Creamy Tortellini Soup

YUM!!!

I was determined to have this soup for lunch and it was originally supposed to be a crockpot recipe but I didn't have that kind of time. I wanted to eat lunch before dinner.

Easy peasy to make this in a pot as well. And I suggest you do because this soup was kick ass! I want to add some white beans next time. I think that would make it even yummier.

If you want the crockpot version click on the BHG link and let me know how it goes!

Creamy Tortellini Soup

adapted from BHG.com

INGREDIENTS:

1-1 ½ - 2 oz. envelope white sauce mix ( I used Knorr Alfredo Sauce)

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 cup chopped onion

4-cloves garlic, minced

½-teaspoon dried basil, crushed

¼-teaspoon salt

¼-teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

1/8-teaspoon cayenne pepper

1-7 - 8 ounce package dried cheese tortellini (I used Barilla Whole Wheat Fresh)

1-12 ounce can evaporated milk

6-cups fresh baby spinach leaves or torn spinach

Ground black pepper (optional) (but I feel you need it)

Finely shredded Parmesan cheese (optional) (extra cheese is never optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat your soup pot over medium heat and add oil.

Add onion and sauté until softened.

Add garlic and sauté for an additional minute until garlic is fragrant.

Place dry white sauce mix in your soup pot.

Gradually add the broth to the white sauce mix, stirring until smooth.

Add basil, salt, oregano, and cayenne pepper and stir.

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 12-15 minutes until it thickens.

Stir in tortellini and cook following package directions but **reduce by 3 minutes**

Stir in evaporated milk and fresh spinach.

Let simmer for an additional 5 minutes to thicken.

If desired, sprinkle individual servings with black pepper and Parmesan cheese.

Vegetable Beef Barley Soup

MORE SOUP!

This was my winterly cooking of the beef barley soup. I wasn't overly thrilled with the recipes I had tried in the past but this one I really loved. I don't like it too tomatoey, and I like a higher ratio of barley to veggies.

Now, to warn you this recipe takes A LONG TIME to make......like over 2 hours long. It has to sit and simmer, simmer, simmer, away so make sure you will be sitting at home to keep and eye on it. I might throw it in the crock pot next time after browning the meat. Seems a lot easier that way and I am not sure why I didn't think of it before.

Vegetable Beef Soup with Barley

adapted from Dinner's On Me

1 lb stew meat

2-3 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil

3- 14.5 oz cans beef broth

1-14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes

4 carrots, sliced

1 small onion, diced

1-2 stalks of celery, chopped

¾ cup pearl barley

1 small zuchinni, small dice

¼ tsp dried thyme leaves

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

Cut meat into 2-inch chunks. Place flour in a large ziplock bag. Add in beef chunks and shake to coat with flour. Heat oil in large dutch oven or soup pot, over medium high heat. Remove beef chunks from ziplock (shaking gently to remove excess flour) and place in hot pot. Brown beef on one or two sides. Add 1 cup of beef broth to the pot, and use a spoon to scrape up bits on bottom of pan. Add the canned tomatoes and the rest of the beef broth. Simmer on low for 40 minutes.

Add onion, carrots, celery, barley, zucchini, thyme, and bay leaf and 1 cup of water. Simmer on low for 1 hour or until beef and barley are tender. Taste soup and add salt and pepper to taste.

Escarole and Bean Soup

I LOVE SOUP!!!!

It is 70 degrees and sunny in NJ right now and I am dreaming about soup. Such is my life. I am actually eating a bowl of this while typing this, which is kind of weird too. There is never a wrong time for soup. Period.

WHAT THE ESCAROLE?

Don't let the escarole scare you if you never tried it. I had never had it before this soup and some of the dark greens and I arent friends, but this is really yummy. Doesnt really have much flavor but adds nice texture and some chew. Kind of like a cross between spinach and romaine lettuce.

Escarole and Bean Soup

An Original Me Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons of EVOO

2-15 ozs. cans of Cannelli Beans, drained and rinsed

5 garlic cloves minced (mine were smallish in size)

pinch of red pepper flakes--or more depending on your heat enjoyment

3-14.5 ozs. cans of Low sodium Chicken Broth

1-15 ozs. can of Petite Diced Tomatoes, with juices

1 small head of Escarole, chopped (I used 1/2 of a huge one, maybe 4 cups chopped)

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

3 tbsp. of Parmesan Cheese and more for serving

DIRECTIONS:

*Add 1 tbsp. of EVOO to a large soup pot heated to medium heat.

