Garlic Basil Crockpot Stew

Hi, readers! I was talking to one of my friends recently, and she was in the middle of preparing a stew that instantly made my mouth water. A brothy garlic/basil/vegetable stew? Sold! Some of my very favorite things right there! I spent a day or two contemplating this recipe and tailored it a bit to fit the needs of the recipients of my cooking...my family (my loyal guinea pigs!)...and the recipe below is the version that I decided upon.
How are all of you? How are those of you recovering from Sandy destruction? How are those of you preparing for the holiday season? And those of you pretending it isn't already here? Can you believe it? We are off to listen to our almost 3 year old sing with her class at their Thanksgiving feast this afternoon...bound to be the cutest thing. I will share photos if I'm able to take some cute ones!

Here is a soup recipe that you can't mess up. It is SOOoooo good!

Garlic Basil Crockpot Stew
In a saucepan over medium heat, saute half of a chopped white onion and three large cloves of minced garlic in 1 tablespoon of butter, until translucent. Your house will smell fab and you've hardly begun! (score!)...throw in crock pot. 
Chop the following vegetables and add to garlic/onion combo in crock pot: 1 zucchini, 5 small red potatoes, 2 cups of fresh green beans, 1 cup of chopped fennel, 4 medium sized carrots, 2 cups of diced tomatoes and 1 cup of fresh, chopped basil. 
Add a carton of vegetable broth and 1/2 a cup of water.
Add a can of pinto beans (or a similar bean...whatever is available to you!)
Add a dash of sea salt and a dash of fresh ground pepper, to taste. 

Cook on high heat for 3 hours and low heat for 1-2 hours. 

Serve with crusty, warm, buttered bread. We added cheddar cheese and greek yogurt to the top of ours before eating, which I thought was the perfect addition. You could also toy with parmesan or goat cheese! Yum! 

I cant hardly explain how simple this recipe is...perfect for a weeknight! I decided to make it on a cold, dark day and I believe that the finished product couldn't have been more fitting. Would it be ok for me to have a bowl for breakfast today?

So...Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Do you have fun plans? We're tucking ourselves away in our family mountain condo in North Carolina and emerging only for the occasional wine tasting, downtown stroll or cozy italian meal out. I am SO excited to be reunited with my favorite family members for a couple of days. My mom and I are just beginning to talk menu...I can't wait to share a bottle of wine and spend the day cooking with her. One of my very favorite, most heartwarming things to do. Would you share your plans with me? I would love to know what you have in store.

I'll revisit with you on my blog later this week as I experiment with butternut squash tacos! Have an awesome day!