Baby, it’s cold outside, and that means it’s time for comfort food. There’s nothing like soup to fit the bill. The Recipe Zaar had this copy cat recipe for Olive Garden’s famous and ever popular Pasta e Fagioli. Check them out for more interesting recipes.
SERVES 8
Ingredients
* 1 lb ground beef
* 1 cup diced onion
* 1 cup julienned carrot
* 3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
* 1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans (with liquid)
* 1 (15 ounce) can great northern beans (with liquid)
* 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
* 1 (12 ounce) can v-8 vegetable juice
* 1 teaspoon vinegar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon oregano
* 1 teaspoon basil
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon thyme
* 1/2 lb ditali pasta
Directions
1. Brown beef in a large stock pot over medium heat-drain off fat.
2. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and saute for 10 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.
4. After 50 minutes boil pasta to al dente.
5. Drain well.
6. Add pasta to the large pot of soup and simmer for 10 minutes.
7. (Weight Watchers Points for 1 Serving: 7).
Tie jump rope around kids’ gifts.
Wrap Wine Bottles With Dish Towels.
Use Newspaper and Maps to Wrap Boxes.
Secure Gift Bags With Ponytail Holders.
Turn Old Calendar Pages Into Gift Wrap.
Real Simple
Do you have someone on your Christmas list who’s starting out, someone who is in the beginning stages of filling a kitchen with all the essentials? Here are some suggestions for under $10.
Bamboo steamer – Perfect for vegetables, dumplings, bao, tamales … the list goes on. Choose a 10-inch steamer or a 6-inch set of 3 for $9.99 at World Market.
Measuring cups – This 3-piece glass set is available for $9.99 at Target.
Stoneware gratin baker – Give the gift of beautifully served side dishes with this Red Oval Gratin Baker, $9.99 at World Market.
Rubber spatulas – We’ve been using these ENVIS spatulas from IKEA for about a year and love the nice heavy handles. The set of 2 is available for $4.99 at IKEA.
For more suggestions check out Apartment Therapy’s gift guide.
I love this simple-as-pie idea for Epsom salt candles from Melissa at The Inspired Room, and you can always find her in the sidebar under Design Inspiration.
Aren’t these pretty. Who isn’t always looking for an idea that’s beautiful, simple, and inexpensive? You could place them on your porch or along your sidewalk during a holiday party. Hop on over to The Inspired Room now to get the details.
Sometimes it really is in the details. Check out these decorating ideas.
A garland in a window counts the days till Christmas.
Wreath hung with striped ribbon
Dried fruit garland
Pomander Display
Rosmary plants styled as topiary, evergreen branches, and bold ornaments.
Mini trees in teacups
Red bag of seasonal greenery.
Use boxwood wreaths to decorate shelves.
Simple, inexpensive and charming.
Country Living
vintage ornaments on an antique drying rack
Sadly, I have no remaining Christmas tree ornaments from my childhood, but I’ve tried to be careful about storing some of my son’s favorites from his childhood. Every year I wrap them in tissue paper and place them in a closet in part of the house that is climate controlled – never in a garage, basement or attic.
Fortunately, some of the ornaments from my husband’s childhood survived. Every year we place a few of them in an antique fruit compote that belonged to his mother. It may be my favorite decoration of the season. The compote is not especially large, and the ornaments are not particularly elaborate or of great value, but they’ve become a part of our tradition.
Here are some interesting ways to display your childhood ornaments.
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Country Living
Be sure to check out more holiday posts over at Melissa’s Inspired Room.
‘Tis the season for cookies. Yes, sirree. Choose from 50 cookie and brownie recipes.
chewy coffee-toffee shortbread
biscotti with lavender and orange
the ultimate chocolate chip cookie
For all 50 of the best loved cookie recipes, visit Southern Living.
Twelve wreaths you can make yourself!
I have to admit that I keep my decorating pretty simple by most standards. I used to do so much more. I still enjoy making the house beautiful, but I refuse to spend too much time on it. I have wreaths all over the place. They’re so easy. I just take them off of a hanger in the attic and hang them on a door, any door, every door. I’m a little nuts about wreaths. Here are 12 easy to make wreaths, but I’m not against just buying one – on sale, of course. There are so many beautiful ones available these days, but if you’re still in the mood to make one, you’ll find the link to the directions for these wreaths and more below.
Photos by Howard Lee Puckett
Adorned Fruit Wreath
Grapevine Wreath
Living Wreath
Nutcracker Wreath
Christmas Tree – Advent Wreath
Find directions for these wreaths and more at My Home Ideas.