*Saute the garlic, red pepper flakes and beans until softened about 3-4 minutes.

*Add the tomatoes and cook those down for another 5 minutes.

*Remove 1 cup of the bean/tomato mixture, add 1 tbsp of EVOO and blend until smooth.

NOTE: I put this in a large cup I have and hit it with the hand blender for 15 seconds, it is the easiest and cleanest way to do this, but you could easily use a blender or food processor.

*Return smooth mixture to the pot and add the chicken broth , stirring until nicely blended.

*Bring to a boil, and then let simmer on Medium for 10 minutes.

*Add chopped escarole to wilt and simmer on low for an additional 8-10 minutes.

*Add salt, pepper & cheese, stir and ENJOY!!!!!!

Kielbasa and Bean Soup

A Polish girl finally has embraced the Kielbasa (keep it clean smut brain)

I was never a huge fan but recently I am smitten. I found some ways to eat it that dont resemble my childhood experiences with Kielbasa which left me scared. This was a great soup I threw in the pot while waiting for my hubby to come home from Wisconsin after 20 hours in a blizzard. It was a great quick bowl of yum!

Kielbasa and Bean Soup

Borrowed from Recipe Girl

***5 W Points Plus***

ingredients:

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup chopped sweet onion

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

7 ounces turkey kielbasa halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Two 15.8-ounce cans Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed

One 6-ounce bag fresh baby spinach leaves

directions:

Spray a large saucepan with nonstick spray and heat to medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion and garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the kielbasa and sauté for 3 additional minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium; cook 5 minutes. Add the broth, seasonings and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Place 2 cups of the soup in a food processor, blender OR I use my hand blender in a big cup I have- be careful, as it will be hot! Process until smooth, then return the pureed mixture to the pan. Simmer the soup an additional 5 minutes. Remove the soup from heat and mix in the fresh spinach.

Lasagna Soup

I am SO HUNGRY!

I just ate dinner but seeing all this yummy food, that I know tasted so good, is making me want to eat each and every meal again. This super was stupidly, ridiculously, delicious. I made it for lunch and ate it about 3 times that day. It is comfort food perfection

Lasagna Soup

adapted from Farm Girl Dabbles

INGREDIENTS

for the soup:

2 tsp. olive oil

1-1/2 lbs. 98% lean ground beef

3 c. chopped onions

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

2 T. tomato paste

1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

6 c. chicken stock

8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for the cheesy yum:

8 oz. low fat ricotta

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp. salt

pinch of freshly ground pepper

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente pasta

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add beef, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. To prepare the cheesy yum, in a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Servings: 8

NOTE: The original recipe called for the same amount of sausage instead of ground beef. I prefer the beef but wanted to mention the other option because I am sure its just as tasty

Gnocchi, Sausage & Spinach Soup

I have a slight love affair with Gnocchi. I first had it in Grand Cayman about a million years ago. It was in this rich Alfredo sauce and it was like something from heaven. Anytime I come across a recipe that uses them in a different way, I book mark it....or Pin it (if you are familiar with Pinterest). I had this soup pinned for about a week before I had to make it. I have made it twice since then. It smells amazing when you cook it and it tastes even better. It is the perfect cold winter hearty soup for the soul.

This is the worst picture ever-I made it for lunch on New Years Eve and we were so anxious to eat it, I just snapped a quick picture and don't even think I looked at it. I should have snapped a new one when I made it again this weekend, but it was during halftime of the Giants playoff game and well, the food blog wasn't 1st on my brain either! But I am giving my ringing endorsement of this soup, so trust me on this one even in spite of the bad pic.

Gnocchi, Sausage & Spinach Soup

borrowed from Cinnamon Girl Recipes

Ingredients:

1 yellow onion, diced

1 roasted red pepper, diced

olive oil, for sauteing

sea or Kosher salt and fresh black pepper

1 pound Italian sausage, ground or removed from casings, hot or sweet --* I used Sweet/Turkey

4 cloves, garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed between fingers

32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth

1 pound gnocchi-*I cut the gnocchi in 1/2 or 1/4's to give more per bite

2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, rough chopped

3/4 cup half & half or heavy cream --*I use fat-free

1 heaping tablespoon fresh basil, chopped--*I never have this

Parmesan cheese, fresh grated, for serving

Directions:

1. In a large sauce pan or soup pot sauté onion and red pepper in a couple of tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat until tender. Season well with salt and pepper. In a separate, large skillet brown the sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks. Add garlic to onion mixture and saute until fragrant.

