Zupa Toscana Soup

I found an Olive Garden copy cat recipe for this soup on Pinterest.  I read it a couple times, but when I went to make it today the website wasn't there anymore...  Not sure what changed from yesterday, but I decided to wing it anyway.  So, here's what I did:

Ingredients:
1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage
5-6 sliced bacon, diced (I didn't have any.  I'm sure it would've been good with it, but it was good without it too)
1/2 large onion, diced
2 crushed garlic cloves
2 potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
6 c Chicken stock, low sodium
2 c Kale (I actually used some really yummy, slightly peppery, spinach.  A doctor I work with grows it and he always ends up with a ton so he shares.  You just want a green that will stand up to cooking).
1 pint heavy cream
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs butter
Red pepper flake (to taste, I just sprinkled a little in and seasoned from there.)
salt and pepper

Brown the Italian sausage (and bacon if you have it) in the soup pot.  Place on paper towels to drain.  Set aside.  Add some butter, onion, garlic and red pepper flake to the pot sweat until translucent.  Add sliced potatoes and chicken stock.  Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Simmer until potatoes are cooked through and starting to break apart.  Add sausage greens and cream.  Heat through and let flavors combine.  Season to taste

Spinach & Pancetta Stuffed Shells

 I was super ambitious yesterday and did some cooking!  I made a big double batch of Green Chili Meat (plenty for lunch, dinner, and the freezer) and these Stuffed Shells which were perfect to put in while Penny took a very long, late nap today.  These were really easy to make - but, if you wanted it to be even easier the filling would be great in lasagna with some of those oven ready noodles.  I'm definitely trying that sometime too.  If you're not familiar with pancetta you should be.  It is GOOD!  It's cured pork, similar to bacon but not smoked.  If you can't find it or don't want to you could always use finely chopped ham or bacon.  But you totally should try it.  I sort of winged it on the recipe so the measurements aren't really precise.  "Till it looks right" is the rule of thumb for this.

Spinach & Pancetta Stuffed Shells 

(I don't know why, but it will not post this picture right side up....I tried)

Ingredients:

1 box Jumbo Shells

1 pkg (2 cups) Italian cheese blend

1 box frozen chopped spinach

1 sm package pancetta (just realized that  I didn't notice the ouces... 'till it looks right)

Ricotta cheese

1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce (we are partial to Giada DeLaurentis Vegetable Marinara...yum!)

1 egg

salt, pepper, garlic & onion powder to taste

Brown pancetta in a skillet.  Let it drain/cool on a paper towel lined plate.  

Cook the spinach in the microwave according to the package.  Place in colander to drain (you may want to press it with the back of the spoon.  Get it as dry as possible before mixing with the cheese.  Mix spinach, pancetta, ricotta, 1 cup cheese, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper together in a bowl.  Set aside.  

Boil shells according to the package, I put a little olive oil in the water so they wont stick.  Drain pasta and spread out to cool on an olive oil-lined cookie sheet until they're cool enough to handle.

Spoon 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Once shells are cool enough to handle, spoon filling into each and place them on top of the sauce in an even layer.

Top with remaining sauce and cheese.  Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes or until cheese is browned.

Pioneer Woman Meatball Subs

Ok So I have a new favorite cooking show... The Pioneer Woman. She makes the best looking food and it all seems pretty simple and quick. Tanner asked if I could make her meatball subs for dinner tonight so I did! They were delicious (according to Louie and the boys since you know I dont eat meat! haha) There were a few things I altered but here is her recipe:

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound Ground Chuck Or Ground Beef
• 1/2 cup Panko Or Other Bread Crumbs
• 1 clove Garlic, Minced (I used 1/2 tsp already minced garlic)
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil (I didn't have this I just used a tiny bit of butter to saute the onions)
• 1/2 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 1 jar (large) Marinara Sauce
• 12 whole Dinner Rolls (or Slider Rolls) (I used dinner rolls for the little boys and regular sub rolls for me Louie and Hunter)
• 4 slices Provolone Cheese, Cut Into Four Wedges Each ( I used shredded italian cheese because thats what I had on hand)

Preparation Instructions

Mix meat with bread crumbs, garlic, salt, pepper, and milk. Knead together with hands. Roll into heaping tablespoon-sized rolls.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for one minute. Add meatballs between the onions and brown for one minute. (You might have to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your skillet.)
Pour in jar of marinara; shake pan gently to mix. Put on lid and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
When ready to serve, cut each dinner roll in half. I spread a little garlic butter over the sub rolls and toast them under the broiler for about 3 minutes. This just makes them extra delicous!Place a wedge of Provolone on the top and bottom of each roll. Spoon a meatball (or meatballs) with the sauce onto the bottom bun; top with the top bun.
Serve immediately!

