Tortellini Soup

There are so many varieties of soup that I could have it every day, for months,  and not have to worry about eating the same one twice.  Doesn't that sound like a dream?

I got this recipe from my sister many years ago.  It's a rich and hearty soup, full of flavor and very filling.  It doesn't take long to make, and most of the ingredients are things you'll already have in your kitchen.

Here's what you'll need:
1 TBSP olive oil
1 pound sausage
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lg. can crushed tomatoes
1 quart chicken broth
1 TBSP basil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 head broccoli, divided into florets (or 1 small bag frozen broccoli)
1 pkg. frozen cheese tortellini
1/2 c Parmesan, plus more to serve

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.

You have many sausage options when you're at the grocery store.  You can use either sweet or hot Italian sausage to add more flavor and/or heat.  I use mild breakfast sausage.  I just like how it tastes, and I don't have to remove it from the casings.

Add the sausage and onion to the oil.  Break up the sausage as it browns.

Add the carrots and garlic; continue cooking until the sausage is completely browned and the carrots begin to soften slightly.

Add the crushed tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper to the pot.  Stir well.

Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Add the broccoli and cook til it begins to soften.

Add the frozen tortellini.  Return to a boil and cook 3-5 minutes, until they float to the top.

Stir in the half-cup of Parmesan cheese and it's ready to serve.

Serve with crusty bread and additional Parmesan cheese.  Serves 6-8.  It will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-5 days, and the flavor intensifies as it gets better acquainted.  It also freezes well.

Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Chili

We've all had that wonderful chili that has taken all afternoon to make.  The kind where you can taste the richness of having simmered for hours.  The hearty thickness that comes with taking your time.  Well, sometimes we want chili that good, but we just don't have that time to spend.

This is a super-easy chili with a great depth of flavor that can be ready in about 30 minutes.  With a few simple tricks, you can produce a chili so good that no one will believe you didn't slave all afternoon.

Here's what you'll need:
2-3 TBSP bacon fat (or vegetable oil)
1/2 c finely chopped onion
1 pound ground meat (I use 93/7 ground beef)
4-6 cloves garlic, finely minced
salt and pepper
1 lg can crushed tomatoes
1 15-oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can great northern beans (or canellini or black beans), rinsed and drained
4 rounded tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp Ancho chile powder
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream, for serving

Melt the bacon love in a large pot.  Add the onion.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  This will heap the onion to release it's water, and break down quicker.

When the onion has softened, add the ground meat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  (NOT the tsp.)  It's important to season every layer of a dish.  This balances the flavor and ensures you don't have a tasteless, bland dish.

When the meat is browned, add the garlic and mix well.  If you add the garlic too early, it will burn because it has a high sugar content. Add it after the meat and it maintains it's flavor.

Add the tomatoes and the beans.

Chili powder, oregano and Ancho chile powder are standard chili seasonings.

Add the chili, oregano, chile, salt and pepper (the measured amounts).  Stir well.

Cocoa powder and liquid smoke are the secret weapons in this recipe.  Cocoa powder adds a richness and depth of flavor.  The liquid smoke increases the flavor of the meat and helps it smell like you've been working all day.

Stir in the cocoa and liquid smoke.  Bring to a boil, reduce a simmer.  Cover and let cook 15-20 minutes.

Serve with cheddar cheese and sour cream, if desired.  Serves 5-6.  Will keep in the fridge for about 5 days, but it can also be frozen for up to 6 months.

Enjoy!

Fruit Pizza

This is a beautiful dessert that looks much harder than it is.  The most time consuming aspect is slicing the fruit!  The first time I made this was for my daughter's baby dedication, almost 22 years ago.  I was telling the hubby today about how nervous I was when I made it then.  I even called myself an "uptight cook". Anyone who knows me knows how silly that description is.  So, don't be uptight.  Just follow the steps and you'll have a dessert to "wow" your guests.

Here's what you'll need:
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 c butter, room temp
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp orange juice
1 egg, room temp

1 tub strawberry cream cheese
1 8-oz whipped topping, thawed

Mixed fresh fruit - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi (whatever you like)
1/4 c peach or apricot preserves
2 TBSP water

Sift the powder sugar, flour, baking soda and cream of tartar into a mixing bowl.

Add the butter, egg, vanilla and orange juice.

