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!

Basic Meat Sauce for Pasta

Spaghetti or some shape of pasta seems to be a staple at just about any family's dinner table.  I know it's so convenient to just crack open a jar of sauce.  When you're under time constraints, that makes perfect sense. But some night when you're a little less rushed, try making your own.   It's super easy and doesn't take long, but the flavor just can't be beat.  This is a basic recipe, but once you get it down, it's very easy to customize it to your own tastes.

Here's what you'll need:
1 TBSP bacon grease or oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 TBSP garlic, chopped
1 lb ground beef (you can use turkey, but you'll need to increase the seasonings)
salt and pepper
1 lg can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1 TBSP dried parsley
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the bacon grease or oil in a large skillet.  An old Italian woman once told me that pork is what makes your sauce.  I don't know how true that is, but I do think bacon makes just about anything better.  Since I always have bacon "juice" on hand, that is what I use.

Add the onion to the pan, and sprinkle with a little salt.  This will help the onions to "sweat", which means they will release some of their liquid, and soften a bit.

Add the ground beef to the onions.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  It's important to flavor every layer of a dish.  I'm not talking teaspoons of the stuff.  Just enough to give it the meat some flavor as it browns.  Crumble up the meat as it browns.

When the meat is thoroughly browned, drain fat, if necessary.  I use beef that is 93% less fat, so there isn't usually much to drain.  Return to the meat to the pot and add the garlic, tomatoes, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and the herbs.  (I use dried herbs because I like my sauce to cook pretty long.  If you're looking to eat it really soon, you can use fresh herbs.  You will have to use 3 times as much fresh.)

Bring the sauce to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat.  Allow the sauce to simmer, stirring occasionally, at least 30 minutes.  Stir in Parmesan cheese.

Your sauce is now ready to eat.  This is a hearty sauce, so it needs a sturdy pasta to go with it, like rigatoni, ziti or papardelle.  It's also good in lasagna and other baked pasta dishes.  This serves 4-5.  I usually have enough to freeze for a second meal.  Give it a try! When you see how easy and delicious it is, the jar will be no more.

Enjoy!

Fresh Salsa-- Peach Poblano, to be specific

This being August, we're in the height of tomato season.  Whether you grow your own or get them from a local farm-stand, it's incredibly easy to turn them into a delicious fresh salsa in no time.  My family eats salsa like it's going out of style, so I can major amounts every year and am pretty much out by the following August.

This recipe is for Peach Poblano salsa, but you can substitute other tomatoes and peppers and omit the peaches to make your own version, to fit your tastes.  I used orange/yellow tomatoes in this recipe both for their low-acid and how their color matched the peaches.

Here's the ingredients:
6 c tomatoes, chopped and seeds removed
2 lg peaches, skinned and chopped
1 purple onion, chopped
1 TBLS chopped garlic
2 poblano peppers, chopped
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
juice of 2 limes
1 TBLS vinegar
1 tsp salt

When you cut a tomato, always use a serrated (toothed) knife.  The skin of the tomato repels most knives, and the flesh ends up bruised and mushy one you actually get the knife to cut through.  The teeth of the serrated knife allow it to glide through the skin while preserving the flesh.

To prevent your salsa from being too thin, you want to remove the seeds from the tomatoes.  There are two methods for doing this.  One is to cut the tomato in half, then simply squeeze it.  The seeds will come right out.  This method also yields a mushy flesh. The second is to cut the tomato in slices, then using a knife to cut around the seed pockets.  I like this one better, and it also allows for a more even cutting of the flesh.

When your chopping the tomatoes, peppers, onions and peaches, it's important to cut them all as close to the same size as possible.  The makes for a prettier salsa, and makes it easier to get a little bit of everything in each bite.

Ok, combine all your ingredients in a large bowl.  Allow to sit about 30 minutes so the flavors can blend.  The longer it has to get acquainted, the tastier it is!  Stored in an air-tight container, this salsa will stay fresh for up to a week.  Enjoy!