my back hurts.
… so, i just wrote that my back hurts, right there, just above. because that was the first thing that came to mind when i thought “how do i open this?” and it might hurt because of the standing i did in making dinner tonight.
talk about veggie overload. yyyiikkkeesss. good for me? tasted kinda great? not really that difficult? something for everyone to love? yes. all of those things. but still. then my mom tossed in a salad and ooof, overload baby.
i’ve realized, and i think i’ve said so before, that recipes are more like a rough outline for me. it’s not that i’m such a good cook that i can improvise, it’s just that i at one point realized i was making all this food incorrectly because i simply don’t read and comprehend the directions simultaneously, and therefore just kinda do it. and i mean, in my defense, sometimes this happens because i need to make more than the recipe provides for, and sometimes i have to substitute things which just translates into “GO KAARIN, GO!” and run run run run with it. so… i give in without so much as a hesitation. because that’s kinda my personality.
all that to say, while the sara lee apple pie bakes in the oven, i’m going to give you this soup recipe as well as attempt to tell you what i changed in my own dish. but let me just say it now, i’m not sure if i even remember, and i made this little diddy a whole hour and a half ago… geeze kaarin.
i don’t really know what watercress is, except for the picture showed some green leafy things and so i figured that’s what it was. i called my mom, she confirmed, and i headed to the store to get some watercress, a zucchini and ravioli. i went for the watercress first, and found it in the ’specialty’ produce section of the grocery store, i.e. the ‘i’m going to destroy your pocket of cash’ section. i weighed my options and started looking for other leafy green things. as said, i don’t know what watercress is, therefore i don’t know what it tastes like, but i’m assuming it tastes something like dirt, and i know that spinach tastes like dirt, so i went with an organic bunch of spinach instead because it was cheaper.
when i got home, i also didn’t have any fresh ginger so i defaulted to the spice rack instead and grabbed some ginger powder, but used 1/4 less than it called for, just because i felt like that was a good idea. i also wasn’t about to buy a can of broth when i had chicken bouillon at home, so i made my own.
keeping in mind that i was feeding three, i scoured the kitchen for other things to beef it up a bit, (what horrible word choice on a food blog… yuck. beef it up? really?) and added sweet snap peas and more carrot and broth than required. i broiled some garlic-butter-parmesan whole wheat bread in the oven (and forgot by a few minutes thereby overcooking it… dang you broil, dang you.). and… happy dinner?
out of good housekeepings “step by step cookbook”.
ravioli in broth with vegetables (creative name good housekeeping, keep up the good work.)
prep: 10 min
cook: 20 min
makes: 3 main-dish servings
1 package (13oz) frozen jumbo cheese ravioli
1 can (13 3/4 to 14 1/2oz) reduced-sodium chicken or beef broth
1 medium carrot, cut into matchstick-thin strips
1 small zucchini (~6oz) diced
2 teaspoons grated, peeled fresh ginger
1/4 bunch watercress, tough stems removed
+ prepare ravioli as label directs; drain. cover to keep warm.
+ meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, heat broth and carrot strips to boiling over high heat. reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes.
+ stir in diced zucchini and grated ginger; heat to boiling over high heat. reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes longer, or just until vegetables are tender.
+ to serve, place watercress sprigs in 3 shallow bowls. place ravioli in bowls with watercress. spoon broth with vegetables over ravioli.
+++
Filed under: food by kaarin
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