Beef Soup

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Hi Housewives!

This weekend’s recipe is for Beef Soup.  Now this is not your ordinary beef soup but for you to fully understand why I’ll have to give you the back story.  A few years back my husband and I were vacationing in Puerto Rico and we went to this little, almost hidden, restaurant for lunch.  They had some sort of soup on the menu, I don’t remember the name of the soup or the restaurant but what I do remember is that I absolutely loved that soup.  We both did!  We sat there eating it trying to figure out what was in it and to this day we still talk about that dish.  I decided that day that I would try to make it and if we ever go back we are going to find that restaurant and ask for the recipe!  I love to try to recreate great dishes I come across whether it be at restaurants or things family and friends have made.  So, today, I give you my recreation of what I call PR Beef Soup!

  • Beef Bones and package of stew meat
  • 1 package of fresh soup greens – I love this because it contains a little bit of everything such as leeks, fresh dill, a turnip, an onion etc.
  • 1 chopped onion (from soup green package)
  • carrots (I usually add 2-3 more carrots along with what comes in soup green package)
  • celery and of course the torn leaves (I sometimes add another rib or 2 of celery)
  • 2 cans of beef broth
  • 1 can of tomato sauce
  • about 2 cups of water
  • 3 cloves of garlic minced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Small pasta such as orzo

In a big soup pot heat a little extra-virgin olive oil.  Then add the soup bones and stew meat and brown.  When browned add all your veggies and cook until tender and onion is translucent.  Stir it often as you don’t want the onion to burn.  Next, add your beef broth, tomato sauce, water and minced garlic.  Simmer on low for 1-2 hours stirring from time to time.  Add salt and pepper as needed.  I serve it over orzo or ditalini pasta.  Enjoy!

RHC

 

Split Pea Soup!

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Hi Housewives!

It’s soup season once again and today’s recipe is for slow-cooked split pea soup.  The holidays are soon approaching and with that brings a ton of leftover.  If you make a ham the leftovers can easily be used to make a yummy split pea soup.  The ham bones are great too for added flavor.  I usually make this in the slow cooker but it can b done on a stovetop as well.

  • a bag of dried green split peas
  • 1 ham steak (cubed) or leftover ham with ham bones/hock
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 2 cloves of minced or smashed garlic
  • 3 medium carrots sliced
  • 3 celery stalk chopped and remember to add some torn up leaves
  • 6 cups of water
  • 1 can of chicken broth
  • salt and pepper to taste

Rinse over the green split peas and take out any pebbles.  Then combine all ingredients in slow cooker and stir.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.  That’s it!  Easy!  Go out and enjoy your day and come home to a hearty, healthy, warming your soul soup! :)

You can add quartered potatoes to slow cooker if you like.  Enjoy!

RHC

Chicken Fra Diavolo!

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Hello Housewives!

This week I made a delectable dish that I named Chicken Fra Diavolo.  Part of my love for cooking is creating new dishes and thinking of ways to use what I have to make a tasty dish.  I believe a good cook can and should be able to improvise if needed.  I had a package of chicken cutlets as well as some green beans that I needed to use.  I love green beans marinara and figured I would combine the 2.  I took a little bit of this and a little bit of that and this dish was born!  It was really tasty and would definitely be a hit in a restaurant.  It’s also healthy and carb-free.  You get your meat and veggies all in one dish.

  • Chicken Cutlets (thin-sliced)
  • Gaeta Olives (small container)
  • Green Beans
  • 14.5 ounce can of Diced Tomatoes
  • 14.5 ounce can of Tomato Sauce
  • Red Pepper Flakes (a few shakes depending on how spicy you like it)
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste

In a small saucepan start your sauce.  Sauté garlic and oil and add a can of diced tomatoes and a can of tomato sauce and let cook on a low flame.  Stir in your Red Pepper Flakes.  Salt and Pepper as well.

Meanwhile, boil some salted water and when boiling add the green beans and blanche for a few minutes. Then drain and set aside.

Heat about a tablespoon of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil in a skillet.  When heated add the rinsed chicken cutlets and cook through on both sides, about 7 minutes.  When browned add your small container of Gaeta olives.  Then add your cooked sauce and green beans and mix all together.  Cook on low for about 10-15 minutes and serve!  Enjoy!

RHC

Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls!

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Hi Housewives!

