Lasagna Soup

What You Need:

12 lasagna noodles broken up into little pieces

1 pound of ground beef

1 pound of sausage

1 medium onion cut in half and sliced in pieces

4 garlic cloves chopped

1 6oz can of tomato paste

1 tablespoon of oregano

1 tablespoon of thyme

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon of Salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

4 cups and 3/4 of chicken stock

1/2 cup of heavy cream

Ricotta Dumpling’s so good

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning

A few pinches or fresh chopped parsley

Steps:

1: In a large dutch oven pot sauté the onions with the olive oil, garlic, oregano, and thyme until softened.

2. In a separate pot cook the lasagna noodles as directed, drain, and set aside.

3. In the Dutch oven add both the ground beef and sausage, the salt and pepper, and cooking until all brown and mixed well. Drain the fat.

4. Next add the tomato paste, the can of crushed tomatoes, some chopped fresh parsley, and the chicken stock. Allow to simmer for 20 mins.

5. While the soup is simmering, in a small mixing bowl add the ingredients for the ricotta dumplings and mix throughly. Set aside. Taste it, it’s so good! Would be great on Bruschetta too!

6. Add the heavy cream and mix well. Then add the lasagna noodles and simmer for 5 mins.

7. Serve in bowls with dollops of the ricotta mixture.

Enjoy!

Chicken And Mushroom Pasta In A Heavy Cream Sauce

Servings: 6-8

What You Need:

1 12oz bag of wide egg noodles

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1/2 cup chopped white onion

1-2 teaspoons of garlic (fresh or jar)

1 small package of mushrooms

3/4 cup of chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper for taste

2 cups of sharp white cheddar cheese shredded

2 cups chopped chicken or 1 rotisserie chicken shredded

Chopped fresh Italian parsley for garnish (optional)

Steps:

1. Boil a medium to large pot of water. When water is boiling add a few dashes of salt and then cook pasta according to directions. Reserving 3/4 cup of pasta water.Set aside when done.

2. In a large skillet melt butter and sauté onion and garlic until tender.

3. Add mushrooms and continue to sauté until cooked and tender.

4. Add chicken stock, heavy cream, cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Mix until smooth and cheese is completely melted.

5. Stir in the chicken and pasta in the sauce and add the pasta water. Turn off heat and mix well, allowing to sit for little for sauce to thicken.

6. Serve with a salad and garlic bread.

Enjoy!

**** This taste amazing the next day too! ****

Spinach And Cheese Tortelloni With Roasted Broccoli, Salami, Parmesan Cheese, And Olive Oil

Had one of those nights where I really just needed to use what I had. Threw all of this together and it was so flavorful and delicious!

When it comes to the ingredients you can always had less or more. You want more Parmesan cheese, add more! More garlic? Garlic it up! This is just the gist! Get creative and have fun!

What You Need:

1 family size bag of spinach and cheese tortelloni (20 oz found in the frozen food aisle)

2 heads of broccoli chopped and broken into smaller pieces

A handful of salami cut into strips (snack size work just fine)

1 tomato diced or a handful of cherry tomatoes (whatever you have)

Jarred minced garlic (3-4 tablespoons)

Parmesan cheese (1/4 to 1/2 cup)

Salt, pepper, chili flakes, fresh rosemary (fresh is best)

Olive oil

1-2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

Steps:

1. Place chopped broccoli on a pan sheet with foil. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red chili flakes. Add 2 tablespoons of garlic. Mix well until all combined. Add more olive oil if necessary. Bake at 400 for 15 mins.

2. Cook the tortelloni as directed.

3. Once the broccoli is done, add the salami strips and tomatoes and cook for an additional 5 mins. Just so it’s warm and a little soft.

4. Place the tortelloni in a large bowl and add the butter. Once melted add the roasted broccoli mixture. Next add Parmesan cheese, fresh rosemary, and drizzle some more olive oil. (I also added just a bit of sea salt.)

Enjoy with a glass of red wine! Some crusty bread with butter would be so good with this too!

This is what the bag looks like. It’s so good!
About to go into the oven. Olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and chili flakes.
A lot going on, but believe me so many good flavors!

Enjoy!

Naked Pasta With Grape Tomatoes, Spinach, And Rotisserie Chicken

Servings: 4-6

What You Need:

6 tablespoons of A Hearty Olive Oil

1 tablespoon of jarred minced garlic

2 generous handfuls of grape tomatoes cut into halves

A bouquet of fresh spinach chopped lightly (the Spinach will shrink)

About 8oz (half of a 16oz packet) of thin Spaghetti (I used ‘American Beauty’)

Salt, pepper, and rosemary for taste

1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese (give or take)

Note: use my measurements as a guide. If you want less, do less. If you want more, do more. Cooking is about experimenting and getting creative!

Steps:

1. Fill a pot with water and turn on to a high-medium heat. In the meantime add 2 tablespoons (two times around the pan) of olive oil with minced garlic and grape tomatoes in a skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until tomatoes are soft and garlic becomes caramelized on a medium high setting. Add tomatoes and garlic to 2 1/2 qt dish. Keep stove on.

2. When water begins to boil, add a few good shakes salt into the water (at least 1 tablespoon. It is possible to over salt pasta water) break pasta noodles in half and add to simmering pot.

3. Add spinach to skillet with leftover garlic, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until just a little wilted. Will begin to shrink fast, watch closely. Add spinach into dish with tomatoes.

4. While pasta is still cooking, shred the rotisserie chicken and add to dish with tomatoes, garlic, and spinach.

5. Once pasta is complete (no white in the middle of the noodle) drain, and add noodles to dish.

6. Add remaining olive oil, add Parmesan cheese and mix well. Top with Rosemary.

Suggested Sides: Caesar salad and toasted French bread with olive oil and garlic.