Best Lasagna and Minestrone Soup

Fall is my favorite time of year and the time for one of my favorite things to make: SOUP! When I was a child, I always asked my mom for some "minestone" soup in the can. She laughed at me and I never understood what was so funny about it until I got older and realized I was leaving out a few letters. This version is much better than the canned kind with bigger chunks of vegetables, a rich tomatoey (word?) broth, and two kinds of beans. You can use different kinds of beans if you choose, but I like kidney beans and garbanzos. Also, if you want to make this completely vegetarian, you can use vegetable broth and leave out the bacon (use olive oil instead to saute the veggies). The best way to serve this soup is with a few splashes of red wine vinegar and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese in each bowl of soup.

Minestrone Soup

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 slices of bacon, diced

1 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium zucchini, chopped

2 cups coarsely chopped spinach (fresh or frozen)

1 cup onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes

1 (15-oz) can dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked small pasta shells
Red wine vinegar, Parmesan cheese for serving

In a large dutch oven over medium heat, saute bacon in the olive oil until it is crispy and the fat is rendered, remove with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel. Add carrot, onion, celery, zucchini, and garlic to pot and cook for 5-6 minutes until the veggies begin to cook down. Add in herbs and stir. Add crushed tomatoes, broth, and both cans of beans. Salt and pepper to taste (add a little at a time during cooking process so it will not be over/underseasoned.) Allow soup to come up to a bubble and then cover and turn heat to low. Cook for about 45 minutes-1 hour on low (the longer it cooks the better, just don't cook too long so that the veggies turn to mush). When getting close to serving, add in the cooked pasta to the soup. Spoon into serving bowls and top with a splash of red wine vinger and parmesan cheese.

*If you are not going to serve all of the soup and are saving leftovers, I would recommend adding a small amount of the pasta to the serving bowls and ladeling soup over the noodles. You can store the rest of the cooked noodles tossed with a little olive oil in a tupperware container and add them to servings as you warm them up. This way, the noodles don't get mushy sitting in the soup in the fridge*

Lasagna was never something that we had a lot when I was growing up, we always just got the frozen kind if we ever ate it. A few years ago, someone asked my mom to make some for an event at church and she found this wonderful recipe that was literally titled "World's Best Lasagna". It is so worth the extra effort to make it from scratch. Also, another thing that can make this lasagna even better is to buy fresh mozzarella and slice it to put on top before baking.

World's Best Lasagna

1 pound sweet or hot italian sausage (my husband and I like the hot, but if you don't like a lot of spice go for the sweet)
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 oz) cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsely

12 lasagna noodles, cooked

16 oz ricotta cheese

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned, drain. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1/2 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley. Simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 4 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce, top with 1/2 of ricotta mixture, then top with 1/3 of mozzarella slices and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. Repeat layers 2 more times, but on the last set of layers instead of topping the ricotta mixture with the mozzarella, add an additional layer of meat sauce and then add the mozzarella and parmesan to the top of the lasagna. Cover the lasagna with foil (spray with cooking spray so cheese won't stick to it) and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 25 minutes.

Weeknight Fare: Smoked Paprika Chicken with Egg Noodles, Orange-Cranberry Spinach Salad with Glazed Pecans, Peanut Butter Browines

So working the night shift has presented a fun new problem: what to cook that will still be good to eat once my husband gets home. I made spaghetti one night and then tried to be a little more creative for the next go. This recipe is really quick and easy, and if you use light sour cream, is pretty healthy. Be sure to use smoked paprika, not the regular sweet kind. It makes a world of difference in the flavor. Also, for my husband who loves spice, I added a few pinches of cayenne which was really good.

Smoked Paprika Chicken with Egg Noodles (From Rachael Ray Book of 10)

Salt and Pepper

8 oz extra wide egg noodles
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds of boneless/skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2-1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped

3 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 pinches cayenne (if desired)

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup sour cream (I used light)

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Boil egg noodles in salted water until tender (about 6 minutes). Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and then the chicken, lightly brown the meat on all sides for 3-4 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook for a few more minutes. Season the chicken mixture with smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne, then stir in the chicken stock and reduce heat to low. Stir in the sour cream and drained egg noodles and let mixture simmer for about 5 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thickened. Garnish with an additional sprinkle and paprika and parsley before serving.

Orange-Cranberry Spinach Salad with Glazed Pecans (from Me!)

Fresh Spinach
Dried Cranberries
Mandarin Oranges, drained
Glazed Pecans (I use Diamond Brand Glazed Pecans)
Raspberry Viniagrette (I use Newman's Own Raspberry Walnut Vinagrette)







Sprinkle spinach (or mixed greens would be great as well) with the toppings as desired. It would also be good with a balsamic viniagrette. You can add additional fruit if desired (apples and grapes would be good).
This is a fabulous combination of flavors that I love and I also add protein to it to make it a meal (deli turkey or diced grilled chicken.) Really good to carry to work for a light lunch!!

