Can you say ribollita?

If it is cold where you live, so, for all of you, this will warm you up. I got the recipe from Cookie Magazine (R.I.P.) and instantly thought of it as the first snowflakes fell. I made a mad dash to the grocery store before I picked Ellen up from school, and now my tummy is warm. If only my feet were ....


Tuscan Ribollita

serves 6

20 min active time, 1 1/2-2 hours total

3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
4 oz pancetta or ham, chopped (Our deli didn't have pancetta, so the deli guy sliced me a thick piece of ham)
1/2 cup olive oil
1, 15oz. can whole peeled tomatoes (I just used a whole 28oz. can because that is what the store had)
3, 15oz. cans cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken broth (or one can)
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs (I used fresh breadcrumbs and toasted them. Don't think store bought bread crumbs would work as well).
grated parmesan

1. In a large pot over medium heat, saute the first 5 ingredients in 2 Tbs olive oil for 5 minutes. 2. Add the tomatoes and their juices, along with beans, broth and rosemary. Simmer, covered, until the beans break apart, about an hour to an hour and a half.
3. Add the kale and cook for 5-7 minutes. Stir in bread crumbs and serve, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with cheese.


This is our neighbor's house across the street. Pretty. You can see our yard, then her yard, and her house. What's that? Where is the street? Exactly. We're going to be staying inside for awhile ...