Rustic Vegetable and Polenta Soup

It was a happy coincidence that the weekend before school starts up Giada featured easy weeknight meals on her show. I was captivated by an easy soup featuring farmers market ingredients, so I decided to try it tonight. It was creamy, delicious, quick and easy. Definitely a keeper!

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed or chopped
3 plum tomatoes, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium zucchini, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup instant polenta
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions
In a large heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onions, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to brown, about 6 minutes.

Add the parsley, thyme, garlic, tomatoes and zucchini, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Slowly stir in the polenta and cook until the soup thickens and the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper.

Ladle into soup bowls and serve

"More Zucchini Muffins!"

When I asked Jack what he wanted for breakfast this morning, I was surprised to hear him ask for a zucchini muffin. Especially since he had just eaten the last one for breakfast the morning before. So, after some tears, we decided to make some more. While I would like to have made my grandma's recipe, my mom and I have not been able to find it. (She's still working on this.) So Paula Deen's recipe has sufficed, especially popular in our house since she uses chocolate chips instead of raisins.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
OPTIONAL:
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 cup chopped pecans
Or replace the chocolate chips with 1 cup raisins


Directions
Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Grease (2) 9 by 5-inch loaf pans OR fill 24 muffin cups with muffin papers.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, spices and baking soda.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar, and continue beating until well blended. Stir in oil, vanilla, zucchini, pecans, chocolate chips, and orange zest. Stir in sifted ingredients. Pour into prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 50 minutes for bread or 20 minutes for muffins, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from pans and cool. Cool before slicing.