Italian Wedding Soup!

Italian Wedding Soup

This is an old traditional soup from the region of Northern Italy where it is cooler and they use what they had grown in the summer into this soup. Every of recipe says to add something different, I stick with the most traditional route just because A. I am lazy and B. I am poor. Here is my version of Italian Wedding Soup, please enjoy! This would also be amazing with some Parmesan cheese crisp.

Ingredients:

8 Cups Chicken Broth
2 TBS  Olive Oil
2 Large Carrots Diced
1 Onion Diced 
1 TBS Italian Seasoning 
Salt & Pepper  1 Package Italian Kale, or Spinach, or Escarole Chopped up
1/2 Cup Small Noodles 

1 Pound Ground Beef Lean
1/4 Cup Italian Breadcrumbs
1 Egg
2 TBS Parmesan cheese 
1 TBS Garlic
1 TBS Italian Seasoning 
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

I started with the meatballs just to get those over with first! In a large bowl combine all the ingredients from the second half of my entry. Mix it pretty good and get a large flat section and start rolling balls into thumbnail size. This part takes the longest but it is worth it when you get all these tiny little balls of goodness on your spoon ;o) when finished set to the side.

Next, heat the olive oil in a deep soup pot, toss in the onion and than carrots, cook down about 5 minutes till they get soft. Sprinkle on the salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Turn the heat up to high and pour in all the broth make sure you taste it for the salt level, if its to salty add in water 1/2 cup at a time. Once the broth comes to a boil roll in the meatballs they will change color immediately, then add in 1 hand full at a time of the greens you chose. Stir it around and put a lid on her for 30-1 hour. When you are 15 minutes out from eating pour in the noodles. When you get ready to serve put in a large pour top with Parmesan and pepper. Yum!

 

Indian Food Made Simple & Healthy!

Last night I made a quick and easy Indian dish, it was actually the first dish I ever made Dustin back in college when he was my "tutor." This time I made it I wanted to healthy it up a bit and instead of rice I made a cauliflower rice, if I didn't know that it wasn't rice I would of never of known the way the cauliflower steamed it had the same texture it was awesome! So here is my recipe for Indian food made simple!

Chicken Tikka Masala with Cauliflower Rice

Ingredents:

1 Jar of Ready Made Tikka Masala Sauce (Found in the Ethnic aisle)
1 Head of Cauliflower
1 Package Chicken Breast Cubed
1 Onion Sliced
4 TBS Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream or Milk
Salt & Pepper
*Optional pita bread & Cilantro 


Directions:

To begin in a large skillet heat up 2 tbs of olive oil, when its hot add in the onions and get a nice sautee on them before adding the chicken. Let the chicken get color on each side and there is no more pink left (5-7) minutes. Next add in the jar of sauce if it needs a little thinning out fill the jar half with water. Stir it in and then put the lid on the mixture and let cook over medium low heat for 20 minutes. Right before you are ready to serve stir in the milk or cream till it is a pretty coral color. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve over the cauliflower rice wiht a slice of pita! 

Get the Olive oil nice and hot!

Slice the onions so you have even strands

Salt and pepper the onions to make them sweat

Cubed the chicken for bite size pieces

Add chicken to onions

Brown up the chicken till no pink is seen

Toss in the sauce, boss

Stir stir stir

Add lid and let the flavors blend

 Add in the milk or cream and stir around

The final product!

 Cauliflower Rice

Directions:

Cut the cauliflower up into pieces small enough to fit into a blender or food processor whatever you have on hand. Toss into a blender and pulse till it gets the size of actual rice. Meanwhile on the stove heat another large skillet with the other 2 TBS of Olive oil over medium high. Put the cauliflower rice into the oil and stir stir stir, sprinkle with salt and pepper and put a lid on  it for 5 minutes till it steams nicely. Put the Chicken Tikka over it and enjoy! 

Here is the final product!!

 

Homemade Ricotta Stuffed Shells Ala Vodka Sauce

I am back! Dustin got a new camera for his Birthday so I wanted to try and be a more professional food blogger.

Homemade Ricotta Stuffed Shells Ala Vodka Sauce

This recipe was adapted from a mixture of things. I love vodka sauce, my mom made stuffed shells the other night and she told me about the most famous ricotta cheese she got from up North. I took it upon my self to combine all these ingredients and make stuffed shells ala vodka! It turned out more incredible than I thought it would and it was SO easy. I know your probably thinking..."Homemade ricotta easy??" well actually its easier then opening the airtight sealed dog food loaf kind. Here she goes!

Ingredients For Ricotta:

1/2 Gallon Whole Milk
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
3 TBS Lemon juice
1 TBS Salt
Cheese Cloth
5 Leaves Torn Basil
1 TBS Pepper 

Directions:

First measure out all the ingredients and make sure you are ready because things go pretty fast. Over medium high heat add the milks and salt. Bring to a boil be sure to stir so no burning occurs, after it starts to boil turn down to a simmer and add the lemon juice. Let sit untouched for 10 minutes till curds start to form. Remove from heat and pour the curds into the cheese cloth tie in a knot and hang somewhere for it to drip and dry. After 2 hours remove from cheese cloth place into bowl and fold in the basil and pepper. Set aside and start on the pasta!

 
Ingredients For Vodka Sauce:

1 Can Tomato Paste
1 Onion Diced
2 TBS Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
1 TSP Red Pepper Flake
1 Cup Good Vodka
1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
 1 TBS Butter
1 Box Jumbo Shells

Directions: 

In a large skillet over high heat add in the olive oil, onion and seasonings. Cook for 5-7 minutes till onion is soft then add in the can of tomato paste. Cook till the paste covers the onion, pour in the the vodka and turn the heat down to medium. Stir religiously till the vodka smells starts to wear off, add in the cream and turn to a simmer. Toss in the butter to finish! Cook the shells according to the directions and set aside to be stuffed.

 

After the shells are stuffed place them in a oven at 375 for 30 minutes!