Very Veggie Alfredo

I'm always up for pasta..mmm...  I love Alfredo  but this sauce is rich so we toned it down with lots of veggies and grilled chicken.  That cancels out the butter and cream right?  I like to think so.  I actually made the Alfredo sauce yesterday when I was home so half the work was done for me.  More than half since OJ chopped all the veggies (so nice).  It was really easy to put together after a long day at work.  Penny said "mmm, Mommy, I like this a watts!"  That's the highest praise she gives, I'll take it :)

Very Veggie Alfredo
1 zuchinni, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
1/2 - 3/4 container of baby bella mushrooms, chopped
1 box Veggie Bowtie pasta (just for fun, you can use whatever you like)
Grilled chicken slices (I bought the already cooked frozen ones to save time. Whatever chicken you have on hand)
Alfredo sauce (below)

Cook pasta acording to package.  Chop all the veggies to a similar size.  I cut them into bite-sized chunks.  The smaller mushrooms just quarter, the larger cut into 6.  Just make them all the same size.  Saute in olive oil until tender crisp.  Add chicken, cook for a few minutes.  Add alfredo sauce and simmer until chicken is ready and sauce is heated through.  Add pasta and toss to combine.  Top with a little more cheese when served.

Alfredo Sauce
3/4 stick of butter
1 pint of half and half
1 c Parmesan cheese
To taste:
Italian seasoning
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper

Melt butter into a sauce pan.  Add half and half.  Bring just to a boil and reduce to simmer for 25 - 30 minutes.  Add cheese and seasonings.

Minestrone

Last night we made a family favorite, Minestrone soup.  OJ loves this soup because it reminds him of serving his mission in northern California. Penny loves all the veggies, especially the squash ("kwash!).  I pretty much love any kind of soup.  It's just so comforting and warms me up from the inside out.  Cooking this one always makes me think of my Grandpa Pugh.  I spent hours making soups with him.  I think this one especially makes me think of him because it starts with pancetta (like bacon, but not smoked) and onion.  He used to make these delicious dutch oven potatoes with bacon, potatoes and onion.  Yum!

We found this recipe a couple months ago when OJ was thinking about his mission.  It's light and so flavorful, I only had to add a little pepper to season it.  It's so good, I hope you like it too!

Super Quick Minestrone

from Michael Chiarello  www.foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup (4 ounces) tubetti pasta, or other small pasta shape
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 pound pancetta, cubed
• 6 medium garlic cloves, each cut in 1/2 lengthwise
• 2 cups finely chopped yellow onions (2 small onions)
• 1 cup small-diced celery (2 medium stalks)
• 1 cup small-diced carrots (2 to 3 medium carrots)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary or thyme leaves
• 1 (14-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups small-diced zucchini (green/yellow) (5 small zucchini)
• 2 cups small-diced, peeled russet potatoes (1 large russet)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and transfer the pasta to a baking sheet. Toss the pasta with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the chicken stock.

In another large saucepan over high heat, heat 1/4 cup oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add thepancetta and cook until it begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally. Add the garlic and cook until it begins to brown, about 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat to medium and add theonions, celery, and carrots.

Cook until the vegetables are soft, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent browning. Add the chopped herbs. Raise the heat to high. Add the beans, tomatoes, zucchini, and potatoes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then bring it down to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes, skimming any foam off the top of the soup. Season generously with pepper. Add salt, to taste. Just a few minutes before serving, add the cooked tubetti pasta. Serve warm with Parmesanand olive oil passed at the table.

Cooking notes: Add the cooked pasta just before serving. If it sits in the soup too long, it develops a flabby texture. Tubetti (little hollow tubes) are the classic pasta for minestrone, but you could substitute another small shape of pasta.

Baked Chicken Parmesean

I got this recipe from Six Sisters' Stuff.  I don't think the picture does it justice (I really need to find something on how to better photograph food).  It was so good,  I think it has to do with the breading being crushed croutons instead of just bread crumbs that makes it so flavorful.  For the sauce, I used Giada DeLaurentes' Veggie Marinara (our fav).  For the side I just sauteed some yellow squash with some Italian seasoning and just a little bit of butter.  I added the spinach as a bed.  Even Penny loved it, we will definitely be making this one again!

Ingredients:
Vegetable cooking spray
2 cups Pepperidge Farm Four Cheese and Garlic Croutons (or your favorite - we used Texas Toast Cheese and Garlic.  Very yummy)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
1 cup marinara sauce, heated
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375*.  Spray baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray.  Place croutons in Ziploc bad and crush (or in food processor) until crumbs form.
Dip chicken into egg.  Coat with crumbs.  Place chicken on prepared baking sheet.  Spray chicken with vegetable cooking spray.
Bake 20-30 minutes or until chicken is done.  Spoon pasta sauce over chicken and sprinkle with cheese.  (I put them back in the hot oven for a couple more minutes to let the cheese melt).