Pasta and Bean Soup

When I was first contemplating on what to title this blog, I didn't realize the economy was going to tank as it did. Luckily, I haven't noticed a mass opening of soup kitchens in the recent months as they did during the great depression...thank goodness. I really entitled this KB's Soup Kitchen because, guess what, I love soup. I love everything about it. I love creating it. I love the aromas wafting through the house on a chilly dismal day. I love making a meal in one pot. I love parking my body on the couch in front of the TV with a big hot mug of fresh made soup. And, let's face it, it's a great way to stretch a buck.

Wednesday was a dark and drizzly day...perfect for soup. So I pulled out one of my Farm Journal cookbooks and started looking for soup recipes. This particular one reminded me of a country version of Pasta Y Fagioli. I made a few tweaks and these are the results. Let's just say it was all gone by the end of the day.

Ingredients

6 slices of bacon

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 cloves garlic minced, grated, or pressed

1 cup baby carrots sliced or chopped

1/2 cup white wine

2 1 lb. cans white beans undrained

1 1 lb. can diced tomatoes undrained

1 cup chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/8 to 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

more chicken broth as needed

1 cup small pasta

Cut the bacon into very small pieces. Fry it up in a large pot (I like to use my Dutch oven for this). Remove to paper towel.

Add the onion, celery, and garlic to the bacon renderings. Saute over medium low heat for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the carrots to the pot and cook for another 5 minutes or so.

Deglaze the pot with the wine. You can also use chicken broth if you prefer. Add the 1 cup of chicken broth, beans, tomatoes, herbs and spices. Heat to boiling, cover, lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove about 2 cups of the soup and puree. Add back to the soup.

Add as much chicken broth as is necessary to cook the pasta. Add the pasta and simmer until the pasta is tender. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Notes: My hubby said this was the best soup I had ever made. My daughter who was here that day hit the pot 3 times. Next time I will double this. And you can certainly use dry beans for this...1 cup for this recipe. If I do say so myself, this was pretty darn good. Enjoy!

Chicken Salad on Croissants and Pasta Salad....Elegant

Yesterday two of my sisters-in-law came to visit, and I wanted to serve them a nice lunch. After all, they made the three hour trip to see us, the least I could do was to feed them well. And chicken salad is one of my favorites! When dressed up it makes an elegant lunch dish. Both of the ladies loved it. Before anyone was allowed to eat though, I had to photograph it for the blog. If it is a loved dish, it has to have its picture taken.

I served the sandwiches with homemade pasta salad, which really added to the menu. My hubby and I were at the store looking for sides to go with the sammies, and he suggested checking out the deli section for salads. I saw the pasta salad and realized I had everything but artichoke hearts to make it myself. So grabbed a couple of small bottles of the marinated hearts (and low and behold! they were on sale...score!) and headed home to finish up the lunch. Here are the two recipes. Now keep in mind...I didn't measure much of anything. I tend to dump. So I will try to guesstimate the proportions.

Chicken Salad on Croissants

2 cans white chicken breast meat I used the 12.5 oz. size from Costco. You could totally use leftover cooked chicken. I just like the texture of the canned for the salad
1/3 to 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/4 t0 1/ cup craisins chopped
1 stalk of celery finely diced
mayo...I don't even know how to you how much. I just add until I like the consistency
2 TBS. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Just mix it all together and spread on sliced croissants. Top with lettuce. This makes about 5 good size sandwiches or 6 smaller ones. You can adjust the proportions to fit your tastes.

Pasta Salad

12 oz. rotini pasta cooked to package directions and rinsed with cold water.
2 6.5 oz. jars marinated artichoke hearts drained....I cut them half lengthwise
1/2 regular size can of black olives sliced...you can munch on the rest while you make the salad
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup finely diced red pepper
Newman's Own Balsamic Vinagrett dressing (or any brand you like)
salt and pepper to taste
lots of fresh grated Parmesan cheese The stuff in the green can works fine for some things...not this

Mix all the ingredients together. Just add the dressing until everything is moist. Don't drown it. Let chill for several hours. You made need to add more dressing when you serve it as the pasta will absorb the dressing.

I served the sandwiches and the salad with chips and a deli pickle. And we were stuffed! This really is a great guest lunch. Enjoy!

