Minestrone and Blackforest Ham Panini

Since the weather is starting to cool down some, I was in the mood for some soup. I love the Minestrone at Olive Garden, so I thought I'd give it a try....I found several "copycat" recipes of the Olive Garden version....funny thing, they were ALL different. So I just took a little from them all and came up with my own. Soup didn't seem like enough, so I decided to make some paninis. The soup makes A LOT!

Ingredients for the Minestrone:

• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 small yellow onion - chopped
• 1 small zucchini - chopped
• 2 garlic cloves - minced
• 1/2 cup frozen cut Italian green beans
• 1 stalk celery - chopped
• 4 cups Vegetable Broth
• 1 can kidney beans - drained
• 1 can Great Northern Beans - drained
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 2 tbsp. minced parsley
• 1 tsp. Oregano
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. basil
• 1/4 tsp. thyme
• 1.5 cups hot water
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 cup pasta (I used rotini) but most recipes call for the shell pasta

Ingredients for Panini's

• Black Forest Ham
• Fontina Cheese - shredded
• Italian Bread
• Dijon Mustard

Steps for Minestrone:

• Heat Olive oil in stock pot on Medium High heat

• Add in onion, garlic, celery, zucchini, and green beans....saute for about 5 min

• Add in broth, tomatoes, beans, and hot water

• Next add in the carrots and spices

• Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes

• Add in pasta and spinach, and let simmer for another 20 minutes (or longer)

Steps for Paninis:

• Turn on panini grill or in my case - the George Foreman
• Spread mustard onto 1 side of the bread for each sandwich you are making

• Top with Black Forest Ham (1-2 pieces or more if you like)

• Top with some of the fontina cheese

• Then top with your bread
• I sprayed each side of the sandwich with a small amount of olive oil
• Spray the foreman with a small amount of oil on each place
• Place sandwiches on the grill, and shut the lid, but do not push it down on the sandwich.

• Cook for about 5 minutes, once cheese is melted and bread is toasted to your liking

• Slice in half and serve alongside the soup....Enjoy!

Crockpot Taco Chicken Chili

I had a craving for chili....but I didn't want ground beef, I wanted chicken....and I didn't want white chili...so my search began!

This recipe is VERY easy, especially since it cooks in the crock pot and you don't have to mess with it all day until right before its done.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion- diced
• 1- 16oz can of black beans - drained (I drain mine....I don't like watery chili)
• 1- 16oz can of kidney beans - drained
• 1- 16 oz can of chili beans - drained
• 1- 8oz can of tomato sauce
• 2- 14.5oz cans of petite diced tomatoes with chili's 
• 1- 10oz package of frozen corn kernels (I prefer white shoepeg corn over yellow corn)
• 1 pack of taco seasoning
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 1 tbsp. chili powder 
• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I use the thinly sliced chicken breasts, about 1 lb, it shreds more easily)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (finely chopped)

Now the easy part---- putting it all together!

• Combine beans, onion, corn, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in crock pot-- stir.
• place chicken on top and cover crock pot.
• Cook on low for 10 hours or high for 6 hours.
• 1/2 hour before serving, remove chicken and shred (if you use the thinly sliced chicken breasts, they don't even need to be removed, they will shred up as soon as you try to pull them out...much easier than dirtying another cutting board)
• Return shredded chicken to crock pot and stir in.
• Serve chili- top with fresh cilantro and cheese (optional) or whatever toppings you prefer
• I also served mine with corn bread (Jiffy of course...the only cornbread I will make!)

ENJOY! 

(it also warms very well, the next night I served it over nacho's...)

Source: Gina's Skinny Recipes