Zuppa Toscana Soup

I love this soup from Olive Garden; it is my favorite.  This recipe tastes just like it. 

1 lb. Italian sausage (or half regular, half turkey sausage)
1 large onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (Depending on how hot your family likes it. 1/4 is mild)

3 1/2 cups chicken broth
4-5 small-medium russett potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks
2 cups fresh kale, chopped
2.5 cups water
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper

Place a large stockpot or Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook until well browned. Remove the cooked sausage from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl; set aside. Add the chopped onion to the pan and sauté until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook for a minute more, just until fragrant. Add the broth to the pot and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Add the potatoes, kale, and water to the pot. Return the sausage to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer on medium-low. Cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and cooked through. Stir in the heavy cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

 

 

 Recipe adapted from: Annie's Eats

Chocolate Chip Cookie Torte

If you are looking for a new dessert to try you might want to give this one a shot.   I adapted it from a recipe I found on Pinterest.  I have made it for several occasions and I always get rave reviews.  And best of all, it is super easy!  This dessert needs to be made a day ahead.  Note:  This photo is a miniature version of the dessert.

First of all you bake a batch of my favorite chocolate chip cookies found here:

Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Be sure to bake the cookies a little bit longer so they are browned on the edges. You don't want them to be underbaked.  Let cookies cool completely.

Cream filling:
1 quart whipping cream
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 t. vanilla
raspberries or chocolate curls

Whip cream until nice and thick.  Mix in the rest of the ingredients.  Spread a thin layer of cream mixture on a cake plate to keep dessert from sliding off.  Arrange a layer of cookies on the cream.  Spread cream on the cookies.  Add another layer of cookies and then add another layer of cream.  Continue adding cookies and cream until you reach the height you want your torte to be. Reserve enough of the cream mixture to spread on your torte right before serving.  Cover lightly and refrigerate overnight.  Spread with remaining cream and top with raspberries or chocolate curls right before serving.  Slice into cake-like wedges and serve.  Makes 12-16 servings.

Creamy Pesto Pasta

We love pesto, whether it's on a panini, pizza, hamburgers, or in pasta, it is tasty.  This is a yummy pesto pasta that we just love!


I make this recipe of pesto ahead of time because it freezes great!  I divide pesto into 2-3 storage containers and freeze. 


Creamy Pesto Pasta
3/4 c. pesto
1/2 c. heavy cream
2 T. butter
1/4 c. Grated Parmesan
12 oz. pasta
2 whole Tomatoes, Diced (optional)


Cook pasta al dente.
Heat cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add pesto and stir.
Drain pasta and place in a serving bowl. Pour pesto cream over the top. Toss to combine. Add diced tomatoes and toss quickly. Serve immediately.

Posted by Ree | The Pioneer Woman on June 6 2011

Recipe Source: adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Copycat Paradise Bakery Chipotle Chicken Paninis

We love Paradise Bakery!  This is one of our favorite sandwiches.  We recreated it at home and are in love with it!


I use this focaccia bread recipe, but you could substitute it for a store-bought ciabatta or sourdough bread. 

• deli-sliced chicken or turkey
• applewood-smoked bacon
• cheddar
• liquid smoke (can be found near A-1)
• tomatoes
• chipotle mayo spread (see recipe below)
• 1 loaf focaccia bread

Chipotle Mayo
1/2 c. mayo
2 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce (can found in Mexican isle)
1 T. adobo sauce in chipotle chilis
In a food processer or blender, combine ingredients until well blended. Set aside.


Cut bread into the sizes you would like your sandwiches to be.  If using the focaccia bread, I bake, allow to cool slightly, carefully cut horizontally, and cut into 4-5 large pieces.  Begin to build your sandwiches: layer chicken, bacon, cheddar.  In a small dish, add a few dashes of liquid smoke.  Using a baking brush, brush a small amount of liquid smoke onto cheese. Add tomato on top of cheese and finish off with spreading on the chipotle mayo.  Leave the sandwiches open-faced.  Bake and 350 for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Serve with extra mayo if desired. 


Recipe Source: allrecipes.com for Chipotle Mayo

Foccacia Bread

I like to use this bread for paninis. I bake it, allow to cool slightly, then slice horizontally very carefully, and cut loaf into 4 large pieces. 


Easy Foccacia

• 1/2 Tbsp. dry active yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups flour
• 2 Tbps. melted butter
• Italian seasonings

1. Place yeast, water, sugar, and salt in bowl and stir until dissolved.
2. Add flour and stir until well blended. Do not knead. Cover and let rise until double in size (about 1 hour).
3. Remove dough from bowl and place into a well greased 9×13 baking dish. Don’t worry about being perfect; you’re going for rustic look.  You want indentations all over the dough.  Drizzle melted butter over the dough.  Use a brush if needed to coat the entire top.
4. Now sprinkle the top with desired seasonings.  
5. Let rise an additional hour. Then bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until golden.

Recipe source: Real Mom Kitchen

Rice Chex Treat

This is a recipe from my mom, Nell, via her sister, my Aunt Naoma.  It is one of my all-time favorite treats. Every time I make it, I have to have a plan for who I am going to share it with because if I didn't share it, I would eat the whole huge bowl myself!  It is not only delicious, but it is also super easy to make.

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. Karo Syrup

1 c. butter

Combine and boil for five minutes.  Remove from heat and cool for ten minutes.

Mix together in a large bowl:

10 c. Rice Chex Cereal

3 c. coconut

Chopped pecans--as many as you like

Pour the syrup over the cereal mixture and stir together until well coated.  

Dump onto wax paper and let cool.