Arlington Farmers Market

This isn't a recipe but it is certainly a WeeksEats. We've started going to the Arlington Farmer's Market every Saturday morning to stock up on the basics. It's not very big, about 10 vendors right now (perhaps more in the spring?), but the food is great, and it's nice to buy from local farmers and vendors.

We especially enjoy getting fresh milk, eggs, and lettuce. Today we also got some mushroom soup from the mushroom lady, and some aged cheddar from the cheese couple. It's a little more expensive than My Organic Market, but it's worth it to support the local yokles.

My Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

The recipes I found online for chicken noodle soup did not sound very good; they all sounded bland. So I made this up, and it's not super exciting but it does the trick when you feel like crap as I do this weekend, and it is easy enough to make when you feel like that.

• 2 tblsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow sweet onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 64 oz low-sodium organic chicken broth
• 3 cans white chicken
• 1/4 c fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 spring fresh thyme (left whole so you can remove it later)
• 1 package of egg noodles or other egg pasta such as parpardelle (I enjoy it loaded with noodles, so use your discretion on the amount)

1. In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil on medium-high and add the chopped onion, carrots and celery. Season with salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are soft and onions are translucent.
2. Add the chicken broth and wait for it to warm through (not boiling).
3. Add remaining ingredients + a hefty portion of salt and pepper, and cook for about 15 minutes on medium. Do not let the broth boil or the chicken will get tough.
4. Add noodles and cook the amount of time indicated on the packaging or until al dente.
5. Remove the bay and thyme.
6. Best served with additional fresh parsley on top.

Easy Vegetable Soup

My stepmom makes a fantastic vegetable soup, but I couldn't get in touch with her today so I made up my own - yay! I am cooking it as I write this recipe, so I'm sure I will have adjustments later, but I wanted to get it down before I forgot the proportions.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2 small or 1 large white sweet onion, chopped
• salt and pepper
  
• 2 14.5 oz cans of stewed tomatoes (I prefer Hunt's brand)
• 1 c frozen sliced carrots*
• 1 c frozen cut green beans
• 1 c frozen corn
  
• 1 c frozen crowder peas
  
• 1 14.5 oz can of mild/original RoTel (found near the canned tomatoes)
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 c water
  

Note on ingredients: I didn't have celery to create a mirepoix to start, but I would do that if I make this again. To do so, chop 1 large stalk of celery, 1 large carrot (or perhaps some additional carrots from the frozen bag used above) and cook together with the olive oil like you do with the onion in the directions below.

1. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil on medium-high and add the garlic. Cook for about a minute until you really start to smell it. Add the chopped onion, salt and pepper and cook until onion in transparent. (Here is where you would cook the mirepoix if you want to try it out.)
2. Add the stewed tomatoes and 2 cups of water. Let the soup get hot again (not boiling).
3. Add the frozen vegetables, RoTel and 2 more cups of water. Stir to combine.
   
4. Add the bay leaves, cover and let cook on medium (not boiling) for about 1 hour or until the tomato base of the soup turns into a deeper red, not bright red as it started. Add more salt and pepper to taste as it cooks.
   

Bodner family Pesto

This recipe comes from our friends the Bodners; Laura made this one summer afternoon with pasta for us and it was delicious.

• 3 c packed fresh basil leaves
• 3 to 4 large cloves of garlic
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1/3 c parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste
• (optional) 1/3 c pine nuts, lightly toasted

1. Place the well-drained basil leaves and garlic in food processor and mince well.
2. Add nuts, if using, and continue to blend until nuts are ground.
3. Drizzle in the olive oil, as you keep the food processor running.
   
4. When you have a smooth paste, transfer to a bowl, and stir in parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, place room temperature pesto in a serving bowl and add hot pasta (1 lb) and toss thoroughly.

(Laura says this is a modified version of Mollie Katzen's recipe from Mossewood Cookbook.)