COOK: Italian Sausage & Potato Soup

I know it's starting to get warmer, so soup season is almost over, if you only make one more soup this month, make this one!  The first time I made this all of us ate a huge bowl, and when I reheated the leftovers for dinner two nights later there were no complaints, we were all excited to eat it again.

A lot of my recipes call for a type of broth, we always have Better Than Bullion in the fridge so we can make broth anytime we need it.  We also use it in pan sauces, when we are boiling rice to add extra flavor, even in Rice-A-Roni.  

One note, since it is milk based it doesn't freeze well, if you want to make a big batch to freeze I'd leave the half and half out and add it when you reheat it.

Id suggest you serve this with my One Hour French Bread or Four Ingredient Crusty Artisan Bread.

Italian Sausage Potato Soup

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 Pound Italian Sausage 

4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

1/2 Large Onion (Chopped)

6 Cloves Garlic (Minced)

4 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour

4 Cups Vegetable, Chicken, or Beef Broth 

2 Cups Half & Half (Room temperature)

1-2 teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (Optional)

4 Medium Potatoes (Cut into 1/2 inch cubes)

Salt and Pepper 

Preparation:

In a 3.5 quart dutch oven, or large soup pot, cook sausage over medium heat until browned, remove to a plate with paper towels to drain.  

Put butter in your pot and let melt, then add in onions to sauté, making sure to scrape any brown bits off the the bottom of the pan.  Add in garlic and cook about 30 seconds, then sprinkle flour on top and stir for about two minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.

Slowly pour in broth while whisking until all flour has dissolved and there are no lumps.  Stir in half & half, crushed red pepper, potatoes, and cooked sausage, add salt and pepper to taste.  Turn down to simmer and partially cover pot, let cook for 20-30 minutes until potatoes are soft and soup is thick.

Can top with croutons, crackers, or hot sauce.

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COOK: Cinnamon Pancake Cookies

Not only do these cookies taste yummy, but they are also so stinking cute!  They so great with a cup of coffee (I mean, pancakes are a breakfast food, right?), or a nice cold glass of milk.  

Cinnamon Pancake Cookies

Makes about 36

Ingredients:

Cookies:

3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter (Softened, room temperature)

1 Cup Sugar

3/8 Cup Brown Sugar (Packed)

1 Egg

2 teaspoons Vanilla

3 1/3 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar

1/2 teaspoon Salt

2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

4 Tablespoons Sweetened Condensed Milk.

Russian Buttercream (Optional):

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter (Softened, room temperature)

7 Ounces Sweetened Condensed Milk

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Prepare baking sheets with either parchment paper, or silicone baking mats.  

In the bowl of your stand mixer, or a large bowl if using hand mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Add in both sugars and let mix on medium high speed for 2 minutes.  Turn down to low speed and incorporate egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and cinnamon.  With mixer on low slowly add in dry mixture, only until everything is incorporated.

Scoop using a 1.5 Tablespoon cookie scoop scoop 12 balls onto baking sheet, gently flatten each ball to about 1/3 inch, then using a basking brush put a thin coating of sweetened condensed milk.

Bake 10-12 minutes, let cool at least 10 minutes on baking sheet before moving to a cooling rack.

In a small bowl cream butter with a hand mixer on high speed, until white and very fluffy, about 8 minutes.  Slowly drizzle in sweetened condensed milk while still mixing until fully combined.  Refrigerate about 15 minutes, then spread on cookies using an offset spatula, or pipe on using a piping bag.  (I used a star tip so each cookie looked like it had a cue dollop of butter.)

Store cookies in a plastic container for up to 5 days, if your house is warm I'd put them in the fridge so the frosting doesn't melt.

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COOK: Espresso Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

I make cookies at least every other week for KC to take into work, I figure if his coworkers have to put up with him for 40 hours a week, the least I can do is make them some cookies!

I have a lot of fun trying to come up with new flavors, and although some of them don't turn out, the ones that do I'm happy to share the recipes for.

These Espresso Cookies with Cream Cheese frosting are one of my favorites, they aren't super sweet, but have a great espresso flavor, and I'd eat almost anything if you put cream cheese frosting on it!

Espresso Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes about 30

Ingredients:

Cookies:

1 Cup Unsalted Butter

2 Tablespoons Instant Espresso Powder

1 Egg (Room temperature)

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 teaspoons Corn Starch

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/8 teaspoon Salt

Frosting:

4 Ounces Cream Cheese (Softened)

1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter

3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (optional)

Preparation:

Set oven to 375 degrees, prepare baking sheets with either parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Melt butter and mix in espresso powder, let sit in fridge for about 10 minutes to cool slightly.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl if using a hand mixer, combine butter mixture, egg, and vanilla.  

