Sunday, January 6, 2013

Recipe #208: Lasagna Soup

A soup that tastes like, well, lasagna!  Easy to make one-pot meal that's really hearty and I bet makes for delicious leftovers!  Recipe recommended by a friend from spoonful.com



INGREDIENTS

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage (bulk or with casings removed)
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 8 ounces fusilli pasta
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
  • 8 ounces ricotta
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of pepper
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella

DIRECTIONS

    1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and sauté, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the sausage is no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain any excess fat from the pot. Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and sauté until the paste turns a rusty brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the broth, and the bay leaves and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.


    2. Add the pasta, then increase the heat to medium-high and boil the soup until the pasta is tender to the bite, following the time recommendations on the pasta package. Discard the bay leaves, then stir in the basil. If desired, season with salt and black pepper to taste.



    3. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, the Parmesan, the 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the pinch of pepper. To serve, place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture in each bowl, sprinkle with some of the mozzarella, and ladle the soup on top. Makes about 13 cups.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Recipe #207: Creamy Butternut, Blue Cheese, and Walnut Cavatappi

I only had to read the title to this one in my Cooking Light magazine to know that I'd make this and like it.  And I did.  Very hearty and filling but still very fresh tasting.  I think some chicken would be good with this as a tweak to the recipe.  It would be nice as a side dish too.  I needed more walnuts than the recipe used.  I'm looking forward to having the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.



Ingredients


  • Cooking spray
  • 8 ounces uncooked cavatappi
  • 1 cup chopped onion 
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk, divided 
  • 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour 
  • large egg yolks 
  • 2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted
Preparation

  1. 1. Preheat oven to 425°.
  2. 2. Combine squash, 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 24 minutes or until tender, stirring once.
  3. 3. Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta; keep warm.
  4. 4. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in 1/2 cup milk, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Combine remaining 1/2 cup milk, flour, and yolks in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Slowly add egg mixture to pan, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently with a whisk.
  5. 5. Combine squash, pasta, and milk mixture in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and nuts.