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 !

Easy Macaroni Soup!

Todays macaroni soup I added a little extra elbows so it’s pretty thick. ****  If necessary when it’s reheated I may add a little extra chicken or beef broth. Updated photo. 4/1/2024

Any day is a good day for this soup! Kiddo's will love this back to school recipe and it's so easy!

I've caught a "cold" and a bit under the weather so this Macaroni Soup will hit the spot for me.  I'm re-posting my blog post from last winter if you haven't checked it out.  A great dish for anytime but it hits the spot when you have a cold.  I add a little red pepper to it to open up those sinuses. Enjoy!

 I'm back in the kitchen and I totally surprised myself.  I thought I wouldn't touch a pot or pan for a week..  Guess I overlooked the fact that there weren't any leftovers so today I heard the weather guy say rain changing to snow in our forecast so soup's on..Macaroni soup that is!!!!

This recipe is one I have made and it's very easy...It's a basic recipe which takes no time to put together to warm you up on a chilly day.  You can add extra black pepper to spice it up..

Happy Cooking!

  

 1 lb. beef ground (I use 85 % ) so It'll give your soup good flavor..If you are worried about fat content use 90 %+.
1/4 +tsp. onion powder
1/4 +tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. parsley

1/2 tsp. Basil
1- 15 oz. can Hunts Sauce
1- large 32 oz. Beef Broth

1- large 32 oz. Chicken broth 
****1/2 lb. + elbow macaroni cooked rinsed and drained 
****salt and pepper to taste
grated Italian cheese


In a medium to large pot place about 3 tablespoon canola oil , add  ground beef, onion powder, garlic powder,  parsley, basil ,salt and pepper.  Saute until slightly browned....After browning, add sauce and beef and chicken broth. Cook over medium heat for approximately 30 minutes..Add cooked elbow macaroni and grated cheese....(for a thicker soup add extra pasta)  Note:  Do not overcook elbow pasta.

Note:  cook pasta separately (drain, rinse and cover in a bowl)if you like a more broth like soup and add the desired amount to broth. 

From my kitchen to yours,

9/16/12

1/19/16
8/21/16

10/4/2017

Cheese tortellini with chicken and broccoli in a red and white sauce

Our Sunday meal today!

Playing with food I had in my freezer.

I’m love using what I have in my freezer to make an easy casserole type meal.

1 quart red sauce

1- 16 to 20oz. Refrigerated cheese tortellini 

1/2 package frozen broccoli florets cooked 

11/2 to 2 cups rotisserie chicken shredded or sliced 

1 cup ***Béchamel sauce

Shredded mozzarella or Italian grated for garnish 

Recipe link below for

Bechamel sauce

https://iliketobakeandcook.blogspot.com/2023/11/homemade-bechamel-sauce.html

Bring tortellini to a boil in slightly salted water. Drain saving some water and boil broccoli in same water for a few minutes. Drain.

In a 13” x 9” baking dish place a few spoons of red sauce (about 1/4 cup) or more depending on how much sauce you enjoy.

Place drained tortellini in casserole evenly. Layer chicken and broccoli and top with more sauce and drizzle with Bechamel and some grated cheese or some shredded mozzarella.

Bake 350° uncovered for approximately 30minutes or until cheese has melted.

Serve with a basic salad with Italian dressing 

Delicious !

Cannoli ricotta cake

I decided to be a bit adventurous and topped it with freshly whipped cream.  

****Note:  for the 9” x 13” pan recipe for a thicker layer of ricotta filling DOUBLE the amount of ricotta FILLING.

Home made butter cake topped with fresh ricotta that  I added vanilla, powdered sugar and mini semi sweet morsels.

Note:  I had this last week at a restaurant and we both really enjoyed it so I used my moms butter cake recipe and my cannoli filling recipe to put on top.  I taste tested yumm!

Recipe link below:

Moms Butter cake

I had been to a local restaurant where they served a cake similar to this so I decided to use my moms recipe for butter cake and my ricotta filling to top it.

Note:  you can top with finely chopped colored nuts for the holidays.

I’ll link the recipes below.

Ricotta filling

https://iliketobakeandcook.blogspot.com/2018/12/cannoli-ricotta-or-custard-filled-you.html

 

New recipe Chili w vegetables recipe

Today was a day to play with food.

I added my touch to a recipe I had never used before.

