There's something wonderful about homemade soup. It may just be the original comfort food.
To that end, here are six soup recipes to help you through the day, including Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup and Savory Bean Spinach Soup. Enjoy!
HAMBURGER SOUP
This is from Melissa Knific on The New York Times cooking site. For this yummy recipe, Melissa wrote, "Not to be confused with tasting like an actual burger, this soup is actually named after ground beef, which is sometimes referred to as 'hamburger' in certain parts of the United States. Here, it’s combined with any mix of vegetables you like or have on hand, making it an ideal one-pot meal to use up odds and ends from both your crisper and freezer. The key to unlocking a speedy, fully loaded soup is using frozen, pre-chopped vegetables — just be sure not to thaw them before adding to the broth so they don’t lose their bite. To store, cool completely in the pot before transferring to an airtight container, then refrigerate and enjoy for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025427-hamburger-soup. Also, while you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking site already, you might want to do so. Definitely worth it! Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef (preferably 10 percent fat)
1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 large celery stalks, diced
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
3 cups low-sodium beef stock or broth
1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Salt and black pepper
12 ounces russet or Yukon gold potatoes (about 2 medium russet or 3 to 4 medium Yukon gold), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cups chopped mixed vegetables, such as green beans, corn, peas and carrots, frozen (unthawed) or fresh (see Tip)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (optional)
Chopped parsley, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high. Add ground beef, onion and celery. Cook, breaking up the meat into crumbles and stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables start to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
Add tomato paste, stirring until it coats everything; cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and their juice, stock, Italian seasoning, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix until combined, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits.
Stir in potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add chopped vegetables, stirring until combined. Make sure potatoes and vegetables are submerged, partially cover the pot, return to a simmer and cook until they’re tender, 7 to 10 minutes.
Taste soup, season with Worcestershire sauce, if using, and more salt and pepper, if desired. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped parsley, if using.
Tip
A bag of mixed frozen vegetables is perfect here, as it significantly cuts down on prep time. Don’t thaw them; simply add to the soup from frozen. It’ll take a minute or two to return to a simmer, but adding them this way ensures maximum crispness. If using fresh veggies, you’ll need an extra 10 to 15 minutes for prep and a few more minutes of simmering to soften them. Peel and finely dice carrots, and stem and chop green beans into 1/2-inch pieces.
THE PIONEER WOMAN'S CHICKEN TORTELLINI SOUP
This is from Sara Haas at allrecipes. Sara wrote, "I love summer—the warmth, the seemingly endless daylight, and all of the produce that goes with it. It brings me so much joy. That’s why I’m always a little bit sad when summer leaves and fall slides in. Fortunately, I have soup to console me. And I can thank The Pioneer Woman for my first soup of this fall season—Ree Drummond approved."
To read the entire recipe intro from Sara, as well as view this online, click here.
Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman. Serves 6.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
4 stalks celery, sliced
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
3 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 (20-ounce) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Optional: Parmesan rind
Directions
Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and onion, and cook, stirring often until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
Pour in broth and bring to a boil.
Add chicken and tortellini, and cook, stirring occasionally until chicken is warmed through and tortellini are tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Portion into bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley.
Tips
Try this: Let the soup cook (before adding the chicken and tortellini) over low heat with the lid on to develop more flavor. An extra 20 to 30 minutes really helps make this soup even more delicious. While you’re at it, add that Parmesan rind too! Just remember to take it out before serving.
SAVORY BEAN SPINACH SOUP
This is from Eating Well, and begins, "Let a slow cooker complete this vegetarian soup. Serve it in cups as a sandwich side or ladle it into bowls for a light meal."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Additional Time: 5 hours; Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes; Yield: 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/259615/savory-bean-spinach-soup/.
Ingredients
3 (14 ounce) cans vegetable broth
1 (15 ounce) can tomato puree
1 (15 ounce) can white or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup converted white rice
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach or kale leaves
Finely shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions
In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker combine broth, tomato puree, beans, rice, onion, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper.
Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours.
Stir spinach into soup. Serve with Parmesan cheese.
CREAMY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
This yummy soup is from Chungah, on her wonderful site, Damn Delicious. I've mentioned her site once or twice. But if you haven't visited it yet, I highly recommend it. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap...)
Okay, hopefully you checked it out. Now, this recipe begins, "So warm, so cozy, so soothing. A must for those busy cold weeknights, using up that leftover rotisserie chicken!"
Yield: 8 servings; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes
You can view this online at https://damndelicious.net/2022/04/29/creamy-chicken-noodle-soup/.
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 sweet onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery ribs, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 cups leftover shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cups wide egg noodles
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions
Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in chicken stock and bay leaf; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes.
Stir in chicken and pasta and cook until tender, about 10-12 minutes.
Stir in heavy cream, peas and parsley until heated through, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve immediately.
REAL LASAGNA SOUP
This is from John Mitzewich, aka Chef John, on AllRecipes. This yumminess begins, " If you love lasagna, but don’t love the time and effort it takes to do all that layering, then this amazing lasagna soup is for you. Unlike many of the other lasagna soup recipes online, this is way more than just some pasta, meat, and cheese sitting in a bowl of thinned out tomato sauce. This is real lasagna in soup form.
"Anyway, I loved how this came out, and I think one of the secrets is baking the pasta to give it more of the taste and texture of an actual baked lasagna noodle. They may not have looked much different in the final product, but I found the texture to be far superior to the standard technique, which is just to heat up some cooked pasta in the finished soup. So I do recommend the extra few minutes of prep, but either way, if you’re in the mood for lasagna, but aren’t into the whole production, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/real-lasagna-soup-recipe-7967799.
Ingredients
Noodles:
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
6 ounces bulk Italian sausage, or 1 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 (24 ounce) jar prepared marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade marinara sauce
4 cups chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cheese Mixture:
12 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Garnish:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in lasagna noodles and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just flexible, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer noodles into cold water until cooled; drain very well.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cut noodles in half lengthwise. Arrange noodles in evenly overlapping rows on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and use fingers to rub some butter between the noodles.
Bake noodles in the preheated oven until they are golden, blistered, and are beginning to brown with crispy outside edges. Let cool; cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a soup pot, and place over high heat. Add beef and sausage. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small pieces; cook without stirring until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle in its own fat, then continue to cook and stir until meat begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a bowl, stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese together; set aside.
Increase the heat under soup to medium high; stir in noodle pieces. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of cheese mixture, and sprinkle with freshly torn basil and Italian parsley if desired.
Cook’s Note
The pasta does not have to be baked first, and can simply be broken up raw, stirred into the soup, and cooked until tender. Other pasta shapes can be used instead.
More or less chicken broth can be used for a thicker or thinner soup texture.
HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
This is from MyRecipes, and begins, "Once you've made your own veggie-packed pot of chicken noodle soup, you won't go back to the canned, supersalty stuff again."
Hands-on Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Makes 6 servings (serving size: about 1-1/4 cups)
To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/homemade-chicken-noodle-soup.
Ingredients
1-1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1-1/2 cups thinly sliced carrot
1 cup finely chopped onion
2/3 cup thinly sliced celery
2 cups water
1 (32-ounce) container unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 3 fresh thyme sprigs
6 ounces whole-grain rotini (such as Barilla; about 2 cups)
8 ounces skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast, shredded
4 ounces skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken thigh, shredded
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Heat a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add carrot, onion, and celery; sauté 5 minutes.
While vegetables cook, pour 2 cups water and stock into a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH for 5 minutes. (This saves up to 10 minutes in the pot.)
Add hot stock mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Stir in thyme and pasta; reduce heat to medium, and cook 8 minutes.
Add chicken, salt, and pepper to pan; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated and pasta is tender.
Showing posts with label Real Lasagna Soup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Real Lasagna Soup. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Soup's On!
When I was growing up, my mom would make homemade soup at least once a week. There were several reasons for this: It was a great way to use up left-over veggies, meat, any rice, and/or cooking water (all kept in containers in the freezer for the right time); it was an easy meal to throw together; it just plain tasted good.
It also gave Mom a chance to bring out her soup tureen that she'd received years earlier (possibly as a wedding gift). She'd frequently add some homemade rolls and dessert. Yum!
Mom
Of course, while you can make soup the way Mom did - leftovers all simmered together - you can always make homemade soup from scratch, as these recipes will attest. Check out the Italian Wedding Soup With Turkey Meatballs, the Potato-Leek Soup with Bacon, and the rest of today's yumminess. Add homemade rolls (or buy some at your local bakery), add dessert, and you have a yummy meal. Enjoy!
This looks very similar to the tureen we used. The handles were a little different, but this is close enough that I wouldn't mind getting this.
REAL LASAGNA SOUP
This is from John Mitzewich, aka Chef John, on AllRecipes. This yumminess begins, " If you love lasagna, but don’t love the time and effort it takes to do all that layering, then this amazing lasagna soup is for you. Unlike many of the other lasagna soup recipes online, this is way more than just some pasta, meat, and cheese sitting in a bowl of thinned out tomato sauce. This is real lasagna in soup form.
"Anyway, I loved how this came out, and I think one of the secrets is baking the pasta to give it more of the taste and texture of an actual baked lasagna noodle. They may not have looked much different in the final product, but I found the texture to be far superior to the standard technique, which is just to heat up some cooked pasta in the finished soup. So I do recommend the extra few minutes of prep, but either way, if you’re in the mood for lasagna, but aren’t into the whole production, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/real-lasagna-soup-recipe-7967799.
Ingredients
Noodles:
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
6 ounces bulk Italian sausage, or 1 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 (24 ounce) jar prepared marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade marinara sauce
4 cups chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cheese Mixture:
12 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Garnish:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in lasagna noodles and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just flexible, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer noodles into cold water until cooled; drain very well.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cut noodles in half lengthwise. Arrange noodles in evenly overlapping rows on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and use fingers to rub some butter between the noodles.
Bake noodles in the preheated oven until they are golden, blistered, and are beginning to brown with crispy outside edges. Let cool; cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a soup pot, and place over high heat. Add beef and sausage. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small pieces; cook without stirring until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle in its own fat, then continue to cook and stir until meat begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a bowl, stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese together; set aside.
Increase the heat under soup to medium high; stir in noodle pieces. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of cheese mixture, and sprinkle with freshly torn basil and Italian parsley if desired.
