Blah....

OK.... we've had the flu, dry noses, constant sneezing and snow. Obviously I haven't done a whole lot in the last 5 days. But one thing that made me feel better was to make this yummy soup....It made me think of my friend Sheri and all of her wonderful soups she had me hooked on in California. :) Here's the recipe.... it's Ina's (the Barefoot Contessa)

Ingredients
For the meatballs: nocoupons
3/4 pound ground chicken
1/2 pound chicken sausage, casings removed
2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
3 tablespoons milk
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the soup: nocoupons
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 cup minced yellow onion
1 cup diced carrots (3 carrots), cut into 1/4 inch pieces
3/4 cup diced celery (2 stalks), cut into 1/4 inch pieces
10 cups homemade chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup small pasta such as tubetini or stars
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
12 ounces baby spinach, washed and trimmed
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don't have to be perfectly round.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.
In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan.

Also did lots of baking and cooking this weekend for parties. Went to Jazzercise (not at all what I'd thought it would be and soooo glad I went) and got to shake my hiney with my friend Michelle. Tried the whole Crossfit thing and couldn't walk for a week.... Jazzercise was SOOOOO fun and the 60 minutes flies by. LOVE it!! I think I can keep this one up. :)

This is how I imagined "JAZZERCISE" looking.... don't know why.... couldn't get it out of my head!!And this is how these chicks look in there.... totally hot and in great shape.... SIGN ME UP!!!

One thing I have realized with my recent exercise endeavors:

1. I need to take it as slow as I need to.... (almost killed myself trying to keep up at Crossfit)

2. I am INDEED 36 years old.... no longer in high school shape.

3. I need to do something that I think is fun and that I will stay interested in....

4. I eat WAY better when I sweat my tail off for 60 minutes than when I don't....

5. I need a better sports bra.

6. I am very much 36 years old.

7. It feels good to have a great, sweaty workout.

8. Did I mention I am 36?

For some reason, I still feel like I am in my early 20's but have rapidly felt my age and the reality of being a Mom (ya know... put everyone else first before you and then wake up 10 years later to a little "extra" Kristin). So I am going for the Jazzercise thing.... I'll keep you posted on how it goes....