Tuscan bean soup, my version!

My version of a recipe I’ve been wanting to make for a very long time.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1tablespoon butter

2 cloves minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped celery 

1/4 cup chopped carrot

1/4 cup minced or chopped onion 

1/4 cup chopped spinach

1-15 oz can chicken broth 

1- can butter beans drained

1- 4 oz. Tomato sauce

1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half

Sauté onion carrots , onions, celery and garlic in vegetable oil and butter.  When tender add tomato sauce, chicken broth beans and spinach.  Slowly Add heavy cream and Cook slowly until

Slightly thickened.  It’s delicious!

Note: next time I’d add another can of beans to make the consistency to my liking.

It is delicious !

Pasta and cherry tomatoes in a Boursin cream sauce

Recipe;

I halved the below Boursin cheese recipe .

Cook about 3/4 lb. Pasta until au dente. Drain making sure to reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

In a deep saucepan place about 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter.  Add minced garlic.  Sauté slowly until you smell the aroma of the garlic.  Add cherry tomatoes and toss to coat.

Add cheese mixture and cooked pasta.  (Reserve some pasta water to thin cheese mixture if necessary). Add a few dashes of red pepper to top pasta.

Boursin cheese copycat recipe.

• 2 8-ounce bricks of cream cheese, at room temperature so it's softened 
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) salted (or unsalted) butter, at room temperature so it's softened 
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 cloves (1 tablespoon) garlic, minced or pressed 
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1. Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Take a silicone, rubber or wooden mixing spoon or spatula and mix together, folding it over until well combined with even seasoning distribution. (NOTE: You can also use a hand mixer if that's easier but I find that familiar consistency is best achieved when mixed by hand.)
2. Once done, you can either serve immediately with crackers or in a recipe or store for later. If storing for later, keep the cheese in the large mixing bowl with a lid on top or divide into 4-5 small ramekins for pre-measured portions (each ramekin will be equivalent to about one 5.2-ounce package of Boursin).
3. 
   
4.  Cover with plastic wrap if placing in the fridge where it will last up to a month or the freezer for several months!

Enjoy!

Adapted from Pressure Luck

Italian Giambotta! Mom called it vegetable stew!!

 Family Favorite!

Todays meatless Giambotta

8/19/23

Today I used fresh tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, several fresh basil leaves chopped and all fresh veggies including a large Cubanelle pepper.  I love them.  They are so mild and perfect for most dishes that you want to add peppers to.

  I sautéed all vegetables in olive oil first.  Added basil and garlic then tomatoes to sautéed vegetables.

I lightly boiled and drained the green beans and potatoes before adding them to tomatoes.

  All veggies were from our Farmers Market.

Salt and pepper to taste.  I added lots of pepper today!

Mom used to make this easy summer stew and grandpa called it Giambotta!   I guess that is what he had known it to be called when he was a young boy. I didn't have any recipe but remember how Mom made her version so here goes. I decided to try mine with some loose Italian sausage today but Mom made hers a meatless stew.

8/11/13

8/4/12

I bought these beans both green and purple at the market.  When the purple ones cook they turn green. 

1/4 cup olive oil
1 to 2  medium onion sliced thin
3 carrots sliced in pieces
1 large can diced or crushed tomatoes(you can use tomato sauce)
3 cloves garlic minced
3 or 4 fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp. dried basil
1 small zucchini washed and cut in pieces
1/2 lb. or more green beans broken in half  (you can use flat Italian beans as well)
1 large green pepper, orange, yellow or red cleaned and cut in pieces
2 to 3 medium potatoes cubed (optional)
1/2 lb. mini meatballs or Italian Sausage (optional) salt and pepper

In a large pot place olive oil.  On medium heat, add sausage and onion.  Cook until sausage is browned and onion is tender.  Add garlic, carrots, green pepper, beans, salt and pepper. Stir all together and add tomatoes and basil.   Cook slowly over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes.  Add potatoes and green beans.  Cook with lid partially covered until potatoes and beans are tender approximately 1 hour.  Note:  To speed  up the stew, you can partially cook potatoes and beans separately and fold into tomatoes.

*Crusty Italian Bread was always included in our meal! Great for dipping!!

Happy Cooking!

8/4/12
8/11/13 

Veggie/cheese Stromboli

Update:  still loving this meatless meal.  A side salad would work well to complement this delicious meal.

This is the new format to my blogger posts.  I hope you like the larger pictures, new colors and different font!  I like to change my cover now and again to brighten things a bit.

This all veggie and cheese easy Stromboli should especially please the non meat lovers.  I made this using  refrigerated pizza dough.  Delicious! You can substitute other veggies if you like but the spinach really helped make this meal wonderful.  Serve with marinara sauce on the side..

Yummy! I/29/14

Take pizza dough out of package and layout on greased cookie sheet.  Place cheese and then add spinach and roasted red peppers..Roll like you would a nutroll.  Pulling toward you gently after each 1/4 inch or so roll.

Add some warm marinara on the side to dip.

