Am I becoming a Foodie?

We had snow again yesterday, not much, but enough to get everyone grumpy again.  Somehow grumpiness leads to food - have you noticed that?

I fear I am becoming somewhat of a foodie.  I swear my mind reverts to food at the least provocation.  So alarming!  I blame the weather!

However - not every food I think about is rich in calories!  Here is a soup I made on the weekend.  It turned out fabulous and was enjoyed by everyone.  It is going to be a "keeper" in my recipe book,  for sure.

It's a hearty soup - has everything in it you need for a meal, so all you need to eat with is is a roll or a biscuit, or perhaps a small salad.  

Minestrone Soup

2 tbsp cooking oil

1 lb lean ground beef

1/1/2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

6 cups boiling water

3 tbsp beef bouillon powder

3 x 14 oz canned tomatoes broken up

2 cups grated cabbage packed

¾ cup thinly sliced carrots

1 tbsp parsley flakes

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

¼ tsp garlic powder

1 cup elbow macaroni

14 oz canned red kidney beans with juice

Grated Parmesan cheese.

Heat cooking oil in frying pan.  Fry ground beef, onion and celery until no pink remains in beef and vegetables are soft.  Put into a Dutch oven, or stock pot.

Mix boiling water and bouillon powder.  Add to pot.

Add next 7 ingredients to pot.  Bring to boil, stirring occasionally.  Boil slowly for 15 minutes.

Stir in Macaroni and boil for 10 minutes more.

Add kidney beans with juice.  Boil until macaroni is tender, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.  Makes 12 cups soup.

I made this lovely lemon cake to finish off my soup meal.  I didn't have any poppy seeds so made the cake without - it was lovely and light - and lemony!

http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/double-lemon-poppy-seed-cake-123289.aspx

Enjoy!