Cook’s Note
The pasta does not have to be baked first, and can simply be broken up raw, stirred into the soup, and cooked until tender. Other pasta shapes can be used instead.
More or less chicken broth can be used for a thicker or thinner soup texture.
HERBED CARROT SOUP
From the December 2005 issue of Runner's World; reprinted from HerbWise: Growing, Cooking, WellBeing, by Bruce Burnett
Ingredients
2 pounds of carrots, chopped
1 large onion, diced
6 sprigs of fresh parsley, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, and 6 six black peppercorns, bundled together so that they can be easily removed after cooking
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 Tbs of butter
6 C of vegetable stock
Freshly grated mace or nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Lightly sauté the onion & garlic in the butter. Add the stock & carrots & simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the bundle of herbs & continue to simmer for another 20 minutes. Remove the herbs, allow the soup to cool, & put it through the blender in batches. Reheat the soup over low heat while adding the mace or nutmeg & salt & pepper to taste. Serve with some fresh, homemade bread & garnish with some fresh parsley & a little chopped fresh thyme.
Note: The original recipe called for vegetable or chicken stock.
CREAM OF TURNIP SOUP
This comes from the January 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “This comforting soup is so subtly flavored that even turnip-haters like it. Baby turnips have a milder taste, but the recipe works just as well with regular turnips. Thinly sliced celery leaves mimic lovage, an herb often used in France to season turnip dishes.” Serves 6.
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/cream-of-turnip-soup/.
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 lb. fresh baby turnips, peeled and diced
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup soy creamer, optional
1/4 cup celery leaves, sliced into fine strips
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add turnips and onion, and cook 15 minutes, or until vegetables are translucent, stirring occasionally. Add bay leaves and 3 cups water, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover, and cook 25 to 30 minutes, or until turnips are very tender.
Remove from heat, and remove bay leaves. Add soy creamer, if using. Use blender or food processor to purée ingredients until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and stir in celery leaves just before serving.
nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 79; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: 4.5 g; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 216 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
POTATO-LEEK SOUP WITH BACON
View this online at http://www.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons-recipes/potato-leek-soup-with-bacon
Ingredients
3 large leeks, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 lb gold potatoes
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups unsalted chicken stock (or broth)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
Directions
Chop well-rinsed leeks (white part only; 2 cups); chop garlic and thyme. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
Preheat large stockpot on medium-low 2–3 minutes. Cut bacon into pieces. Place oil in pot, then add bacon; cook and stir 4–5 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pot. Place leeks and garlic in same pot; cook and stir 6–7 minutes or until tender (do not brown).
Stir in stock, salt, pepper, potatoes, and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
Remove pot from heat; puree soup with a stick blender. (Or you can use an electric blender; let soup cool 5–8 minutes, then puree in batches until smooth.) Chop chives. Stir yogurt into soup; top each serving with bacon and chives. Serve warm or chill before serving.
MINESTRONE SOUP
Yield: 4 servings (about 1 cup each)
Source: "Cooking with The Diabetic Chef"
Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/23.shtml
Ingredients
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1/4 medium carrot, finely diced
1/4 stalk celery, finely diced
2/3 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons leeks, finely diced
3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) canned tomatoes, chopped
1/2 medium zucchini, diced
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
3/4 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced
3 cups chicken stock
3 ounces (about 1/2 cup) frozen spinach, chopped
3/4 cup white beans, cooked
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the garlic and leek and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato, zucchini, thyme, oregano, and chicken stock. Bring the liquid to a simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the spinach and white beans. Return the liquid to a simmer for 20 minutes. Season with the salt and white pepper. Serve immediately and garnish with the Parmesan cheese.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (about 1 cup): Calories: 110, Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 3 mg, Sodium: 283 mg, Carbohydrate: 15 g, Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 7 g, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1/2 Lean Meat, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat
ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP WITH TURKEY MEATBALLS
This is from Sarah Copeland in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sarah wrote, "Classic Italian wedding soup is beloved for its simplicity and satisfaction. This turkey version is lean, while meatballs stay moist by simmering in broth. Start with the most flavorful broth you can get your hands on (homemade is ideal, but store-bought works well too), then pack the meatballs with flavor (garlic and parsley) and staying power (egg, panko and cheese, to gently bind them together). Traditionalists may be tempted to add a small grated onion to the meat mixture, and sweat celery and carrots into the broth, but for a quick weeknight meal, you won’t miss them here. If speed is your game, roll the mixture into 12 large meatballs—or opt for 20 smaller ones if serving kids (mini meatballs will cook through even faster). Either way, finish with a healthy dose of olive oil, lemon, cheese and dill, or any fresh Italian herb you may have on hand."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019925-italian-wedding-soup-with-turkey-meatballs.
Ingredients
12 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for greasing and serving
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 packed cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
3/4 cup orzo, ditalini, acini di pepe or another small soup pasta
3 packed cups baby spinach or kale, thinly sliced
1 lemon, zested and halved
1/4 cup fresh dill, oregano or basil, roughly chopped (optional)
Preparation
Combine the chicken broth and 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, add the turkey, panko, parsley, egg, garlic, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup Parmesan to a large bowl. Mix with a fork or clean hands until combined. Gently roll the mixture into 12 medium (2-inch) or 20 small (1 1/2-inch) meatballs and transfer to a baking sheet lined with lightly oiled aluminum foil or a silicone baking mat.
Heat the broiler to high and set an oven rack 6 to 8 inches from the heat. Broil the meatballs until brown on two sides, turning halfway through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Add the pasta to the boiling broth and cook over medium until al dente, then lower the heat to a low simmer.
Add the meatballs to the broth and simmer on low until completely warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, and add the spinach and lemon zest, stirring well, to wilt. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the soup among four bowls. Drizzle each with olive oil, sprinkle with more Parmesan and squeeze a bit of lemon over the top. Scatter the dill over the top, or stir in.
It also gave Mom a chance to bring out her soup tureen that she'd received years earlier (possibly as a wedding gift). She'd frequently add some homemade rolls and dessert. Yum!
Mom
Of course, while you can make soup the way Mom did - leftovers all simmered together - you can always make homemade soup from scratch, as these recipes will attest. Check out the Italian Wedding Soup With Turkey Meatballs, the Potato-Leek Soup with Bacon, and the rest of today's yumminess. Add homemade rolls (or buy some at your local bakery), add dessert, and you have a yummy meal. Enjoy!
This looks very similar to the tureen we used. The handles were a little different, but this is close enough that I wouldn't mind getting this.
REAL LASAGNA SOUP
This is from John Mitzewich, aka Chef John, on AllRecipes. This yumminess begins, " If you love lasagna, but don’t love the time and effort it takes to do all that layering, then this amazing lasagna soup is for you. Unlike many of the other lasagna soup recipes online, this is way more than just some pasta, meat, and cheese sitting in a bowl of thinned out tomato sauce. This is real lasagna in soup form.
"Anyway, I loved how this came out, and I think one of the secrets is baking the pasta to give it more of the taste and texture of an actual baked lasagna noodle. They may not have looked much different in the final product, but I found the texture to be far superior to the standard technique, which is just to heat up some cooked pasta in the finished soup. So I do recommend the extra few minutes of prep, but either way, if you’re in the mood for lasagna, but aren’t into the whole production, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/real-lasagna-soup-recipe-7967799.
Ingredients
Noodles:
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
6 ounces bulk Italian sausage, or 1 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 (24 ounce) jar prepared marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade marinara sauce
4 cups chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cheese Mixture:
12 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Garnish:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in lasagna noodles and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just flexible, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer noodles into cold water until cooled; drain very well.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cut noodles in half lengthwise. Arrange noodles in evenly overlapping rows on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and use fingers to rub some butter between the noodles.
Bake noodles in the preheated oven until they are golden, blistered, and are beginning to brown with crispy outside edges. Let cool; cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a soup pot, and place over high heat. Add beef and sausage. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small pieces; cook without stirring until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle in its own fat, then continue to cook and stir until meat begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a bowl, stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese together; set aside.
Increase the heat under soup to medium high; stir in noodle pieces. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of cheese mixture, and sprinkle with freshly torn basil and Italian parsley if desired.
Cook’s Note
The pasta does not have to be baked first, and can simply be broken up raw, stirred into the soup, and cooked until tender. Other pasta shapes can be used instead.
More or less chicken broth can be used for a thicker or thinner soup texture.
HERBED CARROT SOUP
From the December 2005 issue of Runner's World; reprinted from HerbWise: Growing, Cooking, WellBeing, by Bruce Burnett
Ingredients
2 pounds of carrots, chopped
1 large onion, diced
6 sprigs of fresh parsley, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, and 6 six black peppercorns, bundled together so that they can be easily removed after cooking
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 Tbs of butter
6 C of vegetable stock
Freshly grated mace or nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Lightly sauté the onion & garlic in the butter. Add the stock & carrots & simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the bundle of herbs & continue to simmer for another 20 minutes. Remove the herbs, allow the soup to cool, & put it through the blender in batches. Reheat the soup over low heat while adding the mace or nutmeg & salt & pepper to taste. Serve with some fresh, homemade bread & garnish with some fresh parsley & a little chopped fresh thyme.
Note: The original recipe called for vegetable or chicken stock.
CREAM OF TURNIP SOUP
This comes from the January 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “This comforting soup is so subtly flavored that even turnip-haters like it. Baby turnips have a milder taste, but the recipe works just as well with regular turnips. Thinly sliced celery leaves mimic lovage, an herb often used in France to season turnip dishes.” Serves 6.
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/cream-of-turnip-soup/.
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 lb. fresh baby turnips, peeled and diced
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup soy creamer, optional
1/4 cup celery leaves, sliced into fine strips
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add turnips and onion, and cook 15 minutes, or until vegetables are translucent, stirring occasionally. Add bay leaves and 3 cups water, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover, and cook 25 to 30 minutes, or until turnips are very tender.
