Minestrone Soup

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A simmering pot of Minestrone Soup is one of my favorite ways to welcome Fall into the kitchen. The wonderful aroma of tomatoes, garlic and herbs fills the house while colorful vegetables, tender beans and pasta turns a simple soup into a hearty meal. Minestrone is wonderfully rustic and forgiving~use the vegetables you have on hand and make your own. Add a loaf of warm, crusty bread and plenty of freshly grated Parmesan....dinner is served!

 

Minestrone Soup 

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 lb ground Italian Sausage  

2 stalks celery, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1/3 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2" pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)

2/3 cup peas

3 red potatoes, cooked and diced

2/3 cup frozen corn  

1 tsp dried oregano or 1 Tablespoons of fresh oregano, chopped

1 tsp. dried basil or 1  Tablespoon of fresh basil, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, unsalted

1 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes

6 cups chicken broth, I use Swanson

1 15 ounce can low sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed 

1 cup elbow or Ditalini shape pasta 

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil 

Heat the olive oil in large pot over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned. Remove to plate. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes, add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the celery and carrot and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green beans, peas, potatoes, oregano and basil. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cook 3 more minutes.

Add the diced and crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer 10 minutes, Stir in Kidney beans, sausage and pasta and cook until the pasta is cooked and vegetables tender, about 10 minutes, add the frozen corn. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

 Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan and chopped fresh basil. I serve with a good crusty bread!

This is the kind of soup that seems to taste even better the next day, after all the layers of flavor have had time to mingle together. I love to make a huge pot so there's plenty tucked away for another chilly evening. A warm bowl of minestrone, a piece of crusty bread and a cozy Fall night~sometimes the simple meals really are the best!

 

 

 

Creamy Tuscan Chicken and Sun dried Tomato Pasta

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There's something about a creamy pasta dinner that feels just right as the days get shorter and Fall settles in. This Creamy Tuscan Chicken & Sun dried Tomato Pasta is filled with tender chicken, sweet and tangy sun dried tomatoes, fresh baby spinach, and pasta tossed in a rich, silky cream sauce. It's comforting without being fussy, comes together easily, and is exactly the kind of dinner I want simmering on the stove this time of year.

Creme Brulee'

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There's something about Fall that makes me want to linger a little longer at the table~and Creme Brulee is the perfect dessert for doing just that. Beneath that crisp, caramelized sugar crust is the silkiest vanilla custard: rich, creamy, and surprisingly simple to make.

I love the contrast of cracking through the warm, glassy topping with a spoon and finding the cool, velvety custard underneath. It feels elegant enough for a special dinner, yet cozy enough for a crisp Fall evening at home.

So light the candles, pour a glass of wine and bring out the little ramekins. Fall is here, and Creme Brulee' seems like a very good way to celebrate it!

Extreme Brownie Blondie

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This one is for serious chocolate lovers! I combined a rich, fudgy brownie with my Extreme Chocolate Chip cookie dough to create one wonderfully decadent dessert.

My Extreme Chocolate Chip Cookies aren't made with ordinary chocolate chips. I use 72% dark chocolate pallets, which melt into generous pools and ribbons of bittersweet chocolate throughout the buttery brown-sugar cookie dough. Dollops of the dough are tucked into the brownie batter, so every square has a slightly different combination of chewy cookie, fudgy brownie and melted dark chocolate.

 The top gets that beautiful crackly brownie finish while the inside stays wonderfully gooey and rich. Serve them at room temperature or warm one just enough to soften those big pockets of 72% chocolate.

Brownie meets my Extreme Chocolate Chip Cookie- and "extreme" really is the right word. 

Chimichurri Sauce

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Fresh, bright and bursting with flavor, chimichurri is one of those sauces that can turn something as simple as a grilled steak into something really special.Traditionally from Argentina  and Uruguay its a lively combination of fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil, vinegar and just enough red pepper to give it a little kick.

I especially love chimichurri with grilled beef, but, don't stop there! Spoon it over grilled chicken, salmon or shrimp, drizzle it over roasted vegetables or potatoes, or serve it along side of crusty bread. It's fresh and tangy, and the vinegar is perfect counterpoint to anything hot off the grill.

There is no cooking involved. Give the ingredients a good chop, stir everything together and let it sit for a bit so all those wonderful flavors can mingle. It's and easy sauce that tastes like you fussed over it~and those are always my favorite kind of recipes!  

Homemade Egg Pasta

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There is something wonderfully satisfying about making pasta from scratch. With just a few simple ingredients-flour, eggs, oil, salt and a little time- you can create silky, tender pasta that is so much better than anything in a box. And while homemade pasta may sound a little intimidating, it really isn't! With my KitchenAide pasta attachment I can turn a ball of homemade egg dough into beautiful, silky strands of pasta right in my own kitchen.

This basic egg pasta dough can be used in so many ways. you can make angel hair pasta or ribbons of fettucine and spaghetti, or leave it in sheets for lasagna, canneloni and other baked pasta dishes. And one of the best parts is -fresh pasta cooks in just a few minutes! For lasagna, you don't even pre-cook, just layer it in!

The KitchenAide attachment does most the most the  work. Once the dough is mixed and rested I simply run it through the pasta roller, gradually making it thinner, and use the cutter for whatever shape I'm making.

 

Salmon Mousse

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This easy salmon mousse is one of those recipes you’ll keep coming back to. It’s fresh, creamy, and preparation in under ten minutes—perfect for the holidays, a make ahead dinner-party appetizer, or an effortless addition to a snack board.

Made with smoked salmon or cooked salmon, cream cheese, and fresh herbs, it’s a simple classic that looks elegant but takes hardly any effort at all.

I recently made this for a dinner party at our friends’ “Barndaminium,” or, as many have affectionately dubbed it, “the Barndo!” It was a huge hit, and I made it with cooked salmon. If you prefer smoked salmon, that works beautifully too.

Serve it with crackers, crostini, cucumber slices, or your favorite vegetables for an easy appetizer that looks much more impressive than the effort it takes.