I have received many recipes this week and let me tell you it was very hard trying to decide which recipe to feature on my blog today.  I thank you all for participating!  Last year, I shared with you my attempt at making stuffed cabbage.  It was not one of my brighter moments.  It was tedious work and the end result was bland.  So, after reading 100s of emails I can across this email for unstuffed cabbage rolls sent in by Emma from Naples, Florida and I decided to give it a try.  It was much easier and rather quick to make.  We loved it and the best part about it was that it was a healthy dish with minimal ingredients.  Traditional stuffed cabbage is usually made with rice and takes lots of time.  Emma’s recipe was carb-less too, quick, healthy and most importantly TASTY!  This is going to definitely become of my my weeknight go to meals!!!  Thank you for sharing Emma!  :)

  • 1 head of cabbage chopped (I actually used a bag of shredded cabbage to save time)
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes (14 oz.)
  • 1 can of tomato sauce (14oz.)
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1 package of chop meat (I used ground turkey meat)
  • a clove of minced garlic
  • salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet saute your onion then add the chop meat.  When your meat is cooked through add the cabbage, tomato sauce and diced tomato as well as the garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir ingredients together and let come to a boil.  Cover with lid and let simmer for about 30-40 minutes more until cabbage is tender.  Serve and enjoy!

RHC

Chicken Alla Artichoke!

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Hi Housewives!

Tired of the same old chicken dishes?  Want something simple, easy and tasty?  This chicken dish really doesn’t get any easier and the best part is you only need 4 ingredients! Yep…4 ingredients!  However, I can’t take all of the credit for this dish…I recently saw a similar recipe online and didn’t have everything needed so of course, I improvised!  I was very delighted with the end result and made it again the following week!  So, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did :)

  • chicken cutlets (I prefer thin-sliced)
  • Trader Joe’s Artichoke Antipasto
  • Tomatoes
  • shredded mozzarella

Place your chicken in a pyrex.  Spread the artichoke antipasto over each cutlet.  Then top each cutlet with a slice or two of tomato.  Top with shredded mozzarella and bake at 400 for 40 minutes!  That’s it!  Enjoy!

RHC

 

Pasta Fagioli aka Pasta Fazool!

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Hello Housewives!

We are back and ready for Fall!  Although I am truly a summer lover, the autumn season brings with it lots of comfort foods that I’ve been craving.  Soups, stews, roasts and baking all come to mind as we enter into a new season.  I’ve got some great recipes lined up for you and am looking forward to sharing them!

Today’s recipe is for Pasta Fagioli or otherwise known as, if you’re Italian-American, as Pasta Fazool!  There are numerous variations on this wonderful dish according to where you are from in Italy.  I was lucky enough to get this recipe from a coworker and dear friend of mine named Sylvia and let me tell you she is someone who knows what she is doing in the kitchen.  Since the loss of my mom she has taught me a lot about cooking.  We joke that she can make sticks taste good.

This dish is perfect for a chilly, rainy evening.  It will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside and satisfied.  It’s great to freeze as well.  I store the leftovers in a little tupperware and take them for lunch from time to time.

  • Extra-virgin olive oil (2 tablespoons)
  • Pancetta (3 slices sliced)
  • 1/2 box of Ditalini Pasta
  • 1/2 white onion sliced thin
  • 3 ribs of celery and some torn up celery leaves
  • 4 carrots sliced
  • 2 cans of canellini beans
  • 2 1/2 cans of water
  • 1 can of tomato sauce
  • 6-8 cloves of garlic
  • salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add pancetta and brown.  You can get pancetta at any Italian deli or you can buy those little boxes of diced pancetta you see in the super markets.  I prefer to get in from the deli, just ask for 3-4 slices of pancetta.  Tell them what you’re making and they should know how thick to make it.  You do want thick slices not as thin as you would have on a sandwich or something.  Ok, so back to the cooking.  Then add onion, carrots, celery and garlic.  Don’t forget to throw in some torn up celery leaves, these little gems are often discarded or forgotten about but they pack a lot of punch and flavor and should always be thrown in to your soups and stuff!  Cook for a few minutes until onion is tender.  Season with salt and pepper and stir.  Add your beans, tomato sauce and water.  I like my pasta fazool more red than white so I add the cam of tomato sauce but you can add less if you prefer.  Cook on low for an hour or until carrots are tender.

Meanwhile, in another pot, cook your pasta until al dente.  I do not add my pasta to the soup until ready to eat as doing so causes the pasta to soak up all the juice.  It’s better to leave your pasta on the side and add it to your bowl as you go along.

Serve with grated cheese and bread if you like and dig in :)

RHC

Shrimp and Broccolini!

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Hi Housewives!

Tonight I made a very healthy yet still very tasty shrimp dish.  I recently purchased a bag of frozen shrimp from Trader Joe’s as well as 2 packages of fresh broccolini with the intent to combine the two to make some sort of dinner.  Tonight was the night I experimented with it and came up with this very good dinner. I used what I had in my cupboard and did some experimenting.  I used minimal ingredients and kept it low calorie.  So here goes….

  • 1 bag of frozen shrimp
  • 2 packages of fresh broccolini
  • 1 can of black beans
  • 1 can of mushrooms
  • exrra-virigin olive oil
  • 8 cloves of crushed garlic
  • sirracha for serving (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Cut the broccolini in half or thirds and add to boiling water for 2-5 minutes to blanche it.  Drain and set aside.