Baking fun for the week: peanut butter + cream cheese + brownies=need I say more? ;)

Peanut Butter Brownies (From Taste of Home Fall Baking Cookbook)

3 eggs
1 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cups cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips





Filling:
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to the egg mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside 1 cup of mixture for topping, then spread remaining batter into a greased 13x9 inch baking pan. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and milk on low just until combined. Carefully spread over batter. Drop reserved chocolate batter by tablespoonfuls over filling. Cut through the batter with a knife to swirl. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack. Chill until serving.

Easy Chicken Dishes: Chicken Piccata Pasta and Chicken Enchiladas

These recipes are easy enough to make any night of the week...even when you are moving into a new house and can't find half of your dishes ;)

Chicken Piccata Pasta (Taken from Pampered Chef Season's Best Cookbook)

1 1/4 lb boneless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon pepper rub

3 cans reduced sodium chicken broth

1/2 onion

12 oz uncooked angel hair pasta
1 lemon

2 oz cream cheese, softened

1 can quartered artichokes hearts in water, drained
1/2 cup capers, drained and rinsed
Chopped fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Combine 1 tablespoon of the oil and rub in mixing bowl and then add chicken, toss to coat. Heat remaining oil in skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add chicken to skillet and cook for 10 minutes or until center is no longer pink. Remove chicken and set aside. Heat broth in a separate pot until boiling. Finely chop onion and add to the skillet. Cook 10-20 seconds until onion is fragrant. Carefully add the broth and pasta to the skillet; cook uncovered 7-8 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Zest lemon to measure 1 tablespoon, juice lemon to measure 2 tablespoons. Add zest, juice, and cream cheese to skillet. Stir until fully incorporated. Add chicken and artichokes to skillet. Cook uncovered 1-2 minutes until heated through. Remove skillet from heat and stir in capers. Garnish with parsley and parmesan cheese if desired and add salt/pepper to taste.

Chicken Enchiladas (From Rachael Ray)

1 (16 oz) jar tomatillo salsa, divided (used roasted winn-dixie salsa verde and it worked really well, not too hot)

1 package frozen corn, defrosted

2 cups shredded roasted chicken (used store bought rotisserie chicken)

8 flour tortillas

2 cups pepperjack cheese, divided

1 cup brown gravy (use prepared store bought brown gravy)

Chili powder (if desired)

Combine chicken, corn, half jar of salsa, and 1/2 cup of cheese. Combine gravy and remaining salsa. Spoon chicken mixture into the tortillas and roll up, then place them seam side down in a greased baking dish. Pour the gravy/salsa mixture over the enchiladas and top with the remaining cheese. Can sprinkle with a little chili powder if desired. Bake a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until warmed through and cheese is browned.

Skillet Supper and Outrageous Brownies

This meal is a one-pot wonder that I learned in college from my friend Josh. It is really simple and hearty and makes a quick meal (good for when you get home from work and don't have much time!)

Skillet Supper

1 pound mild sausage
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can diced tomatoes (drain slightly)
1 tablespoon sugar
1-2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 bag egg noodles
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese





Cook noodles until tender. Brown sausage and onions, drain and then add to noodles. Add tomatoes and spices, then simmer covered for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and add sour cream. Top with cheese and let melt.


Tried recipe number 2 from Ina Garten's cookbook, these rich and delicious brownies. I didn't have the coffee granules to add, but I have heard that they compliment the chocolate very well. Be sure to eat these with a big glass of milk...they are very chocolatey, and probably will be most loved by those who enjoy dark chocolate. I did read one comment from a reviewer of the recipe that if you are cooking these for someone who doesn't enjoy dark chocolate as much, substitute milk chocolate chips for the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Unfortunately they weren't cool enough to cut (you have to chill them in the fridge for awhile according to the recipe), so the picture isn't very pretty. But as you could tell, we couldn't resist sneaking one!  Hopefully Al's coworkers will enjoy these as much as the cupcakes!

Outrageous Brownies (from Ina Garten's The Barefoot Contessa)

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups chopped walnuts







Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet. Melt together butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water (I did this in the microwave on 50% power). Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature. In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 oz of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake!! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into 20 large squares.

Cupcakes and Cavatini (Pizza Pasta)

So everyone that knows me well knows that I have a slight cupcake obsession, evidenced by how ridiculously excited I was to receive the Martha Stewart "Cupcakes" cookbook for Christmas this past year. So I heard that there was a "cupcakery" that opened in Enterprise and I was delighted when my Mom suggested that we go there for lunch today (since I had already made up my mind I was gonna go there on the way home and try a cupcake anyway!). The place is "Cupcakes Y'all" and it is located in the Creekside Shopping Center. They do have a small lunch menu of panini sandwiches which are very good (my mom got the "Tiger Pride" and I got the "Sweet and Spicy"). The cupcakes were excellent and I just wanted to tell all of you cupcake lovers to stop by and try one!!

