Souper Woman

Happy New Year! Yes, I'm a little late, with that greeting, but I've been on (a self awarded) winter break, lounging in my pajamas, hanging out with family and playing with my son. I haven't picked up my camera since Christmas except to snap a few photos of the sunset or Hayden and it's been quite nice. I'm ready to get back in the kitchen though and start playing with sugar and flour again-- so many recipes, so little time. 

I came up with this recipe awhile back and I've made it several times. My hubs is not a soup lover so we don't eat much of it, but he actually requests this one often. Sometimes, he doesn't even say anything, he just jots down the ingredients on our grocery list and I know he's having a craving. My 17 year old brother even liked it so much, he ate 2 1/2 bowls of it and kindly requested I write the recipe down for him (on his iPhone) so he could replicate it. If that's not a sign of a good recipe, I don't know what it. Of course, he had my mom make it and was no where to be found when she was in the kitchen, but he had the best of intentions :-).  There are few ingredients in this soup, but it's so flavorful. Served with crusty bread, this is a hearty, but healthy meal. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. 

Sausage, Spinach and Tortellini Soup from Monica h

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• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, undrained
• 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 32 ounces chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 9 ounces fresh Buitoni cheese tortellini
• kosher salt to taste

In a heavy bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant. Add the sausage to the pot, breaking it up into crumbles; cook thoroughly. 

Add the diced tomatoes, spinach, chicken broth and water. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. 

Bring the mixture to a boil then add the fresh pasta. Cook according to package directions (5-10 minutes) or until pasta is tender. Season with salt to taste. Serve. 

A Dip Recipe and A Chinet Bakeware Giveaway!

The month of November has slipped on by me without me noticing it. How is it possible that Thanksgiving is next week? It was 82 degrees here a couple days ago and I've been seeing Christmas stuff filling up the stores. It just doesn't feel right. I'm not ready! Surely I'm not the only one? I'd love to have a lineup of Thanksgiving sides and dessert ideas for you, but that's just not going to happen. Instead I have one delicious dip for you that you can serve to your guests while watching the ball game and enjoying a cold beer. That's better than green been casserole, any day. 

I was asked by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board to come up with an original idea for a dip containing dairy. I brainstormed a bit with my mom and my friend Maranda, from Jolts and Jollies and we came up with  this Cheesy Ranch BLT Dip. It's loaded with spinach, tomatoes, bacon, held together with a healthy serving of Mozzarella and cream cheese and seasoned with Ranch dressing and fresh garlic. Served atop a a sliced baguette, this was like the classic sandwich kicked up a few notches. Maranda and I came up with several ideas for dips that we wanted to make so she decided to throw herself an impromptu birthday party and asked people to bring a dip along with them. I brought two dips- this hot BLT dip and Mr. H :-) It was great fun, we laughed, made new friends and no one went home hungry- Happy birthday Manna!

Cheesy Ranch BLT Dip from Monica h

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Serves 8

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 box (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 8 oz. (2 cups) Mozzarella cheese, freshly grated
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup diced tomato, seeded
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 3 Tablespoons Ranch dressing powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Dice bacon into 1/2-inch pieces and cook over medium-high heat til crisp. Remove bacon from the grease with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on a paper towel lined plate. 

In a large bowl, combine spinach, cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups of the grated Mozzarella, cooked bacon, mayonnaise, tomato, garlic and Ranch dressing powder. Using a rubber spatula, mix until well combined. Scrape mixture into the prepared dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle the top with the remaining half cup of Mozzarella. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Serve with a sliced baguette or crackers. 

Earlier this year, I did a review of Chinet Bakeware and loved it. Anytime I have a gathering to go to or if I'm taking a dish to a friend, I now bake it in these wonderful pans. You can read my review of the product HERE, if you'd like. Since the holidays are right around the corner, Chinet has graciously offered to give one of my readers a set of disposable Chinet Bakeware. One lucky reader will receive a set of each of the sizes pictured in the photo above. 

All you have to do is tell me what your favorite Thanksgiving food is by leaving me a comment on this post. Please leave a way for me to contact you if you win. I will select a winner this week. Offer valid to residents of the USA only. Good luck!

"Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner?" Cookbook Review & Giveaway

Two savory recipes in a row! No, I'm not sick and yes, I have more sweetness coming your way, but first I have a cookbook to share with you- Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner? by Lisa Caponigri. This is such a clever book. The concept behind this book is bringing back Sunday dinner. "Fifty-two menus are presented in the Italian tradition: an antipasto (usually a crostini to pass at the table), a primo (first course: almost always a pasta), a secondo (call it the main course) served with a single contorno (side dish) and finally, dessert. Every menu is different; not a single repeated."

Sunday dinner according to Lisa is not just about eating. It's about getting the family together in the kitchen and dividing up the tasks so that everyone is involved and contributing to the family meal, whether it's by chopping, baking, stirring or setting the table. "Sunday dinner doesn't have to be elaborate, just delicious." There are 260 recipe in this book to choose from. Obviously you don't have to follow each menu as written; you can mix and match recipes from different menus to create your perfect meal. The idea is to get comfortable in the kitchen, eat, linger at the table, relax and share the highlights of your week. "Sunday dinner is irreplaceable, the meeting place of memories that will last a lifetime."

You can feel Lisa's passion for Sunday dinner through her family photos, words and menus. As I read about her love of food and family, I started planning my own Sunday dinners. We often have Sunday dinner at my mom's house, but that usually means my mom does most of the cooking and I provide dessert. We all sit down together, share stories and laughter and enjoy a great meal. But I realized after reading Lisa's stories that we could all help out a little more and make it more of a family activity.  

I flipped through page after page of this book. The recipes are enticing and the photos are gorgeous. This really is a handsome book, and hefty at that. And because there is so much variety, you could cook through it all throughout the week, not just on Sundays. I chose to make Pasta alla Carbonara and Pesto Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes, only to simplify things I used store bought pesto because it's what I had on hand. I made the pasta recipe as written but I added my thoughts and notes below. Both were delicious and easy enough to make on a  busy weekday. To win a copy of "Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner?" scroll down. 

Pasta Alla Carbonara- Pasta with Eggs and Bacon

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Recipe serves 8, but can easily be halved-

• 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter* (see note)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound thick-sliced bacon or pancetta, cut into 1-inch pieces
• head of garlic, separated into cloves and chopped
• 2 pounds of spaghetti
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups grated pecorino romano 
• freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the olive oil. Add the bacon and garlic and cook until the bacon is very crisp, taking care not to burn the garlic* (see note). Remove the bacon and garlic from the skillet, using a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. 

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, beat together the eggs, cheese, and pepper to taste. Stir in the bacon and garlic. 

Drain the pasta and add to the bowl. Toss until the pasta is well coated with the eggs and cheese mixture and serve immediately. 

NOTE: I didn't find that cooking the bacon and garlic in butter and olive oil was necessary. It just resulted in a lot of grease in a pan that had to be thrown away. The bacon yields a lot of fat on it it's own- next time, I'd crisp up the bacon then just before it's done, add the garlic. I found cooking the garlic along with the bacon just overcooked it.

Pomodorini Ripieni Di Pesto- Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed with Pesto

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• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 5 Tbsp. pine nuts
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano
• 1 pound cherry tomatoes

Place the basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, salt, olive oil, and Pecorino in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. If the pesto is too thick for your taste, add a little more olive oil. 

Cut the tops off the tomatoes. With a small spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp, taking care not to puncture the skin. Fill the tomatoes with the pesto and serve at room temperature. 

NOTE: Don't use grape tomatoes to make this- they won't stand upright and the filling will spill out.

To win a copy of "Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner?" by Lisa Caponigri all you need to do is leave me a comment below telling me about your family meals. It doesn't have to be Italian, it can be anything. Do you have a tradition of getting the family together on a regular basis, cooking and eating? Tell me about it! 

Be sure to leave your contact info so if you win I know how to get a hold of you. I'll announce a winner next week and ship the book out. One comment per person, please. Giveaway open to US residents only. Good luck!

My little helper!