Remove from heat, and remove bay leaves. Add soy creamer, if using. Use blender or food processor to purée ingredients until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and stir in celery leaves just before serving.
nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 79; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: 4.5 g; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 216 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free
POTATO-LEEK SOUP WITH BACON
View this online at http://www.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons-recipes/potato-leek-soup-with-bacon
Ingredients
3 large leeks, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 lb gold potatoes
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups unsalted chicken stock (or broth)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
Directions
Chop well-rinsed leeks (white part only; 2 cups); chop garlic and thyme. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
Preheat large stockpot on medium-low 2–3 minutes. Cut bacon into pieces. Place oil in pot, then add bacon; cook and stir 4–5 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pot. Place leeks and garlic in same pot; cook and stir 6–7 minutes or until tender (do not brown).
Stir in stock, salt, pepper, potatoes, and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
Remove pot from heat; puree soup with a stick blender. (Or you can use an electric blender; let soup cool 5–8 minutes, then puree in batches until smooth.) Chop chives. Stir yogurt into soup; top each serving with bacon and chives. Serve warm or chill before serving.
MINESTRONE SOUP
Yield: 4 servings (about 1 cup each)
Source: "Cooking with The Diabetic Chef"
Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/23.shtml
Ingredients
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1/4 medium carrot, finely diced
1/4 stalk celery, finely diced
2/3 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons leeks, finely diced
3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) canned tomatoes, chopped
1/2 medium zucchini, diced
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
3/4 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced
3 cups chicken stock
3 ounces (about 1/2 cup) frozen spinach, chopped
3/4 cup white beans, cooked
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the garlic and leek and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato, zucchini, thyme, oregano, and chicken stock. Bring the liquid to a simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the spinach and white beans. Return the liquid to a simmer for 20 minutes. Season with the salt and white pepper. Serve immediately and garnish with the Parmesan cheese.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (about 1 cup): Calories: 110, Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 3 mg, Sodium: 283 mg, Carbohydrate: 15 g, Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 7 g, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1/2 Lean Meat, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat
ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP WITH TURKEY MEATBALLS
This is from Sarah Copeland in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sarah wrote, "Classic Italian wedding soup is beloved for its simplicity and satisfaction. This turkey version is lean, while meatballs stay moist by simmering in broth. Start with the most flavorful broth you can get your hands on (homemade is ideal, but store-bought works well too), then pack the meatballs with flavor (garlic and parsley) and staying power (egg, panko and cheese, to gently bind them together). Traditionalists may be tempted to add a small grated onion to the meat mixture, and sweat celery and carrots into the broth, but for a quick weeknight meal, you won’t miss them here. If speed is your game, roll the mixture into 12 large meatballs—or opt for 20 smaller ones if serving kids (mini meatballs will cook through even faster). Either way, finish with a healthy dose of olive oil, lemon, cheese and dill, or any fresh Italian herb you may have on hand."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019925-italian-wedding-soup-with-turkey-meatballs.
Ingredients
12 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for greasing and serving
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 packed cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
3/4 cup orzo, ditalini, acini di pepe or another small soup pasta
3 packed cups baby spinach or kale, thinly sliced
1 lemon, zested and halved
1/4 cup fresh dill, oregano or basil, roughly chopped (optional)
Preparation
Combine the chicken broth and 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, add the turkey, panko, parsley, egg, garlic, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup Parmesan to a large bowl. Mix with a fork or clean hands until combined. Gently roll the mixture into 12 medium (2-inch) or 20 small (1 1/2-inch) meatballs and transfer to a baking sheet lined with lightly oiled aluminum foil or a silicone baking mat.
Heat the broiler to high and set an oven rack 6 to 8 inches from the heat. Broil the meatballs until brown on two sides, turning halfway through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Add the pasta to the boiling broth and cook over medium until al dente, then lower the heat to a low simmer.
Add the meatballs to the broth and simmer on low until completely warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, and add the spinach and lemon zest, stirring well, to wilt. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the soup among four bowls. Drizzle each with olive oil, sprinkle with more Parmesan and squeeze a bit of lemon over the top. Scatter the dill over the top, or stir in.
Tuesday, July 2, 2024
Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday (because not everyone loves tacos). Today's offerings include Detroit-Style Pizza and Egg Potato Salad. Enjoy!
SLOW COOKER SAUSAGES, PEPPERS AND ONIONS
This is from Ali Slagle on The New York Times cooking site. For this yummy recipe, Ali wrote, "The sure-fire combination of sausages, peppers and onions is ready-when-you-are when you make them in the slow cooker. (Once the sausages are cooked through and the peppers and onions are tender, they can hold on “warm” for up to 2 hours.) Searing the sausages in a skillet is the only cooking you’ll have to do, but it’s an important step that fortifies the sauce with the sausage’s brawny, spiced juices. The sweet peppers and onions will tangle in the light, tangy tomato sauce. (Save extra sauce for tomorrow’s pasta, or if you want a thicker sauce, strain and reduce in a saucepan on the stovetop.) Pile everything into a sub — perhaps with some mozzarella broiled on top — or over pasta, roasted potatoes or gnocchi."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 4 to 6 hours; Total Time: About 6 hours; Yield: 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025352-slow-cooker-sausages-peppers-and-onions.
Ingredients
3 bell peppers (any colors), sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1 Parmesan rind (optional)
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 to 2 pounds sweet or hot Italian sausage
One (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Torn basil leaves, for serving (optional)
Preparation
In a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker, add the peppers, onion, garlic powder, oregano and red pepper and Parmesan rind (if using). Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker.
With the heat off under the skillet, pour in the crushed tomatoes and scrape up any browned bits from the skillet. Scrape the tomatoes into the slow cooker. Toss gently to combine. Cover and cook on low until the vegetables are tender and the sausage is cooked through, 4 to 6 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the basil, if desired.
REAL LASAGNA SOUP
This is from John Mitzewich, aka Chef John, on AllRecipes. This yumminess begins, " If you love lasagna, but don’t love the time and effort it takes to do all that layering, then this amazing lasagna soup is for you. Unlike many of the other lasagna soup recipes online, this is way more than just some pasta, meat, and cheese sitting in a bowl of thinned out tomato sauce. This is real lasagna in soup form.
"Anyway, I loved how this came out, and I think one of the secrets is baking the pasta to give it more of the taste and texture of an actual baked lasagna noodle. They may not have looked much different in the final product, but I found the texture to be far superior to the standard technique, which is just to heat up some cooked pasta in the finished soup. So I do recommend the extra few minutes of prep, but either way, if you’re in the mood for lasagna, but aren’t into the whole production, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/real-lasagna-soup-recipe-7967799.
Ingredients
Noodles:
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
6 ounces bulk Italian sausage, or 1 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 (24 ounce) jar prepared marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade marinara sauce
4 cups chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cheese Mixture:
12 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Garnish:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in lasagna noodles and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just flexible, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer noodles into cold water until cooled; drain very well.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cut noodles in half lengthwise. Arrange noodles in evenly overlapping rows on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and use fingers to rub some butter between the noodles.
Bake noodles in the preheated oven until they are golden, blistered, and are beginning to brown with crispy outside edges. Let cool; cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a soup pot, and place over high heat. Add beef and sausage. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small pieces; cook without stirring until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle in its own fat, then continue to cook and stir until meat begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a bowl, stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese together; set aside.
Increase the heat under soup to medium high; stir in noodle pieces. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of cheese mixture, and sprinkle with freshly torn basil and Italian parsley if desired.
Cook’s Note
The pasta does not have to be baked first, and can simply be broken up raw, stirred into the soup, and cooked until tender. Other pasta shapes can be used instead.
More or less chicken broth can be used for a thicker or thinner soup texture.
DETROIT-STYLE PIZZA
This is from Naz Deravian in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this wonderful recipe, Naz wrote, "With charred and cheesy edges, a thick and chewy crust, and a reverse order of toppings, Detroit-style pizza has earned its place in the seemingly endless world of pizza. This hearty pie first appeared on the menu at Buddy’s Rendezvous Pizzeria in the Motor City, in 1946. Owner Gus Guerra baked his mother-in-law’s recipe for Sicilian-style pizza in the deep pans typically used to hold auto parts; the dark, industrial steel better distributed heat than traditional baking pans. Using plenty of sharp, aged Wisconsin brick cheese (see Tip) cut into cubes, with some touching the sides of the pan, helps create the pizza’s coveted burnished edges. You can find a Detroit-style pan online, but a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan will also work. (You’ll just have to settle for slightly less crispy edges.) Inspired by J. Kenji López-Alt’s Detroit-style dough recipe, this version calls for bread flour, which creates a delightfully light and chewy crumb."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes, plus 3 hours 45 minutes' resting; Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes; Yield: 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024845-detroit-style-pizza. While you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, great guides, and more. Seriously, sign up!
Ingredients
2-1/2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1-1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
Extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing
4 ounces packaged thinly sliced pepperoni
12 ounces Wisconsin brick cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, or 6 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar and 6 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1-1/2 cups pizza sauce, or a 12-ounce jar
PreparationIn the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, salt and yeast. Drizzle in 1 cup lukewarm water and mix on low until the flour is incorporated and the mixture becomes a shaggy dough, about 3 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and rest for 10 minutes. Knead on medium-low until the dough is smooth and supple but still sticking to the bottom of the bowl, about 10 minutes. Using lightly floured hands, shape the dough into a ball in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rest in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours. (Alternatively, you can knead the dough by hand on a floured surface, until smooth and supple, 13 to 15 minutes. Shape into a ball and transfer back to the bowl.)
Generously grease the bottom of a (10-by-14-inch) Detroit-style pizza pan or metal 9-by-13-inch baking pan with oil (about 2 tablespoons). Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to the pan, turning it in the pan until coated in oil. Using your hands, stretch the dough out in the pan as far as it will spread. (It won’t yet reach the sides.) Cover the pan with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. Stretch the dough again; if it still doesn’t reach the edges, re-cover and allow it to rest for 15 minutes, then try again. When the dough has relaxed enough to reach the edges, stretch it up and slightly beyond the edges of the pan so it will stay put. Cover with plastic wrap and rest for 45 minutes.
Heat the oven to 500 degrees with the rack in the lowest position. Remove the plastic wrap and, using your fingers, press down on the dough to remove any large air bubbles. Top the dough evenly with the pepperoni. Add the cheese, making sure to spread some of the cubes right to the edges of the pan (this will help create a crispy crust). Spoon the sauce evenly over the cheese in three rows, running the length of the pan.