My mother in law when she made chili she would add a can of mixed vegetables to hers.  I never cared for it so when I made chili I would make my version of a recipe I used from the first time I made chili and it involved beef, onion salt and pepper, chili powder and tomato juice.  My original recipe:

https://iliketobakeandcook.blogspot.com/2019/02/basic-chili-con-carne.html

New recipe:
I lb. Ground beef

1 medium onion chopped 

2 carrots chopped or sliced

I tsp. Cumin

1tsp. Chili powder

1tsp. Better than bullion beef seasoning****

1/2 cup water***

I stalk celery chopped 

1tsp. Salt

1large can crushed tomatoes 

1 small red or green or yellow pepper ****

1 can dark kidney beans rinsed and drained 

In a Dutch oven pot place a small amount of vegetable oil.

Place carrot,celery,onion and beef, yellow pepper ,salt and sauté until onion is translucent and beef is browned.

Add tomatoes, Better than bouillon, cumin , chili powder, drained beans and chopped pepper.

Cook on low to medium until it starts to boil.  Cook on low slightly covered for approximately 1hour or more.

Because of the vegetables this recipe will need to be cooked on low until vegetables are tender.

Some fresh bread or crackers to sop up the juice.

Tbis chili is meant to be soupy!

Usually chili is topped with shredded cheese but today I put a dollop of sour cream on mine.  Delicious!!

Enjoy!

Meat sauce with Polenta

Fresh sauce with fine ground beef, pork and veal meat.

6/24/24

10/22/23

This is the Polenta I used.

Our family knows polenta as a traditional Italian meal. It's been around for generations..

Today I'm making it and although it's hot outside we don't care because I (we)are craving it.
 It's going to be awesome! 

I know I've said this many times and I am aware that family budgets are tight but check for sales and try hard to buy the best quality of meat that you can afford.  I truly believe quality meat for this sauce makes a remarkable difference it the taste.

Here is today's recipe:

1 lb. ground beef (85%)
1 lb. ground pork (90%)
2 cubes of basil, garlic and olive oil pesto or several cloves minced garlic and about 1 tsp.dried basil

Note:  I make my own blend with my garlic, basil and olive oil and freeze it by tablespoons in ice cube trays but feel free to either buy a good pesto blend(I do not have any nuts in mine) and use a little of it when you cook your meat.

Salt and pepper according to your taste
1 large can Hunts crushed tomatoes
1 large can Hunts tomato sauce
1 small can organic tomato paste
1 small can water
1 15 oz. can organic tomato sauce
1 carrot cleaned and cut into 3 pieces



In a Dutch place a little olive oil on medium heat.  Add ground meats and cook while breaking meat apart into small to medium pieces.  Once meat has started to brown slightly and there is no longer any pink add garlic/basil pesto , salt and pepper.  Keep stirring until incorporated.  Add small can tomato paste and small can water.  Cook and stir until all starts to bubble slightly.  Add mixture to crockpot that is set on high that you have placed crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and carrot. Stir well, cover and cook two hours on high and then lower heat to low and cook for an additional two hours. Delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Instant Polenta..........It's really good and cooks in 3 minutes.  Polenta is an acquired taste...Most Italians love it. All it is is thickened corn meal.

You can find a box of Polenta at most grocery stores.  The brand I used was was DeLallo
The box has instructions on it and it serves 3  similar to the portion below comfortably.

FYI:  Just a little note from me.  This was the first year I had so much fresh basil so I decided to try using my food processor(you can use a blender too) and using the basil, fresh garlic and olive oil and after blending it all I froze individual tablespoons in ice cube containers.  I had done this before but varied using pine nuts and cheese.  This year with basil so abundant I am good thru next summer.

You may want to next year grow your own basil.  Containers do well and make your own pesto that have so many uses.  You can add more olive oil when making pasta along with a few of these pesto cubes and top with a little grated cheese and you have an easy meal.

From my kitchen to yours,

Original April 2016

Lemon garlic chicken

My own recipe for your enjoyment.

2 large chicken breast halves

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 sliced lemon

2 tsp. Garlic granules 

1/2 tsp. Dried parsley

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup chicken broth 

****Panko crumbs(about 3 tablespoons to sprinkle over chicken while cooking)

In a small bowl place lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and dried parsley. 

Stir to combine.  Add chicken and turn chicken over several times as to coat it.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While chicken is marinating place butter and oil in a deep frying pan.  Once the 30 minutes of marinading is up turn heat to low medium in pan.  It should start to sizzle slightly but not brown. 

Place chicken in pan.  Top with sprinkle of Panko on each side and brown chicken on each side. Remove chicken and set aside.

 The chicken drippings now will be a little brown.  Scrape pan and add chicken broth and stir.  Add cooked chicken.  Top with a slice or two of lemon and cover.  Turn heat to low , COVER and allow liquid to boil slightly. Cook with cover on about 10 to 15 minutes. Place chicken in serving dish and  drizzle drippings over chicken.  Delish!

I served this with Rice R Roni and sour cream cucumbers.  

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