Zuppa Toscana (sausage potato soup)

Our family loves the Zuppa Toscana soup at Olive Garden so I looked for a recipe to make at home. 

I know that Olive Garden uses pancetta but it is so expensive that I use bacon. They also use kale but I find that my family pushes the kale aside and won't eat it so I use fresh spinach.


Zuppa Toscana (sausage potato soup)

1 lb bacon
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced1 lb mild or hot sausage
1 quart chicken broth (or 2 tbsp chicken bouillon + 1 quart water)4 russet potatoes with skins, cut in half lengthwise and then into 1/4" slices
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1/3 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place bacon strips on large cookie sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes until crispy. Cool and crumble. Note: When added to the soup, it softens so it needs to be really crispy.

2. In large stock pan, brown sausage. Remove excess grease. Saute onions and garlic with sausage until translucent. Add crumbled bacon, broth and potato slices. Simmer 15 minutes. Add spinach and cream. Simmer 5 minutes. Serve with grated Parmesano-Reggiano or Romano cheese on top and buttered breadsticks.

Fresh Parmesan Basil Tomato Soup

It is always hectic at a family get-together so my daughter, Marcie, was so smart to make this soup ahead of time, freeze it and have it ready for the day her 8-year-old daughter, Melanie, was baptized. I fell in love with the soup instantly and have made it many times since.

It is packed full of veggies and is creamy but full of tomato flavor. The fresh oregano, basil, and grated Parmesan cheese make a big difference.

Fresh Parmesan Basil Tomato Soup

1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced onions
2 (14oz) cans diced tomatoes with juice
2 tbsp tomato paste
4 cups chicken broth or stock

1 bay leaf1 tsp dried oregano or 1 tbsp fresh oregano
1 tbsp dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
1 cup fresh GRATED Parmesan cheese
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

In a food processor,  pulse celery, carrots and onions until finely minced. 

In a large stock pot, add veggies, tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, chicken broth or stock and bay leaf. Simmer for 3 hours until veggies are VERY tender. With hand immersion blender**, blend until smooth or desired texture. The soup will be VERY HOT so be very careful during this step.

Add oregano, basil, Parmesan cheese, cream, salt and pepper. Simmer on low for 30 minutes.

Serve with orzo pasta and fresh Parmesan cheese atop soup with a side salad or grilled cheese sandwiches.

**If you do not have an immersion blender, transfer the soup to a blender and blend on high until smooth. Return to pan and continue the instructions. The soup will be VERY HOT so be very careful during this step.


Adapted from http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2012/10/slow-cooker-tomato-basil-parmesan-soup.html

Grandma Reva's Cheesy Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup

Grandma Reva was an amazing home cook. She cooked from the heart and it was comforting to the soul. She made this soup when our son was small and he fell in love with it and requested it often. At the time, the president of the United States said he hated broccoli so it was definitely not cool to love this soup. 
It's been quite a few years since Grandma Reva passed away but I wanted her soup again. So I rummaged through my recipes and could not find it. Yikes! I sent out a plea to my husband's cousins for the recipe. Diane was kind enough to answer my plea. So here it is......

Grandma Reva's Cheese Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup
1 large head broccoli, cut up small
1 large head cauliflower, cut up small
salt and pepper
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup flour
8 cups chicken broth1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 cups cream or half and half
2 cups milk
3 cups grated cheese

Note: If you like to use the broccoli and cauliflower stalks, 
make sure to remove the outer layer and only use the tender inside.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  
2. Place cut up broccoli and cauliflower on baking sheet. 
3. Generously salt and pepper. 
4. Roast for 30 minutes.
5. In very large saucepan, melt butter. Add diced onion and saute until translucent (4-5 min).  
6. Add flour to make rue. Saute for 3-5 minutes to cook flour. 
7. Stir in chicken broth, cayenne pepper and nutmeg. Simmer for a few minutes. 
8. Add roasted broccoli and cauliflower. Simmer for 15 minutes. 
9. Mash with potato masher or blend with immersion blender leaving some chunks.
10. Stir in cream, milk and cheese. Gently simmer for another 5 minutes.
11. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve with crusty bread. YUM YUM YUM

Shamrock LEAN shake

Shamrock LEAN shake
8 oz. Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1 scoop of X Lean Protein Powder
1/4 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
a few drops of Green Food Coloring
3-4 Ice Cubes
whipped cream (optional)
In blender, mix all ingredients except whipped cream. Pulse until ice is broken up. Enjoy!

Pumpkin pie spice

Ugh!

You know how it feels when you are baking and you thought you had all the ingredients but then, bam, you are lacking one item in the middle of your recipe. So what do you do?

Well today, I was about to make pumpkin bread for a banana-split party at my husband's school when I ran out of pumpkin pie spice. So I searched the web, gathered several different mixtures and came up with my own mix. I knew I had all the ingredients in my pantry so I mixed it up. I love the flavor of cardamom so I added it which is a little different than any other mix I have researched.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix
2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp nutmeg
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cardamom

Mix together. Store in a airtight container in a dark, dry area. 

Enjoy!

Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwiches

I know this is a "Utah" Relief Society hit but it really is a good treat. Thanks Shelly Johnson and Lynette Richeson for recommending it for our RS activity. Yum......

Ingredients:
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 1/4 cup red grapes, cut in half
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6 croissant rolls - split

Directions:
In a medium bowl, toss together chicken, almonds, celery and grapes. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, tarragon, salt and pepper; mix well. Add dressing to chicken. Spread onto rolls. Enjoy!
I was watching the show "Down Home with the Neelys" and they stuffed beautiful huge beefsteak tomatoes lined with butter lettuce with their chicken salad instead of croissant rolls. 

Ben's Never Fail Biscuits

Biscuits may seem to be an easy bread to make unless it just doesn't work for you. I have attempted to made biscuits for a very long time and they never looked or tasted right so off we would go to the store to buy the canned jumbo biscuits or frozen ones. Finally I was going to make them right.

My son-in-law, Ben, make very delicious biscuits and gravy often at their home so I asked for his recipe. And it really is - NEVER FAIL biscuits.

Ben's NEVER FAIL Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup butter COLD, cut into small pieces

3/4 - 1 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease or coat with cooking spray a large cookie sheet. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and cream of tartar. Stir.

3. Cut in butter with pastry cutter or fork until it is crumbly and pea-size.

4. Add milk gradually, stirring with a fork just to make a soft dough.

5. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead about 6-8 times.

6. Pat out to desired thickness, about 1" is good.

7. Cut with a biscuit cutter or glass cup.

8. Place on prepared pan about 1" apart. Bake for 12-15 minutes.