Veggie Heaven...Roasted Veggies with Pasta

Just so you know, I haven't neglected my blog because I'm lazy, or because I have nothing to say. I've been a bit busy with worrying and doctor's appointments for my hubby. It turns out that little mass in his lung that I posted about a few weeks ago is cancer...a melanoma to be exact. Who knew that skin cancer can actually be on the inside of the body? There isn't anything on the outside to indicate that he had any problems. So anyway, we're dealing with that now. Waiting to hear about treatments. But since I have to cook, I might as well continue to post.

On to cheerier topics.

I have newly discovered roasting veggies. WOW!!! I love this way of cooking them. I seriously doubt I will ever pot a veggie again. I can't believe how tasty they are. So tonight I decided to combine them with pasta and cheese. I have to say this was really good. The recipe is pretty loosey goosey, but, then, that's what makes cooking so exciting!

Ingredients (subject to change depending on your taste)

2 baking sheets full of assorted veggies cut to uniform size....I used broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, and red peppers but any of your favorites could be used...any squashes, parsnips, turnips, cauliflower, carrots. Well, you get the picture.
EVOO
kosher salt
rosemary or any other herb you like
5-7 large clove garlic chopped
3-4 cups baby spinach
about 1 TBS balsamic vinegar
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated fresh Parmesan
1 pound pasta cooked according to package directions reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid
salt and pepper to taste

This is so super easy, and healthy to boot! Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Adjust the oven racks to the center of the oven. You are going to need both racks.

Drizzle EVOO over the bottoms of the baking sheets and spread to ensure the sheets are thoroughly covered. Place the veggies on the sheets, drizzle more oil generously over them, sprinkle with the chopped garlic, herbs of your choosing, and kosher salt.

Place on 2 racks in the oven and cook for 30 to 40 minutes rotating the racks once

While the veggies are roasting cook your pasta, reserving a cup of the liquid. It's fun to use different shaped pastas for this dish. I used a radiatori. Place the pasta in a HUGE bowl. Quickly wilt the spinach in olive oil and the balsamic vinegar in a large skillet. Add all the veggies and the reserved cooking liquid to the pasta along with the cheeses and any salt and pepper you think you need (I didn't add any), and toss. And there you go! A healthy, delicious and economical meal. All you need (well, maybe not "need") is some yummy bread. Dinner!

This is really versatile. Tonight I sauteed some chopped chicken breasts seasoned with salt, pepper, grill seasoning and garlic powder in olive oil. After they were cooked on the outside I added about 1/2 cup white wine and cooked it until it was reduced a bit. Then I dumped it all into the leftover pasta from last night and heated individual portions in the microwave. And we still have enough for a couple of more meals. But my hubby says that is fine. He was very happy with this dish. If he will eat something more than twice, you know it's good. Enjoy!

Bolognese...Who Knew?

For years I have heard of "Bolognese" sauce, but didn't actually know what it was. I have made "spaghetti" sauce since I was a teenager (before dirt). Back then in the typical WASP household that meant a meat flavored tomato based sauce...emphasis on tomato and usually very saucy. This weekend I decided to venture past my spaghetti boundaries and research bolognese and try it. It was worth seeking out the new.

Bolognese sauce, as the name would lead you to assume, is from Bologna, Italy. It consists of more meat than tomato, and, as a result, is very hardy. The sauce typically has several types of meat. It often has chicken or goose liver added, but I opted out of that one. I looked at several different recipes for the sauce, and then , as I often do, took what I liked from each and went to work. The result was pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. But then, it is pretty hard to go wrong with pasta, meat, and tomatoes.

Ingredients

2 TBS. EVOO
1 medium onion chopped
3 large cloves garlic minced
3 oz. pancetta chopped
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
1 stalk celery chopped
1 cup carrots grated
8 oz. mushrooms sliced (I used crimini but porcini would be good)
1 28 oz. can crushed tomato
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup water with 1 TBS Kitchen Bouquet added (you could use beef broth but I felt this gave
it a richer back flavor)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. pasta...traditionally this is served with a short pasta...I used the Dreamfields penne pasta,
but, hey, if you want to use spaghetti, go for it

