Souper Woman

Happy New Year! Yes, I'm a little late, with that greeting, but I've been on (a self awarded) winter break, lounging in my pajamas, hanging out with family and playing with my son. I haven't picked up my camera since Christmas except to snap a few photos of the sunset or Hayden and it's been quite nice. I'm ready to get back in the kitchen though and start playing with sugar and flour again-- so many recipes, so little time. 

I came up with this recipe awhile back and I've made it several times. My hubs is not a soup lover so we don't eat much of it, but he actually requests this one often. Sometimes, he doesn't even say anything, he just jots down the ingredients on our grocery list and I know he's having a craving. My 17 year old brother even liked it so much, he ate 2 1/2 bowls of it and kindly requested I write the recipe down for him (on his iPhone) so he could replicate it. If that's not a sign of a good recipe, I don't know what it. Of course, he had my mom make it and was no where to be found when she was in the kitchen, but he had the best of intentions :-).  There are few ingredients in this soup, but it's so flavorful. Served with crusty bread, this is a hearty, but healthy meal. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. 

Sausage, Spinach and Tortellini Soup from Monica h

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• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, undrained
• 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 32 ounces chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 9 ounces fresh Buitoni cheese tortellini
• kosher salt to taste

In a heavy bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant. Add the sausage to the pot, breaking it up into crumbles; cook thoroughly. 

Add the diced tomatoes, spinach, chicken broth and water. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. 

Bring the mixture to a boil then add the fresh pasta. Cook according to package directions (5-10 minutes) or until pasta is tender. Season with salt to taste. Serve. 

"Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner?" Cookbook Review & Giveaway

Two savory recipes in a row! No, I'm not sick and yes, I have more sweetness coming your way, but first I have a cookbook to share with you- Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner? by Lisa Caponigri. This is such a clever book. The concept behind this book is bringing back Sunday dinner. "Fifty-two menus are presented in the Italian tradition: an antipasto (usually a crostini to pass at the table), a primo (first course: almost always a pasta), a secondo (call it the main course) served with a single contorno (side dish) and finally, dessert. Every menu is different; not a single repeated."

Sunday dinner according to Lisa is not just about eating. It's about getting the family together in the kitchen and dividing up the tasks so that everyone is involved and contributing to the family meal, whether it's by chopping, baking, stirring or setting the table. "Sunday dinner doesn't have to be elaborate, just delicious." There are 260 recipe in this book to choose from. Obviously you don't have to follow each menu as written; you can mix and match recipes from different menus to create your perfect meal. The idea is to get comfortable in the kitchen, eat, linger at the table, relax and share the highlights of your week. "Sunday dinner is irreplaceable, the meeting place of memories that will last a lifetime."

You can feel Lisa's passion for Sunday dinner through her family photos, words and menus. As I read about her love of food and family, I started planning my own Sunday dinners. We often have Sunday dinner at my mom's house, but that usually means my mom does most of the cooking and I provide dessert. We all sit down together, share stories and laughter and enjoy a great meal. But I realized after reading Lisa's stories that we could all help out a little more and make it more of a family activity.  

I flipped through page after page of this book. The recipes are enticing and the photos are gorgeous. This really is a handsome book, and hefty at that. And because there is so much variety, you could cook through it all throughout the week, not just on Sundays. I chose to make Pasta alla Carbonara and Pesto Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes, only to simplify things I used store bought pesto because it's what I had on hand. I made the pasta recipe as written but I added my thoughts and notes below. Both were delicious and easy enough to make on a  busy weekday. To win a copy of "Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner?" scroll down. 

Pasta Alla Carbonara- Pasta with Eggs and Bacon

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Recipe serves 8, but can easily be halved-

• 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter* (see note)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound thick-sliced bacon or pancetta, cut into 1-inch pieces
• head of garlic, separated into cloves and chopped
• 2 pounds of spaghetti
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups grated pecorino romano 
• freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the olive oil. Add the bacon and garlic and cook until the bacon is very crisp, taking care not to burn the garlic* (see note). Remove the bacon and garlic from the skillet, using a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. 

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, beat together the eggs, cheese, and pepper to taste. Stir in the bacon and garlic. 

Drain the pasta and add to the bowl. Toss until the pasta is well coated with the eggs and cheese mixture and serve immediately. 

NOTE: I didn't find that cooking the bacon and garlic in butter and olive oil was necessary. It just resulted in a lot of grease in a pan that had to be thrown away. The bacon yields a lot of fat on it it's own- next time, I'd crisp up the bacon then just before it's done, add the garlic. I found cooking the garlic along with the bacon just overcooked it.

Pomodorini Ripieni Di Pesto- Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed with Pesto

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• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 5 Tbsp. pine nuts
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano
• 1 pound cherry tomatoes

Place the basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, salt, olive oil, and Pecorino in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. If the pesto is too thick for your taste, add a little more olive oil. 

