Tomato Soup with Poached Eggs

This was amazing! And so simple to make!  My husband and I really liked this one. It is a Martha Stewart recipe. The red pepper flakes add a little kick. Not too spicy. It is definitely different than the typical tomato soup and grilled cheese. I prefer this. Feels a little healthier.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for toast and drizzling
3 to 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, plus one clove for toast
Pinch hot red pepper flakes
1 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with juice
3 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
4 slices rustic bread
Shredded basil, for garnish (or I mixed a little of it in the sauce)

Directions:
In a straight-sided skillet over medium heat, cook the oil, garlic, and pepper flakes until garlic is just beginning to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, water, salt, and pepper.

 Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 10 minutes.

Crack one egg into a small bowl. Carefully lower edge of bowl into simmering liquid, allowing egg to slip into pot. Repeat with remaining eggs. Cover pot and cook until whites are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, brush bread with oil and broil until golden; rub with garlic. Place one slice in each of four shallow bowls; sprinkle with basil. Spoon soup and poached eggs over toast, drizzle with a little more oil, and serve immediately.

Risotto with Butternut squash, leeks and basil

I made this recipe over the holidays this last Christmas and the butternut squash taste definitely made it a very holiday-ish dish. Risotto is my favorite kind of rice. It is very creamy and almost like pasta.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled butternut squash (from 2 1/4 pounds squash)
1 bundle of green onions- chopped/diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cups arborio rice
4 14-ounce cans (or more) vegetable broth
1 cup chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional (for serving)

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add squash and sauté until beginning to soften and brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Transfer squash to medium bowl.
2. Reduce heat to medium; add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, green onions, and thyme to same pot and stir until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir 1 minute. Add 1 cup broth and simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining broth by 1/2 cupfuls, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next, stirring often, about 15 minutes.

3. Return squash to pot. Continue to cook until rice is just tender but still very creamy, stirring gently and often, about 10 minutes longer (about 25 minutes total cooking time). Remove from heat. Stir in basil and 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Transfer to large bowl and serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

Makes 8 servings.

Takes about an hour to cook.

Capellini Pomodoro

If any of you have been to Olive Garden and know their menu well you might have tried this simple pasta recipe. It is one of their smaller calorie pastas. Very simple but has a yummy italian taste. I was able to find this recipe and I would love to share it with you.

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic - minced

2 pounds plum tomatoes - seeded/diced

1 oz fresh basil leaves -minced

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 oz parmesan cheese

12 0z dry angel hair pasta - cooked

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Heat olive poil and garlic. (Cook garlic until it is white)

2. Add tomatoes and pepper. Heat through stirring for 2-3 minutes.

3. Tomatoes shouldn't lose shape. Remove from heat.

4. Transfer hot cooked pasta to large bowl. Toss with tomato mix, basil and half of parmesan cheese.

5. Serve with remaining cheese.

Italian Meatballs

Here is a mixture of my mom's meatball recipe and my own recipe. I combined the classic ingredients used in meatballs and added a couple different things like.... bacon. Ooooh baby. Bacon is such a magical thing. You can't go wrong with bacon :)

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces applewood-smoked bacon (about 6 slices), diced
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 pounds of my dad's pork sausage
• 2/3 cup bread crumbs
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced marjoram
• A dash of red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 
  

Preparation:

• Place bacon in processor. Using on/off turns, grind to coarse paste. Transfer to large bowl. Using garlic press, squeeze in garlic. Gently mix in sausage and all remaining ingredients. Let stand 15 minutes.
• Line large rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Using moistened hands and scant 2 tablespoonfuls for each, roll meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Arrange meatballs on sheet. You can make this ahead and freeze it for an easy meal.
  
  
  Add 1 tablespoon oil a deep pan and heat over medium heat. Add half of meatballs. Cook until brown on all sides, turning carefully with small metal spatula, about 9 minutes. Transfer meatballs to baking sheet. Add more oil to pot if needed and repeat with remaining meatballs.
  

Paccheri Pasta with Braised Chicken and Saffron Cream

So we LOVED this recipe. It makes like 4-6 servings and my sister, Dustin and I finished it off in one night. Oh my gosh I can't put this recipe into words it is so good. You just have to make it to see what I mean. It's amazing.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 pounds chicken thighs with skin and bones
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups chopped white onions
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
• 2 cups dry white wine (I used Kenwood white wine)
• 1 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
• 2 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
• 1 pound paccheri (giant rigatoni) or regular rigatoni
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice
• 2/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• 
  

• Ingredient Info

  Paccheri is available at markethallfoods.com. (I couldn't find this in stores here so this site was great.)
  
  

Preparation:

• Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, to skillet and cook until golden, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate. Add onions and garlic to drippings in skillet; sauté until onions are slightly softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Add wine and saffron to skillet; bring to boil. Continue to boil until liquid is thickened and reduced by less than half, about 8 minutes. Add 2 cups chicken broth to skillet. Return chicken to skillet; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer gently until chicken is very tender (adjust heat to prevent boiling and turn chicken over after 30 minutes), about 1 hour total. Transfer chicken to plate and cool.
• Reserve skillet with juices. Remove skin and bones from chicken and discard. Tear chicken meat into bite-size pieces; place in medium bowl and reserve.
• Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; return to pot.
• Meanwhile, spoon off fat from juices in skillet; discard fat. Add cream to juices in skillet and boil until sauce is reduced to 2 1/2 cups and is thick enough to coat spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons lemon juice, then chicken pieces. Stir over medium heat until heated through, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls to thin sauce as needed and adding more lemon juice by teaspoonfuls, if desired, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken mixture to pasta in pot and toss to coat. Stir in basil. Transfer pasta to plates.