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I can hear the sound.

Easy Minestrone Soup
Our favorite Minestrone Soup recipe! It’s brimming with fresh vegetables, a savory broth, and you get an enticing flavor boost from a bit of pancetta. A simple soup that’s just what you need after a long chilly day.

#FallFaves #Healthy #PastaItalian #Soups #Carrots #Celery #ChickenBroth #Garlic #KidneyBeans #OliveOil #Pancetta #ParmesanCheese #Rosemary #Spinach #Tomatoes #YellowOnion #Zucchini

Prep: 15 minutes.
Cook: 30 minutes.
Ready in: 40 minutes.

Ingredients:
1: 4 oz. pancetta*, diced into 1/4-inch pieces.
2: 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
3: 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium).
4: 3/4 cup chopped carrot (1 large).
5: 3/4 cup thin sliced celery (2 ribs).
6: 1 Tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves).
7: 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth.
8: 1/2 cup water or more broth.
9: 1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes.
10: 1 small zucchini, diced (1 cup).
11: 1 rosemary sprig.
12: 1 small parmesan rind (about 4-inches), plus shredded parmesan for serving.
13: Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
14: 2 cups (2 oz) fresh spinach, roughly chopped.
15: 1 (14.5 oz) can dark red kidney beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed.
16: Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional).

Instructions:
1: Heat pancetta with olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Cook until just lightly browned, about 4 - 5 minutes.
2: Add onion, carrot and celery and saute until starting to soften, about 7 minutes.
3: Add garlic and saute 1 minute longer.
4: Pour in broth, water, tomatoes, and add zucchini, rosemary, and parmesan rind.
5: Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring once halfway through, about 10 minutes total or until zucchini is tender.
6: Remove rosemary and parmesan rind. Season to taste with salt and pepper (you shouldn't need much salt, it's already fairly salty).
7: Stir in kidney beans and spinach and let heat through, about 30 seconds. For a brothier soup you can add in a little more broth to thin as desired.
8: Serve warm with shredded parmesan and red pepper flakes if desired.
Notes: *This is an Italian pork. I buy it at the deli counter, Boar's Head brand is a good option. Ask for it thick cut, about 1/4-inch thick.
Try it with other vegetables you may have on hand, minestrone is so versatile. Here are some good options (add more broth to thin and more fresh herbs to season as desired): 
asparagus
broccoli
butternut squash
cabbage
carrots
cauliflower
celery
eggplant
fennel
green beans
kale
mushrooms
onions
parsnips
peas
potatoes
tomatoes
yellow squash
zucchini
Other Herbs to Try
Basil
Marjoram
Oregano
Thyme
Parsley

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Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies – A trio of three delicious flavors including pumpkin, oats and chocolate chips come together to create one unforgettable autumn treat!

#Cookies #Desserts #BrownSugar #Butter #Cinnamon #Eggs #Flour #Ginger #Nutmeg #Oats #Pecans #Pumpkin #Sugar #VanillaExtract #Walnuts

Prep: 20 minutes.
Cook: 14 minutes.
Ready in: 34 minutes.

Ingredients:
1: 2 1/4 cups (319g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure).
2: 1 1/2 cups (140g) quick oats.
3: 1 tsp baking soda.
4: 3/4 tsp salt.
5: 2 tsp ground cinnamon.
6: 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg.
7: 1/4 tsp ground ginger.
8: 1/8 tsp ground cloves (optional).
9: 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter , softened.
10: 1 1/3 cups (266g) packed light-brown sugar.
11: 2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar.
12: 1 large egg.
13: 1 tsp vanilla extract.
14: 1 1/4 cups (290g) canned pumpkin puree.
15: 1 3/4 cup (290g) semi-sweet chocolate chips.
16: 1 cup (130g) chopped pecans or walnuts (optional).

Instructions:
1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger for 30 seconds, set aside.
2: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy (occasionally stop and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl throughout entire mixing process).
3: Blend in egg then blend in vanilla extract and pumpkin puree. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until combined. Mix in chocolate chips and pecans (if you want some chocolate to show through set some aside to press into tops before baking).
4:  Let batter rest 10 minutes (this just gives the oats some time to absorb the liquids so batter isn't so sticky and cookies don't spread so much).
5: Scoop dough out 2 Tbsp at a time (I used a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop, which I recommend using for evenly shaped cookies and fill it heaping), and drop onto Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheets, spacing cookies 2-inches apart.
6: Bake in preheated oven 13 - 15 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container.
Notes: For a more orange pumpkin hued cookie you can mix in a few drops red and yellow natural food coloring when you add the pumpkin to the cookie dough.
Nuts not included in nutrition estimate as these are optional.