1 pkg. pizza dough spread out
1/2 pkg. cooked spinach saute' with oil and garlic and cooled
1/2 bottle drained roasted red peppers cut in pieces(pat to remove oil)
8 oz. brick or mozzarella cheese shredded
4 oz. American cheese shredded

Set oven to 400 degrees.  Spread out pizza dough on greased cookie sheet..Place cheese first, then spinach and red peppers on top..

Roll from widest end to look similar to a nut roll shape. Rub a little olive oil on top and then sprinkle with crushed rosemary and a bit of pepper. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until dough is slightly browned..

Cool approx. 10 minutes and slice.





7/12/12
4/2/13

11/8/19

Easy Gnocchi!

Here I go again! Todays short cut easy potato gnocchi 123 and your set for an easy Italian meal. 9/22/2024

*****Updated gnocchi today with leftover mashed potatoes.

Updated photos 11/5/2023

2 or 3 cups (room temperature )mashed potatoes 

2 eggs at room temperature 

3  1/2 + cups flour ( approximate) you may need more.

NOVEMBER 29,2022

Original 2017
By now you should know I love gnocchi and I have made them several different ways.  Sweet potato gnocchi with brown butter was fabulous!  Gnocchi, using ricotta cheese instead of potatoes was wonderful!  My favorite are potato gnocchi with my traditional red sauce.

Today I played around with refrigerated mashed potatoes and I have to say these were by far the easiest.

  

***I used a 1 lb. pkg. (16 oz.)of refrigerated mashed potatoes at room temperature,an egg and approximately  3 1/2 cups of flour.  

That is all it took 3 ingredients and I used my freshly made red sauce. If you don't have some feel free to use your favorite jar sauce. 

The next time I make the yummy gnocchi they will be swimming in some pink vodka sauce.  You can be sure I'll be looking for sales on refrigerated mashed potatoes because I can never have enough gnocchi.  My freezer will be stocked.

Note: You may like to make some of these and top with butter and grated cheese for the kiddo's.   Something I think they'd enjoy!! :)

Happy Cooking!

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a bit of salt, add gnocchi, stir , turn down heat to medium, stir again and when gnocchi come to top let simmer for a few minutes and drain well.

Updated 11/29/2022

6/17/13

9/3/2018

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Ricotta seasoned zucchini boats

I watched a video of these ricotta zucchini boats being made so it’s my adaption of the recipe.

1 washed and sliced lengthwise (1)zucchini  (scrape and hollow out center with a teaspoon)

Sprinkle with salt.  On a cookie sheet place zucchini and Bake 400° approximately 30 minutes.

Remove from oven.  Cool slightly.

In a small pan place about 1/4 cup olive oil and 

One (1)clove garlic minced

Heat on LOW until you can smell the garlic.  Do not burn.  Remove from heat to cool.

While zucchini is baking in a medium bowl place 4 + ( depending on size of zucchini) heaping tablespoons ricotta 

4 T breadcrumbs 

4 T pecorino Romano cheese

Pinch salt 

1 T dried or fresh parsley ( use more fresh parsley if you have it)

1 lemon squeezed

*** note Add garlic oil you have simmered.

Stir well

 Taste ricotta..add more lemon if needed

*** Note:  My ingredients are estimated.

Now it’s time to fill a’dente Zucchini with ricotta mixture.  Level with small spatula .  Top with a drizzle of olive oil and grated pecorino.  

*** you can use Parmesan if you prefer

On top rack of oven place cookie sheet.  Broil zucchini on low until top of zucchini starts to brown.

Remove and serve.

I served with sides of green beans and potatoes and a 1/2 quartered tomato.  Yummy! 

Minestrone Soup or Zuppa!!!

 Buongiorno!    Good  Morning!

 This Italian Vegetable soup is loaded with veggies and an Italian family favorite. Enjoy!

 Hearty and just the right soup to make on this cold and windy day.. The flavor is amazing and packed with healthy goodness in every bite. A good choice for your family to get 5 veggies or more vegetables in your food plan.

Note:  If you want to make this with some sausage you can easily do it.
Before adding your veggies brown slightly some sausage, cut into slices and add to your ingredients while cooking.

Happy Cooking from my kitchen to yours! 

Stay warm!!!

Loaded with vitamins and anti oxidants..Healthy for sure!

Minestrone Soup or Zuppa

Soup or Zuppa

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

2 medium zucchini, diced, seeds removed

1 clove garlic minced

*3 medium potatoes, unpeeled and diced optional

3 cups savoy cabbage sliced thin

1 –15 oz. Can cannellini beans

15 oz. Can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cans reduced –sodium chicken broth

 3 cups water

½ tsp.crushed dried rosemary or Italian Seasoning

½ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Pepper
*1/2 box small shaped pasta

Grated Pecorino Romano cheese optional

Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat.  Add onion, cook. Stirring occasionally, until softened

Add carrots and celery cook, stirring occasionally about 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except cheese.

Cover and bring to a slow boil, reduce heat and simmer gently 1 to 2 hours, Serve with grated cheese if desired.

Hint:  If you find that you would like this minestrone a bit thicker, add 1/2 cup  small pasta 15 minutes before serving..

 



11/12/11
11/12/13

4/27/2022 repost