A Starter

Well hello and welcome to my blog. Today marks my inaugural post. Here's a brief introduction to me: I am a (soon to be) 24 year old living in Colorado Springs. Currently, I am working as a nanny for my niece and not so patiently waiting to see what's on the horizon. Funny how no one tells you that your life post college looks and feels very much like staring into a void. Thankfully I took two philosophy courses during my time at Geneva College and I remember learning from my professor that life is about learning to dance on the void (shout out to my Philosophy Prof Dr. Ester Meek). Cooking has become one such way that I completely unwind from the stress of an unpredictable future. Now that I'm an adult I've expanded my culinary skills outside the realms of holiday desserts and dorm room concoctions that involve few ingredients and a lot of prayer. Though I have cookbooks, I prefer to find new recipes online. This is where Pinterest comes in handy. The thing about following online recipes however is you're taking a gamble, especially if you do not scroll the bottom of the page to read the reviews or comments. For this reason, that and an ample amount of free time, I have decided to review such recipes for the benefit of all.

Thank you for joining me on my maiden voyage into the realm of recipe reviewing. 

We're starting with something simple: soup. 

Soup is one of my favorite things to cook; you throw everything in the pot and it's done. This particular recipe is a cross between a pasta dish and soup. Spicy Spinach Italian Soup is the subject of today's inquiry. This one is a combination of a recipe I like very much and my own ingenuity. By "ingenuity" I mean I did not measure certain ingredients and adjusted other ingredients to make up the difference. 

Original recipe credit to Closet Cooking blog http://www.closetcooking.com/2014/10/creamy-parmesan-tomato-and-spinach.html 

So here we go!

What you'll need:

3 Tbs Butter

1 Whole onion or 1/2 Large onion, chopped

1/4 Cup flour

2-3 cloves Garlic, minced

1-2 (28 oz) cans diced Tomatoes (I used basil, oregano and garlic flavored so I don't have to add spices down the road. Do not drain the liquid)

1 can Tomato paste

4 1/2 cups Chicken or Vegetable broth

1 bag Cheese Tortellini

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2-2 1/2 cups chopped Spinach

2/3 cup Plain Yogurt (Yes yogurt)

Crushed Red Pepper to taste

Since my brother does not believe in a meatless meal, I added Bratwurst. I know what you're thinking, "Wouldn't Italian sausages be better?" Well, probably but I don't care for Italian sausage.

The sausage of your choosing needs to be cut, browned and added whenever you wish.

To begin you'll need a pot large enough to house all the ingredients. This way you do not have to dirty any extra cookware. On medium heat melt the butter in the pot. Next add the onions and cook until tender. Add garlic and stir for about a minute. Pour in the flour and continue to stir for another minute.

After this we pick up the pace.

Pour in the chicken broth, tomatoes (with liquid), tomato paste and tortellini. You can add the sausage at this point as well. Bring the whole mixture to a boil and then turn down the heat to let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Continue to stir everything during this time so that nothing burns or sticks to the bottom of the pot.

 It will look something like this at this point.

Blend in the Parmesan cheese until it is melted. Then toss in the spinach and give it enough time to cook down. Lastly stir in the yogurt until it is completely combined with the broth.

Add the pepper or additional cheese whenever you fancy. Best enjoyed with a crusty french bread and/or salad.

As I said before, I love making soup. Naturally I give this recipe (both the original and my personal concoction) 5 stars. Try it for yourself and leave a comment down below to let everyone know your thoughts on the subject.

I hope you have enjoyed our first day. See you next week!