Zuppa Tuscana Soup
I recently posted on Instagram and Facebook a picture of a delicious soup Tensley and I enjoyed and the recipe was requested by a few of you. We’ll just ignore the awkward absence and move right along, shall we?
This was a night I was trying to come up with a recipe to use with the ingredients I had for the week. I knewI had some kale, potatoes and ground beef to be used and immediately thought of the Italian sausage soup from Olive Garden, Zuppa Tuscana. I looked at a few ideas online just to make sure I was in the right ball park and away I went. I also had the ground beef cooked from my meal prepping on Monday. (I cook 4 grilled organic chicken breasts, 1lb. of local, grass-fed beef with chopped local sweet onion and some fruits and salads and beans, but that’s regardless to this recipe….). As you probably know, traditionally the soup calls for Italian sausage and bacon, both of which I did not have. Instead I opted for the ground beef and some all natural, nitrate-free ham. Oh, and I don’t measure. Remember that? I was only making this for myself and a 14 month old, so I used a regular pot and eyeballed it. 
You’ll need:
organic Russet or gold potatoes
chopped onion
chopped uncured ham
organic vegetable broth
heavy whipping cream
ground beef
basil, thyme & garlic
Remember, my ground beef was pre-cooked. If yours isn’t, google a recipe to determine the steps if you need to. Rinse and partially peel potatoes, then cube. Dice onions and place potatoes & onions in a soup pot of boiling water. I just eyeballed the water as about how much soup we wanted and chose the potatoes by how many I knew we would eat….. everything is easy to judge from there.
Once the potatoes were at a rolling boil for a few and become tender I poured in a splash or two of vegetable broth for depth, maybe half a cup, and the basil, thyme and garlic (salt & pepper, duh). Cover and turn on med-low. Chop rinsed kale and add to pot. (Most recipes show to add the kale at the very end, but I prefer mine softer and added it here to make sure it was nice and soft.)
Turn pot to low and add ham & beef to your liking. Re-cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until you’re ready to eat! Just before serving slowly stir in heavy whipping cream until mixture turns perfectly creamy! (If you think you’ve added too much cream, throw in a little more veg broth and simmer on low another 2-5 minutes.) Sprinkle with a little fresh shredded parm to add salt and voila’!
Learning to crawl
Watching you learn and try has been one of the greatest things ever. You amaze me daily.
Almost a year. STOP. Nine months.
Yup, shes still growing. Strong, healthy and as quick as a weed. JOY. That is her, pure joy.
She is crawling, singing, clapping, chewing (with the almost FOUR teeth she has now!) and bringing smiles to everyone’s faces. Seriously.
She still sleeps like an angel and is the best little baby I’ve ever seen. It’s bizarre. I’m waiting for something to explode because these past 9 months have been a cake walk. The most fun I’ve ever had indeed.
At 9 months, Tensley is 20lbs, 28.5in long & still has a big noggin’. She’s in the 85% for height & head and the 70% for weight. Big girl in almost all 12 months clothes and just grew into a size 2 shoe. She loves to eat all sorts of yummies from meats to cheese to hummus to olives to avocado to broccoli. I really haven’t found anything that she doesn’t like, although like all babies she will go on an eating strike at times with any food. Just for a meal or so.
The smart little nugget can say Mom (true story. Just “MOM” as if she’s a teenager.), Mama, Dada, bye-bye and ALL sorts of jabber. She can almost do the sign for “more” and will point to all sorts of things. She knows how to find and point to the “tree” (Christmas Tree), book, eyes, mama & baby. She’s also giving sloppy, open mouth kisses on demand, which you all know is the key to world peace.
I can’t believe she’s a little mobile, babbling nine month old with teeth. So I say again, SLOW DOWN. Back ya bus up, ya doin’ to much.
Are these two kidding me right now?
I used to blog here
(Side note: I never feel like that usage of “used” is right. Shouldn’t it be it’s own word? Youst perhaps?)
Yeah, I might never have the time again. Blogging. Blah.
I’d rather just have a reality show.
We have a 7 month old
Wowee wow wow. You are SEVEN months old little one. I can’t believe it.
You are quite the big girl now and have grown exponentially in the last month. Now you have your two bottom teeth that sprouted over night, you sit up all on your own like its your job and you’ve even taken a few forward scoots in your walker. It will be no time at all before you’re crawling around this place. *tear*
Your 6 month appointment went wonderfully. I walked out of that office like a proud mother hen. Not only were you physically right on track (even a little ahead this time!) but your motor skills and personality impressed Dr. Spencer once again. He said that you were ahead of schedule and doing very well. As far as measurements go, you broke out of the 50th percintile that you had been in since birth. You were 16.9 lbs and in the 60th percintile, 26.5 inches long and in the 75th percentile! Your noggin’ is now in the 80th percentile, but hey…at least your body is catching up. You are in some 6 month or 6-9 month clothes but mostly fit comfortably in 9 month outfits. When purchasing a few of your winter items recently I had to buy a couple 12 month pieces……*HOLD ME*.
You’ve started feeding yourself chunks of fruits, beans and your #1 favorite – O’s. Cheerios are your best friends right now and you will usually get 2 out of 18 in your mouth, but you LOVE to get the remaining 16 in various places such as your diaper, socks, high chair and of course the floor. We’re on to all new adventures with spices and even meats! You seem to like most everything but texture is a big issue for you. We’re still figuring out all of that.
Your jams are about the same. You listen to some Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday and G. Love while playing and all your favorite lullabies when sleeping. I just scored a Fisher-Price cd of ‘Sunday School Sing-Along’ that is the EXACT same recording I had on a cassette tape when I was a little girl. I’m sure you’ll hear ALL about it when you’re older. Its a “full circle” moment for me and I’m pretty elated about it.
I know we tell you this every day, but you my girl are the brightest light I’ve ever seen, the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard and the greatest joy I’ve ever known. I love you, you little seven month old, you.
T’s Two Teeth
No more false alarms, these bad boys are in for the grin! She has been a total trooper and has had very little aggravation from them. A day or two of fever or cranky pants at most, but nothing a few teething tablets or a nighttime dose of tylenol couldn’t help.
Girl’s growing up. No stopping it.
</
