Tortellini Soup

Soup is one of my favorite dishes to make in the winter - it is warm, comforting, and can simmer on the stove for as long as I need (all the while warming the kitchen of my very drafty house!) One of my favorite recipes, Tortellini Soup, is from my husband's family.  Pesto makes this soup one of the best!  It's a taste of summer in the dead of winter.

Tortellini Soup

about 2 cups of chopped onions, celery, and carrots (whatever you have)

4 -6 cups of any clear broth or stock

2 cups of water

1 package of frozen cheese tortellini (roughly a pound)

handful of chopped spinach

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup basil pesto

1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan

Saute the veggies in a little oil in a large soup pot for 5-7 minutes.  Add broth and water and bring to a boil.  Add frozen tortellini, cook until done.  Add spinach, cook a few minutes more, then add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve this soup with generous spoonfuls of pesto and parmesan mixed in each bowl.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

I received the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook for Christmas - I love it! Since we don't have cable (that is, we don't get Food Network), I enjoy PBS's version - America's Test Kitchen. The cookbook is fantastic, with really beautiful pictures. We tried the muffin recipe, and it was just fabulous; I used whole wheat flour and added blueberries. I particularly like "white whole wheat flour"; I can find King Arthur's brand pretty readily in stores. It has a much milder taste, and worked really well in these muffins. Here's the recipe:

Big Beautiful Muffins:
Makes 12
Oven 375'

3 cups flour (I used the whole wheat)
1 cup sugar
1 TBLS baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
2 large eggs
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup frozen blueberries

Preheat oven. Line muffin tin with paperliners. Spray liners with cooking spray.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk yogurt and eggs together in small bowl. Fold yogurt mixture into dry mixture with rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in melted butter. Gently fold in blueberries, if using.

Fill muffin cups evenly with batter. Bake until golden, 25-30 minutes.

Let muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes, then flip out to wire rack. Cool 10 minutes before serving.