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Chicken Fajitas
One of the best dinners out there! This easy recipe is made with deliciously seasoned, marinated and pan seared chicken, a trio of fresh bell peppers and tender crisp onions. Easy to make and unbelievably delicious!

#Healthy #MainDish #MexicanAndSouthwestern #Poultry #BellPepper #Chicken #ChiliPowder #Cilantro #Cumin #Garlic #Limes #OliveOil #Onions #Tortillas

Prep: 20 minutes.
Cook: 15 minutes.
Ready in: 2 hours 35 minutes.

Ingredients:
1: 1 1/2 lbs trimmed chicken thighs or chicken breasts*.
2: 5 Tbsp light olive oil divided.
3: 4 Tbsp fresh lime juice, divided.
4: 3 1/2 tsp minced garlic, divided.
5: 2 1/2 tsp chili powder, divided.
6: 2 tsp ground cumin, divided.
7: 1 jalapeno, seeded for less heat if desired, minced.
8: 1 1/4 tsp salt, more to taste.
9: 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
10: 3 medium bell peppers (preferably 1 red, yellow and green), seeded and sliced.
11: 1 medium red onion or yellow onion, sliced.
12: 3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro.
13: 8 (7-inch) flour tortillas, warmed, homemade are best if time allows.
14: Optional toppings, see notes.

Instructions:
1: In a medium non-reactive mixing bowl (such as glass or stainless steel), whisk together 3 Tbsp olive oil, 3 Tbsp lime juice, 2 tsp garlic, 2 tsp chili powder, 1 1/2 tsp cumin, jalapeno, salt and pepper.
2: Add chicken and toss well then submerge down into marinade. Cover and let marinate in refrigerator at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.
3: Preheat a 12-inch cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil then place chicken in skillet leaving space between pieces and cook until well browned of first side about 4 to 6 minutes (chicken thighs take near greater time).
4: Flip chicken and continue to cook until chicken registers 160 - 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer in center, about 4 to 6 minutes longer (chicken thighs take near greater time). If you find chicken is browning too quickly before cooking through you can reduce burner temperature slightly.
5: Transfer chicken to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
6: Meanwhile, scrape up excess burnt bits from the skillet with a metal spatula if needed (you want some of those browned bits but not a lot of burnt black bits especially if you used thighs and had to cook longer). Add remaining 1 Tbsp oil to same cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat.
7: Add bell peppers and onions, season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute about 4 minutes, only tossing occasionally and scraping up browned bits from the bottom of pan.
8: Add remaining 1/2 tsp chili powder and 1/2 tsp cumin, 1 1/2 tsp garlic and saute until just tender crisp, about 2 minutes longer.** Pour in remaining 1 Tbsp lime juice and toss.
9: Return chicken to pan, toss in cilantro and serve warm over tortillas with optional toppings.
Notes: *For chicken breasts you can use 4 (6 oz each) portions or 2 (12 oz each) portions halved through their thickness. Pound thicker areas of chicken breasts with the flat side of a meat mallet to even their thickness. For chicken thighs I recommend using about 4 oz. pieces, just trim the fat no flattening necessary.
**If you still have stubborn browned bits at the bottom of the pan you can help release them by pouring in a splash of chicken broth or water, these bits adds lots of flavor to the dish.
Nutrition estimate: based on two fajitas per person, using store-bought tortillas (homemade tortillas are about 50 calories extra each), and optional toppings not included.
To make them healthier use corn tortillas instead of flour. I like to warm corn tortillas in skillet in a teaspoon of olive oil until lightly golden brown spots appear on each side.
Topping Ideas (optional)
Guacamole or sliced avocado
Salsa or diced tomatoes
Sour cream or Mexican crema
Mexican hot sauce (such as Tapatio or Cholula)
Cheese - queso fresco, Monterey jack, pepper jack, or cheddar

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There's a lonely Tomatillo over here...

Table grapes are the berries of vines in the Vitis genus. They can be a wide range of colors including black, purple, red, amber, green, and pale. The berries grow in clusters.

Grapevines like to grow around rivers in deciduous forests or along the banks of flowing water.