Bake until the edges are crisp and charred and the cheese is melted and bubbling, 15 to 18 minutes. Run a knife or an offset spatula along the sides of the pizza to help release it from the pan, doing your best not to break up the charred edges. Using one or two flat spatulas, carefully lift the pizza out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into 6 to 8 square slices and serve.
Tips
Pepperoni is traditional, but you can swap with bell peppers or mushrooms for a vegetarian version. Remember to place any toppings under the cheese.
Wisconsin brick cheese is available at specialty cheese shops and online. It is very sharp, tangy and pungent. (Its name comes from the bricks originally used to press the curds in the late 1800s.)
EGG POTATO SALAD
This is my version of potato salad. While there are undoubtedly fancier versions of potato salad, this is the one that my family loves and asks for. While I’d love to say that the leftovers refrigerate well overnight, I wouldn’t know; it never lasts long enough!
Ingredients
5 pounds potatoes (I use regular white potatoes)
6 – 8 eggs
1 – 2 onions, diced
3 – 4 cups mayo (if you usually use a vegetarian version, go for it)
1/2 cup mustard
Directions
Peel potatoes and cube into bite-sized pieces. Place in large pot, cover with cold water, then boil. Once water reaches a boil, turn heat to medium and cook for 20 – 30 minutes. Potatoes should be cooked through, but not mushy.
While potatoes are cooking, place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water and turn stove on high. Once water begins to boil, let boil for 10 minutes. Turn off stove, place pan in sink and run cold water over the eggs to cool off.
Drain potatoes and rinse in cold water. Place in large bowl. Peel and cut up eggs and add to potatoes, along with diced onions. Add mayo and mustard and mix well. Can be served either slightly warmed (now) or, if served later, cooled in refrigerator.
BAKED SPAGHETTI
This is from Lidey Heuck in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yummy recipe, Lidey wrote, "This comforting baked pasta feeds a crowd and is an easy way to upgrade everyday spaghetti with meat sauce. Once baked, the spaghetti casserole slices into neat squares, and the layer of ricotta and Parmesan filling give it the rich flavor of a lasagna. Feel free to play around with the recipe, swapping in Italian sausage or ground turkey for the ground beef and sautéing leftover vegetables and adding them to the sauce. If you’re planning in advance, you can assemble the casserole (through the end of Step 5) and store in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to bake."
Time: 1-1/2 hours, plus cooling; Yield: 8 servings
To view this yumminess online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024351-baked-spaghetti. While you're at it, please sign up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, if you haven't already.
Ingredients
Unsalted butter, for greasing the pan
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 5 cloves)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, plus more for serving
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
1 pound ground beef (at least 85-percent lean)
1 (32- to 35-ounce) jar marinara sauce
1/2 cup fresh basil or parsley leaves, chopped, plus more for serving
1 cup/8 ounces ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 large egg
2 cups/8 ounces shredded low-moisture mozzarella
Preparation
Step 1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions until 1 minute shy of al dente.
Step 2
While the water comes to a boil, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, red-pepper flakes, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 3
Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the marinara sauce and basil. Drain the spaghetti, add it to the sauce and toss well.
Step 4
In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the egg and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix with a fork until smooth.
Step 5
Transfer half the pasta and sauce to the prepared baking dish and smooth it into an even layer. Dollop the ricotta mixture onto the pasta in large spoonfuls, then sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella on top. Add the rest of the pasta and sauce to the pan, again smoothing it into an even layer.
Step 6
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan on top, then bake, uncovered, until the mozzarella has melted, 5 to 10 minutes more.
Step 7
Cool for 5 minutes, then serve with more chopped basil, a pinch of dried oregano and more red-pepper flakes, if desired. Slice the baked spaghetti into large squares and serve hot or warm.
BEEF NOODLE SKILLET
This is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.
Active Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/beef-noodle-skillet-8053162.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground chuck
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
12 ounces egg noodles
2-1/2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
A few dashes Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Directions
Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground chuck and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the meat, crumbling as you go, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds.
Add the noodles, broth, 1 cup hot water, the mustard, paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Give a big stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and allow everything to simmer, stirring occasionally and adding up to 1/2 cup more water if necessary, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened, about 12 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and heavy cream and cook for 1 additional minute or until the pasta is tender.
Remove from the heat. Sprinkle over the chives and serve directly from the pan.
SLOW COOKER SAUSAGES, PEPPERS AND ONIONS
This is from Ali Slagle on The New York Times cooking site. For this yummy recipe, Ali wrote, "The sure-fire combination of sausages, peppers and onions is ready-when-you-are when you make them in the slow cooker. (Once the sausages are cooked through and the peppers and onions are tender, they can hold on “warm” for up to 2 hours.) Searing the sausages in a skillet is the only cooking you’ll have to do, but it’s an important step that fortifies the sauce with the sausage’s brawny, spiced juices. The sweet peppers and onions will tangle in the light, tangy tomato sauce. (Save extra sauce for tomorrow’s pasta, or if you want a thicker sauce, strain and reduce in a saucepan on the stovetop.) Pile everything into a sub — perhaps with some mozzarella broiled on top — or over pasta, roasted potatoes or gnocchi."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 4 to 6 hours; Total Time: About 6 hours; Yield: 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025352-slow-cooker-sausages-peppers-and-onions.
Ingredients
3 bell peppers (any colors), sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1 Parmesan rind (optional)
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 to 2 pounds sweet or hot Italian sausage
One (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Torn basil leaves, for serving (optional)
Preparation
In a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker, add the peppers, onion, garlic powder, oregano and red pepper and Parmesan rind (if using). Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker.
With the heat off under the skillet, pour in the crushed tomatoes and scrape up any browned bits from the skillet. Scrape the tomatoes into the slow cooker. Toss gently to combine. Cover and cook on low until the vegetables are tender and the sausage is cooked through, 4 to 6 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the basil, if desired.
REAL LASAGNA SOUP
This is from John Mitzewich, aka Chef John, on AllRecipes. This yumminess begins, " If you love lasagna, but don’t love the time and effort it takes to do all that layering, then this amazing lasagna soup is for you. Unlike many of the other lasagna soup recipes online, this is way more than just some pasta, meat, and cheese sitting in a bowl of thinned out tomato sauce. This is real lasagna in soup form.
"Anyway, I loved how this came out, and I think one of the secrets is baking the pasta to give it more of the taste and texture of an actual baked lasagna noodle. They may not have looked much different in the final product, but I found the texture to be far superior to the standard technique, which is just to heat up some cooked pasta in the finished soup. So I do recommend the extra few minutes of prep, but either way, if you’re in the mood for lasagna, but aren’t into the whole production, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/real-lasagna-soup-recipe-7967799.
Ingredients
Noodles:
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
6 ounces bulk Italian sausage, or 1 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 (24 ounce) jar prepared marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade marinara sauce
4 cups chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cheese Mixture:
12 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Garnish:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in lasagna noodles and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just flexible, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer noodles into cold water until cooled; drain very well.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cut noodles in half lengthwise. Arrange noodles in evenly overlapping rows on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and use fingers to rub some butter between the noodles.
Bake noodles in the preheated oven until they are golden, blistered, and are beginning to brown with crispy outside edges. Let cool; cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a soup pot, and place over high heat. Add beef and sausage. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small pieces; cook without stirring until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle in its own fat, then continue to cook and stir until meat begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a bowl, stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese together; set aside.
Increase the heat under soup to medium high; stir in noodle pieces. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of cheese mixture, and sprinkle with freshly torn basil and Italian parsley if desired.
Cook’s Note
The pasta does not have to be baked first, and can simply be broken up raw, stirred into the soup, and cooked until tender. Other pasta shapes can be used instead.
More or less chicken broth can be used for a thicker or thinner soup texture.
DETROIT-STYLE PIZZA
This is from Naz Deravian in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this wonderful recipe, Naz wrote, "With charred and cheesy edges, a thick and chewy crust, and a reverse order of toppings, Detroit-style pizza has earned its place in the seemingly endless world of pizza. This hearty pie first appeared on the menu at Buddy’s Rendezvous Pizzeria in the Motor City, in 1946. Owner Gus Guerra baked his mother-in-law’s recipe for Sicilian-style pizza in the deep pans typically used to hold auto parts; the dark, industrial steel better distributed heat than traditional baking pans. Using plenty of sharp, aged Wisconsin brick cheese (see Tip) cut into cubes, with some touching the sides of the pan, helps create the pizza’s coveted burnished edges. You can find a Detroit-style pan online, but a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan will also work. (You’ll just have to settle for slightly less crispy edges.) Inspired by J. Kenji López-Alt’s Detroit-style dough recipe, this version calls for bread flour, which creates a delightfully light and chewy crumb."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes, plus 3 hours 45 minutes' resting; Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes; Yield: 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024845-detroit-style-pizza. While you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, great guides, and more. Seriously, sign up!
Ingredients
2-1/2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1-1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
Extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing
4 ounces packaged thinly sliced pepperoni
12 ounces Wisconsin brick cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, or 6 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar and 6 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1-1/2 cups pizza sauce, or a 12-ounce jar
PreparationIn the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, salt and yeast. Drizzle in 1 cup lukewarm water and mix on low until the flour is incorporated and the mixture becomes a shaggy dough, about 3 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and rest for 10 minutes. Knead on medium-low until the dough is smooth and supple but still sticking to the bottom of the bowl, about 10 minutes. Using lightly floured hands, shape the dough into a ball in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rest in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours. (Alternatively, you can knead the dough by hand on a floured surface, until smooth and supple, 13 to 15 minutes. Shape into a ball and transfer back to the bowl.)
Generously grease the bottom of a (10-by-14-inch) Detroit-style pizza pan or metal 9-by-13-inch baking pan with oil (about 2 tablespoons). Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to the pan, turning it in the pan until coated in oil. Using your hands, stretch the dough out in the pan as far as it will spread. (It won’t yet reach the sides.) Cover the pan with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. Stretch the dough again; if it still doesn’t reach the edges, re-cover and allow it to rest for 15 minutes, then try again. When the dough has relaxed enough to reach the edges, stretch it up and slightly beyond the edges of the pan so it will stay put. Cover with plastic wrap and rest for 45 minutes.
Heat the oven to 500 degrees with the rack in the lowest position. Remove the plastic wrap and, using your fingers, press down on the dough to remove any large air bubbles. Top the dough evenly with the pepperoni. Add the cheese, making sure to spread some of the cubes right to the edges of the pan (this will help create a crispy crust). Spoon the sauce evenly over the cheese in three rows, running the length of the pan.
