Creamy Italian Sausage Soup (or Zuppa Toscana)

photo from kitchengirljo.blogspot.com

It's winter. Soup is where it's at, people. Warm, creamy, heart-smiling soup.  Try this one for a bit of a zesty change. It's easy, it's delicious- what more could you want? (Oh, another bowl? Well, go right ahead!)

Creamy Italian Sausage Soup (or Zuppa Toscana) by Erin Taylor

(This is loosely based on Olive Garden's famous soup. I say "loosely" because I don't know their recipe, and have only tasted a few bites of this soup, but I got the idea from them.)

2 Quarts water or chicken stock.
*2 Tbsp. chicken bouillon paste (concentrated stock)* if NOT using chicken stock above.
1 1/2 C. diced potatoes (peeled, or I used unpeeled red potatoes for a nice color contrast)
1/2 lb. crumbled italian sausage. (If using large links in casing, use about 3, and remove outer casing.)
1 C. powdered milk
1/4 C. parmesan cheese ( fresh grated, or from the plastic shaker bottle)
1-2 tsp. red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy hot you like it)
1 tsp. minced garlic cloves
1/2 C. chopped spinach or kale (optional)
1/4 C. Corn starch mixed with 1/4 c. water (for thickening)
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In medium pot, brown crumbled sausage. Do not remove from pot when browned. Add water (or stock) and diced potatoes. Add about a tsp. salt and let simmer until potatoes are soft. (about 15 minutes.) Next, stir in the powdered milk and whisk until lumps are disolved. Then add parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, garlic, spinach, and corn starch and water mix. Stir over med. heat until it becomes thicker. If too thick, add some water to thin. Add salt and pepper to desired taste. Let simmer for 10 - 15 minutes on LOW heat to let flavors develop.

Enjoy with fresh sliced sour dough bread!

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Yes. Everybody loves Olive Garden's version of this fabulously creamy and delicious soup. I decided to try a version of it myself. I am not claiming to know their recipe, nor did I even attempt to dissect it. (In fact, I've never actually ordered it myself- I always just sneak some from my hubby's bowl.) But last weekend when it was cold and snowy, and our bodies yearned for warmth and comfort, this recipe was born in my kitchen, and will forever be a favorite.

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup   by Erin Taylor

1 recipe homemade Gnocci (below, or 2 C. purchased gnocchi, prepared according to directions.)

In large pot over medium heat, add:
2 Quarts water
2 Tbsp. concentrated chicken stock, bouillon, or other chicken stock substitute
1/4 C. grated carrots
2 C. chopped spinach
1 C. powdered milk (important for an extra creamy flavor, but regular milk would do.)
2 Tbsp. butter

Let cook until warmed through. Then add:
1 1/2 C. shredded chicken breast
1/4 C. parmesan cheese (the finely grated kind in the plastic bottle works great for this recipe.)
2 tsp. minced garlic cloves, or garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 C. cooked Gnocci

While soup is simmering, mix together:
1 C. water
1/4 C. flour or corn starch

Add to soup and stir until soup begins to thicken. (It will not be the thickness of a chowder, but thicker than it was. )  Cook on med to low heat until spinach is wilted and a little darker in color.

About 6 servings


Homemade Gnocchi

Combine in bowl:
1 C. instant potato flakes
1 C. boiling water

mix until well combined. Add:
2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese
1 egg

Potatoes will be runnier and gooey. Now, add:
1 1/2 C. flour  (*add one cup, mix with spoon, add 1/4 C more, mix until too stiff to mix. Turn out on floured surface and knead with hands until you've incorporated the rest of the flour.)

Break dough into 2 halves. Roll one half out into a long rope about 1" thick. Slice off 1/2" slices or "pillows". Poke each pillow with your knuckle to make an indentation in each to give it that authentic gnocchi look. Repeat with second half of dough.

Heat large pot with water and let boil. Add the gnocchi in smaller batches (about 15 or so gnocchis at a time) and cook for about 2 minutes. Remove and place aside until ready to use in soup. Can be placed in plastic bag and refridgerated for use at a later time.

Delicious with pasta sauce, or in soups.

Makes about 3 1/2 C. cooked total.

French Silk Pie to DIE for!

I absolutely adore chocolate cream pie. WITH A PASSION! But don't so much care for the chocolate puddding and whipped cream old standby. This, my friends, is divine! I found it on The Pioneer Woman's website HERE, along with about 50 million more reciped I want to try. And it is super easy, AND, it doesn't require whipped cream for the filling! Enjoy!


(picture taken from The Pioneer Woman website)

French Silk Pie (from  The Pioneer Woman website, with a tiny bit of Erin added)

Ingredients

• 4 ounces, weight Unsweetened Baking Chocolate (I used about 1/2 C. plus 1 Tbsp regular semi-sweet chips because I like it sweeter.)
• 1 cup Salted Butter, Softened
• 1-1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 4 whole Eggs
• 1 package Baked Pie Shell (homemade is fantastic, too.)

Preparation Instructions

In small microwave safe bowl melt 4 ounces of unsweetened baking chocolate until stirrable (about 45 seconds on high). Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat 1 cup (2 sticks) of regular (salted) butter and 1 ½ cups of white sugar until fluffy (about 1 to 2 minutes). When melted chocolate is cooled, drizzle it over the butter/sugar mixture. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat the mixture thoroughly until combined (on a Kitchen Aid mixer, you will be using the whisk attachment).