2. Drain sausage and add to onion mixture along with the basil and chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper, simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Add gnocchi and spinach, bring to a simmer and cook until gnocchi puff up and start to float (check package for cooking time). Add half & half and fresh basil, bring to a simmer for three or four minutes. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Sausage and Lentil Soup

I have become really obsessed with Sausage. Which is weird since I wouldnt have eaten it maybe 5 short years ago. I had only ever seen it in big hunks with peppers and onions. I will admit, I still dont like biting into a big link. The texture is too much for me. But if you crumble it I will be the happiest girl at the table. I had a recipe a million years ago for a copycat soup from Carrabba's for their spicy sausage and lentil soup. I loved that soup and I feel it helped me cultivate my love of sausage. Of course I lost the recipe and tried to find copycat recipes that I thought sounded like their version. This version NAILS it. It does take a little time, so it isnt something you can just decide on the fly to make, but oh man, it is so good.

I used spicy sausage this time around and has a fair amount of heat the 1st serving. I feel like the flavor mellowed out nicely in the leftovers I ate for the rest of the week. I didnt know what I was making this week for dinner, and I am adding this to my shopping list. Its a repeat I am totally ready to eat again

Sausage and Lentil Soup

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound green lentils ( i dont know what these are, I just bought a bag of goya dried lentils)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 lb ground Italian sausage (You can also use ground Italian turkey sausage spicy or sweet)

1 cup diced onion (about 1 large)

1 ½ cups diced celery (about 4 stalks)

1 ½ cups diced carrots (about 3-2 large)

1 ½ cup diced zucchini (about 1 small)

1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 large cloves)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

6 cups chicken broth

2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

grated Parmesan

fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.

2. In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and add in the Italian sausage. Brown the sausage until it is cooked through.

3. Add in the onions, celery, carrots, zucchini, garlic, herbs and spices, cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often.

4. Add the chicken stock, canned tomatoes, and drained lentils, cover, and bring to a boil.

5. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1 ½ hours, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed to adjust the consistency of the soup. We tend to prefer ours a little on the thick side, so I add in about 3 cups half way through the cook time.

6. Check the seasonings – add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan and fresh parsley.

Spicy Black Bean Soup

SOUP!!!!!!

I seriously am addicted to soup. It is my favorite food I think. I had another black bean soup recipe and I swore it was on here, but alas it wasnt, which was actually a blessing since it caused me to search for another and I found this gem. This SOUP IS RIDICULOUS! It is so delicious and so perfect with some chips and makes a filling lunch. This will be heavily featured in my lunchtime rotation from now on. AND HELLO, its Weight Watchers which makes me even happier.

Spicy Black Bean Soup

borrowed from Weight Watchers

***4 Weight Watchers Points Plus***

1 1/2 cup serving

INGREDIENTS

1 spray(s) cooking spray

1 medium onion(s), finely chopped

4 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced

45 oz canned black beans, undrained, divided (three 15 oz cans)

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 tsp ground cumin

14 1/2 oz fat-free chicken broth, or vegetable broth

10 oz canned tomatoes with green chilis, such as Rotel Tomatoes

11 oz canned yellow corn, drained

DIRECTIONS

Coat bottom of a large stockpot with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.

Add 2 cans of beans to the sautéed onion mixture, add broth, red pepper flakes and cumin. Use your immersion blender to blend together until mostly smooth.

**If you dont have an immersion blender, you can divide the mixture in 1/2 and use a regular blender to blend, but PLEASE get yourself an immersion blender, I have said it before and I will say it again, its one of my favorite tools in the kitchen

Stir third can of beans (do not puree first), tomatoes and green chilies, and corn into stockpot. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Yields about 1 1/2 cups of soup per serving.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

I was cleaning out my giant stack of recipes in my kitchen and stumbled across this one. I was SHOCKED I never blogged it when I made it last November---oopsie!

I love all things Chicken Pot Pie. I know you cant kid yourself into thinking that a chicken pot pie is healthy...the creamy filling, the pie crust, BUT when its good its so worth the slurge. There will be no Weight Watchers Points listed for this one. This soup was such a quick and easy replacement for the real deal.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

adapted from Food Network.com

Ingredients:

4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 small white onion, diced (1/4 cup)

2 stalks celery (1/2 cup), diced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 1/2 pounds frozen mixed vegetables

1 cup heavy cream or 1/2 & 1/2 to cut down on calories

Pinch sea salt

1 store-bought pie crust

Directions:

Add diced potatoes to a large bowl filled with cold water. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the celery cooking until translucent, 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and whisk until it forms a roux. Add the Italian seasoning and pepper; cook for 3 more minutes.