Bake until the edges are crisp and charred and the cheese is melted and bubbling, 15 to 18 minutes. Run a knife or an offset spatula along the sides of the pizza to help release it from the pan, doing your best not to break up the charred edges. Using one or two flat spatulas, carefully lift the pizza out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into 6 to 8 square slices and serve.
Tips
Pepperoni is traditional, but you can swap with bell peppers or mushrooms for a vegetarian version. Remember to place any toppings under the cheese.
Wisconsin brick cheese is available at specialty cheese shops and online. It is very sharp, tangy and pungent. (Its name comes from the bricks originally used to press the curds in the late 1800s.)
EGG POTATO SALAD
This is my version of potato salad. While there are undoubtedly fancier versions of potato salad, this is the one that my family loves and asks for. While I’d love to say that the leftovers refrigerate well overnight, I wouldn’t know; it never lasts long enough!
Ingredients
5 pounds potatoes (I use regular white potatoes)
6 – 8 eggs
1 – 2 onions, diced
3 – 4 cups mayo (if you usually use a vegetarian version, go for it)
1/2 cup mustard
Directions
Peel potatoes and cube into bite-sized pieces. Place in large pot, cover with cold water, then boil. Once water reaches a boil, turn heat to medium and cook for 20 – 30 minutes. Potatoes should be cooked through, but not mushy.
While potatoes are cooking, place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water and turn stove on high. Once water begins to boil, let boil for 10 minutes. Turn off stove, place pan in sink and run cold water over the eggs to cool off.
Drain potatoes and rinse in cold water. Place in large bowl. Peel and cut up eggs and add to potatoes, along with diced onions. Add mayo and mustard and mix well. Can be served either slightly warmed (now) or, if served later, cooled in refrigerator.
BAKED SPAGHETTI
This is from Lidey Heuck in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yummy recipe, Lidey wrote, "This comforting baked pasta feeds a crowd and is an easy way to upgrade everyday spaghetti with meat sauce. Once baked, the spaghetti casserole slices into neat squares, and the layer of ricotta and Parmesan filling give it the rich flavor of a lasagna. Feel free to play around with the recipe, swapping in Italian sausage or ground turkey for the ground beef and sautéing leftover vegetables and adding them to the sauce. If you’re planning in advance, you can assemble the casserole (through the end of Step 5) and store in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to bake."
Time: 1-1/2 hours, plus cooling; Yield: 8 servings
To view this yumminess online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024351-baked-spaghetti. While you're at it, please sign up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, if you haven't already.
Ingredients
Unsalted butter, for greasing the pan
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 5 cloves)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, plus more for serving
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
1 pound ground beef (at least 85-percent lean)
1 (32- to 35-ounce) jar marinara sauce
1/2 cup fresh basil or parsley leaves, chopped, plus more for serving
1 cup/8 ounces ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 large egg
2 cups/8 ounces shredded low-moisture mozzarella
Preparation
Step 1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions until 1 minute shy of al dente.
Step 2
While the water comes to a boil, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, red-pepper flakes, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 3
Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the marinara sauce and basil. Drain the spaghetti, add it to the sauce and toss well.
Step 4
In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the egg and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix with a fork until smooth.
Step 5
Transfer half the pasta and sauce to the prepared baking dish and smooth it into an even layer. Dollop the ricotta mixture onto the pasta in large spoonfuls, then sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella on top. Add the rest of the pasta and sauce to the pan, again smoothing it into an even layer.
Step 6
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan on top, then bake, uncovered, until the mozzarella has melted, 5 to 10 minutes more.
Step 7
Cool for 5 minutes, then serve with more chopped basil, a pinch of dried oregano and more red-pepper flakes, if desired. Slice the baked spaghetti into large squares and serve hot or warm.
BEEF NOODLE SKILLET
This is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.
Active Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/beef-noodle-skillet-8053162.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground chuck
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
12 ounces egg noodles
2-1/2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
A few dashes Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Directions
Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground chuck and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the meat, crumbling as you go, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds.
Add the noodles, broth, 1 cup hot water, the mustard, paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Give a big stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and allow everything to simmer, stirring occasionally and adding up to 1/2 cup more water if necessary, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened, about 12 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and heavy cream and cook for 1 additional minute or until the pasta is tender.
Remove from the heat. Sprinkle over the chives and serve directly from the pan.
Thursday, April 4, 2024
Soup's On!
Soup is one of those wonderful comfort foods that is great, no matter the weather. To that end, here are six soup recipes to help you through the day, including Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup and Ham and White Bean Soup. Enjoy!
LASAGNA SOUP
This yumminess is from Lidey Heuck in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Lidey wrote, "This simple, one-pot soup delivers all the comfort of a classic lasagna with very little of the work. A jar of marinara sauce is its secret to speedy flavor, along with a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage (though for ease, you can use one or the other), plus a pinch of ground nutmeg. Dried lasagna noodles are broken into small pieces and cooked directly in the soup, thickening the broth with their starches as they soften. Don’t skip the ricotta-Parmesan topping; it adds richness and the unmistakable essence of lasagna. This soup comes together quickly and is best served right away; the noodles will continue to absorb the broth as it sits."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 6 servings
This was featured in: "Will It Soup? Lasagna Edition." It can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025009-lasagna-soup. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Lots of recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic (from about 6 cloves)
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage (or sausages, with casings removed)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
8 ounces dried lasagna noodles, broken crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1-1/2 cups/12 ounces whole-milk ricotta
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for serving
Preparation
In a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent but not browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add the beef, sausage, oregano, nutmeg, crushed red pepper, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
Add the chicken broth and marinara sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the lasagna noodles, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender and the broth has reduced slightly.
While the soup simmers, combine the ricotta and Parmesan in a medium bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper and mix well; set aside.
Off the heat, stir the cream and basil into the soup, then taste and add more salt and crushed red pepper, if desired.
Serve the soup in shallow bowls, topped with a large dollop of the ricotta mixture and a few torn basil leaves.
REAL LASAGNA SOUP
This is from John Mitzewich, aka Chef John, on AllRecipes. This yumminess begins, " If you love lasagna, but don’t love the time and effort it takes to do all that layering, then this amazing lasagna soup is for you. Unlike many of the other lasagna soup recipes online, this is way more than just some pasta, meat, and cheese sitting in a bowl of thinned out tomato sauce. This is real lasagna in soup form.
"Anyway, I loved how this came out, and I think one of the secrets is baking the pasta to give it more of the taste and texture of an actual baked lasagna noodle. They may not have looked much different in the final product, but I found the texture to be far superior to the standard technique, which is just to heat up some cooked pasta in the finished soup. So I do recommend the extra few minutes of prep, but either way, if you’re in the mood for lasagna, but aren’t into the whole production, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/real-lasagna-soup-recipe-7967799.
Ingredients
Noodles:
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
6 ounces bulk Italian sausage, or 1 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 (24 ounce) jar prepared marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade marinara sauce
4 cups chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cheese Mixture:
12 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Garnish:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in lasagna noodles and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just flexible, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer noodles into cold water until cooled; drain very well.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cut noodles in half lengthwise. Arrange noodles in evenly overlapping rows on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and use fingers to rub some butter between the noodles.
Bake noodles in the preheated oven until they are golden, blistered, and are beginning to brown with crispy outside edges. Let cool; cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a soup pot, and place over high heat. Add beef and sausage. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small pieces; cook without stirring until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle in its own fat, then continue to cook and stir until meat begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a bowl, stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese together; set aside.
Increase the heat under soup to medium high; stir in noodle pieces. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of cheese mixture, and sprinkle with freshly torn basil and Italian parsley if desired.
Cook’s Note
The pasta does not have to be baked first, and can simply be broken up raw, stirred into the soup, and cooked until tender. Other pasta shapes can be used instead.
More or less chicken broth can be used for a thicker or thinner soup texture.
SLOW COOKER CREAMY CORN CHOWDER
This is from Diana Rattray at The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, " Corn chowder is one of those soups you can eat year round—it is comforting on a cold day, but also highlights one of the summer's best crops. It is a versatile recipe, allowing for additions (like bacon and chopped red pepper), as well as alterations (like keeping it chunky or puréeing half of the mixture). Corn chowder is also easily made vegetarian by swapping out the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
"What makes this recipe even more appealing is that it is cooked in a crock pot instead of on the stove. You can start the soup in the morning, and then finish it off an hour or so before dinnertime. And because it is filling and nutritious, all you need alongside are biscuits or crackers and a simple salad."
Prep Time: 20 mins; Cook Time: 8 hrs; Total Time: 8 hrs 20 mins; Servings: 6 to 8 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
32 ounces corn (2 16-ounce cans, drained)
3 medium potatoes (Yukon Gold or red-skinned)
1 medium onion
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups whole milk (or half-and-half)
1 tablespoon butter
2 strips bacon (cooked and crumbled, or chopped chives or parsley), optional, garnish
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Combine the corn, potatoes, onion, salt, pepper, and chicken broth in a slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours.
Purée in a blender or food processor, or using an immersion blender, if desired, then return to the pot.
Stir in milk and butter; cover and cook on high about 30 to 60 minutes more.
Garnish with crumbled bacon and/or chopped chives, if desired.
Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients
Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.
Tip
This recipe calls for canned corn, but you can use frozen kernels if you like. And if you are making this in summer when the corn is at its peak, by all means, use fresh ears (about 6 ears) of corn. To make removing the kernels from the ears easier and less messy, place the ear of corn on the center of a Bundt or tube pan, sticking the point of the ear in the hole a bit. Using a serrated knife, slice down the ear, rotating around, allowing the kernels to fall into the base of the cake pan.
Recipe Variation
Add some protein to the soup if you like. Ham, shrimp, lobster, and bacon are excellent choices. Cook the meat or shellfish and add them to the soup shortly before it's ready. If using shellfish, replace the chicken stock with clam juice or broth.
WEIGHT WATCHERS SLOW-COOKER SOUP
This was from a Weight Watchers email at least ten years ago. Each serving is about 1 cup.
