My italian mom's german golumpkies turned into soup

 Golumpki (Stuffed Cabbage) Soup

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

1 lb ground ground beef

1 medium onion chopped

1 small to medium cabbage chop

½ cup uncooked rice

1 28 oz can tomato sauce

4 cups beef broth

2 tbs brown sugar

1 tbs cider vinegar

½ to 1 tsp poultry seasoning taste to your likes

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Instructions
In a stock pot, over medium heat, brown the ground beef.
Add onions to pot and cook until onions soften.
Add cabbage to pot and cook until cabbage starts to soften, maybe about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in remaining ingredients to the pot and allow soup to come to a slight boil.
Lower temperature to a simmer and cover.
Cook for approximately 25-30 minutes or until the cabbage and rice are softened.

Giada De Laurentiis Lentil Soup you just can't stop eating it.

I'm a down home cook my ingredients can be found in most kitchens.  Giada De Laurentiisis a great great Food Network chef but I never have the needed ingredients and my local grocery store doesn't carry them.  Typically I don't even watch her its just frustrating knowing I can't make the dish that looks so yummy.

However her lentil soup is simple I had all the ingredients needed and it is super delicious

Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 pound lentils (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
• 11 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 4 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2/3 cup dried elbow pasta, I used tinkyada gf shells
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and saute until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices. Simmer until the juices evaporate a little and the tomatoes break down, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the lentils and mix to coat. Add the broth and stir. Add the thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over low heat until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the pasta. Simmer until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Beats Bertucci's Sausage soup in flavor hands down

Beats Bertucci's Sausage soup in  flavor hands down and it's so simple to make you'll wonder why you've made it before

                        Sausage Soup Italian style

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method

--------  ------------  --------------------------------

   1      pound         sweet sausage - use chicken to make a healthier less greasy version

   2      cloves        garlic

   1      14 oz can     diced tomatoes

   1      30 oz         chicken broth

     1/2  bag           spinach

     1/2  cup           uncooked rice

     1/4  cup           Parmesan cheese

Use sausage without casings, scramble it in a dutch oven with the crushed garlic cloves.  Add broth and tomatoes, bring to a simmer.  If more broth is needed add it.  I added 1 more cup of water and a boullion cube.  Add rice, simmer another 20 minutes.  Wash and break up spinach, add to soup, let steam from soup cook spinach.  Sprinkle in some parmesan or mozzarella.

                   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : can use beef broth instead of chicken.

add a little zing with red pepper flakes.

White Wine w White Fish Baked to perfection

Baked Haddock or Cod with White Wine Sauce

so simple and delicious

picking a White Wine that you love is what makes this recipe extra yummy

     

Sauvignon Blanc makes a sweeter sauce than  Fat Bastard Chardonnay

make with what you like or what you have in the fridge

a bouquet of celery

chopped this size leaves a bit of crunch which we like

if you don't like crunchy celery chop it smaller 

it gives the fish a great mild flavor

add your chopped onion
save the minced for the butter sauce

melt butter in a dish easy for dipping the fish in

decadent yes

healthier Earth Balance makes a great butter substitute!

add your minced onion 

dip the fish to coat

lay the fish on the celery & onion 

pour the remaining butter and onion over fish

sprinkle with paprika

pour wine over fish

Bake at 350 for 15-20 min depending on thickness of fish

Lift fish to serving dish with celery and onion

pour wine  sauce from fish pan into saucepan; simmer to reduce to about 1/2 cup; 

taste sauce - if sauce is bitter add 2 tbs of butter

You can pour sauce over fish or serve on the side

I prefer to serve on the side

Serve with the rest of the bottle of wine

Baked Haddock or Cod with White Wine Sauce

2 c. chopped celery leaves and stalks
1 onion, sliced
2 1/2 to 3 lbs. white fish fillets
Salt and pepper
1/3 c. melted butter
1 tsp. finely chopped onion
Dash paprika or fish seasoning
1/2 lemon or 1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 c. dry white wine
Chopped parsley

Spread celery and onion in baking dish. Season fish with salt and pepper.
Combine butter, chopped onion, & lemon juice.
Dip fish into butter mixture; arrange on celery and onion.
Pour leftover butter mixture and wine over top of fish.
Sprinkle with paprika or fish seasoning

