Recipe(tried): Soup and Bread Weather - French Bread, Chicken Minestrone

It was a beautiful early fall weekend in Michigan. Sunny and almost 70--the kids played outside all weekend and were happily dirty from head to toe. I cut down most of my perennials and planted some beautiful pansies in my flower boxes--they should withstand the coming colder weather for a few weeks.

At my husband's request, I made French bread and Chicken Minestrone for dinner on Saturday. My husband had been looking through a catalog and saw some French bread pans. He said, "Remember when you used to make French bread all the time? It was so good." Of course, that was 8 years and 2 kids ago. Now with a full-time job and the girls, my day doesn't revolve around planning and cooking the perfect meal like it used to. I used to make wonderful, elaborate meals almost every day! I miss that--something to look forward to in about 10 years again when the girls are older. Now it's often mac and cheese and broccoli for them and canned soup for me!!!! But Saturday we ate well and it was sooooo good. Hope you all can try these recipes--they are wonderful.

FRENCH BREAD

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
3-4 cups all-purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add sugar and salt. Add flour and knead 10 minutes. (I use stand mixer and knead for only a few minutes). Dough will be quite sticky. Cover and let rise 1 hour. Shape into two long loaves in French bread pans or on cornmeal-covered cookie sheet. Let rise 1 more hour. Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes. (For crispier crust, brush with cold water several times while baking.)

CHICKEN MINESTRONE

5 cans chicken broth
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. Tabasco
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 1/2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. corn oil
3 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/2 lb. fresh spinach, cut into strips
1 (15 oz.) can chick peas, with liquid
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup fresh basil, sliced into ribbons
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups diced, cooked chicken
6 oz. bow-tie pasta, cooked
Parmesan, for garnish

Boil broth, then add tomato paste, Tabasco, oregano, and rosemary. Add squash and cook, covered, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil and butter. Add onions and cook 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook 3 minutes. Scrape into broth. Deglaze the pan with some broth and add to soup. Add spinach and chick peas. Continue to simmer 10 minutes, covered.

Add chicken, basil, garlic, salt, pepper. Just before serving add pasta. Stir some Parmesan into the soup, then garnish each bowl with a sprinkle of it.