Coat a skillet with the olive oil and heat.  Add your garlic and let cook for a minute or so.  Then add the broccolini and defrosted shrimp.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook until shrimp is no longer translucent.  Last add your mushrooms and black beans.  Be sure to drain and rinse them.  Cook for 5 more minutes stirring frequently.

Serve with some sirracha if you like.

Enjoy!

RHC

Roasted Chickpeas!

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Hello Housewives!

Do you love chick peas?  I do and when I love something I try to come up with different ways to make them or incorporate them into recipes.   I usually throw chickpeas in my salads and sometimes soups.  But did you know that they can be a yummy snack as well?  I didn’t…until recently.  I stumbled upon some recipes calling for frying them which to me sounded interesting.  However, I really didn’t think that would be so healthy so I looked into baking or roasting them and to my surprise they were quite good.  Crunchy, sometimes chewy and satisfying!  Perfect for a little snack.  If you love chips this will be your new go to snack when craving a chip-like snack.  They are pretty simple to make and require minimal ingredients using flavors you already have in your cupboard.  So let’s get to the recipe!

  • 1 can of chickpeas
  • sea salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • any seasoning you prefer (garlic powder, cayenne pepper, creole seasoning)

First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Then, rinse your chickpeas with water in a strainer.  Using paper towels, dry your beans pretty well.  A thin skin may come off some of the chickpeas, just discard those along with the paper towels when done drying.  Place the beans in a baking sheets and drizzle with the olive oil.  I use my hands to roll the beans around making sure each bean is coated with some olive oil.  Roast for about 3-40 minutes until your beans are a deep golden brown and crunchy.  Be careful not to burn them so check them often and move around in pan.

Now the fun part!  I tried 3 different seasonings my first time making them.  I separated them into 3 small bowls and seasoned one batch with just salt.  The 2nd batch I seasoned with a little garlic powder.  The last batch I seasoned with some cinnamon for a more sweet snack.  They all were quite good but I was drawn to the garlic batch and the sea salt batch more.  Just go easy with the garlic because too much garlic powder can ruin it.  Use it sparingly.  I will try them again with perhaps some cayenne seasoning.  Be creative!  I am going to browse the seasoning aisle next time I am at the supermarket and just experiment with these little delights!

Enjoy!

RHC

Zucchini Casserole!

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Hi Housewives!

If you haven’t noticed already, I’ll remind you again…I LOVE zucchini!  I try to incorporate it as much as I can into so many dishes.  So today’s recipe is for a zucchini casserole.  I had it in my archives and hadn’t made it for a few years until now.  I forgot just how enjoyable of a dish it is.  It requires minimal ingredients and is pretty simply to make.  It’s a low calorie dish and you can use reduced fat ingredients if you choose to or not. :)  I make it as a side dish.

  • 1 green zucchini
  • 1 yellow zucchini
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup of light sour cream
  • a handful of shredded cheddar
  • Panko bread crumbs
  • Cooking spray
  • Extra-virgin olive oil (optional)

Slice your zucchini and add it along with the chopped onion to a heated skillet.  You can use a tablespoon or two of olive oil or cooking spray to coat your skillet.  Add some salt and pepper and let cook for about 10 minutes.

When zucchini and onions are cooked through add the sour cream and shredded cheddar and mix.  You can turn off the heat at this point.  Spoon mixture into baking pan coated with cooking spray.

Sprinkle the top with Panko and bake for about 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees.  Let cool and enjoy this  low-cal goodness!

Enjoy!

RHC

Summer Soup!

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Hi Housewives!

Today’s recipe is for a summer soup.  Just the thought of soup during the summer makes some of you cringe, I know, but there are always those dreary, rainy days that make it a good day for soup.  This is a primarily green soup and incorporates lots of veggies.  I made this with little meatballs and eggs for protein but you can omit either of the 2 if you prefer.

  • green onion
  • 1 zucchini
  • 2 cups of fava beans
  • 1 bag of English peas
  • 1 rib of celery
  • 1 cup of shredded carrots
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cans of chicken broth
  • 2 cans of vegetable broth
  • water
  • turkey meatballs
  • ditalini pasta
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare your turkey meatballs how you usually do and start frying them in a big pot.  When almost cooked through start adding your veggies – zucchini, carrots, green onion, English peas, Fava beans, celery.  Cook for a few minutes and when veggies are softened add your chicken and veggie broth.  I usually add about 4 cups of water as well.  Let cook on low for at least an hour.

About 10-15 minutes before done add the egg to soup.  Break 1 egg at a time into a small bowl and then gently slide into the soup and let it cook.  This is a great source of protein and adds a nice, different twist to your soup.  Don’t knock it until you try it! LOL

Boil water for your pasta and cook that until al dente.  I never add my pasta in my soup because it continues to cook your pasta and then you end up with a mushy mess.  Just scoop a cup of pasta in your soup bowl and then add the soup to it when you are ready to it.  Plus, if you have leftovers the pasta then soaks up all the broth.  So store pasta in a separate container to avoid that. :)

Enjoy!

RHC

 

 

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