One Cannot Survive On Sweets Alone

We interrupt this sweet fest to bring you a savory, very tasty meal! No, there's not any a stick of butter and a cup of sugar in this recipe, but it is darn delicious so don't go yet! I've wanted to make Penne with Vodka sauce for years now. I once saw Rachael Ray make it on her show and she said this meal would turn your boyfriend into your husband. Well, I don't know about all that, but this recipe is a keeper and the men in your life will love it. I didn't plan it this way, but it might be a good dish to celebrate Father's Day too. 

Uncle Aaron and Hayden acting silly after nap time

Y'all, I've been crazy busy lately. I know I say that a lot, but this little guy is wearing me out! He's such a little busy body and is into EVERYTHING these days. He grabs and must touch all things around him. He's crawling and rolling all over the place and exploring. He pulled the DVD player out of the entertainment center the other night and as of the 1st, when he turned 9 months old (how is that possible?!) he cut his first tooth and discovered his boy parts. heehee :-) See, I told you he's been busy! He's also been experiencing some separation anxiety and had been ultra clingy which makes night time tough because he's waking up several times a night looking for me, which results in a sleepy baby throughout the day....and a sleepy momma.

I have been cooking and baking, but haven't really been picking up my camera other than to take pictures of Hayden. I've made this vodka penne a few times now and it goes so fast there's never any leftovers. As you've guessed it, there is vodka in the sauce. I bought a small inexpensive bottle since it's not something I drink, but it's been the perfect size for this recipe. This recipe takes a basic marinara sauce and kicks it up with the addition of the vodka, which adds a smoky robust flavor to it. It's just so full of flavor but you don't really taste the strong aspect of the alcohol- it just blends so nicely. It's slightly spicy and garlicky and just so good. Have I mentioned that already?

Vodka Penne / Penne alla Vodka

adapted from Lidia Bastianich via Picky Cook 

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• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 12 oz can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 - 8 garlic cloves - minced
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup vodka plus 2 tablespoons to put in at the end
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning  ( I used Emeril's Essence)
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 pound penne - cooked just shy of al dente

In a large pan, heat the olive oil and saute garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, all purpose seasoning, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 5 - 6 minutes.

Add the 1/2 cup of vodka and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add cream, butter and Parmesan and stir to combine. Let simmer for a couple minutes. Add the final 2 tablespoons of vodka.

Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Let cook in sauce for few minutes.

Serve with additional Parmesan.

Serves 6 - 8

The first time I made this recipe, I made it as written, and then the times after that I added cooked and crumbled Italian sausage to it. My husband is a big meat eater so he, of course, loved this addition. However you make it, it will be good. Serve it with a big crisp green salad, some crusty bread and pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy!

"Simply Suppers" Cookbook Review and Giveaway!

I have a delicious and simple side dish recipe for you today. A couple months ago I was contacted by Katherine at Thomas Nelson and she wanted to send me a cookbook for review. The book was titled Simply Suppers by Jennifer Chandler. This sounded perfect for me because at the time, I just had surgery and was recovering. I didn't have much energy or the desire to cook. But when my body was feeling up to it again, I grabbed this book off the shelf and read each and every page, mentally bookmarking recipes and drooling along the way.

This book is categorized into several chapters including, but not limited to Soups, Meat, Pasta, Sandwiches, Grains and Vegetables. It is mostly comprised of savory meals and sides, but there is a section of Sweet Endings which has recipes for Double Decker Peach Cobbler, Banana Pudding Pie, Tarts and Cakes. Every single recipe is accompanied by a photo so you'll know what your food is supposed to look like. That also helps when trying to decide what to make. A few other useful sections in this book are 30 in about 30 (you guessed it, 30 recipes made in about 30 minutes), 10 Leftover Chicken Makeovers (recipes in the book you can make using a rotisserie chicken) and 20 Freezer Go-To's (recipes from the book that freeze well).

I chose to make Parmesan Roasted Tomatoes (p.189) as a side dish to brown rice and Pesto Parmesan Chicken. It was a fantastic meal if I do say so myself. Even Mr. H agreed with me and he's not a big fan of Parm. I made a couple adaptations to the recipes but rather than altering the recipe, I just made my changes in italics below. This would be a great recipe to make any time of year because roasting them makes them sweeter and taste like Summer even if the tomatoes aren't so ripe. After roasting, the tomatoes became soft and the flavor intensified. The tomatoes burst in your mouth, but the topping was crispy and garlicky. I could eat a whole bowl of just crumbs, they were that good! I'm looking forward to trying other recipes from this book, because if they're half as good as these tomatoes, I'm in for a treat.

Parmesan Roasted Tomatoes from Simply Suppers by Jennifer Chandler

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• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I used 1 Tablespoon dried parsley)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 6 large ripe tomatoes, cut in half horizontally
• kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 395 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl stir together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic parsley and oregano until well combined.

Place the tomato halves in a shallow baking dish, sliced side up. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste. (I added the salt and pepper to the bread crumb mixture).

Sprinkle the tops of the tomatoes with the Parmesan bread crumb mixture. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the tomatoes. (I mixed the olive oil in with the bread crumbs so they'd stick together and create a crisper topping).

Bake until the topping is golden, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

NOTE: Since this recipe was part of a cookbook review I didn't want to alter the original recipe. Instead I added my changes to the recipe in blue italics.

Katherine from Thomas Nelson also wants to give away 3 copies of Simply Suppers for you to enjoy! All you have to do is leave me a comment on this post telling me what your favorite side dish is.

Anyone and everyone is eligible to win. Just be sure to leave me your contact info so I can contact you if you win. One entry per person please.

I'll reveal the (3) winners next Tuesday, May 10. Good luck!

A Miraculous Meatless Meal

I was raised in cattle country so naturally, I like meat. Mr. H is certainly not a vegetarian and I don't think he'd ever become one because he likes his steak too much. Now, I'm not going to get into how we like it cooked because I might gross some people out and that is not my intention here, but my point is we are carnivorous beings and like it like that. We seldom eat a meatless meal, but when I came across this Rustic Tomato Tart on Baking and Creating with Avril, I was intrigued.

The tart remained in the back of my mind but I was a tad bit apprehensive about it because I knew Mr. H would miss his protein. Then I saw it again a couple weeks later on Maranda's Jolts & Jollies and it sealed the deal. I was definitely making this tart! It was fairly simple and it was really tasty. And the best part is, with a side salad, this makes the perfect meal.

Mr. H didn't complain once about the missing steak on his plate, which was a relief to me. But if you have a die hard meat lover in your household, some crumbled Italian sausage, salami or sliced pepperoni would be delicious in this. Or you could try making two smaller tarts, one with meat and one without and do a little taste test to see which you prefer. The crust is flaky and the filling has a kick from the garlic and mustard, while the cheese is ooey, gooey, stretchy and delicious. Don't wait as long as I did to make this.

Rustic Tomato Tart adapted from Avril and Maranda

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For The Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 4 Tablespoons butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 2-3 Tablespoons cold water

For The Filling:

• 3 Tablespoons Dijon or whole-grain mustard
• 2-3 large fresh tomatoes 0r 5 Roma tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons dried herbs (I used basil, parsley and oregano)
• kosher salt
• pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

For crust: Mix salt and flour in medium bowl. With pastry cutter cut in chilled butter until mixture has a cornmeal consistency.

In separate bowl, lightly beat egg; add 2 Tablespoons water.

Make a well in center of flour mixture and pour egg mixture in the well; mix until well incorporated and a non-sticky dough forms. If dough is still too dry, add third Tablespoon of water.

Knead dough into a ball, transfer to parchment paper or a Silpat; roll out into a 14 inch circle. Transfer parchment paper or Silpat and dough to a rimmed baking sheet.

For Filling: Spread mustard over the unbaked crust until well covered, leaving about an 1 1/2-inch border.

Slice tomatoes and arrange in a single layer in the center of crust. Scatter freshly minced garlic over tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt, red pepper flakes and dried herbs.

Top with sliced mozzarella; sprinkle with a bit more salt, pepper flakes and basil.

Bring edges of crust up over the edges of tomato and cheese.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is brown and bubbly.

Allow to cool about 10 minutes, slice into wedges with a pizza cutter and enjoy!

oh, Lordy!