You really need a good sized, 5 or 6, quart pot for this. In the pot put in the EVOO. Add the onions, garlic and pancetta. Saute until the pancetta is fairly crisp. Remove the mixture from the pot and set aside. You could do this in a separate skillet, but I just hate having more pans to clean. And you get the added benefit of a little flavor already in the pot. Now, brown the ground beef and sausage. Toss in the rest of the veggies along with the pancetta/onion mixture, mix well, and cook for 5 or 10 minutes to let the flavors blend. Next, add in the tomato products, the wine, and the water/Kitchen Bouquet mix. Stir until mixed well. Let this simmer for about an hour with the lid on. After an hour remove the lid and add the herbs, salt and pepper. Mix again, leave the lid off and simmer for about another hour.

When you feel you have this cooked to your liking (it should be very thick, not runny), cook the pasta al dente, drain, dump it on a big platter (well, you could use a bowl, but I really love the presentation on a platter), and cover with the sauce. For added color and a little extra boost in flavor, top with fresh grated parmesan cheese and a basil chiffonade. Oh, so pretty! Not to mention yummy. This will definitely fill tummies to capacity. Enjoy!

Life and Magic Soup Mac and Cheese Soup

OK, I know that I haven't posted for a bit, but I have reasons. And I think they are pretty good ones. But I'll let you judge for yourselves.

Reason #1....Our oldest grown son has been living with us this summer as he fights oral cancer. He's done with treatments and now the healing begins. It's gonna take awhile, but he's got the stuff to kick this. On a side note...if you didn't watch the "Stand Up 2 Cancer" telethon, you missed something very special. Go there and donate. Anyway, cooking soups for him and doc appointments, etc. have kept me somewhat busy with him.

Reason #2....I try to keep my adorable grandson one day a week to help out his parents.

Reason #3....It seems my husband was feeling neglected and developed a tumor that is hindering his breathing, so now we have all the doc stuff to do with that coming up.

Reason #4....I work for myself as a private in-home tutor, and after taking most of the summer off for family issues I am trying to get build my clientele back to what it was.

As they say, "Man makes plans and God laughs." He must be really killing himself about now.

But amidst the chaos arose what my son calls "the magic soup." See, he had radiation on his neck and mouth and can only handle extremely pureed foods. Yummmm! He still has his taste buds, so I have diligently worked at trying to develop tasty yet smoooooth soups. As I was pondering what to make for him next my little brain had a thought. Mac and cheese are like the ultimate comfort soup, so why not a mac and cheese soup? And I did, and it was yummy, and it goes down my son's gullet with great ease. Thus, the nomer "magic soup."

Now, a few words of warning....this soup is EXTREMELY loaded with fat. That is by design. My son needs as many calories as he can get down. And so far, we have done well in that department. So, with that said, here's the how to of the soup.

Ingredients

1/2 lb. bacon
1/2 large onion sliced in strings
1 TBS. bacon fat (reserved from frying the bacon)
1 TBS. butter
2 1/2 qts. chicken broth or vegetable broth (boullion cubes work well for this)
1 box Dreamfields rotini (or any other small pasta...about 1 lb.)
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
1 qt. half and half or any type of milk you want (I am trying to calorie load)
1/2 cup mild cheddar cheese grated
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
1/2 cup Guyere cheese grated
1/2 pound Velveeta cubed
1 TBS. fresh savory minced
fresh grated nutmeg
fresh ground pepper

For efficiency, have all the cheese grated and herbs minced before you start.

Fry the bacon. When the bacon is done remove it to paper towels to cool while finishing the soup. Drain most of the bacon fat leaving about 1 TBS. Add 1 TBS. butter to skillet and the thinly sliced strings of onion. Caramelize the onion. While the onion is caramelizing, cook the pasta in chicken broth according to package directions. When the pasta is done DO NOT drain. Just leave the pasta in the broth. You will wanted to cook the pasta al dente so it doesn't turn to mush.

Now some juggling comes into play. Before the pasta is finished, make a roux of the butter and flour, then add the onions. Add the half and half slowly, stirring constantly. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened. When thickened add to the broth and pasta. After these are mixed well, add the cheeses fairly slowly, stirring until melted. If it seems a bit thick you can add more liquid. Water seems to work just fine. At the end add the savory, chopped fried bacon, some grated nutmeg (don't get carried away with this...a little goes along way), and fresh pepper. Between the chicken broth and the cheese you most likely won't need to add salt.

