Celebrate the Civic Holiday with a Classic Minestrone Soup and a Young Adult Summer Read...

Life is unpredictable, right? So, why not take an ordinary minestrone soup full of fresh, wholesome vegetables, and make it a classic, by adding an additional layer of flavor with tender, juicy chicken? I’ve enjoyed a few variations of minestrone soup throughout the years, but this version takes your taste buds to a whole new level! With a prep time of 20 minutes and cook time of 35 minutes for a total of 55 minutes, you can create a tasty new meal to feed your family or friends in under an hour. Add a fresh side salad, bread to dip, and wine to sip, and you’ve got the makings of a traditional Italian supper without living your country or home. Cin cin!

Classic Chicken Minestrone Soup

4 tbsp. olive oil, divided

½ lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup sliced carrot

½ cup chopped celery

5 cups chicken stock (or beef stock if you prefer)

1 (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano

1(15.5 oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15.5 oz.) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

1 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into ½ inch slices

½ cup frozen cut green beans

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

½ cup ditalini pasta

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, or more to taste (optional)

2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chicken to pot, and sauté just until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Remove chicken from pot; set aside.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the pot; add onions and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add carrots and celery; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in chicken stock, diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, kidney beans, tomato paste, zucchini, green beans, Italian seasoning. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

Stir in chicken and ditalini pasta and cook until pasta is tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. If soup is too thick, add a little water or stock. Garnish each bowl with Parmesan and parsley.

There you have it! A new twist on an old-world classic. Once the dishes are done and family has dispersed from the kitchen, take a little me-time for yourself. Top up your wine glass, then head to the closest couch, and crack open one of my books. May I suggest a visit to mysterious Fairy Falls, or if you’re feeling really adventurous, a trip back in time with The Last Timekeepers? Whichever you choose, I guarantee either series will take you on a journey far away from the unpredictability of life. Salute!

Here's a glimpse of the premises of both my young adult series.

The Last Timekeepers Time Travel Adventures

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers—legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial—five classmates are sent into the past to restore balance, and bring order back into the world, one mission at a time.

Children are the keys to our future. And now, children are the only hope for our past.

Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic Mysteries

Imagine a teenager possessing a psychic ability and struggling to cope with its freakish power. There’s no hope for a normal life, and no one who understands. Now, imagine being uprooted and forced to live in a small tourist town where nothing much ever happens. It’s bores-ville from the get-go. Until mysterious things start to happen.

Welcome to Fairy Falls. Expect the unexpected.

The Last Timekeepers Time Travel Adventure Series:

The Last Timekeepers and the Noble Slave, Book #3

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret, Book #2 Buy Links:

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, Book #1 Buy Links:

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Blackflies and Blueberries, Book Two Buy Links:

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/young adult time travel adventure series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the award-winning teen psychic mystery series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, reading, researching, or revising, she enjoys anything arcane, ancient mysteries, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her spoiled hubby, and two shiny red e-bikes.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her WEBSITE and BLOG. Look up her AMAZON AUTHOR page for a list of current books. Stay connected on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, LINKEDIN, INSTAGRAM, and GOODREADS.

BONUS: Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE