Pasta Fagioli!

The executive chef (EC) of my food blog sent me this recipe yesterday. He is a more advanced chef than myself, as he has some years on me, but he is a great contribution to this blog ;-) He's my dad... hee hee! And he is a phenominal chef!

So here is a fantastic winter recipe... Enjoy!!

Pasta Fagioli

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 -3 pieces of Pancetta bacon cut into small pieces
2 cloves garlic
2 cans cannelloni beans
1 qt chicken stock
1 lb ditilini pasta (small tubes)
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon Rosemary

1 teaspoon Thyme

1 tablespoon Basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Add olive oil to medium high heat pan. Brown pancetta until crispy.

2. Add garlic and brown - be careful not to burn. If there is a bitter flavor you have burnt the garlic.

3. Rinse and drain beans. Add beans and herbs to pan. Coof for approximately 10 minutes or until beans are softened.

4. Remove 1 cup of beans and purree in a food processor.

5. Return bean purree to mix. Add tomoatoes and chicken stock and let boil.

6. When the soup has reached a boil, turn the burner to a low heat and let simmer for 30 mintues.

7. In a seperate pan, cook pasta per directions. Do not rinse!

8. Add cooked pasta to soup and stir.

9. Add fresh grated Parmesean cheese and Enjoy!

Mangia!!

Butternut Squash Soup!

So I found this great website off of 20 something bloggers and I thought I would just give you a link. I haven't actually tried this recipe but it looks really good. Especially on a cold day like today!

Check it out!

http://www.wearenotmartha.com/2008/01/butternut-squash-soup.html

Thanks again girls, at We are Not Martha!

Deceptively Delicious Potato Soup

So, it finally got cold last night and I was NOT in the mood for anything... really. I knew I would be hungry (being pregnant does that to ya) but I didn't know what I wanted. I searched in pantry, that pretty much had nothing, then I searched in our fridge, and came up with Buttermilk, garlic, and cheese? Potato Soup is all I came up with.

I got the recipe from Deceptively Delicious but to be honest I didn't really care for it. Now, I do

have to preface this by saying, I have never eaten potato soup so... I don't really know if it was good or not? My hubs liked it so I thought I would share it with you and if you try it out... let me know? I did add a couple things, but they can be removed if you are a vegitarian.

Potato Soup

Serves 8

4 Slices of bacon
1 small onion
1 clove garlic, cut in half
2 (14 ounce) cans reduce fat, low-sodium chicken broth
2 pounds potatoes, and kind, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup cauliflower puree
1 1/2 cups butternut squash or carrot puree
1 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (optional)
store bought croutons (optional)

Cook bacon in medium heat pan until very crispy. Remove bacon and remove grease, leaving 2 teaspoons of drippings. Add onion and garlic to drippings, and cook, stiffing occasionally, until onion is soft but not brown, 5-6 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic!

Add broth and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Carefully spoon mixture into a blender or food processor and add the vegetable purees, buttermilk and salt. Puree until smooth. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cheese, bacon, and croutons.

*Here is what I found out... after you blend everything it comes out very fluffy, like there is a lot of air in it. If you like that texture, serve. If not, I would put it back in the pan, I would turn it on low and stir to release some of that air.
*Also, be careful if you don't have low-sodium chicken broth. Do not add salt until you have tasted it.

Enjoy... or at least... tell me what you think!

Homemade Chicken Soup

Since it is getting cold here in Texas I thought a soup recipe would be fitting. This soup is great for kids, colds, or husbands that you just want to shut up ;-) My mom makes it for me everytime I get sick!

Momma's Chicken Soup
Serving Size 2

1 Bone In Chicken Breast
2 Boxes Organic Chicken Broth
2 tblspn Butter
2 cloves Garlic
1 Onion (chopped)
3 Carrots (chopped)
3 Celery Stalks (chopped)
2 Eggs
1 Package of Pastinas (small round pasta)
Pepper and Salt to taste

Salt and Pepper chicken and place in Dutch oven. Brown Chicken in dutch oven or large pan over medium-high heat. That should take abotu 10 minutes on each side. The inside will not be cooked. Remove chicken from pot.

Add Butter, garlic, onion, celery, and carrots to pot. Let cook for 10 minutes being careful not to let the garlic or onions brown, make sure to stir every so often. Once the onions, carrots and celery have become tender add chicken broth and chicken. Let simmer on low for 30-45 minutes making sure to stir every so often.

After 30 min remove onions, carrots and celery (optional) and take chicken from broth. In a seperate pan cook the pastinas as per package. Once onion, carrots and celery have been removed, take chicken off the bone and into shredded pieces and place back in broth.

Once the pastina is cooked add it to the chicken and broth. Crack 2 eggs directly into the pot. It will give the effect of a Chinese Egg Drop soup. It will rise to the top and automatically scramble. Stir the soup and Serve Hot!

Frech Onion Soup!

This is Alton Brown's http://www.foodnetwork.com/ recipe

Ok... now this took a really long time to make, but it turned out absolutely amazing! I subsituted the wine with Chicken Broth and Doubled up on the Beef Broth. When I am not pregnant, I will try it with the wine!

French Onion Soup

5 sweet onions (like Vidalias) or a combination of sweet and red onions (about 4 pounds)
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups white wine
10 ounces canned beef consume
10 ounces chicken broth
10 ounces apple cider (unfiltered is best)
Bouquet garni; thyme sprigs, bay leaf and parsley tied together with kitchen string
1 loaf country style bread
Kosher salt Ground black pepper
Splash of Cognac (optional)
1 cup Fontina or Gruyere cheese, grated

Trim the ends off each onion then halve lengthwise. Remove peel and finely slice into half moon shapes. Set electric skillet to 300 degrees and add butter. Once butter has melted add a layer of onions and sprinkle with a little salt. Repeat layering onions and salt until all onions are in the skillet. Do not try stirring until onions have sweated down for 15 to 20 minutes.
After that, stir occasionally until onions are dark mahogany and reduced to approximately 2 cups. This should take 45 minutes to 1 hour. Do not worry about burning.

Add enough wine to cover the onions and turn heat to high, reducing the wine to a syrup consistency. Add consume, chicken broth, apple cider and bouquet garni. Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.

Place oven rack in top 1/3 of oven and heat broiler. Cut country bread in rounds large enough to fit mouth of oven safe soup crocks. Place the slices on a baking sheet and place under broiler for 1 minute. Season soup mixture with salt, pepper and cognac.

Remove bouquet garni and ladle soup into crocks leaving one inch to the lip. Place bread round, toasted side down, on top of soup and top with grated cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden, 1 to 2 minutes.