Mix, on low, until the dough comes together.  Mix on medium high, 1 minute, until well blended.  Spoon dough into a bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375.  Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
Dump the chilled dough onto the cookie sheet.

The dough is pretty sticky, and the heat from your hands will make it worse.  I tried using greased fingers. No go.  I also tried a wet spatula.  That didn't go so well either.  The best way I found was to lay a sheet of parchment paper over the dough and spreading it out with a rolling pin.

Gently peel away the parchment.

Bake at 375 for 11-12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the cookie is set.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

Beat the whipped topping and cream cheese together with a mixer.

Spread evenly over the cooled cookie.

Arrange the fruit, in rows, over the filling.

Combine fruit preserves and water in a microwave-proof bowl.  Heat until melted, about 30 seconds.  Stir until smooth.

Use a pastry brush to spread the melted preserves over the fruit and cookie edges.

This makes the fruit shiny and helps protect it from drying out.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Will keep fresh in fridge 1-2 days.

Enjoy!

Garlic-herb Croutons

I've never been a fan of croutons.

They're crusty little shards of bread that tear my mouth apart and lack flavor.  They don't even look appealing, all dried out and flecked with parsley.

So, I decided to make my own.  They're golden brown on the outside, but still have a little "chew" on the inside.  Bursting with garlic, herbs and butter, they're a delicious treat right from the oven.  And if you are strong enough to save them for your salad, you'll never go back to those bagged ones again.

Here's what you'll need:
1 loaf day-old Italian bread
1 stick butter
2 TBSP olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
2 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375.

Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes.  Put into a large bowl and set aside.

Combine the butter, olive oil and seasonings (except cheese) in a small pot.  Cook, over low heat, until the butter is melted.  Do not boil.  Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Pour over the bread cubes.  Stir until all the bread is coated with butter and herbs.

Spread the cubes on a sheet pan; sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes (stirring once), until crispy on the outside.

Cool on the pan on a cooling rack.

Serve in a salad or soup.  Store in an airtight container up to one day, or freeze for a month.  Just reheat in a 375 oven for a few minutes before using.

Enjoy!

Spiced Lava Cakes with Raspberry Coulis

Everyone needs to know how to make a really decadent dessert.  If it's also easy and involves chocolate, then it's a win-win situation.  These lava cakes are delicious and take no time at all to whip up.  The coulis needs a little more time, but it's still quite easy.  Whoever gets the pleasure of sharing these with you will never believe you didn't slave away all day to make them.

Here's what you'll need:
(makes 4)
2 tsp sugar
1 stick butter, room temp
pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg (you could also use cinnamon)
pinch salt
4 oz extra dark chocolate, chopped
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 c flour
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
3 eggs, room temp
3 egg yolks, room temp
3/4 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 400.
Spray 4 (6 oz) ramekins with baking spray.  Sprinkle each with enough granulated sugar to cover the bottoms of the bowls.  Set aside.

Combine the butter, spices and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.

Microwave at 30 second intervals, until the butter is melted and the chocolate is soft enough to stir.  Don't overcook it!  Allow the heat of the butter to melt the chocolate.  Stir until smooth.  Set on a cooling rack, and allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

Combine eggs and yolks in another bowl.  Whisk until creamy.

Sift the flour and powdered sugar in to the eggs.

Gently whisk until combined.

Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture, just until blended.

Place the sugared ramekins on a baking sheet.  Divide the chocolate batter between the 4 dishes.

Bake at 400 for 15-18 minutes.  The edges will be set but the center should still look moist.

Let cool on a rack for 5 minutes before serving.

You can make the raspberry coulis up to a day ahead.

Here's what you'll need:
3 cups raspberries, divided
1/3 c granulated sugar
2 TBSP orange juice
2-3 drops vanilla

Combine 2 1/2 c raspberries with the remaining ingredients in a small sauce pan.

Bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer, then cook  for about 10 minutes, until the sauce reduces and becomes thick.  Pour the raspberry sauce through a strainer to remove the seeds.

 Press the berries through with a spatula.

You'll have a smooth sauce in the bowl below.

Stir the remaining whole berries into the sauce.

To assemble the dessert, spoon some of the sauce into the bottom of the dish.

Run a knife around the edge of the chocolate cake.

Invert the cake into the puddle of sauce.

Top with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream, and drizzle with a little more sauce.

Enjoy!