Easy Minestrone + Pampers Gifts To Grow

It's 10:07, do you know where your children are?

Mine are FINALLY sleeping.  Dear lord it took forever.  My husband is away for business until Friday and it is so hard to keep them focused to get through homework, baths and then to bed at a decent time when I am by myself.  My older two love to feed off each other's energy and fool around every minute.  I don't mind usually except I take weeknight bedtime seriously.  If I don't my older son is a disaster at school and isn't focused -- like anyone would be if they don't get enough sleep. 

While my husband is away I have the easiest dinners on earth planned.  Today I made Minestrone and the kids loved it!

Better Homes and Gardens Minestrone

Ingredients

1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs

2 cups water

1 14 - 15 ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained

1 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

1 medium yellow sweet pepper, chopped (I left this out)

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning or 1 teaspoon each dried basil and garlic powder

1 cup dry rigatoni or penne pasta

2 - 3 cups baby spinach (I used bok choy  because it came in this week's crop share)

Shaved Parmesan and/or fresh basil (optional)

I was lucky to have time to eat it much less take a picture of it, so please enjoy this picture from BHG! 

In a Dutch oven combine the tomatoes, water, beans, broth, sweet pepper, seasoning, and pasta.

Bring to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium.

Cook, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, just until pasta is barely tender.

Stir in spinach. Ladle into soup bowls. Top with Parmesan cheese and/or fresh basil.

Get It Done Tip: I am a sucker for freebies and look at them as a way to save money.  I received an email today from Amazon Subscribe & Save that I have some of my monthly subscriptions shipping. One monthly subscription is Pampers for the baby. 

I was late to the game and only found out about PampersGifts to Grow with my third baby.  On the plastic of each batch of diapers is a little sticker with a code. You plug the code into the pampers/gifts to grow website and as you accumulate points you can redeem them for rewards.  

As soon as the diapers are delivered I pull the stickers off before putting away the diapers then log them that night before they get lost. This has become routine so I never miss a code and we're working our way towards this baby!

I have spoken to some friends and they have given up logging their code because they forget.  I have personally found that when I do it same day it gets done, it takes all of 3 minutes and we're now more than 1/2 way to our reward.  I can't wait to surprise the kids!