Summer Sandwiches

This is not really a post with recipes. I just wanted to show you the sandwiches that we've eaten recently that we've really enjoyed. It's so hot out and there are nights that I don't want to turn the oven on so we turn to sandwiches. Besides them being easy to whip up, they're totally quick and customisable and they're good for lunch or dinner.

Both of these sandwiches are served on OroWeat OatNut Bread. This first sandwich is lightly toasted bread then slathered with Hellman's mayo on each slice of bread. On one slice I added a handful of sweet baby greens, 2 slices of crisp bacon, cut in half, then one hard boiled egg, sliced and seasoned with salt and pepper. A spoonful of garlic pesto tops the remaining slice of bread. We had these again for dinner last night so I had to share them with you- so good!

For tips on how to cook a perfect boiled egg, go HERE.

The second sandwich was a result of a craving. What else is new? It's basically a BLT sandwich with a cornmeal crusted Fried Green Tomato in place of the red tomato slices. Toasted bread with a slather of mayo, sweet baby greens, 2 slices of crisp bacon, 2 slices of fried green tomatoes. I coated the tomato slices with buttermilk and spices (salt, garlic powder and cayenne pepper) then dipped them in seasoned cornmeal then pan fried them til golden. We served these with a side of even more fried green tomatoes and ranch dressing. yes, ma'am.

These are our favorite sandwiches right now, besides the usual turkey/cheddar or gooey grilled muenster cheese. Of course we can't forget about the fried egg topped ham and cheese or the Cuban sandwich or the egg salad sandwich either!

What is on your favorite sandwich?

Burgers For Dad

Do you have plans for Father's Day? I think we're going to have Mr. H's parents over for dinner or we may go out to eat at a cute new cafe we just discovered. Not entirely sure yet. My father does not live here and our relationship has deteriorated over the last few years so it will probably be just us four and the doggies :-) I'll stop by to see my step dad and send my grandpa a card but one thing I know for sure is that we will be celebrating my husband and father-in-law this coming weekend.

These burgers would be great to serve for your favorite Dad on Sunday. They're a nice twist on the "regular" burger and they're just as simple but so much better! The bruschetta topping on this burger is what makes it extra special and tasty. It consists of diced tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil and parm cheese- good stuff! I found these burgers on Debby's A Feast For The Eyes. I've seen these burgers on her site before but she recently reminded me of them again and I made them the very next day. We loved them.

We like our burger patties cooked to medium, with a little pink on the inside but even if these were cooked all the way through , they'd still be good. Just don't cook them til they're tough like shoe leather- that's the only thing that could ruin this burger. ha ha! The meat was juicy and flavorful but the star was the bruschetta. The tomatoes were fresh and summery tasting, then you got a little punch from the grated garlic and saltiness from the cheese. I made some pesto mayo to slather on the buns and that finished them off perfectly. Make these this weekend, they'll be a hit, I'm sure! Thanks Debby!

Bruschetta Burgers adapted from A Feast For The Eyes

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Serves 3-4

Bruschetta Topping:

• 2 ripe tomatoes on the vine, seeded
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil or basil puree
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• pinch of kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

Pesto Mayo:

• 3 Tablespoons good mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon prepared pesto

Beef Patties:

• Ground beef, seasoned only with salt & pepper
• Mozarella or Provolone cheese, to melt on the burger

For the bruschetta: Mix all the ingredients together except salt. Add salt right before topping the burgers so the tomatoes don’t get watery. Set aside.

For the pesto mayo: In a small bowl, mix the pesto and mayo together. Set aside.

For the burgers: Season your ground beef with salt and pepper, then form them into patties of your desired weight. (We prefer 1/3 pound burgers so I made 3 patties, if you don't want them as thick, you can make 4 quarter pound burgers). Cook burgers to your liking either on the grill or on the stove top. Once cooked to your desired internal temperature, place cheese on top of burgers while they're still hot so it melts on the patty.

Assembly: Toast buns or foccacia then generously spread on pesto mayo. Top the bottom bun with patty then scoop bruschetta on top of that. Sandwich it all together with the top bun and eat up.

Yummers!