Cut the tops off the tomatoes. With a small spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp, taking care not to puncture the skin. Fill the tomatoes with the pesto and serve at room temperature. 

NOTE: Don't use grape tomatoes to make this- they won't stand upright and the filling will spill out.

To win a copy of "Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner?" by Lisa Caponigri all you need to do is leave me a comment below telling me about your family meals. It doesn't have to be Italian, it can be anything. Do you have a tradition of getting the family together on a regular basis, cooking and eating? Tell me about it! 

Be sure to leave your contact info so if you win I know how to get a hold of you. I'll announce a winner next week and ship the book out. One comment per person, please. Giveaway open to US residents only. Good luck!

My little helper!

"Steak BBQ On A Budget" & A $25 Walmart Gift Card Giveaway

I was contacted earlier in the month asking if I'd like to try Walmart's new USDA Choice steaks.  Mr. H is a huge meat eater, so of course I said yes! Have you seen the commercials on TV where the people are dining in a steakhouse and a guy comes along telling them they've just eaten Walmart Steaks? Well these are those steaks!

I was given two $25 Walmart gift cards. One for me to create a "Steak BBQ On A Budget" and one to give away to a lucky reader! I went to Walmart and immediately spotted the USDA Choice steaks since they are easily identified by the black tray packaging.  There were several different cuts of meat to choose from, but Mr. H is partial to filet mignon, so that's what we got. My one complaint about the filets were that they were packaged individually rather than in pairs (like the rib eye steaks) so it was difficult finding two that were similar in size. I like to pan sear my steaks rather than putting them on a grill, so while the cooking times varied because one steak was larger than the other, it did not affect the flavor one bit. 

The steaks were fresh and well trimmed and tasted like any others that I would get from the butcher counter at my local market only at a lower price point. The steaks we chose were $14.99/lb. We purchased two steaks, but ended up getting three servings out of them. In addition to the seared steaks, I made rosemary and garlic roasted potatoes and in lieu of a salad, I set out fresh veggies and dip. A fruit salad served as dessert. It was a perfect Summer meal and it was affordable. I spent just over the $25 limit because I got a little carried away with the fruit but if you think about it- a filet mignon steak dinner for three people under $25 is a great deal! It would be at least three times that at a restaurant. 

I simply seasoned the steaks with salt and pepper and seared them in a super hot pan with a tad of butter until they were medium rare. I don't have a recipe for that, but I am sharing my favorite way to make roasted potatoes. These are delicious, if I say so myself :-)

Rosemary & Garlic Oven Roasted Potatoes from Monica h

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• 2 lbs. new potatoes, rinsed and patted dry
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, finely minced
• 3-4 clove of garlic, finely minced
• 2-3 tsp. kosher salt
• black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and set aside. If using foil, spray with non-stick cooking spray. 

Cut your potatoes into 1 1/2-inch chunks. You want them to be all about the same size (quarter the smaller potatoes, cut the larger ones into 8 pieces). Place them in a large bowl and toss with olive oil, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. 

Once the potatoes are well coated, place them on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. 

Place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, turning them with a spatula every 10-15 minutes, until uniformly golden and tender. 

GIVEAWAY:  I have one $25 Walmart gift card for one lucky reader to purchase Walmart's USDA Choice Steaks so that you can create your own "Steak BBQ On A Budget". All you have to do is leave me a comment on this post telling me what your ideal steak dinner is. I want details- what kind of steak do you like, how do you like it cooked and what are your favorite sides? 

I'll announce a winner later in the week. Good luck!

One Cannot Survive On Sweets Alone

We interrupt this sweet fest to bring you a savory, very tasty meal! No, there's not any a stick of butter and a cup of sugar in this recipe, but it is darn delicious so don't go yet! I've wanted to make Penne with Vodka sauce for years now. I once saw Rachael Ray make it on her show and she said this meal would turn your boyfriend into your husband. Well, I don't know about all that, but this recipe is a keeper and the men in your life will love it. I didn't plan it this way, but it might be a good dish to celebrate Father's Day too. 

Uncle Aaron and Hayden acting silly after nap time

Y'all, I've been crazy busy lately. I know I say that a lot, but this little guy is wearing me out! He's such a little busy body and is into EVERYTHING these days. He grabs and must touch all things around him. He's crawling and rolling all over the place and exploring. He pulled the DVD player out of the entertainment center the other night and as of the 1st, when he turned 9 months old (how is that possible?!) he cut his first tooth and discovered his boy parts. heehee :-) See, I told you he's been busy! He's also been experiencing some separation anxiety and had been ultra clingy which makes night time tough because he's waking up several times a night looking for me, which results in a sleepy baby throughout the day....and a sleepy momma.