Grapes are a berry. A berry is a fleshy fruit without a pit produced from one ovary on one flower. That makes a lot of things berries, like cucumbers, currants, eggplants, and tomatoes but actually excludes things like strawberries.

Grape plants are vines. Which are any plant that has a trailing or climbing growth habit. It can also refer to a part of a plant that does that. Vines can crossover from vine form to shrub. Vines “like” to have something to grow onto. In the wild that may be a tree or natural surface and in cultivation that can be a trellis or a building. If a vine doesn’t have something to grow onto (called a “support”), it can creep along the ground or stiffen up some to be a sort of low-laying shrub. The prototypical botanical vines are based on those in the grape family.

There can be over 100 grapes to a bunch. If left alone a vine can spread more than 50 feet.

Fossils of prehistoric grapes go back into the Cretaceous era 66 million years ago. Species of grapes are spread widely across the northern hemisphere. There are wild grapes in both Eurasia and North America because the grape family existed before the continents separated 60 million years ago.

The human history of grapes revolves around winemaking, rather than consumption of grapes fresh.

Wild grapes would have been food for hunter gatherers. The first domestication of grapes occurred 7000-4000 BC somewhere between the Black Sea and Iran. The country of Georgia is thought to be where grapes were first domesticated for wine. Domesticated grapes may have spread out from Georgia, or the idea of domesticating grapes did causing other natural varieties to be domesticated in other parts of Asia and Europe.

Meanwhile in North America, indigenous peoples were husbanding their native grape varieties. Evidence for grape consumption in North America goes back 10000 years, particularly in the Mississippi delta and upper Mid West. In addition to having agriculture in the formal-ish way it was implemented in Eurasia, Native Americans also used sylviculture to cultivate natural plants as crops in the forest. Grapes were an important crop for many native americans and were likely the subject of sylviculture. This was so prevalent that when Vikings landed in New Foundland around 1000 AD, they called it “Vinland” because of all the grapevines.

During the exchange of grapevines between the Old and New worlds a massive ecological disaster happened. An insect pest called phylloxera is native to the Americas where it fed on the grapevines there. American vines had grown resistance to the pest but Eurasian vines had not. When phylloxera reached Europe it destroyed the majority of Old World grape vines. In order to save the varieties, European vines needed to be grafted on to phylloxera-resistant rootstocks from American vines. Many of these rootstocks were the ones husbanded by Native Americans for millenia.

Resveratrol – is a polyphenol that acts like an antioxidant in that it can protect the body from damage. It is found in the skin of red grapes. It seems to be a nebulously, all-around healthy thing that combats inflammation, aging, and diseases that spring from those processes. Not tons is known about it but it has potential and may be worth a mention.

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Creamy Pesto Pasta
Creamy Pesto Pasta – Mini al dente pasta is coated in a luxurious sauce that’s speckled generously with minced fresh basil, infused with garlic and parmesan, and it’s completely easy to make. It’s like a fusion of creamy Alfredo sauce mingled with fresh pesto pasta and it’s undeniably delicious!

#MainDish #PastaItalian #Basil #Cream #Garlic #OliveOil #ParmesanCheese #Pasta

Prep: 15 minutes.
Cook: 15 minutes.
Ready in: 30 minutes.

Ingredients:
1: 2 1/2 cups packed (54g) fresh basil leaves.
2: 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided.
3: 2 Tbsp water.
4: 12 oz. dry mini farfalle or regular farfalle pasta.
5: Salt and black pepper.
6: 1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic (4 cloves).
7: 3/4 cup heavy cream, or 1/4 cup more for a creamier pasta.
8: 2 oz. parmesan cheese, finely grated with a rasp grater (1 cup).

Instructions:
1: Add basil leaves to a small or medium food processor along with 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp water. Pulse until basil is very finely minced (stop and scrape down processor occasionally). Transfer to a small airtight container and set aside (so it doesn't brown).
2: Bring 10 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Season water with a fair amount of salt, add farfalle and cook according to times listed on package. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water then drain pasta.
3: Return empty pot to medium-low heat and add remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add garlic and saute until fragrant and just barely deepening in color (but not browning), about 20 to 30 seconds. Pour heavy cream and bring to a light simmer.
4: Reduce heat to low, stir in parmesan cheese then add drained pasta and basil mixture and toss to evenly coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, thin with reserved pasta water as needed (it will thicken as it rests). You can also add the additional 1/4 cup cream if you want it slightly creamier.
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