up with a large family's laundry. Two of us really keeps me spinning...  (yep. I did that.)

Today is my cousin's birthday. I sent a bag with a few gifts with her daughter. It must be fun to have a Winter birthday. I was born on the 29th Day of June, and it is always hot, hot, hot...  We've had some doozy storms on  that day, too. But it feels like a good month to be born. As are all of them! Take good care of yourselves. Thanks for stopping by.

Whimsy and Hugs!