I have been cooking and baking, but haven't really been picking up my camera other than to take pictures of Hayden. I've made this vodka penne a few times now and it goes so fast there's never any leftovers. As you've guessed it, there is vodka in the sauce. I bought a small inexpensive bottle since it's not something I drink, but it's been the perfect size for this recipe. This recipe takes a basic marinara sauce and kicks it up with the addition of the vodka, which adds a smoky robust flavor to it. It's just so full of flavor but you don't really taste the strong aspect of the alcohol- it just blends so nicely. It's slightly spicy and garlicky and just so good. Have I mentioned that already?

Vodka Penne / Penne alla Vodka

adapted from Lidia Bastianich via Picky Cook 

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• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 12 oz can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 - 8 garlic cloves - minced
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup vodka plus 2 tablespoons to put in at the end
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning  ( I used Emeril's Essence)
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 pound penne - cooked just shy of al dente

In a large pan, heat the olive oil and saute garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, all purpose seasoning, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 5 - 6 minutes.

Add the 1/2 cup of vodka and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add cream, butter and Parmesan and stir to combine. Let simmer for a couple minutes. Add the final 2 tablespoons of vodka.

Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Let cook in sauce for few minutes.

Serve with additional Parmesan.

Serves 6 - 8

The first time I made this recipe, I made it as written, and then the times after that I added cooked and crumbled Italian sausage to it. My husband is a big meat eater so he, of course, loved this addition. However you make it, it will be good. Serve it with a big crisp green salad, some crusty bread and pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy!

"Simply Suppers" Cookbook Review and Giveaway!

I have a delicious and simple side dish recipe for you today. A couple months ago I was contacted by Katherine at Thomas Nelson and she wanted to send me a cookbook for review. The book was titled Simply Suppers by Jennifer Chandler. This sounded perfect for me because at the time, I just had surgery and was recovering. I didn't have much energy or the desire to cook. But when my body was feeling up to it again, I grabbed this book off the shelf and read each and every page, mentally bookmarking recipes and drooling along the way.

This book is categorized into several chapters including, but not limited to Soups, Meat, Pasta, Sandwiches, Grains and Vegetables. It is mostly comprised of savory meals and sides, but there is a section of Sweet Endings which has recipes for Double Decker Peach Cobbler, Banana Pudding Pie, Tarts and Cakes. Every single recipe is accompanied by a photo so you'll know what your food is supposed to look like. That also helps when trying to decide what to make. A few other useful sections in this book are 30 in about 30 (you guessed it, 30 recipes made in about 30 minutes), 10 Leftover Chicken Makeovers (recipes in the book you can make using a rotisserie chicken) and 20 Freezer Go-To's (recipes from the book that freeze well).

I chose to make Parmesan Roasted Tomatoes (p.189) as a side dish to brown rice and Pesto Parmesan Chicken. It was a fantastic meal if I do say so myself. Even Mr. H agreed with me and he's not a big fan of Parm. I made a couple adaptations to the recipes but rather than altering the recipe, I just made my changes in italics below. This would be a great recipe to make any time of year because roasting them makes them sweeter and taste like Summer even if the tomatoes aren't so ripe. After roasting, the tomatoes became soft and the flavor intensified. The tomatoes burst in your mouth, but the topping was crispy and garlicky. I could eat a whole bowl of just crumbs, they were that good! I'm looking forward to trying other recipes from this book, because if they're half as good as these tomatoes, I'm in for a treat.

Parmesan Roasted Tomatoes from Simply Suppers by Jennifer Chandler

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• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I used 1 Tablespoon dried parsley)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 6 large ripe tomatoes, cut in half horizontally
• kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 395 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl stir together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic parsley and oregano until well combined.

Place the tomato halves in a shallow baking dish, sliced side up. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste. (I added the salt and pepper to the bread crumb mixture).

Sprinkle the tops of the tomatoes with the Parmesan bread crumb mixture. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the tomatoes. (I mixed the olive oil in with the bread crumbs so they'd stick together and create a crisper topping).

Bake until the topping is golden, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

NOTE: Since this recipe was part of a cookbook review I didn't want to alter the original recipe. Instead I added my changes to the recipe in blue italics.

Katherine from Thomas Nelson also wants to give away 3 copies of Simply Suppers for you to enjoy! All you have to do is leave me a comment on this post telling me what your favorite side dish is.

Anyone and everyone is eligible to win. Just be sure to leave me your contact info so I can contact you if you win. One entry per person please.

I'll reveal the (3) winners next Tuesday, May 10. Good luck!

A Miraculous Meatless Meal

I was raised in cattle country so naturally, I like meat. Mr. H is certainly not a vegetarian and I don't think he'd ever become one because he likes his steak too much. Now, I'm not going to get into how we like it cooked because I might gross some people out and that is not my intention here, but my point is we are carnivorous beings and like it like that. We seldom eat a meatless meal, but when I came across this Rustic Tomato Tart on Baking and Creating with Avril, I was intrigued.

