Zuppa Toscana

Posted by chasemoto on

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Zuppa Toscana (better than Olive Garden!)

1 lb. Italian sausages (use spicy to get that signature Olive Garden flavor)
4-6 russet potatoes, chopped
1 onion, cho…pped
1/4 c. REAL bacon pieces (optional)
2 Tbsp minced garlic (about 3-4 cloves)
32 oz. chicken broth
1 c. kale or Swiss chard, chopped
1 c. heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp flour

1. Brown sausage links in a sauté pan.
2. Cut links in half lengthwise, then cut slices.
3. Place sausage, chicken broth, garlic, potatoes and onion in slow cooker. Add just enough water to cover the vegetables and meat.
4. Cook on high 3-4 hours (low 5-6 hours) until potatoes are soft.

30 minutes before serving:
5. Mix flour into cream removing lumps.
6. Add cream, kale, and bacon to the crock pot, stir.
7. Cook on high 30 minutes or until broth thickens slightly.
8. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.

chicken pot pie

Posted by chasemoto on
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chicken pot pie
2 cups  trinity
6 cups chicken broth
1 whole chicken
4 cups flour
4 eggs
2 TBS olive oil
pepper
water
add oil to pot and sweat trinity. add broth and bring to boil. add whole chicken to pot and simmer till meat and skin fall off bones. remove bones and skin from pot. in mixer add flour, eggs and olive oil. mix with dough hook  add water slowly until dough is right consistency. roll out dough on flour until 1/8 inch thick. cut into squares add to simmering pot and cook about 20 to 30 minutes. season to taste

Lasagna Soup Insalata

Posted by chasemoto on

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Cooking Sequence

  • Preheat oven
  • Prepare crescents and begin to bake (10 minutes)
  • Prepare soup and complete crescents; serve (35 minutes)

Cooking Instructions

Lasagna Soup Insalata

Ingredients

1 lb mild (or hot) Italian sausage, casing off
1/2 cup baby-cut carrots, coarsely chopped
8 oz trinity mix (fresh diced onions, bell peppers, celery)
1 (24-oz) jar pasta sauce
1 (32-oz) carton unsalted chicken broth
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato pesto
1 (9-oz) package mini cheese ravioli
1 (8-oz) baby kale salad kit (baby greens, cheese, toppings, dressing)
6 tablespoons part-skim ricotta cheese

Steps

  1. Preheat large stockpot 2–3 minutes on medium-high. Brown sausage 5–7 minutes, stirring to crumble meat, or until no pink remains. Chop carrots. Stir carrots and trinity mix into sausage; cook and stir 4 minutes.
  2. Reduce heat on pan to medium-low. Stir in pasta sauce, broth, and pesto; simmer 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until hot.
  3. Stir pasta into soup; cook 4–5 minutes or until pasta is tender. Meanwhile, chop salad greens.
  4. Divide soup into serving bowls. Top each bowl with 1/3 cup salad greens, then sprinkle with salad toppings, and drizzle with dressing. Finish with 1 tablespoon ricotta cheese and serve.

Smoky Chipotle Chicken Dip

Posted by chasemoto on

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Smoky Chipotle Chicken Dip

Ingredients

2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup water
1 cup creamy ranch chipotle dressing
1 (8-oz) tub chipotle (or jalapeño) cream cheese spread
1/2 cup sun-dried, smoked tomatoes
1/2 cup diced pimientos, drained
1/4 cup presliced green onions
1 tablespoon liquid smoke

Steps

  1. Place chicken and 1/2 cup water in slow cooker and cover; cook on High 30–35 minutes or until chicken is 165°F.
  2. Remove chicken from slow cooker (discard liquid). Shred chicken using two forks or chop into small pieces.
  3. Combine remaining ingredients until smooth; stir in chicken and transfer mixture to slow cooker. Reduce heat to low and cover; cook 15–20 minutes,stirring occasionally, or until dip is hot and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, or fresh cut veggies.

Active Time – 25 minutes; Total Time – 60 minutes (Makes 8 servings)

Corned Beef and Cabbage in Guinness

Posted by chasemoto on

3hrs 50mins

Prep

20 mins

Cook

3 hrs 30 mins

The Irish butcher at my market gave me a new (to me anyway) recipe for corned beef & cabbage; he told me to cook it in Guinness Draught. (Guinness stout will make the dish bitter). Since everyone raved about it, I thought I’d share the recipe he gave me. Note: Some reviewers have mentioned that the broth/sauce is very salty. It is important to rinse your corned beef in cold water before cooking it to remove some of the excess salt from the corning process. (I usually soak mine in cold water for a bit depending on the brand – some are much saltier than others). — I have tried 5 times today to change the wording of the last ingredient on the list from “1-2lbs carrot, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces” to “1 – 2 pounds of carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces”. Every time the change “goes through,” it does not reflect the new wording. Grrrrrrr!

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Ingredients

Nutrition

Servings 8-10 Units US

Directions

  1. Rinse corned beef under cold water, and pat dry.
  2. In a Dutch oven, or other large pot with a cover, brown corned beef well on all sides over high heat.
  3. Pour Guinness over the meat, and add enough water to just cover the brisket.
  4. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and pepper to the pot.
  5. Bring pot to a boil and skim off any foam.
  6. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pot and simmer for 3 hours.
  7. Add carrots, then potatoes and then the cabbage wedges to the pot.
  8. Cover pot, and continue cooking until meat and vegetables are tender (about 20-30 minutes).
  9. Remove meat and vegetables to warm serving platter/dishes, leaving the cooking liquid/sauce in the pot.
  10. Over high heat, bring the cooking liquid to a boil, and cook until the amount of liquid is reduced by half (about 10 minutes).
  11. Slice the corned beef; serve with the vegetables and the sauce on the side.
  12. Note: Corned beef should always be sliced across the grain.