* (the following step is crucial you follow exactly):
Turn your mixer to a medium speed and over a period of 15 to 20 minutes add in the four eggs, one at a time, leaving about 5 minutes between each egg addition. *Don't worry if the filling is gritty and sugary when you start adding the eggs. Once all the eggs are added, it is very smooth!

Once the pie filling is well mixed, pour it into the baked and cooled pie shell, scraping every last speck of it out of the bowl. Smooth out the pie filling and place pie in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours (preferably longer).

*Erin's addition: I swirled in some softened marshmallow cream after the filling was finished mixing to make a chocolate marshmallow pie. It was VERY sweet. I would use unsweetened chocolate in place of the semi-sweet chips I used if I were to add marshmallow cream again.

Sweet Potato and Spinach Casserole

This casserole could also be called a quiche, which seems fancier. And this is certainly fancy looking- bright orange yams with a creamy, fluffy spinach layer- oh so good! Great as a side to pork, chicken, or beef, but also a delicious main course!

Sweet Potato and Spinach Casserole  by Erin Taylor

1 1/2 C. milk
3 eggs
1/4 C. butter, melted
1/2 C. Bisquick baking mix
2 C. chopped spinach (frozen would work well, I use fresh and chop it up)
1 1/2C. grated cheese (Gruyere, Gouda, or just plain old cheddar or monterey jack)
1 med. sweet potato or yam (get the kind with orange flesh- much prettier)
2 bacon strips, chopped (optional)
salt and pepper
season salt


Preheat oven to 375 deg. Peel sweet potato and slice in thin slices so you have about 24-30 slices. Set aside. In large bowl combine milk, eggs, melted butter and bisquick mix; whisk until well mixed. Add about 1 tsp salt and dash of pepper, add season salt (about 1/2 tsp) if desired.  Mix in spinach and  1 C. of the cheese.

In casserole or baking dish coated with pan spray or drizzle of olive oil (about 9X9 size for a thicker pie) place sliced rounds of potatoes side by side in rows until bottom of baking dish  is covered.  Pour spinach mixture over potatoes and spread evenly. Layer top with potatoes as you did the bottom, lightly salt and pepper potatoes, sprinkle cheese on top and add bacon pieces. (these can be pre-cooked, but raw is fine too- they will brown in oven.)

Bake, uncovered, at 375 for about 30- 40 minutes or until center is puffy and firm. When finished, remove from oven and let sit for about 10-15 minutes before serving so it can "set" a bit more.

Cranberry Orange Sauce

I love cranberry sauce, but I realize many people don't. It can be very tart. However, I came up with this extremely simple recipe for homemade cranberry orange sauce that is not only sweet and delicious, but an absolute gorgeous color!


 (picture is of Rachel Ray's sauce- similar recipe.)

Cranberry Orange Sauce by Erin Taylor

1 bag fresh cranberries (in produce section)
1/2 c. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest
1 1/2 c. sugar (more sugar than most recipes- this is more like a jam)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C. Corn starch mixed with 1/2 C. water

Place cranberries in pot. Add orange juice concentrate. Cover and cook on medium heat until berries begin to soften and reduce down. (about 10 minutes)  Add sugar, salt, and zest and cook with lid off until sugar desolves and it begins to bubble. Using a potatoe masher, mash the mixture in the pot to mash berries. No need to mash all the berries to a pulp, just break them up a bit.  Add cornstarch and water mix and stir until thickened.  Place in container and keep refrigerated.

Yeast Biscuits (by Paula Deen)

This recipe for biscuits makes thick, fluffy, light biscuits, and they are no-fail! The yeast added makes them tender and fluffy and soft. And you don't have to wait for them to raise, just stick them in the oven and in a few minutes you have perfect biscuits!

Yeast Biscuits (by Paula Deen)  - this recipe is half the original recipe Paula gives. It will make about 9-10 biscuits

1/2 (about 1 1/2 tsp.) package yeast

1/4 cup lukewarm water

2.5 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp. solid shortening (recommended: Crisco)

1 cup buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, use 2 Tbsp. vinegar added to regular milk)

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Dissolve yeast in warm water; set aside. Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening. Add yeast and buttermilk and mix well. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and roll out to desired thickness. Cut with small biscuit cutter and place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Pumpkin Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everyone loves pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and everyone will love this spicy little twist on the classic. The key is the ginger paste (found in the refridgerated herb section at the grocery store) which gives them a fresh, zingy ginger flavor!

(picture coming as soon as my batch makes it out of the oven and I take the picture!)

Pumpkin Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies
by Erin Taylor

preheat oven to 350 deg.

In a mixing bowl combine:

1 3/4 C. granulated sugar
1 c. pumpkin puree
1/2 C. butter (1 stick)
1 egg
1 tsp. ginger paste

Beat until well mixed. Then add:
2 C. flour
1 tsp. each:  baking powder, baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. cinnamon

mix just until ingredients are combined, but don't over mix.  Stir in by hand:
1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use the mini's and they are perfect.)

make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to get any unincorporated parts mixed in well.

Spray baking sheet with pan spray and scoop out by large spoonfulls (or an icecream scoop which is what I use) onto baking sheet.  Place them about 3 inches apart so they can spread.
Bake for about 10-12 minutes, until puffed up in center and golden around edges. Remove from oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes until transfering to plate or container.

Enjoy!