culinary rockstar / pioneer woman!

While I typically try to plan out a menu for the week, lately I have been in the mood to just cook what I feel like eating at the end of the day. Maybe its because I'm swamped with school work. Who knows. Luckily I love inventing new dishes and get a thrill out of making a meal out of the contents of my pantry or fridge, so I am able to put dinner on the table, get rid of leftovers, and have a creative outlet all at once! I plan on making this at some point this week.

Italian Tortellini Soup

In a big stock pot, combine:
Chicken or vegetable stock
Canned tomatoes
Veggies and Greens: I have carrots and a lone zucchini on hand, as well as some kale from the farmer's market (I heart kale. Buy some today.). Use added onion and garlic. You could substitue fresh spinach leaves for the kale, but just be sure that you leave the greens out and add them at the end of cooking, with the pasta.
Canned Beans: canellini beans, but garbanzos (chick peas) would also be a good choice.
Frozen Tortellini or Mini Ravioli: Once the broth/tomato/veggie/bean mixture has come to a boil, toss in a bag of frozen tortellini and simmer until tortellini is tender.

Cheese: fresh mozzerella is a favorite of mine. Spoon the soup into bowls, top with some cheese, and pop those suckers under the broiler until the cheese is all bubbly and melted, a la French Onion Soup.

Soup is one of my favorite ways to use what I already have in the kitchen. It saves money and leaves you feeling like a culinary rockstar / pioneer woman!