In a separate bowl whisk together all dry ingredients: flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  

While mixer is turned on low slowly pour in dry mixture until fully incorporated.  

Scoop cookies using a 1.5 Tablespoon cookie scoop (I love this set), or a soup spoon, onto cookie sheets leaving about an inch in between, 12 should fit on a half sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are set.  Let cool about 5 minutes on cookie sheet, then  move to a cooling rack.

While cookies cool mix whisk all of the frosting ingredients (except for cocoa powder) together until well combined and fluffy.  

Frost cooled cookies using an offset spatula or use a piping bag and your favorite tip.  If you want dust cookies with cocoa powder before frosting sets.

Store in a plastic container or zippy bag for up to 5 days.

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COOK: Cilantro Lime Rice

I love a big burrito stuffed with so many different things you can hardly roll it up!  This rice has just enough flavor to be perfect in a burrito, or on its own as a side dish, it's also really good mixed in with my Famous Chicken Chili.

I always use jasmine rice since it's what I always have in the pantry, but you can use long grain rice if you prefer, just cook it according to the package directions.  This is also a great way to use leftover rice if you have it in the fridge.

I think fresh squeezed lime juice tastes best, but I've used bottled from the fridge when I don't have limes.  You can also substitute fresh parsley for the cilantro if you dint have any, or have someone in your house that thinks cilan tro tastes like soap like my two kiddos.

(Fun story, I always though cilantro tasted like soap, until I got pregnant with my youngest, since then I think it's delicious and I love it!)

Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients:

1 Cup uncooked Jasmine Rice 

1 2/3 Cups Water

1/2 Cup Light Sour Cream

4 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice

1/3 Cup Fresh Cilantro (Chopped)

Preparation:

Put water in a medium pot and bring to a boil, add in rice, cover and turn down to simmer let cook for 22 minutes.

While rice is cooking mix together sour cream, lime juice, and cilantro.  

When rice is done cooking transfer to a large bowl, add sour cream mixture and mix well. 

 

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COOK: Chicken Piccata

This is one of my favorite dinners!  It's quick enough it can be a weeknight meal, but also seems fancy enough you can serve it to guests and impress them.  

The last time I made this I served it over some herby orzo pasta, it also goes well with a simple angel hair pasta, with a nice green salad, or even with a quick rice pilaf.  (I always keep a few boxes of Rice-A-Roni in the pantry for quick side dishes.

Chicken Piccata

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 Large Chicken Breasts (Cut in half lengthwise, directions below)

1/2 Cup Flour

1/2 Cut Parmesan Cheese (Finely grated, divided)

1 teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper

1 teaspoon Salt

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

1/2 Cup Dry White Wine  (Can substitute chicken or vegetable broth)

5 Cloves Garlic (Minced)

3-4 Tablespoons Capers (Drained)

1 Cup Chicken Broth

3 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley (Chopped)

Preparation:

To cut the chicken in half lengthwise you'll want to lay the chicken breast on your cutting board, press down on the top with your non-dominant hand, and place your knife in the middle of the breast and cut as if you were going to butterfly the breast, but cut it all of the way through.  This website gives a great step-by-step instruction: How To Cut Chicken Breast In Half Lengthwise

Once you have 4 pieces of chicken, in a wide short bowl, or a place with edges, mix together flour, 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, pepper, and salt.  In a large skillet heat butter and oil over medium-high heat.  Dredge each piece of chicken in flour mixture, shake off excess, and cook chicken until golden brown on each side.  (About 3-5 minutes per side).  Remove chicken from pan and set aside.  

Turn heat down to medium low, pour in white wine (or 1/2 cup of broth) and garlic, scrape up any brown bits left in the bottom of the pan from the chicken.  Let reduce, about 5 minutes.  Add in capers, broth, and lemon juice.  Mix well.  Add the chicken back into the pan covering both sides with the sauce.  Cover pan about half way and let cook about 5 minutes.  

Serve over pasta, rice, or on it's own with a generous spoonful of sauce, sprinkle with remaining parmesan and parsley.

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COOK: Buffalo Chicken Pasta

 This is something I have made countless times, and it's always a bit different, so last time I made it I made sure I wrote down what I did so that I could share this delicious recipe with all of you!

This was created one night when I asked my son what he wanted for dinner, and he said "chicken sandwiches" (which is his answer about 30% of the time", but I had no bread or rolls, so he said "something spicy" (another common answer), when I asked him to elaborate he said come up with "pasta" (he'd eat pasta for every meal, every day, if I let him!)  So Buffalo Chicken Pasta was born.

We use the Frank's RedHot Buffalo Sandwich Sauce, my Dad sent us some a few years ago and now we can't live without it!  We can only find it on Amazon, but since it's shelf stable we keep it in the pantry and just have a little squeeze bottle we refill and keep in the fridge. It's great on sandwiches, pizza, pasta, quesadillas, sometimes Dustin just squirts it right into his mouth... the options are endless! 