Here is their facebook page if you want more info: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Enterprise-AL/Cupcakes-Yall/113949692741?ref=ts&__a=21&v=wall

Pink Champagne Cupcake: Special of the Day (and yes it did have a yummy champagne flavor! very good!!)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Mocha Cupcake
 
(though I'm not a fan of coffee, my mom said this one had a really good flavor and she is a coffee fanatic)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For dinner tonight I made something not so healthy, but my hubby hadn't eaten all day and his aunt makes something similar which he really likes. (It was his first day back with kids at school, I was being a good wife!) It is a sort of like a pizza lasagna. Big tip for this recipe is to cook the pepperoni in a pan BEFORE adding it to the casserole to render out some of its fat and then place it on paper towels to absorb the excess grease (like you would bacon). If you don't do this, you will end of with a greasy mess as the fat renders out in the casserole and that is not appetizing (trust me, I did it once). Another tip for this recipe is to add whatever you like on a pizza. We are really big mushroom lovers so we add lots of those, but if you like bell peppers, onion, black olives or other toppings, you can add those into the pasta mixture (just remember to saute veggies first to soften them up a bit since this doesn't cook long in the oven.)
 
Cavatini (Pizza Pasta)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound italian sausage (casings removed)
1 large jar of pasta sauce (I used Ragu Super Chunky Mushroom)
1 jar of sliced mushrooms, drained (or saute fresh mushrooms)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less depending on how spicy you like things)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 pound of pasta shells, cooked and drained (can use egg noodles, rotini, or elbows if you have that on hand)

1/2 package of pepperoni, quartered

Parmesan Cheese

Mozzerella Cheese (or can use other cheese you have in the house as well)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown sausage and ground beef, drain. Add pasta sauce, mushrooms (or other veggies of your choice, as detailed above), and seasonings and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, covered, over low heat. Remove and discard bay leaf. While pasta sauce is bubbling, cook pepperoni over medium heat in a separate pan to help render out its fat and then drain on paper towels like bacon. In a large bowl, combine the pasta sauce mixure and the cooked shells and then spoon half of the mixture into a 9x13 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle this layer first with parmesan cheese, then pepperoni slices, then enought mozzerella cheese to cover the layer. Repeat with another layer of noodles, parm, pepperoni, and mozzerella (can use other cheese if you need to, we had some cheddar as well so I used a little of that). Bake until casserole is bubbly and cheese is melted (about 20-30 minutes).

 So maybe make this every now and then since it is not so healthy, but every now and then some good comfort food is alright ;)

Mama's Birthday Dinner: Marinated Pork Loin, Mac and Cheese, and Peach Crumble Recipes

So...I decided to start a food blog since I like to cook and try new (and old) recipes. I figured this way if anyone was interested they could have them too. So my first post will be about my mom's birthday dinner that I cooked on Sunday night.

Menu
Grilled Marinated Pork Tenderloin
Baked Macaroni and Cheese (Lady and Sons Recipe)
Broccoli Salad (Scooter Store Recipe from Jason Ketchum)
Black Eyed Peas
Peach Crumble

Grilled Marinated Pork Tenderloin
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons sherry
1 1/2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pinch garlic powder
2 (3/4 pound) pork tenderloins
1 can of ginger ale

Mix all ingredients in large ziploc bag and make sure pork is well covered with marinade. Place in refrigerator and let marinate overnight. If going to marinate a shorter amount of time, omit the ginger ale. Then discard marinade and put tenderloins on grill or roast in oven (350) until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees.
Lady's Cheesy Mac
4 cups cooked elbow macaroni
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper, to taste
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350. Place cooked macaroni in a large bowl and add cheese. Combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni and cheese. Pour macaroni and cheese into a greased casserole dish and bake for 30-45 minutes. Can top with additional cheese if desired (add a few minutes before taking out of oven.

Peach Crumble
Crumble:
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup finely chopped nuts

Pudding Mixture:
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chopped peaches
(must either use canned peaches or fresh peaches that have been macerated with sugar overnight)

For crumble, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix together egg, sugar and nuts and spread out thinly on a buttered cookie sheet (works better if you use parchment paper or a silpat to line the cookie sheet instead of buttering it). Bake for 15 minutes until lightly browned and hardened. Take out of over and allow to cool completely. Then, crumble the sheet into chunky pieces and set aside.

For the pudding, mix together vanilla pudding, milk, sour cream, and peaches and allow to set up in the fridge.

For serving: Right before serving, place a layer of crumble in the bottom of a dessert bowl or parfait glass. Top with pudding mixture and then place additional crumble on top. (Makes about 6 individual desserts).

This recipe is very simple but elegant and it is very tasty! Give it a try!!