Italian Wedding Soup (from Super Saturday)

(which we all now know means the marriage of perfect flavor!)

Submitted by Sister Twelves

(6 to 8 servings)

Meatballs:
½ lb ground beef
¼ c grated parmesan cheese
¼ c breadcrumbs (I used Progresso garlic & herb flavored)
1 egg
Salt and pepper (say 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper)

Directions:
Mix together gently with your hands and form into balls. Any size you like, but about a ½ Tbsp meat mixture is what we did Saturday. I used 1 Tbsp disher to measure and made 2 balls out of each. Bake in 350 oven for 20 minutes or until mostly done. Set aside until needed.

You can make as many meatballs as you wish. You can completely cheat and use frozen Italian style meatballs and I won’t tell anyone.


The Soup:

2 qts chicken broth or stock
1 medium onion – chopped
2 or 3 ribs of celery – chopped
1 c chopped carrot
3 c chopped kale or baby spinach (I used spinach on Saturday, but kale is more Italian)
1 c any really small pasta (I used D’Italini – which are little rings)
Cooked meatballs
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
In a little olive oil, sauté onion, celery, and garlic until soft. Put in a little salt and pepper. Add the stock and carrots and bring to a boil. When at a boil, add the pasta and lower heat to medium. Cook until pasta is al dente. Drop in meatballs and stir in kale or spinach. Heat through. Taste and correct seasonings. Serve!!

On Saturday, we garnished with grated parmesan cheese.

Fettuccine Pasta

Submitted by Sister Barney

1/4 c. butter
8 oz. Cream cheese
1/4 c. flour
pinch of salt
2 c. milk

1. Cream butter and cream cheese together with hand mixer. Add flour and salt to mixture. Mix in milk.
2. Heat and stir until thick. 
3. Serve over cooked fettuccine noodles. Add chicken breast or shrimp if you want!

Broccoli Lasagna

Submitted by Sister Barney

2 cans cream of broccoli soup
1 10 oz. package frozen chopped broccoli
3 carrots, very thinly sliced
1 large onion, diced
3/4 lb. mushrooms, sliced
12 lasagne noodles
16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 15 oz. container cottage cheese
2 large eggs

1. Over med-low heat, heat undiluted broccoli soup and frozen broccoli until broccoli is thawed.
2. In skillet, cook carrots and onion until brown. Reduce heat, add 1/4 c. water. Cook and simmer 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
3. In same skillet, saute mushrooms, then add carrots and onion.
4. Prepare noodles.
5. Preheat oven to 375.
6. In bowl, mix cheeses.
7. In 9 x 13 pan, 1 c. broccoli mixture, half lasagne noodles, 1/2 cheese mixture, all carrot mixture, 1/2 of remaining sauce, noodles, cheese, then sauce.
8. Bake lasagne on 375 for 45 minutes (Carrots may need longer).

Minestrone Soup

Submitted by Sister Brown (Recipe from Sister Keldsen)

3 14.5 oz cans stewed tomatoes (I blend them up)
4-5 cups water
2 tsp. beef or chicken bullion
1 8oz can tomato sauce
3 carrots - chopped
4 stalks celery - chopped
1 large onion - chopped
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 Tbs parsley
2 cloves garlic minced
1 Tbs honey
1 can green beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 3oz package cheese tortellini

1. Add the first 12 ingredients to a stockpot.
2. Bring to a boil then reduce to low and simmer 3-4 hours.
3. Add green beans, kidney beans and pasta. Cook until pasta is done.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Grated parmesan cheese on top is yummy.

Note: I have also made this in the Crock Pot.

Olive Garden Toscana Soup Recipe

Submitted by Sister Brown

Serves: 5-6

Ingredients:
3/4 cup onions, diced 1/8 inch
1 slice bacon, 1/4-inch diced (or I use the real bacon bits)
1 1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 ounce chicken bouillon
1 quart water
2 medium potatoes, cut in half length-wise, then cut in 1/4-inch slices
2 cups cavallo greens (kale can be substituted), cut in half, then sliced into 1/16-inch strips
1 1/2 cup sausage link - spicy, precooked, cut in half length-wise, then cut at an angle into 1/2-inch slices use I used spicy Italian sausage
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1. Fry Italian sausage and onions in a large pot. Drain. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 min.
2. Add bacon bits, chicken bouillon, water and potatoes; bring to a simmer for 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients then simmer for 5 more minutes and serve.

Alternate Directions:

1. Place sausage link onto sheet pan and bake in 300 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until done.
2. Place onions and bacon into 3 to 4 quart saucepan and cook onions over medium heat until the onions are almost clear. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add chicken bouillon, water and potatoes; bring to a simmer for 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients then simmer for 5 more minutes and serve.

Spaghetti with Mushrooms, Garlic, and Parsley

(Spaghetti ai Funghi) Submitted by Sister Twelves


Serves 6


1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 1/2 pounds assorted mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 1/4″ thick (about 6 cups)
8 fresh sage leaves, chopped (If you don't have sage, or you want a change, tarragon is a wonderful substitute)
1 pound spaghetti
1 cup vegetable stock or water
1/4 cup chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley
1 cup grated Parmeasan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot over high heat.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring frequently, until golden, about 2 minutes.
3. Add as many of the mushrooms as will fit comfortably into the skillet. Season lightly with salt and pepper and toss in the sage. Add the remaining mushrooms as the mushrooms in the skillet wilt and make room.
4. Cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until the mushrooms are sizzling and brown, about 10 minutes. (If the mushrooms have given off a lot of water during cooking, you’ll have to wait for that liquid to boil off before the mushrooms begin to brown).
5. In the meantime, stir the spaghetti into the boiling water. Cook until done, about 8 minutes.
6. Add the stock to the browned mushrooms, bring to a boil, and lower the heat so the sauce is at a simmer. Cook until the liquid is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes.
7. If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, fish the pasta out of the boiling water and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet. If not, drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and pour in the sauce.
8. Toss in the parsley. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in the cheese, and serve immediately.

Italian Baked Chicken and Pasta

Submitted by Sister Gniewosz

1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.
3. Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. 
4. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. 
5. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking dish. 
6. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter.
7. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.