Pasta Fagioli with Sausage
1 tbsp Extra Vir. olive oil with lemon
1 1/2 lbs sausage sweet or hot, with casings removed
1 lage carrot diced
2-3 ribs celery, diced
1 onion, finely diced
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs rosemary
2-4 sprigs thyme
salt and pepper
32 oz container chicken broth
18 oz can cannellini beans, drained
1 cup ditallini or elbow pasta (part way cooked and drained)
grated cheese for serving
crusty bread for mopping
In soup pot, heat the extra vir. olive oil and brown sausage. Stir in carrot, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaf, rosemary, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until veggies are soft. (about 5 min)
Add the chicken broth, beans, and 2 cups of water. Cover the pot and brng soup to boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until pasta is done. Discard the bay leaf, rosemary, and thyme.
Serve the soup in bowls with grated parmesean cheese and crusty bread. YUMMMMY!
Guiness Stew
I make this in a cast iron stew pot. One pan meal. If you don't have one, use a heavy stock pot.
Saute in 2 Tbsp olive oil:
3 c chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced and chopped
2 ribs celery chopped
3 carrots
1/2 c fennel bulb, chopped
When sauted, add to pot: 1 Tbsp chopped rosemary,
2 Tbsp butter, 1 cup chopped mushrooms
3-4 cups chopped stew meat
salt and pepper to taste
1 can Guiness stout
Top with beef stock so you can just see the meat
Cook for 2 hours in 350 degree oven (put a baking sheet under the pan so it doesn't drip) Can also simmer on low for 6-8 hours.
You can add 1 c cheddar cheese for the last half hour of cooking.
This recipe is wonderful if you have a fireplace or woodstove..We use it when we are reenacting or when the power goes out.
Cider Glazed Chicken
1 lb chicken breasts
1/2 c apple cider
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/4 c chopped pecans
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
2 Tbsp butter
In a saucepan, season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and brown in melted butter. cook 3-4 min on each side or until chicken is cooked. Take the chicken out of the pan and set aside. Add cider and mustard to the pan, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook 2-3 minutes or until syrupy. Add chicken back to the pan, heat and coat. Add chopped pecans and parsley to sauce and serve.
Applesauce
This is totally a "to taste" recipe. I don't think I've ever measured out the ingredients. I just "taste" it until it's the way we like it!
5-6 cups of peeled, cored, chopped apples
1/2 cup of sugar (more or less depending on the sweetness of the apples
1-2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp grated nutmeg
1-2 cups water
Add apples, water, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a heavy pot. Simmer until apples are soft and cooked. Mash with a potato masher.
Waldorf Salad
3-4 cups of peeled, cored, and chopped apples
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup lt. mayonaise or plain yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix well covering everything with mayo or yogurt. Serve immediately. (If using yogurt, I add a tsp of sugar).
Applesauce Bread
1/2 c shortening
1 c sugar
1 1/2 c applesauce
2 c sifted flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup raisins
Cream shortening and sugar. stir in apple sauce and add sifted dry ingredients. Add raisins and stir until well blended. Pour into greased and floured loaf pan. Bake 350 for an hour.
This recipe freezes REALLY well!
Cheesy Ziti Toss
1 lb ground beef
2Tbsp minced garlic
salt and pepper
1Tbsp dried basil & oregano
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 cans diced tomatos (drained)
1 can tomato soup
1/2 box cooked and drained ziti noodles
1/2 cup parm. cheese
chopped parsley
In large sauce pan brown ground beef, onions, salt, and pepper and spices. Drain fat from meat. Add tomatoes and stir. Add cooked pasta to sauce and stir. Add parm cheese and stir in to melt. Garnish with parsley and more parm. cheese.
Pomegranite Cosmos (Think Pink!!!)
2 cups vodka
1 cup orange liquor
1 cup pomegranite juice
1/2 cup lime juice
Stir and serve chilled.....Makes a pitcher full! Dip rim of glasses in water and then in pink sugar.
Garnish with a lime wedge.