The tart remained in the back of my mind but I was a tad bit apprehensive about it because I knew Mr. H would miss his protein. Then I saw it again a couple weeks later on Maranda's Jolts & Jollies and it sealed the deal. I was definitely making this tart! It was fairly simple and it was really tasty. And the best part is, with a side salad, this makes the perfect meal.

Mr. H didn't complain once about the missing steak on his plate, which was a relief to me. But if you have a die hard meat lover in your household, some crumbled Italian sausage, salami or sliced pepperoni would be delicious in this. Or you could try making two smaller tarts, one with meat and one without and do a little taste test to see which you prefer. The crust is flaky and the filling has a kick from the garlic and mustard, while the cheese is ooey, gooey, stretchy and delicious. Don't wait as long as I did to make this.

Rustic Tomato Tart adapted from Avril and Maranda

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For The Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 4 Tablespoons butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 2-3 Tablespoons cold water

For The Filling:

• 3 Tablespoons Dijon or whole-grain mustard
• 2-3 large fresh tomatoes 0r 5 Roma tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons dried herbs (I used basil, parsley and oregano)
• kosher salt
• pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

For crust: Mix salt and flour in medium bowl. With pastry cutter cut in chilled butter until mixture has a cornmeal consistency.

In separate bowl, lightly beat egg; add 2 Tablespoons water.

Make a well in center of flour mixture and pour egg mixture in the well; mix until well incorporated and a non-sticky dough forms. If dough is still too dry, add third Tablespoon of water.

Knead dough into a ball, transfer to parchment paper or a Silpat; roll out into a 14 inch circle. Transfer parchment paper or Silpat and dough to a rimmed baking sheet.

For Filling: Spread mustard over the unbaked crust until well covered, leaving about an 1 1/2-inch border.

Slice tomatoes and arrange in a single layer in the center of crust. Scatter freshly minced garlic over tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt, red pepper flakes and dried herbs.

Top with sliced mozzarella; sprinkle with a bit more salt, pepper flakes and basil.

Bring edges of crust up over the edges of tomato and cheese.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is brown and bubbly.

Allow to cool about 10 minutes, slice into wedges with a pizza cutter and enjoy!

oh, Lordy!

Burgers For Dad

Do you have plans for Father's Day? I think we're going to have Mr. H's parents over for dinner or we may go out to eat at a cute new cafe we just discovered. Not entirely sure yet. My father does not live here and our relationship has deteriorated over the last few years so it will probably be just us four and the doggies :-) I'll stop by to see my step dad and send my grandpa a card but one thing I know for sure is that we will be celebrating my husband and father-in-law this coming weekend.

These burgers would be great to serve for your favorite Dad on Sunday. They're a nice twist on the "regular" burger and they're just as simple but so much better! The bruschetta topping on this burger is what makes it extra special and tasty. It consists of diced tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil and parm cheese- good stuff! I found these burgers on Debby's A Feast For The Eyes. I've seen these burgers on her site before but she recently reminded me of them again and I made them the very next day. We loved them.

We like our burger patties cooked to medium, with a little pink on the inside but even if these were cooked all the way through , they'd still be good. Just don't cook them til they're tough like shoe leather- that's the only thing that could ruin this burger. ha ha! The meat was juicy and flavorful but the star was the bruschetta. The tomatoes were fresh and summery tasting, then you got a little punch from the grated garlic and saltiness from the cheese. I made some pesto mayo to slather on the buns and that finished them off perfectly. Make these this weekend, they'll be a hit, I'm sure! Thanks Debby!

Bruschetta Burgers adapted from A Feast For The Eyes

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Serves 3-4

Bruschetta Topping:

• 2 ripe tomatoes on the vine, seeded
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil or basil puree
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• pinch of kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

Pesto Mayo:

• 3 Tablespoons good mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon prepared pesto

Beef Patties:

• Ground beef, seasoned only with salt & pepper
• Mozarella or Provolone cheese, to melt on the burger

For the bruschetta: Mix all the ingredients together except salt. Add salt right before topping the burgers so the tomatoes don’t get watery. Set aside.

For the pesto mayo: In a small bowl, mix the pesto and mayo together. Set aside.

For the burgers: Season your ground beef with salt and pepper, then form them into patties of your desired weight. (We prefer 1/3 pound burgers so I made 3 patties, if you don't want them as thick, you can make 4 quarter pound burgers). Cook burgers to your liking either on the grill or on the stove top. Once cooked to your desired internal temperature, place cheese on top of burgers while they're still hot so it melts on the patty.

Assembly: Toast buns or foccacia then generously spread on pesto mayo. Top the bottom bun with patty then scoop bruschetta on top of that. Sandwich it all together with the top bun and eat up.

Yummers!