Ingredients
10 oz baby spinach leaves
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium celery ribs, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium garlic clove, minced
4 C vegetable broth
28 oz canned diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed
Directions
Place all ingredients in slow cooker; cover & cook on high for 5 hours. Remove bay leaves, stir, & serve.
Note: If you need the soup fast, simply add prepped ingredients in a large pot on stovetop. Bring to boil & then reduce heat to low; simmer, partly covered, about 10 minutes.
HEARTY HAM AND WHITE BEAN SOUP
This is by Pam Anderson and was in the January 2010 issue of Runner's World (page 44; "The Athlete's Palate"). It begins, "The cabbage in this dish is rich in vitamin C and fiber, as well as phytonutrients that helpl protect against some cancers. To save time and speed up the cooking process, heat the broth and tomatoes in the microwave while chopping the vegetables."
Pam Anderson has a really great cooking site, called Three Many Cooks. I really recommend it. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap
And now, on to the soup.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced into medium pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin
1/2 cabbage, cored, cut into bite-size shreds
12 ounces lean ham steak, diced into small pieces
1 quart chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce can petite-diced tomatoes
2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, undrained
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
Heat the oil over medium-high in a soup kettles. Add the onion, saute until soft and golden, about five minutes. Add the Italian seasoning and saute until fragrant, about one minute. Add the remaining ingredients, then bring to a full simmer, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat to low, simmer gently (partially covered) until the vegetables are just cooked and flavors blended, about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley; cover and let stand five minutes. Serve's six.
CREAMY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
This yummy soup is from Chungah, on her wonderful site, Damn Delicious. I've mentioned her site once or twice. But if you haven't visited it yet, I highly recommend it. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap...)
Okay, hopefully you checked it out. Now, this recipe begins, "So warm, so cozy, so soothing. A must for those busy cold weeknights, using up that leftover rotisserie chicken!"
Yield: 8 servings; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes
You can view this online at https://damndelicious.net/2022/04/29/creamy-chicken-noodle-soup/.
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 sweet onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery ribs, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 cups leftover shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cups wide egg noodles
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions
Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in chicken stock and bay leaf; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes.
Stir in chicken and pasta and cook until tender, about 10-12 minutes.
Stir in heavy cream, peas and parsley until heated through, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve immediately.
LASAGNA SOUP
This yumminess is from Lidey Heuck in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Lidey wrote, "This simple, one-pot soup delivers all the comfort of a classic lasagna with very little of the work. A jar of marinara sauce is its secret to speedy flavor, along with a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage (though for ease, you can use one or the other), plus a pinch of ground nutmeg. Dried lasagna noodles are broken into small pieces and cooked directly in the soup, thickening the broth with their starches as they soften. Don’t skip the ricotta-Parmesan topping; it adds richness and the unmistakable essence of lasagna. This soup comes together quickly and is best served right away; the noodles will continue to absorb the broth as it sits."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 6 servings
This was featured in: "Will It Soup? Lasagna Edition." It can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025009-lasagna-soup. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Lots of recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic (from about 6 cloves)
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage (or sausages, with casings removed)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
8 ounces dried lasagna noodles, broken crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1-1/2 cups/12 ounces whole-milk ricotta
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for serving
Preparation
In a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent but not browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add the beef, sausage, oregano, nutmeg, crushed red pepper, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
Add the chicken broth and marinara sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the lasagna noodles, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender and the broth has reduced slightly.
While the soup simmers, combine the ricotta and Parmesan in a medium bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper and mix well; set aside.
Off the heat, stir the cream and basil into the soup, then taste and add more salt and crushed red pepper, if desired.
Serve the soup in shallow bowls, topped with a large dollop of the ricotta mixture and a few torn basil leaves.
REAL LASAGNA SOUP
This is from John Mitzewich, aka Chef John, on AllRecipes. This yumminess begins, " If you love lasagna, but don’t love the time and effort it takes to do all that layering, then this amazing lasagna soup is for you. Unlike many of the other lasagna soup recipes online, this is way more than just some pasta, meat, and cheese sitting in a bowl of thinned out tomato sauce. This is real lasagna in soup form.
"Anyway, I loved how this came out, and I think one of the secrets is baking the pasta to give it more of the taste and texture of an actual baked lasagna noodle. They may not have looked much different in the final product, but I found the texture to be far superior to the standard technique, which is just to heat up some cooked pasta in the finished soup. So I do recommend the extra few minutes of prep, but either way, if you’re in the mood for lasagna, but aren’t into the whole production, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/real-lasagna-soup-recipe-7967799.
Ingredients
Noodles:
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
6 ounces bulk Italian sausage, or 1 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 (24 ounce) jar prepared marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade marinara sauce
4 cups chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cheese Mixture:
12 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Garnish:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in lasagna noodles and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just flexible, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer noodles into cold water until cooled; drain very well.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cut noodles in half lengthwise. Arrange noodles in evenly overlapping rows on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and use fingers to rub some butter between the noodles.
Bake noodles in the preheated oven until they are golden, blistered, and are beginning to brown with crispy outside edges. Let cool; cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a soup pot, and place over high heat. Add beef and sausage. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small pieces; cook without stirring until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle in its own fat, then continue to cook and stir until meat begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a bowl, stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese together; set aside.
Increase the heat under soup to medium high; stir in noodle pieces. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of cheese mixture, and sprinkle with freshly torn basil and Italian parsley if desired.
Cook’s Note
The pasta does not have to be baked first, and can simply be broken up raw, stirred into the soup, and cooked until tender. Other pasta shapes can be used instead.
More or less chicken broth can be used for a thicker or thinner soup texture.
SLOW COOKER CREAMY CORN CHOWDER
This is from Diana Rattray at The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, " Corn chowder is one of those soups you can eat year round—it is comforting on a cold day, but also highlights one of the summer's best crops. It is a versatile recipe, allowing for additions (like bacon and chopped red pepper), as well as alterations (like keeping it chunky or puréeing half of the mixture). Corn chowder is also easily made vegetarian by swapping out the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
"What makes this recipe even more appealing is that it is cooked in a crock pot instead of on the stove. You can start the soup in the morning, and then finish it off an hour or so before dinnertime. And because it is filling and nutritious, all you need alongside are biscuits or crackers and a simple salad."
Prep Time: 20 mins; Cook Time: 8 hrs; Total Time: 8 hrs 20 mins; Servings: 6 to 8 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
32 ounces corn (2 16-ounce cans, drained)
3 medium potatoes (Yukon Gold or red-skinned)
1 medium onion
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups whole milk (or half-and-half)
1 tablespoon butter
2 strips bacon (cooked and crumbled, or chopped chives or parsley), optional, garnish
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Combine the corn, potatoes, onion, salt, pepper, and chicken broth in a slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours.
Purée in a blender or food processor, or using an immersion blender, if desired, then return to the pot.
Stir in milk and butter; cover and cook on high about 30 to 60 minutes more.
Garnish with crumbled bacon and/or chopped chives, if desired.
Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients
Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.
Tip
This recipe calls for canned corn, but you can use frozen kernels if you like. And if you are making this in summer when the corn is at its peak, by all means, use fresh ears (about 6 ears) of corn. To make removing the kernels from the ears easier and less messy, place the ear of corn on the center of a Bundt or tube pan, sticking the point of the ear in the hole a bit. Using a serrated knife, slice down the ear, rotating around, allowing the kernels to fall into the base of the cake pan.
Recipe Variation
Add some protein to the soup if you like. Ham, shrimp, lobster, and bacon are excellent choices. Cook the meat or shellfish and add them to the soup shortly before it's ready. If using shellfish, replace the chicken stock with clam juice or broth.
WEIGHT WATCHERS SLOW-COOKER SOUP
This was from a Weight Watchers email at least ten years ago. Each serving is about 1 cup.
Ingredients
10 oz baby spinach leaves
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium celery ribs, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium garlic clove, minced
4 C vegetable broth
28 oz canned diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed
Directions
Place all ingredients in slow cooker; cover & cook on high for 5 hours. Remove bay leaves, stir, & serve.
Note: If you need the soup fast, simply add prepped ingredients in a large pot on stovetop. Bring to boil & then reduce heat to low; simmer, partly covered, about 10 minutes.
HEARTY HAM AND WHITE BEAN SOUP
This is by Pam Anderson and was in the January 2010 issue of Runner's World (page 44; "The Athlete's Palate"). It begins, "The cabbage in this dish is rich in vitamin C and fiber, as well as phytonutrients that helpl protect against some cancers. To save time and speed up the cooking process, heat the broth and tomatoes in the microwave while chopping the vegetables."
Pam Anderson has a really great cooking site, called Three Many Cooks. I really recommend it. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap
And now, on to the soup.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced into medium pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin
1/2 cabbage, cored, cut into bite-size shreds
12 ounces lean ham steak, diced into small pieces
1 quart chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce can petite-diced tomatoes
2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, undrained
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
Heat the oil over medium-high in a soup kettles. Add the onion, saute until soft and golden, about five minutes. Add the Italian seasoning and saute until fragrant, about one minute. Add the remaining ingredients, then bring to a full simmer, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat to low, simmer gently (partially covered) until the vegetables are just cooked and flavors blended, about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley; cover and let stand five minutes. Serve's six.
CREAMY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
This yummy soup is from Chungah, on her wonderful site, Damn Delicious. I've mentioned her site once or twice. But if you haven't visited it yet, I highly recommend it. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap...)
Okay, hopefully you checked it out. Now, this recipe begins, "So warm, so cozy, so soothing. A must for those busy cold weeknights, using up that leftover rotisserie chicken!"
Yield: 8 servings; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes
You can view this online at https://damndelicious.net/2022/04/29/creamy-chicken-noodle-soup/.
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 sweet onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery ribs, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 cups leftover shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cups wide egg noodles
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions
Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in chicken stock and bay leaf; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes.
Stir in chicken and pasta and cook until tender, about 10-12 minutes.
Stir in heavy cream, peas and parsley until heated through, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve immediately.
Monday, March 18, 2024
Beef - Double-Post Monday
Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's post deals with beef, and includes Almost White Castle Burgers and Goulash. Enjoy!