Whisk the roux into the broth and bring back up to a boil. Drain the potatoes. Add the potatoes and the chicken to the broth over low heat. Stir in the frozen vegetables. Place a lid on top and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in cream and a pinch of sea salt and cook for 5 more minutes.

Preheat the oven as directed on the pie crust package.

Lay the pie crust on a baking sheet and place into the oven. Cook according to package instructions, or until the pie crust is golden brown. When the crust has cooled, break up into pieces.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the pie crust.

Chicken & Vegetable Dumpling Soup

I am a sucker for soup. I love it and eat it all year long. Even when its hot outside there is always some soup in the fridge. In wintertime I pretty much make some sort of fresh soup every other day. Chicken and Dumplings is one of my favorites. It is just so hearty and comforting, that if you have never had it, you must try it right away. Dont wait for it to get cold, it will make you happy no matter what the weather

Chicken & Vegetable Dumpling Soup

adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:

2 Cups Shredded Cooked Chicken

Vegetables:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 large carrots (6-7 baby carrots), chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas

Dumplings:
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme or sage
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the celery, carrots and onions. Saute for about 6-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the vegetables to the hot broth in the pot after the chicken has been removed. Add salt, thyme and pepper to the vegetable/broth mixture and stir to combine. Heat the soup to a simmer.

In a small bowl, blend ½ cup cold water and 1/4 cup flour with a wire whisk until smooth. Whisking vigorously, slowly add the flour mixture into the hot vegetables and broth and whisk until well combined. Add ½ cup frozen peas and the reserved chicken and cook, stirring gently for one minute.

For the dumplings, in a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, milk and oil. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined (don’t overmix, it is ok if there are a few dry spots of flour here and there).

Heat the soup to boiling and drop teaspoonful amounts (the dumplings should be fairly small, they’ll expand while cooking) of dumpling dough into the boiling soup, covering the entire surface of the soup (don’t make more than one layer of dumplings). Reduce the heat to simmering, cover and let the dumplings cook for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid of the pot while the dumplings cook.

When the dumplings have cooked fully, remove the lid and gently stir the dumplings to break them apart. Serve.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Aside from being addicted to food, I also have a slight addiction to buying cookbooks. I have SO MANY. I never use them either. That is the weird part. They sit on the book shelf, they sit in the closet, they are hidden in lots of nooks and crannys of my house. This past month I got 2--Hungry Girl 300 under 300 and Ellie Kreiger Foods You Crave. So far I have tried a handful of recipes from both and I am really happy with my purchases. Stayed tuned for my results and recipes

I got the Hungry Girl cookbook from Costco and even though there are no pictures, I wanted to try it out. You can see pics on her webpage and she converts everything to WW points on her site, so that was helpful. But she does use a lot of weird ingredients and she doesnt season her food enough for me. I kick up every single recipe because they tend to be on the bland side. Or maybe I just am used to big flavor? Either way, I have made this soup twice in 3 weeks. It is my new favorite lunch and I plan to make it again as soon as I can get a rotisserie chicken. I did change the recipe after the 1st time I made it. It was very bland and the celery didnt get tender. I like my version :)

The Whole Enchilada Chicken Soup

adapted from Hungry Girl

serving size 1 Cup

****3 WW Points Plus****

Ingredients

3 cups fat-free chicken broth

1-1/4 cups finely chopped celery

1/2 cup diced sweet onion

3 cups green enchilada sauce

1 15oz. can pure pumpkin

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp cumin

10 oz. cooked boneless skinless lean chicken breast, chopped or shredded

1 cup frozen corn

dash of hot sauce

In a large pot coated with cooking spray saute celery and onion until slightly tender. Add chicken broth and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in enchilada sauce, spices and pumpkin. When soup returns to a low boil, add chicken and corn and mix well Cook for 3 to 5 minutes more until soup is heated. Add a dash of hot sauce, if you like. Serve and top with cheese and/or chips for extra points

Taco Soup

I have been on Weight Watchers since January 8th (my birthday), and I finally broke into the double digits this weekend. Down 12 pounds. I had a few weeks where I was stuck, but after tweaking things I am back on the right track. I am looking to make a permanent lifestyle change, and WW has taught me how to eat like a "normal" health minded person. I thought I was eating and cooking well before, but I have learned so much more about portion sizes, and hidden carb/sugar traps I never thought about before. I have made this soup probably once a month since being on the program. It makes so much that by the time I am done eating it, I am good for another 3 weeks or so. I never get sick of it though. It's quick, easy, no effort, low points and filling. If you follow WW, you know you cant ask for more then that.