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes for a 2" thick fillet
15-20 minutes for 1" thin fillets
It's done when easily flaked with fork

Lift fish to serving dish with celery and onion. Pour wine from fish pan into saucepan; heat briskly to reduce to about 1/2 cup
taste sauce - if sauce is bitter add 2 tbs of butter

You can pour over fish or serve on the side.
Garnish with chopped parsley
Makes 6 servings.

chop celery 1/2 " pieces if a thin fillet is used
if using a thick fillet chop celery large
we like crunchy celery if you want soggy celery chop it small


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Great to add to a holiday party or dress up any meal Green Beans

Easy peasy deliciousy Green Beans

Tomatoe Green Beans

Fresh or fozen grean beans work in this easy side dish

that will have you looking like you spent hours preparing



Mushroom GreenBeans

 

Tomatoe Greenbeans

Put 1 1/2 lbs fresh green beans or a bag of frozen Green beans in saucepan over med heat
Add diced Tomatoes

simmer until the green beans are the crunch level you like

or the mushy level my Mom likes.

I like to saute an onion then add greenbeans, fresh garlic is always yummy

 

Mushroom GreenBeans

Put 2tbs butter in lg saute pan over med heat , add 1 lb sliced mushrooms, let cook about 5 minute to carmelize a little, add 1 1/2 lbs greenbeans or frozen green beans

Add 2-4 tbs balsamic vinegar (i like alot)

saute until the green beans are the crunch level you like

or again the mushy level my Mom likes.

I like to saute an onion then add greenbeans

 

Just Perfection Beet Salad

We're going to take the toasted almonds you didn't burn, the roasted beets

and make an amazing Beet Salad!!

 

 

 

 

you did a great job on the almonds and beets

 

when your ready the salad will take minutes to put together 

It all depends who your sharing with on how you want to plate a salad

 

 

Arugula has a nice zing that balances with the sweet beets & balsamic dressing

 

 

this is the main dish instead of a side I plated BIG

goat cheese isn't as salty as feta - go ahead give it a try

you'll never go back

 

Beet Salad just isn't the same without toasted almonds

 

drizzle dressing over salad

mine glopped no chance for a redo

time to dig in

 

 

Beet Salad

 



8 cups arugula (10oz package)

1/3 cup roasted almonds, toasted
4 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled
Maple Balsamic Dressing or your favorite Balsamic Dressing
 

Put the arugula on a serving platter and then arrange the beets, almonds, and goat cheese on top. Drizzle with Maple Balsamic Dressing, if desired, sprinkle with salt and pepper, serve warm or at room temperature.  If you like a lot of dressing toss arugula with some dressing.

Toasted Almonds

 

Maple Balsamic Dressing

Roasted Beets

Baby Spinach works well or half arugula half baby spinach
 

 

Toasting Almonds

Toasted Almonds
 

yummy toasted almonds make any dish better

toss on salad, add to chicken salad, seafood stuffing

sprinkle over green beans, broccoli

add to brownies, sprinkle over ice cream

 



 

start with sliced roasted almonds

 

why? because the raw don't have as much flavor

and toasting gives more flavor than the roasting

 

trust me I've tried - just toast the roasted almonds

 

 

In a large sauté pan toss a thin layer of almonds

over medium heat, watching closely

stirring often 

one distraction they'll burn

 

 

overcrowding will result in brown patches with uncooked almonds

my pan is definitely overcrowded

what can I say I give good advice I just don't take it

 

 

hmmmm....they smell so yummy

don't burn your fingers sneaking some out of the pan

 

 

ENJOY!!

 

 

Toasted Almonds

 

2 cups of sliced roasted almonds

 

When the pan is preheated, spread only enough almonds to cover the pan in an even thin layer.

 

Stir  frequently (about once every 30 seconds) to prevent the nuts from burning.

 

The stove top method is quick and easy, the almond slices tend to roast a little unevenly, so it's important to keep the almonds moving.

Remove the almonds from the pan when they are done toasting.

 

The almonds should take between 3 and 5 minutes to toast on the stove top.

Remove the almonds from the heat just before they begin to develop browned edges  otherwise they will start to burn.

Immediately pour the toasted almond slices into another dish to cool.  Store in glass jar after they are cooled.

You can toast in the oven but I always burn them it's that distraction thing

you look away things start smoking!!