Spinach Tomato Orzo Soup

This recipe is divine. It makes a TON and the longer it sits, the better it gets. Enjoy!

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Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb spinach, fresh or frozen, defrosted
1 – 15 oz can diced Italian tomatoes (with oregano and basil)
1 lb package orzo pasta
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
2 quarts water
olive oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat a large pot. Drizzle with olive oil. Add onions and saute until tender. Add garlic and saute for 2 – 3 minutes. Add canned tomatoes, spinach, chicken or vegetable stock and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium.

2. Add orzo cook for 12 – 15 minutes, or until orzo is tender

The Grove Park Inn

My mom's Carolina (no need to specify, North Carolina is the only "Carolina") roots run deep and for the past several years we have made it a Thanksgiving tradition to return for some Carolina history at the Grove Park Inn.

The Grove Park Inn, surprisingly was built by workers who worked 'round the clock for a measly one dollar per day (actually really impressive for the time). The architecture is immaculate and with a back drop of the blue ridge mountains anyone is sure to fall in love with the place.

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One of the reasons my family has always loved to visit The Grove Park Inn during the holiday season is because it's serves as the host of the National Gingerbread House contest and display. These gingerbread houses are the best around and are so detailed you would never know everything was edible.

Grand Prize Winner.

This year our trip to Asheville was simply perfect and a great time was had by all. Lunch at the Sunset Terrace followed by a tour of the gingerbread houses was a fantastic combo for our thanksgiving with the Hart fam.

Loved having Adam back from the Windy City.

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(Disclaimer: This blog post may be a little "bragadocious" at the beginning but just know this wife's heart and her pride for the role that orange ball has played in her husband's life.)

Basketball has played a significant role in my husband's life. His jersey was retired in high school, he played basketball at Covenant College, he headed across the country to be a coach at Colorado State and then came back east to be the head men's basketball coach at Covenant, his Alma mater. 

Though I could not be more proud of my husband's accomplishments in the basketball arena, this list of things related to basketball just gets me bummed out. Why? Well, that is because I met Nathan after all of this. Thus, I never ever saw him play or coach a single game of basketball (Ok, I did see one game he coached...the Downtown Falcons 6th grade boys' team). 

That all changed last Friday. Now it wasn't at the collegiate level (I had to take what I could get), but it was his high school alumni basketball game. I proudly donned my husband's practice jersey from college (yes, the arm holes did hang down to my knees) and sat on the bench (camera right up against my eye) with a huge smile the entire time simply because I finally was able to see Nathan in action on the court. 

It truly is the little things...

Grateful

Since it is "thanksgiving season" (as I've deemed it) I figured it would be a good time to document a few things I'm especially grateful for... as a resident of a small little college town.

* in no particular order...

1. Simply just living in a college town (of which Nathan nor I are alums) and experiencing those perks. 

2. Sidewalk are everywhere. This makes running around town much more enjoyable.

3. Being able to walk to Earthfare. Every Wednesday we get 5% off and they give us free things like flavored seltzer water and salad kits just to name a few. (I told you there were perks)

4. Having a walking trail, a lake, soccer/football/baseball fields, a basketball court and tennis courts all in our backyard. 

Exhibit A. Please excuse the odd coloring from my phone.

5. 5am track runs with SEC football players. Well, maybe a better way to phrase that would be: 5am track runs where we see the football players doing sprints. Either way we love our behind the scenes Tuesday mornings. 

These are just a few fun things of which I am so grateful. It's been a fun journey thus far and I am so blessed to be sharing it with Nathan. 

Zucchini, Black Bean and Rice Skillet

Nathan and I have been in a rut lately when it comes to food. The word "rut" seems to have a negative connotation but in this case, we've just been lovin' our staples. When perusing through the endless pins on Pinterest I found this dish that sounded delightful; so we pulled out our skillet and gave this baby a try.

Picture snagged from readyseteat.com

Zucchini, Black Bean & Rice Skillet

What you need:

- 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil

- 1-1.5 Cups Quartered Lengthwise Zucchini

- 1/2 Cup Diced Green Bell Peppers

- 1 Can of Black Beans (drained and rinsed)

- 1 Can of Diced Tomatoes (undrained)

- 3/4 Cup of Water

- 1 Cup of Instant Rice (this is a great way to throw in some seasoned rice that goes with the dish)

- 1/2 Cup of Cheddar and Monteray Jack Cheese Blend (we used a sheep cheddar cheese from Trader Joe's)

What to do:

- Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and bell pepper; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans, undrained tomatoes and water. Increase heat and bring to a boil.

- Add rice; stir well. Cover; remove from heat and let stand 7 minutes or until liquid is absorbed (this might take a little longer). Sprinkle with cheese.

I would highly recommend this dish. It is full of flavor and has a great texture, similar to chili. Perfect for this time of year. 

Original Recipe: Zucchini, Black Bean & Rice Skillet