Italian Soup in a Flash (Minestrone with crazy fun pasta)

Courtesy of wholefoodsmarket.com.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dry pasta, shapes or noodles (broken if long pasta)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can beans, kidney or great northern
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, roasted or with Italian seasoning
• dried Italian seasonings (basil, oregano, etc.)
• black pepper
• 4 ounces fresh or frozen spinach (about 4 cups fresh)
• veggies of your choosing
• ground meats

Steps:

1) Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2) While pasta cooks, pour the broth into a medium-large saucepan and gently heat to a boil over a medium-high flame. When broth is boiling, add entire can of beans, liquid included. Then add canned tomatoes. Sprinkle with Italian seasonings and black pepper. Bring to a simmer.  Add veggies and meats.

3) Just before serving, add the spinach and heat until it is bright green.

4) Place pasta, about 1 cup per serving, in soup bowls. Ladle tomato bean soup on top and serve.

Comments: It's just good.

Rating: 5 high fives (out of 5)

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cheese

Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine (Dec. 07, pg. 205)

Ingedients:
1 (1-pound) package uncooked ziti (short tube-shaped pasta)
1 pound hot turkey Italian sausage links
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (14.5 ounce) cans petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Steps:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2) Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta; set aside.

3) REmove casing from sausage. Cook sausage, onion, and garlic in a large nonsitck skillet over medium heat until sausage is browned, stirring to crumble. Add tomato paste, salt, black pepper, and diced tomatoes to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4) Combine cooked pasta, sausage mixture, and basil. Place half of te pasta mixture in a 4-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with half of mozzarella and half of Parmesan. Repeat layers. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Makes 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups).

Comments: This makes a whole lot. Yummy and perfect for Italian night. Can also use turkey sausage.

Rating:
5 high fives (out of 5)

Sirloin and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine (Dec. 07, pg. 272)

Ingedients:

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (1-lb) sirloin steak, trimmed and thinly sliced

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

3/4 cup fat-free, less sodium beef broth

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoonns canols oil

1 cup (1/4 inch thick) diagonally cut slices carrot

1 cup broccoli florets

1 1/2 cups snow peas, trimmed

3 cups hot cooked rice

*we added 1 cup of water chestnuts and 1 cup of sliced mushrooms

Steps:

• Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well; sprinkle evenly over steak. Combine cornstarch, sugar, and red pepper in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in broth and soy sauce.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet (or wok, right? that's what we used) over medium-high heat (and then it gets real fun). Add carrot to pan; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add steak and broccoli (we threw in the water chesnuts and mushrooms here, too); stir-fry 1 minute. Stir in both mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add snow peas; cook 30 seconds or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with rice (or quinoa).

Makes 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups beef mixture and 3/4 cup rice).

Comments: This was our second time and dang we are so proud. Next time we'll see how it does with chicken.

Rating:

5 high fives (out of 5)

The Adams Street Sandwich

About:

Ever have a bad night? Feel like eating when you wake up? This sandwich is the solution to your problems! Last Wednesday was a pretty bad night for me, and when I am upset I like to eat out. The first thing I thought about for breakfast was the Freret Street Sandwich at Freret Street Cafe. Bread, sausage, eggs, cheese...yummmmm. Problem: I made a resolution not to eat out as much in 2008. One quick trip to Whole Foods Market later, I was being treated, by Travis, to the newly-created Adams Street Sandwich. This recipe is neither economical nor healthy, but it is special-occasion worthy and delicious.

Ingredients:

Shelton's Turkey Sausage Patties (6)

Michael Gagne's Robinhood Free Meetinghouse Cream Cheese Biscuits-Five Herb Parmesan (6)

Eggs

American Cheese slices

Steps:

1. Grease a baking pan. Cook the biscuits according to directions. Allow 30 minutes for cooking.


2. When the biscuits have about ten minutes left, start the sausages (grease the pan here, too). Cook according to directions, approximately 20 minutes, in an uncovered pan.


3. When the sausage patties are near finished, lay one slice of American Cheese on each patty. Cook until cheese is melted, about 30 seconds.


4. Cook eggs however you want. I like them omelet-style so they don't fall out of the sandwich.


5. When everything is done, slice the biscuit and put the goodies inside!


6. Enjoy! And feel better!

Comments: The only drawback with these sandwiches is the biscuits are small in diameter, making it hard to eat!

Rating: 4.5/5

Chicken Souvlaki

Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine
(Dec. 07, pg. 296)


About:

"In Greece, souvlaki typically refers to skewers of grilled lamb. In America, chicken is more common, and it's often served in pita bread. Precooked chicken makes these sandwiches a snap to prepare. Serve with tabbouleh."

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1-1/4 teaspoons bottled minced garlic, divided
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 cups sliced roasted skinless, boneless chicken breast
4 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup chopped peeled cucumber
1/2 cup chopped plum tomato
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

Steps:

1. Combine feta cheese, yogurt, dill, 1 teaspoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic in small bowl, stirring well.


2. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon garlic and oregano to pan, and saute for 20 seconds. Add chicken, and cook for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.


3. Place 1/4 cup chicken mixture in each pita half, and top with 2 tablespoons yogurt mixture, 2 tablespoons shredded lettuce, 1 tablespoon cucumber, and 1 tablespoon tomato. Divide onion evenly among pitas.
   

Makes 4 servings (serving size 2 stuffed pita halves). Comment if you would like the nutrition info emailed to you.

Comments: We are impressed with how easy it was to make. The yogurt sauce was delicious, and makes me want to learn how to cook more Greek food. We did not have tabbouleh, but in the future we will definitely have a side dish planned.

Rating:
4 (out of 5)