Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

The PTA room mothers brought dinner to the school last week to feed the hungry teachers after a long night of Parent Teacher Conferences.  Several types of soup were served, but this was my hands-down favorite.  I stalked the PTA room moms for the recipe and made it tonight for dinner.

 

Ingredients:
2 quarts chicken stock (I used homemade*see below*)
6 cups water
3 pieces bacon
1 small white onion, finely chopped
3-4 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. olive oil
1 bunch kale (or Swiss chard) cut in bite sized pieces
2/3 c. half and half
1 tsp. salt
1 dash red pepper flakes
pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese to grate on top

In a large pot, bring the chicken broth and water to a boil and add potatoes.  In a small skillet, cook the bacon until crisp.  Remove the bacon from the pan and crumble.  Add the onion to the bacon drippings and cook until soft and translucent.  Then add the olive oil, garlic, and sausage.  Cook until sausage is browned, breaking up as you would if browning hamburger.  Drain some, but not all of the grease and then add meat mixture to the boiling stock and potatoes.  Continue cooking until potatoes are soft.  Reduce heat and add the half and half, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Finally, add the kale.  Simmer 1-2 minutes more, then remove from heat.  When serving, grate Parmesan cheese on top.  Sprinkle bacon pieces on top as well or reserve cooked bacon for another use.

How I make homemade chicken stock:

• Buy a rotisserie chicken at Sam's Club or Costco and use all the meat off it for your favorite recipes. 
• Place what's left of your chicken in a large stock pot and fill 3/4 full of water. 
• Add a celery stalk or two, a carrot or two, a large onion cut in halves or fourths and 1-2 bay leaves.  Don't peel the carrot, don't cut the leaves off the celery, and cut the bottom of the onion off, but leave the brown skin on - this will give your stock amazing flavor and that pretty yellow/golden color.  
• Generously salt the mixture and add 2-3 whole peppercorns if desired. 
• Bring mixture to a soft boil and boil for an hour to an hour and a half.  Taste the broth to see if it's too salty or not salty enough.  If too salty, add a few more cups of water. If too bland, add a bit more salt.  
• Remove from heat and cool. 
• Strain broth though a fine sieve leaving only pure broth.  Discard the solids. 
• My favorite way to store it is to pour the broth in a freezer quality Ziploc gallon bag and freeze in the freezer.  When ready to use, simply thaw the broth and use in your favorite recipes. 

Easy Calzones

Here's a quick and easy weeknight meal. Just have to remember to thaw the dough ahead of time. My kids had fun adding their favorite toppings and watching them bake.


1 loaf of Rhodes frozen bread dough (you could also use roll dough if desired)
pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese
favorite toppings (pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, Canadian bacon, pineapple, tomatoes)

Allow bread dough to thaw, then cut in to 6 equal pieces. Using a flowered surface, roll each piece of dough out into a large circle. Top half of the circle with pizza sauce and desired toppings (be sure to leave space at the edges of the dough). Fold the top half of the dough up and over the the toppings. Use a fork and press along the edges to seal. Cut a small slit in the top of each calzone before baking to allow steam to escape. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Creamy Chicken Penne

Before you make this recipe, go out and buy some Romano Cheese (the kind you grate yourself). I know you're more comfortable with Parmesan, but the Romano will take the taste from "Mom made it" to "Olive Garden". I promise.



2 cups penne pasta, uncooked
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 T. Olive Oil
1 small red pepper, chopped small
1 pkg. snow peas (optional)
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 T. butter
1 T. flour
1 1/2 c. milk
4 oz. cream cheese, cut in cubes
1/2 c. grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 T. chopped parsley

Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot. Drain pasta but reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Meanwhile, cook chicken and onions in olive oil for 6-8 minutes in a large skillet. Add the pepper, peas and garlic and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Remove mixture from pan and cover to keep warm. Melt butter in skillet, then add flour, stir well, cooking for an additional minute. Then add milk. Bring to boil and cook until thickened (about 2 minutes), stirring constantly. Add cream cheese, grated Romano cheese and season with salt and pepper. Once bubbly and creamy, stir in the chicken mixture and the drained penne pasta. Stir to coat everything. If the mixture seems thick, add a little bit of pasta water to thin. Top with additional grated Romano and chopped parsley.

Chicken Pepper Pasta

You can make this dish with any kind of pasta you have on hand, rotini, angel hair, farafelle, or penne. The red and yellow bell peppers make the dish full of flavor and color.

6 T. butter
1 onion, chopped
1/2 - 1 whole red pepper, chopped small
1/2 - 1 whole yellow pepper, chopped small
1 T. garlic, minced or pressed
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in to strips
1 T. fresh tarragon (optional)
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
3/4 c. half and half
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
7 - 8 oz. pkg. pasta, cooked

Melt butter in skillet until sizzling, then add onion and peppers. Cook and stir until tender (3-4 minutes). Add garlic and saute a minute longer. Remove vegetables from skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add chicken, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir 7 to 9 minutes until chicken is golden and tender. Add veggies back in. Add half and half and cheeses to chicken mixture. Reduce heat and continue cooking 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Add pasta and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Homemade Pizza

I've tried several crust recipes, and this one is a keeper. You can make 4-5 individual pizzas with this recipe, or one large pizza.

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1 T. yeast

1 c. warm water

Combine and let stand for 5 minutes until yeast begins to bubble and grow

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Add 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. sugar. Then add 2 T. vegetable oil and 2 1/2 c. flour. Mix until a ball forms, then knead until smooth. Let rise about 30 minutes.

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Roll out on to pizza pan and then bake at 350 for 5-7 minutes. Remove and add toppings, sauce and cheese. Return to oven and bake until browned and bubbly (approx. 20 minutes)

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Topping Options:

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Traditional: Pizza sauce, pepperoni, ham, sausage, mushrooms, olives, tomatoes, onions, cheese

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Hawaiian: Pizza sauce, ham, pineapple, cheese

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BBQ: Barbecue sauce, sliced red onion, cilantro, shredded rotisserie chicken, cheese

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Knob Hill: Alfredo sauce, chopped green onion, fresh tomatoes, roasted garlic, cubed chicken, cheese

Lotsa Meat Lasagna

I got this recipe from a Paula Deen Episode called "Lovin From the Oven". It was hilarious! Paula and her friend were seriously pigging out on gigantic lasagna sandwiches. We invited some friends over and I tried the recipe. Everyone LOVED it, even the kids. This will become my classic lasagna dish from now on. I love that you don't have to boil the noodles!

Meat Sauce:
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground italian sausage
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
4 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste

Brown ground beef and sausage. Add onion, garlic, oregano and basil. Cook 1-2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes.

Filling:
2 cups cottage cheese
5 oz. grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2 tsp. dried parsley

Mix well and set aside until ready to assemble

Noodles & Cheese:
1 box Oven Ready lasagna noodles (don't need to cook beforehand)
1 lb. grated mozarella cheese

In a 13 x 9 pan, create the following layers: Meat sauce, noodles, filling, mozzarella, meat sauce, noodles, filling mozzarella, meat sauce. Sprinkle remaining mozarella on top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes until bubbly.