Tuscan Tortellini Soup

      The. Best. Soup. Ever.

 

 

If you like lasagna then you will love this soup...and even if you don't like lasagna you will probably still love it.

 

 

This soup is worth rushing home after co-op to take pictures of in the 30-degree weather before the sun sets all the way. Because, in the battle of taking food pictures for the blog, day light savings usually wins.

 

 

But today I won.

 

 

  Deliciousness, anyone?

 

 Recipe:

This soup serves 8

 

1 Tbsp. olive oil

20oz. Italian sausage, casings removed

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

4c. chicken broth

2  28oz. cans crushed tomatoes

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

1/2c. heavy cream

20oz. mixed cheese tortellini

1c. freshly grated parmesan

 

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add Italian sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat. Stir in garlic and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.

2. Whisk in chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil and stir in tortellini; reduce heat and simmer until tortellini is cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.

3. Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan until well combined and heated through.   

 

~Originally from Damn Delicious  

 

 

Cinnamon Rolls

      I managed to get a few pictures of these really, really, really yummy cinnamon rolls before we ate all of them - for dinner.

 

I may or may not have devoured two of these in three minutes flat...

 

 

...the icing is really good too. (Look at the cinnamon bun juice!)

 

 

 Recipe:

 

Makes 18-20 cinnamon rolls

 

Dough:

6-7c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4c. sugar

4 Tbsp. canola oil

 2 Tbsp. yeast

2c. warm water 

 

Filling:

6 Tbsp. melted butter

3/4c. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. cinnamon

 

Icing:

2 Tbsp. melted butter

2c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

pinch of salt

 

1. In a large mixer bowl, combine 6c. of flour, the salt, and the sugar.

2. Stir the yeast and warm water together in a small bowl and let it sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.

3. When the yeast/water is foamy, add it to the mixer bowl and knead for 1-2 minutes - if the dough sticks to the mixing bowl add a 1/4c. of flour until it no longer sticks. (You should not have to add more than 1c. of flour.)

4. Lightly oil a bowl (you can even use the same mixing bowl!) and set the dough into a slightly warm spot - the oven works great here - to rise until doubled in size.

5. Roll the dough into a rectangle on a clean, floured surface, about an 1/4in. thick, and spread the melted butter over it. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over the melted butter and, if needed, spread it out so that the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon are evenly distributed.

6. Beginning lengthwise, roll the dough into a long cinnamon bun log. Cut the log into 1in. slices and place in a greased pan. Let the cinnamon buns rise until doubled in size and then bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

*Optional* When you pull them out of the oven, rub them with a little melted butter for a yummy soft crust.

7. Let the cinnamon rolls cool for a few minutes and then combine the melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in a measuring cup. Pour the icing over the top and enjoy!

 

Apple Turnovers

    We had these for breakfast this morning and even the pickiest of our (many) very picky eaters liked them. 

 

They had a nice flaky crust...

 

 

...and a nice cinnamony filling.

 

 

You could have them for dessert or you could have them for breakfast.

 

 

 

We will probably have them for breakfast again. And maybe for dessert sometime too. :)

 

Recipe:

Makes about 20 turnovers.

 

5-6 granny smith apples, diced, quite small

3 Tbsp. butter

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

pinch of salt

 

1/2 pack phyllo sheets

5 Tbsp. butter, melted

 

1. In a large pot, combine apples, butter, sugar, vanilla, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt over medium heat. Stir often for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

2. Remove the dough from the package and cover it with a damp towel because it will dry out very quickly.

3. Lay one phyllo sheet on a clean dry surface and brush lightly with butter. Fold it in half lengthwise and brush lightly with melted butter. Place 2-3 Tbsp. of the apple mixture onto the corner edge and fold it over to make a triangle. (Pictorial below.) Once it is completely folded, brush with melted butter and bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

 

 

~ Originally from Home Cooking In Montana

Brownie + Cookie

A few weeks ago, I saw these. Imagine a cookie and a brownie together?!

 

 

 

I prefer the chocolate chip cookie side the most...

 

 

...but the chocolate brownie side is good too. Two little boys (my cute baby brothers [I have three other brothers, but they're not as cute]) wandered over and had to be restrained so I could finish photographing the brownies + cookies.

 

 

 

Recipe:

This recipe makes 3-4 dozen brownies + cookies.

Brownie Cookie Batter:

10 tablespoons butter, softened

2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar 

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Chip Cookie Batter:

10 tablespoons butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar 

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cup chocolate chips (mini size preferred)

 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with silpat liners or parchment paper. Set aside.

2. For the brownie cookie batter, in a medium bowl with a handheld electric mixer (or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer), beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together until smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes. Add the egg, yolk and vanilla and beat the mixture for 2-3 minutes until light in color.