OKLAHOMA ONION BURGERS
This is from J. Kenji López-Alt in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. This recipe begins, "Homer Davis and his son Ross invented what he called the Depression burger at the Hamburger Inn in El Reno, Okla., as a means to add inexpensive bulk to their burgers. Rather than toasting, the buns are steamed in onion-scented vapor. That the technique — cooking the patties smashed-style with a huge amount of thinly shaved onions and steaming the buns — and restaurant remain popular to this day is a testament to the burgers’ deliciousness. If you prefer, you can take the cooking (and the accompanying lingering onion aroma) completely out of the house by heating the skillet or griddle directly over a very hot grill and cooking outdoors (see Tip)."
Time: 15 to 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
This was featured in "The Burger J. Kenji López-Alt Can’t Improve (Only Tweak)", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023331-oklahoma-onion-burgers.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef, preferably 20 to 30 percent fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium or 1 large yellow or white onion, sliced as thinly as possible, and on a mandoline for best results (8 to 10 ounces of sliced onion)
4 slices American cheese
4 soft, sturdy hamburger buns, such as King’s Hawaiian rolls
Dill pickle chips and condiments, as desired
Preparation
Step 1:
Divide the beef: Line a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the ground beef into 4 even balls. Working one ball at a time and using your hands, massage the meat until it is cohesive and tacky, about 15 seconds. Next, using clean hands, roll each into a smooth ball. Place the balls on the baking sheet, with 1 ball in the center of each quadrant. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
Step 2:
Shape the patties: Gently press each ball into a disk-shaped patty about 3 inches wide. Place the patties on a sheet pan or large plate, and season the tops with salt and pepper. Flip the patties, and top each with a large pile of sliced onions — as many as you can balance on top; they should resemble a large haystack. (It is important to not add salt to the onions at this point, as it will draw out excess moisture, which will inhibit searing.)
Step 3:
Heat the skillet or griddle: Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron or carbon-steel skillet or griddle (see Tips) over an indoor burner set to high heat or on the grates of a hot outdoor grill for a few minutes until very hot; a drop of water should skitter around the surface. (If you don’t have a pan skillet or griddle big enough, you can cook the burgers in batches.) Place 1 patty of beef in the center of one quadrant of the pan, with the onions on top (do not add any oil).
Step 4:
Smash the burgers: Using a very stiff spatula, press on the onions and beef to form a patty 4-1/2- to 5-inches wide. As you smash, focus on the patty’s edges so that the finished patty is slightly thicker in the center and smashed out as thinly as possible along the edges. Repeat with the remaining patties. Use the spatula to place any stray onions back on top of the burgers. Season the onions lightly with salt and pepper.
Step 5:
Cook the burgers: Allow patties to cook without moving until the edges are dark brown and crusty, 1 to 2 minutes. Holding the spatula upside down (so that the head of the spatula is angled down to increase leverage), scrape the edges of each patty off the pan, working around each patty to ensure that you don’t leave any crispy edges behind. When the edges have all been loosened, turn the spatula back over (so you are holding it the standard way) and flip the patties onion side down. Use the spatula and tongs or a fork to tuck any stray onion slices mostly under the patties.
Step 6:
Steam the cheese and buns: Add a slice of cheese to each patty. Place the top half of each burger bun on top of the cheese, and place the bottom half of each bun on top of the top bun, split-side down. Cover the pan or griddle with a large domed lid, a large overturned saucepan or a clean folded dish towel. (To avoid a fire, make sure the edges of the dish towel do not hang over the skillet or griddle. If cooking on an outdoor grill, just close the lid.) Continue cooking until the onions are browned along the edges and the buns are steamed through, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Step 7:
To serve, open the cover or lid. Remove the bottom burger bun halves to a serving platter. Add pickles and condiments as desired. (These burgers don’t typically need condiments.) Lift each burger from the skillet with the spatula and transfer to the bottom bun. Serve immediately.
Tips
To add some chargrilled flavor, heat your entire gas or charcoal grill to high heat. (A full chimney of coals spread out under the cooking surface for a standard kettle grill, or all the burners on high for a gas grill.) Next, smash the onion-topped patties on top of a parchment-lined sheet tray in Step 2.
When ready to cook, heat a skillet or griddle directly over one side of the grill until very hot (5 minutes with the lid off, if cooking with coal, or 15 minutes with the lid on, if cooking with gas). When the skillet is hot, brush both the grates over the empty half of the grill and the skillet or griddle with a little neutral cooking oil. Add the onion-topped patties to the grates with a spatula, season with salt and pepper, and let them cook without moving until well charred on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. When ready to flip, flip them straight into the skillet, onion-side down, and continue cooking exactly as directed in Step 6.
ALMOST WHITE CASTLE HAMBURGERS
This comes from Chef Doozer on the Genius Kitchen site. Time: 20 minutes; Serves: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 (4 tablespoon) envelope onion soup mix
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
24 small square dinner rolls
American cheese (optional)
pickle (optional)
Sauce
1/2 cup mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Hamburgers: Mix first 6 ingredients and press into an ungreased 10 by 15 inch jelly roll pan.
Prick with a fork.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Drain off juices (if there's a lot of excess).
Cool.
Cut into 24 squares.
Place squares on dinner rolls.
Combine mustard and ketchup and spread on rolls.
Top with pickles and cheese, if desired.
This makes 12 servings of 2 hamburgers each.
REAL LASAGNA SOUP
This is from John Mitzewich, aka Chef John, on AllRecipes. This yumminess begins, " If you love lasagna, but don’t love the time and effort it takes to do all that layering, then this amazing lasagna soup is for you. Unlike many of the other lasagna soup recipes online, this is way more than just some pasta, meat, and cheese sitting in a bowl of thinned out tomato sauce. This is real lasagna in soup form.
"Anyway, I loved how this came out, and I think one of the secrets is baking the pasta to give it more of the taste and texture of an actual baked lasagna noodle. They may not have looked much different in the final product, but I found the texture to be far superior to the standard technique, which is just to heat up some cooked pasta in the finished soup. So I do recommend the extra few minutes of prep, but either way, if you’re in the mood for lasagna, but aren’t into the whole production, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/real-lasagna-soup-recipe-7967799.
Ingredients
Noodles:
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
6 ounces bulk Italian sausage, or 1 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 (24 ounce) jar prepared marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade marinara sauce
4 cups chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cheese Mixture:
12 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Garnish:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in lasagna noodles and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just flexible, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer noodles into cold water until cooled; drain very well.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cut noodles in half lengthwise. Arrange noodles in evenly overlapping rows on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and use fingers to rub some butter between the noodles.
Bake noodles in the preheated oven until they are golden, blistered, and are beginning to brown with crispy outside edges. Let cool; cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a soup pot, and place over high heat. Add beef and sausage. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small pieces; cook without stirring until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle in its own fat, then continue to cook and stir until meat begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a bowl, stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese together; set aside.
Increase the heat under soup to medium high; stir in noodle pieces. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of cheese mixture, and sprinkle with freshly torn basil and Italian parsley if desired.
Cook’s Note
The pasta does not have to be baked first, and can simply be broken up raw, stirred into the soup, and cooked until tender. Other pasta shapes can be used instead.
More or less chicken broth can be used for a thicker or thinner soup texture.
GOULASH
This is from Lidey Heuck in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yummy recipe, Lidey wrote, "Hungarian goulash, a stew of paprika-spiced braised meat and vegetables, likely arrived in the United States with a wave of immigrants in the late 1800s. The dish began a game of telephone, slowly evolving into something new entirely. While American-style goulash may not bear much resemblance to its Hungarian namesake, the hearty one-pot dish has endured as an easy and comforting family weeknight dinner. Made with ground beef, bell peppers, diced tomatoes and macaroni, it falls somewhere between a beef chili and a meaty pasta. A sprinkle of Cheddar, stirred in just before serving, thickens the sauce and adds richness. Serve the goulash on its own or with a green vegetable and cornbread on the side."
Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024344-goulash.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 green or red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 5 cloves)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1-1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
Black pepper
1 pound ground beef (at least 85-percent lean)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cups low-sodium beef broth, plus more as needed
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1-1/4 cups uncooked macaroni
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Preparation
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the ground beef and cook, stirring often and breaking up the meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
Pour in the broth, crushed and diced tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a boil. Stir in the macaroni, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot, until the pasta is cooked and the liquid in the pan has thickened considerably, 18 to 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the Cheddar. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper, if needed. Serve in bowls, topped with fresh parsley. (The goulash will continue to thicken as it sits. If desired, add a splash of beef broth when reheating.)
BISTRO ONION BURGERS
According to the Family Time site, "Are you looking for a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love? Try these burgers that use dry onion soup mix to add a savory touch."
Prep. time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10
Serves: 6
Source: Campbell's® Quick and Easy Cookbook
Ingredients
1-1/2 lb. ground beef
1 envelope (about 1 oz.) dry onion soup & recipe mix
3 tbsp. water
6 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse™ Premium White Rolls, with Sesame Seeds, split and toasted
lettuce leaves
tomato slices
Directions
Thoroughly mix the beef, soup mix and water. Shape the beef mixture into 6 (1/2-inch thick) burgers.
Cook the burgers in batches in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides, 10 minutes for medium or to desired doneness.
Serve the burgers on the rolls. Top with the lettuce and tomato.
Author: Campbell's Kitchen Found here.
BEEF CHILI
This yummy chili recipe is from Tyler Florence on The Food Network. Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cooki Time: 2 hours 15 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/beef-chili-recipe-1937323.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds beef shoulder, cut into large cubes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
1 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 onions, diced
10 garlic cloves, halved
3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
1/2 cup masa harina
3 cups shredded white Cheddar, for garnish
2 bunches chopped chives, for garnish
1 1/2 cups sour cream, for garnish
Ingredients
In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Season the beef shoulder all over with salt and pepper, add it to the pot and brown it. As it's browning stir in the chili powder, coriander, cumin, paprika, oregano and cinnamon. Lower the temperature under the meat to "toast" the spices. In a food processor puree the onions, garlic, chipotle peppers, jalapeno, tomato paste and sugar and add it to the pot. Increase the heat to medium to steam vegetables a little and sweeten the peppers. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch, about 1 quart, and add tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer until the meat is fork-tender and comes apart with no resistance, about 2 hours. As it cooks down, add more water, if necessary. When done, stir in the masa harina. Take a potato masher and mash the chili so the meat comes apart in shreds. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish each serving with the shredded Cheddar, chives, and sour cream.
