I love having Sundays off.  I get a lot of cooking done for the week.  This is the day I go to the store and get my groceries for the week.  I like to be in the kitchen cooking for hours and of course having a glass of wine or two while I'm cooking.

Tonight I made a delicious BBQ'd pulled pork loin roast and Minestrone soup.  Both are actually very easy.  You know how I like easy.  Not to say that everything I make is easy.  If I really want to make something I will invest hours in the kitchen making it.  I think what I'm saying is that great cooking doesn't have to be hard.  Delicious tasting recipes can be very easy.

Tonight I made my minestrone soup.  It lasts many days and gets better in a day or two after the flavors marinade.  This is what I combined tonight to make a great tasting soup.

Ingredients:
2 Boneless Chicken Breasts
2 Tablespoons of Butter
1 Cup each Chopped Onions, Carrots and Celery
1/2 Cup White Wine
1 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, oregano, basil, thyme and rosemary
2 Cups Zucchini cut into large 1 inch chunks
2 large New Potatoes cut into small cubes about 1/2 inch square
2 Large containers of chicken broth
1 large can of diced tomatoes
8 oz of dry rotini pasta or your favorite shaped pasta
1 Can of White Beans
(I have added multi colored peppers, corn, green beans and mushrooms before)
This is a soup made from whatever ingredients are available.  What vegetable do you like and what do you think would taste great in this soup.
If you want a truly decadent soup add 2 Cups of heavy cream to the soup when done.  Yum!  Cream of minestrone soup!
Bacon adds a great flavor, too.  (Cook a 1/2 package of bacon to crisp and add the bacon grease to the soup as well as the chopped bacon.

This is how I make it.  I start by roasting the chicken breasts in the Staub 5.5 quart pot for about 1 1/2.  (I told you I use this pot all the time!)  Heat the pot with a little olive oil and when the oil is hot add the chicken breasts top of the breast down first.  Salt and pepper the chicken.  When browned on that side turn and salt and pepper the other side.  Cover and turn the heat down and cook for 1 and 1/2 hours till the chicken breaks apart easily with a fork.  Remove the chicken and add the onions, carrots and celery to the pot along with all the seasonings.  Shred the chicken with a fork and set aside.  Cook over medium over until softs.  Add the wine to deglaze the pot and cook for a few minutes till most fo the wine has evaporated.  Time to add the chicken broth, potatoes, zucchini, diced tomatoes, white beans, shredded chicken and pasta.  Cook until the pasta is soft and Serve.  I like a thick soup that is very meaty like a meal in itself.  If you prefer a lighter soup add more chicken broth.  For a truly decadent minestrone add 2 cups of heavy cream to the soup.  It's amazing!!!!!!!