This is one of those recipes you can really adjust to fit your tastes. You can use any melty type of cheese, but be sure to include the Velveeta. That gives it the really smooth texture. I used the savory because it is growing in my little window herb garden, and it just smelled like it should go into the soup. The nutmeg really adds a nice touch. And be warned, this makes a huge batch of soup. Be prepared to give some away, although my son wouldn't let me. In fact, come Friday I have to make another batch. Enjoy!

Minestrone

Italian for "big soup" is minestrone. There seems to be no standard recipe for this staple of Italian cuisine, probably because it was considered a poor man's meal made from whatever was available in the garden. It can be made with or without meat. The recipe I use is one I have tweaked a bit that I found in a vegetarian cookbook from Sunset magazine. It is wonderfully hardy and flavorful. And very versatile.

This time I don't have a picture of the ingredients. I took the picture and documented the whole procedure with more pictures. Then I loaded the pictures on the computer, then I deleted them (clumsy fingers) and when I downloaded them again to the computer the one of the ingredients was gone. So, I'm a technitard...I admit it. That means you guys are going to have to figure out what the ingredients are from this picture.

Just kidding!

The Ingredients

3 TBS. olive oil
1-2 onions chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced, grated or pressed
6 cups chopped fresh veggies...here's what I used
zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, turnips, potato,
green beans. You could also use celery, fresh peas,
basically anything in your garden
1 can kidney beans or white beans
1 can garbanzo beans
8 cups vegetable stock (I use bouillon cubes)
1 tsp. each oregano, basil, rosemary (all dry)
6 oz. can tomato paste
1 cup small pasta
2 cups shredded cabbage
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for topping the bowls of soup

This again starts out pretty much the same way as my other soups with sauteeing the onion and garlic in a large soup pot about 5 minutes or so. Something I think a person should always keep in mind when making soup is that nothing is set in stone (unless you are making stone soup...I know, I know). I firmly believe that making soup requires intuition and an understanding of what flavors work together. I give measurements...but I rarely measure. That's probably why I like making soups! Less work. Alright, back to work.

Now that the onions and garlic are all yummy, dump in the broth, the beans with juice, all the veggies, and the spices.

Bring to a simmer, lower heat, cover and cook for 30 minues.
Stir in tomato paste and pasta and continue to cook for about 15 minutes, until pasta is tender.

Now dump all that pretty cabbage into the soup and cook until just wilted. You could also use spinach, chard or kale. It is all in what you prefer. Salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into bowls, top with fresh grated parmesan, and serve with a nice crusty bread. Salut!

Pasta! Pasta!

Who doesn’t love pasta? And how many of us avoid it like the plague? All those carbs and refined flour. Trying to be healthy I have tried the whole wheat pastas, and frankly, they didn’t do it for me. It was similar to eating soggy cardboard. What to do, what to do. Well, hold on to your hats, you can now have your pasta and eat it, too! There is wonderful new pasta available called Dreamfields. It is a low carb, low glycemic index pasta that actually tastes great. It has twice the fiber of regular pasta and only 5 grams of digestible carbs. I don’t totally understand how it works (science is not my strong suit). The pasta is coated with something called inulin that prevents all but 5 grams of carbohydrates from being digested. I guess digesting carbs is what makes them bad. The pasta also barely raises blood sugar. Diabetics swear by this pasta.


I LOVE this stuff!! I use it exclusively in anything that calls for pasta. One of the best things about the pasta is it doesn’t absorb liquid the way other pastas do...like when you make a pasta salad of some type, and by the time you get to eating it, the pasta has absorbed the dressing. I have not had that issue with the Dreamfields.


One down side...it is tough to find. There are 6 varieties, but the stores that do carry it usually on carry a couple. The pasta can be ordered on line...but I want to be able to get it when I want it.


So, we need to unite forces. Everyone needs to try these wonderful pastas and spread the word. Then inundate your grocery stores with requests for it. Be cooks on a mission. Get that pasta available everywhere! Pasta lovers everywhere, UNITE!!!


And here’s the link so that you can learn all about the pasta, get recipes, and coupons, and even order.


WE can have PASTA and be HEALTHY.