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Give Granny What She'd Really Like for the Holidays

Kelly Rossiter, Toronto

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By Kelly Rossiter
Toronto, Canada | Sun Mar 23 17:21:00 EDT 2008

If you have any elderly relative on your Christmas or Hanukkah list, you know how hard it is to choose something for them. Granny doesn't need any more stuff for her home and the handkerchief you gave her last year is probably still in the original box.

So why not give her something that you can't buy; your time and your thoughtfulness. Give your granny a week (or a month, or whatever) worth of dinners. My own grandmother lived alone until she was 96. Every week, I would visit her with her dinners for the following seven days. I made one dish meals such as soups, stews, and casseroles that I would put into an individual reusable container so that she could easily heat up just one thing.We'd sit and have a cup of tea and a little visit and then I would collect the containers from the previous week and take them home to refill them. Sometimes I would make something specifically for her, but often I just made extra of whatever we were having for dinner and save it for her.

Here is a delicious soup that takes little time to prepare and makes a good nutritional, warming supper that your granny will love. It also freezes well.

Soup Au Pistou
Makes 6 servings

1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions or leeks, chopped
1/2 tsp dried thyme and pepper
2 each carrots and celery stalks, chopped
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes or one 19 oz can
1/2 cup small pasta (such as macaroni or shells)
1 19 oz can cannellini or navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup shredded fresh basil leaves or 1/4 cup pesto or 1 tsp dried basil
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese

1. In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onions, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add thyme, pepper, carrots, and celery; reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.

2. Stir in stock, tomatoes, pasta, and beans; simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender.

3. Stir in basil, garlic, and salt to taste; simmer for 3 minutes. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with cheese.

From New Light Cooking by Anne Lindsay (2006, Random House)

Difficulty level: Easy

 
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