Sunshine Salmon and Asparagus-Almond Salad

Posted by chasemoto on

 

                     Sunshine Salmon

Ingredients

2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
2 oranges
1/2 cup sweet white wine (or chicken broth)
4 (6-oz) salmon fillets, skin removed
1 teaspoon salt-free garlic/herb seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1 tablespoon country Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Prep

  • Chop garlic and dill.
  • Cut 1/2 orange into 1/4-inch-thick slices (rounds), then cut slices into quarters. Squeeze remaining 1 1/2 oranges for juice (about 1/2 cup).

Steps

  1. Place wine, orange juice, garlic, dill, and orange slices in large sauté pan and cover; bring to a boil on medium-high. Reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered 7 minutes.
  2. Check fish for bones. Season salmon on both sides with garlic seasoning and pepper (wash hands). Add salmon to wine mixture; simmer 3–4 minutes on each side or until salmon is 145°F (or opaque and separates easily). Transfer salmon to serving dish.
  3. Add marmalade and mustard to wine mixture; cook and stir 1 minute or until marmalade dissolves and sauce thickens. Remove pan from heat; stir in butter (being gentle while stirring, so fruit stays intact). Pour sauce over salmon. Serve.

Asparagus-Almond Salad

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb fresh asparagus spears
3 tablespoons smoked almonds, finely chopped
1 oz Deli manchego cheese, grated (optional)
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Prep

  • Cut asparagus into bite-size pieces, removing tough root end.
  • Chop almonds. Remove rind from cheese; grate cheese. Halve tomatoes.

Steps

  1. Preheat large, nonstick sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Place oil in pan, then add asparagus; cook and stir 3 minutes.
  2. Stir in tomatoes, vinegar, and pepper; cook and stir 2–3 more minutes or until tomatoes and asparagus are softened.
  3. Remove pan from heat; sprinkle with nuts and cheese. Serve.

Cream of Tartar is your new best friend

Posted by chasemoto on

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NEVER KNEW THIS!! GREAT SHARE!!! GREAT FIND!

Make sure to SHARE this so you can have the instructions SAVED to your timeline

In my little world, items like cre…am of tartar (potassium bitartrate) are not simply a super way to stabilize eg…g whites but also scandalously inexpensive cleaning secrets.

This long-forgotten gem of a cleaning agent may be used with a little water or vinegar to lift even the most stubborn stains. Unattractive grout driving you batty? Mold and mildew stains got you reaching for the Prozac? Burner pans and casserole dishes giving you fits? Cream of Tartar is your new best friend.

Cream of tartar is one of nature’s best bleaching agents. Cream of tartar, a.k.a “crusted wine,” is mixed with baking soda to create baking powder (bet you didn’t know that.. okay, some of you probably did, you smartypants). While it is an acid, it’s not harmful. It’s an acidic salt which comes from grapes.

Use a few tablespoons of cream of tartar with hot water or hydrogen peroxide and clean any aluminum pans which have discoloration or any rusty drains, pans, or stains.

Do you have copper kettles? Mix some cream of tarter with lemon juice and rub the copper with it. Rinse and be amazed!

How about a porcelain sink, tub, commode? Rub the porcelain surfaces with cream of tartar and watch the stains disappear.

Fabric stains? No prob. Mix a few teaspoons of cream of tartar with some glycerin and use like spray-and-wash. The results? Well, I’m here to tell you that this stuff cured the ring around Joshua’s shirt collars.

Just need a great nonabrasive cleaner? Mix 2 teaspoons of vinegar and 2 teaspoon of cream of tartar in a small dish (use 3 or 4 teaspoons of vinegar and 3 or 4 teaspoons of cream of tartar if you have more items to clean). Apply with your cleaning rag or scrub brush and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Scrub. Wash with hot soapy water.

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For more healthy recipes, tips, motivation and fun, join us here Renee & Friends Living Healthy

Tuscan Bean Soup

Posted by chasemoto on
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Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup kidney beans soaked overnight or 1 (14-ounce) can store-bought beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup cannellini beans soaked overnight or 1 (14-ounce) can store-bought beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling on bread
  • 1/2 pound diced pancetta
  • 2 cups diced yellow onions
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (14-ounce) can chick peas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 quarts chicken stock, plus extra water if needed
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 3 sprigs thyme
  • 1 sprig oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 2 heads Lacinata kale, stems removed and cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 loaf Italian peasant bread, cut into thick slices
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated, for serving
Directions

Place the kidney beans in a medium pot, add water to cover by 2-inches and bring to a boil. (If using canned kidney beans, skip this step.) Turn the heat down, let simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until just-tender. Use the same process for the cannellini beans.

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta, rendering the fat and cooking until slightly crispy about 3 minutes. Saute the onion, celery, carrot and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Add the diced tomatoes, the cooked and drained kidney beans, cannellini beans, chick peas, and the chicken stock. Using kitchen twine, tie the herbs and the bay leaf into a bundle and add to the pot. Season with the red chili flakes, salt and pepper. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, then add the kale. Continue cooking until the beans are completely tender.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Drizzle olive oil over the slices of peasant bread, season with a little salt and pepper and toast in the oven. Serve the soup in large bowls with grated Parmesan and a slice of toast.

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2007

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