Taco Soup

borrowed & slightly adapted from Our Best Bites

serving size 1 1/2 cups

***4 WW Points Plus***

1 lb. extra lean ground beef (93% lean or or leaner)

1 onion, chopped

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

1 1.25-oz. packet taco seasoning (about 1/4 c.)

3 c. water, divided (I use chicken broth)

2 28-oz. cans diced tomatoes (I only use 28 total ozs of petite diced tomatoes--I like petite better)

1 15-oz. can tomato sauce

2 15-oz. cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can corn, drained ( I use1 cup of frozen)

Toppings: Pico de Gallo, light sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, tortilla strips, guacamole, etc.---obviously add your points accordingly if you are a WW follower. I typically eat it with Garden of Eden Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips, for 12 chips is 4 points, but for 8 points its a great lunch!

Heat a large soup pot over medium. When ready, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic. When almost brown, add the taco seasoning and 1 c. water. Add the remaining ingredients, including the remaining 2 c. water, bring to a medium boil, then, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for at least 15 minutes. Serve with desired toppings. Makes 10 12-oz. servings.

Slow Cooker Instructions: After browning the meat, place all the ingredients into a slow cooker and cook on low for about 6-8 hours.

Freezer Instructions: Because of all the canned goods, you’ll just take up a lot of space in your freezer if you freeze the whole recipe. However, after it’s been cooked, the leftovers freeze extremely well. You can even try freezing individual portions in 12-oz. freezer-safe containers and then reheating them for a quick lunch.

Tortellini Sausage Soup

I'M BACK!!!!

I am going to say sorry I disappeared again.....

I have been making some life changes, started a new part-time career that has sucked up a lot of my free time. I have been cooking some really yummy meals and I realized if I didnt post them here they would be gone forever!!! I seldom print out the recipes I find, I just prop my laptop on the counter so if too much time goes by I loose track where, I found them.

So I am back again, hopefully I will catch up quickly--I promise not to desert you again

I am coming back with this awesome recipe...try it!!!!

Tortellini Sausage Soup borrowed from Our Best Bites

3 links Italian sausage--I use chicken and turkey sausage
4 cloves pressed garlic
1 onion, diced
½ c. water
2 cans chicken broth
½ c. apple cider (don't leave this out! I did once and it wasn't the same...)
1 16-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. sliced carrots
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 medium zucchini, grated
8-10 oz. package cheese tortellini--I like the whole wheat butoni
2 Tbsp. dried parsley (yes, that's two tablespoons)

If you're using link sausage, remove the casings and crumble into a large soup pot. To remove the casings, you can use a sharp knife to cut a slit down one side of the sausage and then peel back the casing.

Begin cooking sausage over medium heat, stirring frequently. If your sausage is pretty fatty, you'll want to drain it when it's about halfway cooked. Meanwhile, chop onions and garlic and add to the sausage. Continue cooking until onions are translucent and your sausage is cooked. Your house will smell heavenly.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, juice, water, chicken broth, carrots, oregano, and basil. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. Add parsley and zucchini and simmer for another 15 minutes or so.

Add the tortellini and cook until tender, and then serve with bread and freshly-grated Parmesan.

VERDICT

I have made this soup about 4 times in 4 weeks. I love it. I am not the hugest sausage fan either so if you are hesitant give it a try. My kids loved it. I love it. It is such a warm bowl of comfy cozy soupy love. MAKE THIS SOUP!

Rexie Soup

Ugh, Its blogging time and again I am behind. I spent awhile tonight trying to find all the yummy recipes that go with the pictures that I have taken. I sometimes find recipes online and keep my laptop on my counter while I am cooking so I dont ever print it and so some recipes get lost forever......or until I sit down for an hour and a 1/2 and look back through the history to find them. You would think I would learn my lesson by now. So much going on this summer, weddings, BBQ's all the time, this crazy heat wave in New Jersey which we don't normally have to deal with until August. Since there isnt much good television on these days I dont know what I am doing instead of blogging my delicious dinners? I am taking a photography class that I am really enjoying. Its funny but I keep running across blogs where the blogger is an avid cooker, as well as photographer. Funny that these two things go hand in hand and it makes a happy cooking blog. Ok so now that I have my lame apology out of the way, let me try to catch you up on what's been going on in my kitchen. I have made some awesome recipes lately and I am excited to share them.......

