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Yesterday for dinner I decided to make minestrone soup for my boyfriend. I had never made minestrone soup before, and this version is very green with lots of vegetables, freshly grated cheese, orzo, and a delicious basil pesto on top. It’s a warm, comforting vegetarian dish, perfect for a rainy day. I’m thinking of adding carrots or some chicken the next time I make this. I also whipped up a strawberry shortcake for him (his favorite!). The recipe is from Nigella Lawson’s cookbook, Nigella Fresh: Delicious Flavors on Your Plate All Year Round. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
• 9 ounces new potatoes, quartered
• 9 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 5 ounces slender green beans, trimmed and halved
• 5 ounces slender, small asparagus, halved lengthwise, or larger asparagus cut into approx. 2-inch lengths
• 2 pounds 3 ounces fava beans, shelled and peeled, or 5 ounces frozen
• 11 ounces fresh peas, shelled, or 5 ounces frozen petit pois
• 3 zucchini, cut into small cubes
• 5 ounces orzo (optional)
• salt
• For the pesto:
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 ounces fresh basil, stalks removed
• scant 1/4 cup Parmesan, freshly grated, plus more for serving
• 7 tbs olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat the oil, garlic, celery and potatoes in a large, wide saucepan and cook gently for 10 minutes.

2. Add the stock and bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the asparagus, green beans, fava beans, zucchini, and peas.

3. Bring to soup back to a boil and simmer until all the vegetables are cooked through (about 20 mins). You can add the orzo at this time, or cook it seperately and add it to the soup.

4. To make the pesto, use a pestle and mortar or a food processor. Add the basil, garlic and cheese and combine them, then slowly drip in the oil while mixing.

5. Stir a tablespoon or more of the pesto into the soup, then ladle the soup into bowls, topping each serving with cheese and pesto. Serves 6-8.

I made this last night for my boyfriend, AreJay, after he got home from work. He never had mac and cheese with bacon in it before, and he loved it! The sharp white cheddar was the perfect choice of cheese, and the bacon mixture on top was deliciously crunchy and was my favorite part of the meal. It took about 20 minutes to grate 5 1/2 cups of white cheddar cheese, (I used a whole block up) but it was completely worth it! It was easy to make and amazing to eat. The recipe is from Tyler Florence.

Ingredients:

• Kosher salt
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 4 cups milk
• 2-3 sprigs thyme
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed and divided
• 3 tbs unsalted butter
• 3 tbs all-purpose flour
• 5 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• Leaves from 1/4 fresh thyme

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook for 8-9 minutes until al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

3.  Pour the milk into a small saucepan, add the thyme sprigs and garlic and heat on medium-low.

4. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet/pot over medium-high heat, and whisk in the flour. Cook for about a minute, whisking constantly. It should look like wet sand and a blonde as possible. This is a roux.

5. Carefully strain the milk into the flour-butter mixture (roux), removing the garlic and thyme. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.

6. Add 4 cups of the shredded white cheddar cheese slowly, while whisking, waiting for each handful of cheese to melt before adding more. Adding the whole 4 cups at once will make the cheese gritty. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the cheese is melted.

7. Season with salt and pepper and fold in the cooked macaroni. Coat the macaroni with the cheese mixture, then pour into a 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, it should look hot and bubbly.

8. While that is baking, heat a saute pan and add the bacon. Render the fat and cook the bacon until it’s crispy, then add the garlic, onions, and thyme. Cook for 5 minutes until the onions are softened, and season with salt and pepper.

9. To serve: Scatter the bacon mixture over the mac and cheese. Voila!