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 Pound Chicken Breast (cut into about 1 inch pieces)

16 Ounces Pasta (I like to use Rotini, Cellentani, or Gemelli)

2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

2 Tablespoons Flour

3/4 Cup Half & Half (room temperature)

1 Cup Chicken Broth (I always have Better Than Bullion in the fridge)

1 1/2 Cups Cheddar (Shredded)

!/2 Cup Buffalo Hot Sauce (or more depending on your taste)

Salt and Pepper

Optional for topping:

Chopped Red Onion

Chopped Celery

Chopped Green Onions

Blue Cheese Crumbles

Crumbled Bacon

Preparation:

Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook in a pan with a bit of oil, set aside.

Start water boiling for pasta, then cook according until just al dente, then drain.

While pasta is cooking in a large pot over medium-low heat melt butter, add flour, and continue whisking slowly for about 4 minutes until it starts to look a bit puffy.  Slowly pour in half & half while still whisking.  Turn burner to low, add in chicken broth, cheese and buffalo sauce and mix until everything is melted together.  Add pasta and chicken to sauce mixture, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a drizzle of hot sauce and the toppings of your choice.

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COOK: Chili Crisp Pork Ramen

 I have seen Spicy Chili Crisp used countless times on different cooking shows, and finally picked up a jar at the grocery store to try, I wish I hadn't waited so long, it is delicious!  

When I made this ramen for dinner KC told me I needed to write down how I made it and add it to our dinner rotation, Berea saw the picture I posted and come over the next day to eat the leftovers and agreed it was amazing!  Another bonus, it's quick and easy, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.  I used pork, but I think you could easily substitute chicken breast, tofu or beef.  I think it would also be great with some veggies thrown in, let me know if you try any variations.

Chili Crisp Pork Ramen

2-4 Servings

Ingredients:

Marinade:

1.5 Pounds Pork Tenderloin or Pork Chops (cut into 1/2 inch cubes)

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon Onion Powder

1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

1/2 Cup Teriyaki Sauce

Sauce:

3 Tablespoons Chili Crisp

2 teaspoons Rice Vinegar

1 teaspoon Brown Sugar

2 teaspoons Lite Soy Sauce

1 1/2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter

3 Packages Ramen Noodles (seasoning packet not needed)

Topping (Optional):

Sliced Green Onions

Toasted Sesame Seeds

Everything Bagel Seasoning

Preparation: 

Combine garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and teriyaki sauce and add in pork to marinate at least 30 minutes.

In a small bowl whisk together chili crisp, rice vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce and peanut butter, set aside.

In a skillet or cast iron pan with oil cook the pork over medium high heat for a few minutes until just cooked through.  Turn burner to low and add in sauce, let simmer.

Cook ramen noodles in boiling water, then drain and add to meat and sauce mixture.  

Dish up and add toppings.  

Store leftovers in a plastic container in fridge, makes great leftovers cold or hot.

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COOK: Irish Cream Chocolate Cookies

 I made these cookies for St. Patrick's Day this year and they were amazing!  The flavor really develops as they sit, so I'd suggest making them a day before you are going to serve them.  

I used white chocolate to dip, drizzle over the cookies, but I think semi-sweet or dark chocolate would be just as yummy.  I added green sanding sugar to the chocolate to making them more festive, but you can skip it, or use an other color to match your event.

Irish Cream Chocolate Cookies

Makes about 24 cookies

Ingredients:

Cookies:

3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature)

1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar (packed)

1/3 Cup Irish Cream (I used Saint Brendan's)

1 Egg (room temperature)

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 teaspoon Cornstarch

Topping:

2 Cups White Chocolate Chips

Colored Sanding Sugar

Preparation:

Set oven to 350 degrees, prepare cookie sheets with either parchment paper or silicone mats.  

In either the bowl of your stand mixer, or a large bowl, cream butter, then add sugars and continue to cream until fluffy.  Add in irish cream, egg, and vanilla extract and mix until completely combined.

In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and cornstarch.  Add to wet mixture slowly while mixing.  After everything is fully combined let cookie dough set for 5 minutes.  

Scoop cookie dough onto prepared cookie sheets using a 1.5 Tablespoon cookie scoop or regular spoon.  (I have these scoops and love them!)  gently flatten balls so that they are about 1/4-1/2 inch tall.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, the edges should have just barely started to crack.  Take cookies out of oven and let sit about 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Melt chocolate chips either in a double boiler, or in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until fully melted.  Dip cookies into chocolate, or drizzle over the top, add sanding sugar before chocolate sets.  Cookies can be stored in a plastic container or zippy bag for up to 7 days.

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