I have a hard time getting my oldest Jackson to eat sometimes. He became picky one day out of the blue and he will take one look and decide its yucky. So since he was watching Toy Story while I cooked dinner, I said it was "rexie" soup. Figured there was green, Rexie is green, it was worth a shot. It worked and then some. He devoured the soup and now asks for it all the time. Yay score one for the good guys!

"Rexie" Soup

based on a recipe from cooking light

6 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo
2 cups finely chopped yellow squash
2 cups finely chopped zucchini

2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Bring broth and water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add pasta, and cook 8 minutes or until almost tender. Add squash and the next 7 ingredients (through pepper). Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes or until pasta is done and squash is tender. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.

VERDICT: LOVE the Rexie Soup! This soup was so quick and easy and packed so much seasonal flavor. I did alter the original by using orzo and adding chicken to make it a more complete meal. I get asked to make this soup all the time now and it is quickly becoming a family classic.

Irish Feast

WHAT??? How is it possible that I havent updated this blog in over a month!!!!

I am so sorry. I did cook. I made a lot of meals that I hadnt made in awhile and blogged about already. As well as making some things that quite frankly werent that great so they werent worth my time. But I have a list of 6 new recipes from last month and a whole stack of new ones for spring. I am working on making better food choices for my family and dropping some weight wouldnt be the worst thing ever with summer right around the corner. So I will stop the chit chat and get started.

It seems kind of silly to go back to St. Patty's day now but while you read this blog to get recipe Ideas I use it as my recipe book and since I like this recipe a lot I need to keep it here so I dont lose it.......the stack of recipes pile up so badly they do get tossed out eventually.

This is this meals second appearance on our St. Patty's table and I think it will be an annual feast for my non-Irish family.

Beef Brisket Sandwiches

from Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Magazine March 2009

• 3 1/2 pounds beef brisket

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 (12-ounce) bottles extra stout beer, Guinness®

• 1 (14-ounce) can beef broth

• 1 (1-ounce) package onion soup mix

• 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 1 (9.25-ounce) package dinner rolls, Rainbo®

• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard

• 1 (8-ounce) package provolone cheese slices, cut into quarters, Sargento®

Sprinkle the brisket evenly with salt and pepper.

In a large electric slow cooker, combine brisket, beer, broth, onion soup mix, Worcestershire, and garlic. Cook on High for 6 hours, or until brisket is fork-tender. Remove brisket from sauce, and shred with two forks.

Separate rolls by twos to make 12 sandwiches. Cut rolls in half horizontally, and spread about 1/2 teaspoon mustard on the bottoms of rolls. Top each with shredded brisket and 2 quarters of cheese.

Preheat oven to broil. Place prepared sandwich bottoms and tops on baking sheets. Broil, 5 inches from heat, for 5 minutes, or until cheese melts and tops of rolls are brown. Cover with roll tops. Serve hot.

• Yields: About 12 small sandwiches

Irish Potato Soup

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 cups chopped onion

• 1 cup chopped celery

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 31/2 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and chopped

• 8 cups chicken broth

• 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, Sargento®

• 1 cup chopped green onion

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• Garnish: shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, sliced green onion

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic; cook for 4 minutes, or until vegetables are softened. Add potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soup is thick and only small chunks of potato remain. Add cheese, green onion, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese is melted. Garnish with cheese and green onion, if desired.

• Yields: About 8 cups

Verdict: I really like this meal. The taste of the meat is very tender and its so good with the mustard and the cheese. I am not a typical corn beef and cabbage lover so this is a really nice alternative to the typical classic. I finally found slider sized rolls which will now be appearing a lot on this blog. They are Martin's whole wheat and they are quite fabulous. Who doesnt love a mini-anything?

The soup is funny. Its very healthy in some respects because it has no cream or milk. Its very simple and easy to make. Yes, you can add a ton of cheese to it, but what I did have to add was a lot of salt. For some reason it didnt have much taste. I dont remember that being the case when I made it last time. I made this soup since it was on the same page in the magazine but it wasnt my absolute favorite potato soup.....but my favorite has some cream so maybe it shouldnt be featured too often in the rotation.