Minestrone

This is the best minestrone EVER! It makes about 12 quarts, so you need a large pot (or two). This doubles as a fresh meal, OR a freezer meal, OR BOTH--portion into ziploc bags, freeze flat, then stack for a quick meal. (Pasta doesn't freeze well, so you would add the shells in when you rewarm.) In the photo, I added six smallish zucchini, chopped up, with the veggies at the beginning. Feel free to change it up depending on what you have on hand.

Minestrone Soup
(Makes approximately 12 quarts)

To one gallon of water add:
1/4 cup olive oil
one chopped onion
4 stalks celery, sliced
8 sliced carrots
2 TBS chicken bullion
2 TBS beef bullion
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup pearl barley
Simmer for 45 min.

After simmering, add the following--JUICE and all:
1 package (box) frozen, chopped spinach
2 cans green beans
1 can peas
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can kidney beans
3 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
Simmer 2 hours, minimum.

Boil 1 to 2 cups of macaroni shells according to package directions (or pasta of choice) and add right before serving.

Homemade Granola Bars

I have a few recipes for homemade granola bars I want to try out, but these ones I HAVE made, and they are yummy! They are chewy, yet crunchy, and the best part is: I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S IN THEM!

CHEWY CHERRY ALMOND GRANOLA BARS
Makes 18 bars

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup wheat germ
• 2 cups whole almonds
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup dried cherries (or Craisins)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine oats, wheat germ, and almonds in a small glass or metal pan. When oven is heated, toast the mixture for 10 minutes.

While oats and nuts are toasting, line the 9" x 13" pan with foil, allowing some to hang over on all sides. Spray well with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine sugar, honey, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium until butter and sugar are melted. Do not allow liquids to boil!

Remove oat mixture from oven, and turn the oven off. Remove sugar mixture from burner, and turn off the stove. Pour the oat mixture into a mixing bowl and cover with sugar mixture until combined. Add in the dried cherries (or Craisins) and mix until evenly distributed.

Pour granola into 9" x 13" pan. Using a spatula--spray the bottom with non-stick spray--spread until granola makes an even layer. Let cool at room temperature for 3 hours. Cut into bars.

I wrap them in strips of wax paper and keep them in an air-tight container.