3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until combined. Cover and refrigerate while making the chocolate chip cookie batter.

4. For the chocolate chip cookie batter, in the bowl of an electric stand mixer or with a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth, 1-2 minutes.

5. Blend in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla, mixing for 2-3 minutes until the batter is very light in color. In a separate small bowl (you can use the same one as the brownie batter dry ingredients), whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter with the chocolate chips and mix until no dry streaks remain and the chocolate chips are evenly distributed.

6. Portion both sets of dough into about 4 dozen equal pieces; they will be small teaspoon or so sized balls.

7. Grabbing one chocolate chip cookie ball and one brownie batter ball, press them together and use your hands to gently form into a cookie shape, flattening and turning to smooth the edges and form a flattish but still thick cookie shape; they'll spread out while baking.

8. Bake the cookies on the prepared baking sheets for 8-10 minutes. Don't overbake or they will be dry and crunchy - underbake just slightly for a soft, chewy texture. It's ok if the chocolate side crackles just a bit. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for 1-2 minutes before scooping onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

 

 

~From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

Soft, sweet, very delicious, and one my family's favorite breads would be the best description for these super yummy rolls. :)

 
While on the search for a recipe I was disappointed to find out that many called for pineapple juice...
 

 
...until I saw this.
 

 
  Yum!!
 

 

Recipe: 

Makes 9 large rolls
 
1c. warm water
1 Tbsp. yeast
2 Tbsp. oil
1/8 tsp. coconut extract
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
3-4c. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4c. sugar

 
1. Place warm water in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer. Stir yeast into the water and let stand for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
2. Attach the dough hook to mixer and add the oil, salt, coconut extract, and lemon juice. Mix at low speed.
3. Add the flour, one cup at a time until the dough is no longer sticky and knead for 1-2 minutes.
4. Put the dough in a greased bowl and place in a warm spot to rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
5. When risen completely, lightly grease a pie pan and shape the dough into nine balls. Set the pan in a warm place to rise until doubled in size and then bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.


*To get a nice, soft buttery top, gently rub some butter on the top immediately after removing them from the oven.

~adapted from The Midnight Baker

Beef & Bean Burritos + Chunky Guacamole

 Weekends at our house are not very predictable and it's rare when all 10 of us sit down to eat a meal at the same time on a Saturday.

 

[Thus enter Beef & Bean Burritos + Chunky Guacamole :)]

 

 

 

These burritos are beefy and very delicious. And the guacamole? That's just icing on the cake.

 

 

My plan was to make a bunch of burritos and freeze some for next Saturday's lunch... The final product made 16 big burritos - just enough for this Saturday and a few extra for next weekend. 

 

 

 

The guacamole is really easy and simple to whip up last minute too!

 

 

*This recipe is for making the burritos ahead of time and freezing, if you would like to eat these after making them, place on a baking sheet and heat at 250F for 5 minutes or until heated through.

 

Beef & Bean Burritos:

Makes 16 big burritos

 

4lb. ground beef

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2c. diced onion

2 3/4c. shredded cheddar

7c. cooked pinto beans, drained, but reserve the bean juice

4c. cooked brown rice

3 Tbsp. taco seasoning

2-3tsp. salt (this depends on how salty your pinto beans are & your salt preferences)

1/3c. salsa

16 large tortillas

 

1. Cook the ground beef in a large pot on the stove until brown and drain the grease. Stir in the garlic and onion and cook 1-2 more minutes.

2. Add 1/2 a cup of reserved bean juice to the pinto beans and puree. Add the shredded cheddar, beans, brown rice, taco seasoning, salt, and salsa to the ground beef. Stir until well combined and fill the burritos. (Picture tutorial for filling the burritos is below.)

 

Chunky Guacamole:

 

2 avocados

3-4 cloves of garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1/3c. salsa, optional

 

1. Mash the avocado with a fork until you have reached the desired consistency for your guacamole and then stir in the garlic. Salt and pepper to taste.

 

 

 

3 Ingredient Fudge

This fudge is super duper easy and delicious!

 

   Everybody in my family likes this (even the little girl who doesn't like chocolate!).

     Not too sweet and perfectly chocolaty... mmm...

Fudge:

This makes a 1 inch thick, 9x5 loaf pan

1 bag of Hershey's Milk Chocolate Chips
1, 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
pinch of salt
1/2c. walnuts (optional, but definitely recommended)

1. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
2.Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave for 10-20 seconds at a time, stirring frequently to prevent burning until completely melted.
3. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and salt and pour into loaf pan. Put the pan in the freezer for 1 hour or until hardened.

~from Allrecipes.com