OKLAHOMA ONION BURGERS
This is from J. Kenji López-Alt in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. This recipe begins, "Homer Davis and his son Ross invented what he called the Depression burger at the Hamburger Inn in El Reno, Okla., as a means to add inexpensive bulk to their burgers. Rather than toasting, the buns are steamed in onion-scented vapor. That the technique — cooking the patties smashed-style with a huge amount of thinly shaved onions and steaming the buns — and restaurant remain popular to this day is a testament to the burgers’ deliciousness. If you prefer, you can take the cooking (and the accompanying lingering onion aroma) completely out of the house by heating the skillet or griddle directly over a very hot grill and cooking outdoors (see Tip)."
Time: 15 to 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
This was featured in "The Burger J. Kenji López-Alt Can’t Improve (Only Tweak)", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023331-oklahoma-onion-burgers.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef, preferably 20 to 30 percent fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium or 1 large yellow or white onion, sliced as thinly as possible, and on a mandoline for best results (8 to 10 ounces of sliced onion)
4 slices American cheese
4 soft, sturdy hamburger buns, such as King’s Hawaiian rolls
Dill pickle chips and condiments, as desired
Preparation
Step 1:
Divide the beef: Line a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the ground beef into 4 even balls. Working one ball at a time and using your hands, massage the meat until it is cohesive and tacky, about 15 seconds. Next, using clean hands, roll each into a smooth ball. Place the balls on the baking sheet, with 1 ball in the center of each quadrant. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
Step 2:
Shape the patties: Gently press each ball into a disk-shaped patty about 3 inches wide. Place the patties on a sheet pan or large plate, and season the tops with salt and pepper. Flip the patties, and top each with a large pile of sliced onions — as many as you can balance on top; they should resemble a large haystack. (It is important to not add salt to the onions at this point, as it will draw out excess moisture, which will inhibit searing.)
Step 3:
Heat the skillet or griddle: Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron or carbon-steel skillet or griddle (see Tips) over an indoor burner set to high heat or on the grates of a hot outdoor grill for a few minutes until very hot; a drop of water should skitter around the surface. (If you don’t have a pan skillet or griddle big enough, you can cook the burgers in batches.) Place 1 patty of beef in the center of one quadrant of the pan, with the onions on top (do not add any oil).
Step 4:
Smash the burgers: Using a very stiff spatula, press on the onions and beef to form a patty 4-1/2- to 5-inches wide. As you smash, focus on the patty’s edges so that the finished patty is slightly thicker in the center and smashed out as thinly as possible along the edges. Repeat with the remaining patties. Use the spatula to place any stray onions back on top of the burgers. Season the onions lightly with salt and pepper.
Step 5:
Cook the burgers: Allow patties to cook without moving until the edges are dark brown and crusty, 1 to 2 minutes. Holding the spatula upside down (so that the head of the spatula is angled down to increase leverage), scrape the edges of each patty off the pan, working around each patty to ensure that you don’t leave any crispy edges behind. When the edges have all been loosened, turn the spatula back over (so you are holding it the standard way) and flip the patties onion side down. Use the spatula and tongs or a fork to tuck any stray onion slices mostly under the patties.
Step 6:
Steam the cheese and buns: Add a slice of cheese to each patty. Place the top half of each burger bun on top of the cheese, and place the bottom half of each bun on top of the top bun, split-side down. Cover the pan or griddle with a large domed lid, a large overturned saucepan or a clean folded dish towel. (To avoid a fire, make sure the edges of the dish towel do not hang over the skillet or griddle. If cooking on an outdoor grill, just close the lid.) Continue cooking until the onions are browned along the edges and the buns are steamed through, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Step 7:
To serve, open the cover or lid. Remove the bottom burger bun halves to a serving platter. Add pickles and condiments as desired. (These burgers don’t typically need condiments.) Lift each burger from the skillet with the spatula and transfer to the bottom bun. Serve immediately.
Tips
To add some chargrilled flavor, heat your entire gas or charcoal grill to high heat. (A full chimney of coals spread out under the cooking surface for a standard kettle grill, or all the burners on high for a gas grill.) Next, smash the onion-topped patties on top of a parchment-lined sheet tray in Step 2.
When ready to cook, heat a skillet or griddle directly over one side of the grill until very hot (5 minutes with the lid off, if cooking with coal, or 15 minutes with the lid on, if cooking with gas). When the skillet is hot, brush both the grates over the empty half of the grill and the skillet or griddle with a little neutral cooking oil. Add the onion-topped patties to the grates with a spatula, season with salt and pepper, and let them cook without moving until well charred on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. When ready to flip, flip them straight into the skillet, onion-side down, and continue cooking exactly as directed in Step 6.
ALMOST WHITE CASTLE HAMBURGERS
This comes from Chef Doozer on the Genius Kitchen site. Time: 20 minutes; Serves: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 (4 tablespoon) envelope onion soup mix
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
24 small square dinner rolls
American cheese (optional)
pickle (optional)
Sauce
1/2 cup mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Hamburgers: Mix first 6 ingredients and press into an ungreased 10 by 15 inch jelly roll pan.
Prick with a fork.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Drain off juices (if there's a lot of excess).
Cool.
Cut into 24 squares.
Place squares on dinner rolls.
Combine mustard and ketchup and spread on rolls.
Top with pickles and cheese, if desired.
This makes 12 servings of 2 hamburgers each.
REAL LASAGNA SOUP
This is from John Mitzewich, aka Chef John, on AllRecipes. This yumminess begins, " If you love lasagna, but don’t love the time and effort it takes to do all that layering, then this amazing lasagna soup is for you. Unlike many of the other lasagna soup recipes online, this is way more than just some pasta, meat, and cheese sitting in a bowl of thinned out tomato sauce. This is real lasagna in soup form.
"Anyway, I loved how this came out, and I think one of the secrets is baking the pasta to give it more of the taste and texture of an actual baked lasagna noodle. They may not have looked much different in the final product, but I found the texture to be far superior to the standard technique, which is just to heat up some cooked pasta in the finished soup. So I do recommend the extra few minutes of prep, but either way, if you’re in the mood for lasagna, but aren’t into the whole production, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/real-lasagna-soup-recipe-7967799.
Ingredients
Noodles:
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
6 ounces bulk Italian sausage, or 1 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 (24 ounce) jar prepared marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade marinara sauce
4 cups chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cheese Mixture:
12 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Garnish:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in lasagna noodles and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just flexible, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer noodles into cold water until cooled; drain very well.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cut noodles in half lengthwise. Arrange noodles in evenly overlapping rows on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and use fingers to rub some butter between the noodles.
Bake noodles in the preheated oven until they are golden, blistered, and are beginning to brown with crispy outside edges. Let cool; cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a soup pot, and place over high heat. Add beef and sausage. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small pieces; cook without stirring until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle in its own fat, then continue to cook and stir until meat begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a bowl, stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese together; set aside.
Increase the heat under soup to medium high; stir in noodle pieces. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of cheese mixture, and sprinkle with freshly torn basil and Italian parsley if desired.
Cook’s Note
The pasta does not have to be baked first, and can simply be broken up raw, stirred into the soup, and cooked until tender. Other pasta shapes can be used instead.
More or less chicken broth can be used for a thicker or thinner soup texture.
GOULASH
This is from Lidey Heuck in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yummy recipe, Lidey wrote, "Hungarian goulash, a stew of paprika-spiced braised meat and vegetables, likely arrived in the United States with a wave of immigrants in the late 1800s. The dish began a game of telephone, slowly evolving into something new entirely. While American-style goulash may not bear much resemblance to its Hungarian namesake, the hearty one-pot dish has endured as an easy and comforting family weeknight dinner. Made with ground beef, bell peppers, diced tomatoes and macaroni, it falls somewhere between a beef chili and a meaty pasta. A sprinkle of Cheddar, stirred in just before serving, thickens the sauce and adds richness. Serve the goulash on its own or with a green vegetable and cornbread on the side."
Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024344-goulash.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 green or red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 5 cloves)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1-1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
Black pepper
1 pound ground beef (at least 85-percent lean)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cups low-sodium beef broth, plus more as needed
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1-1/4 cups uncooked macaroni
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Preparation
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the ground beef and cook, stirring often and breaking up the meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
Pour in the broth, crushed and diced tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a boil. Stir in the macaroni, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot, until the pasta is cooked and the liquid in the pan has thickened considerably, 18 to 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the Cheddar. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper, if needed. Serve in bowls, topped with fresh parsley. (The goulash will continue to thicken as it sits. If desired, add a splash of beef broth when reheating.)
BISTRO ONION BURGERS
According to the Family Time site, "Are you looking for a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love? Try these burgers that use dry onion soup mix to add a savory touch."
Prep. time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10
Serves: 6
Source: Campbell's® Quick and Easy Cookbook
Ingredients
1-1/2 lb. ground beef
1 envelope (about 1 oz.) dry onion soup & recipe mix
3 tbsp. water
6 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse™ Premium White Rolls, with Sesame Seeds, split and toasted
lettuce leaves
tomato slices
Directions
Thoroughly mix the beef, soup mix and water. Shape the beef mixture into 6 (1/2-inch thick) burgers.
Cook the burgers in batches in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides, 10 minutes for medium or to desired doneness.
Serve the burgers on the rolls. Top with the lettuce and tomato.
Author: Campbell's Kitchen Found here.
BEEF CHILI
This yummy chili recipe is from Tyler Florence on The Food Network. Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cooki Time: 2 hours 15 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/beef-chili-recipe-1937323.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds beef shoulder, cut into large cubes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
1 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 onions, diced
10 garlic cloves, halved
3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
1/2 cup masa harina
3 cups shredded white Cheddar, for garnish
2 bunches chopped chives, for garnish
1 1/2 cups sour cream, for garnish
Ingredients
In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Season the beef shoulder all over with salt and pepper, add it to the pot and brown it. As it's browning stir in the chili powder, coriander, cumin, paprika, oregano and cinnamon. Lower the temperature under the meat to "toast" the spices. In a food processor puree the onions, garlic, chipotle peppers, jalapeno, tomato paste and sugar and add it to the pot. Increase the heat to medium to steam vegetables a little and sweeten the peppers. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch, about 1 quart, and add tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer until the meat is fork-tender and comes apart with no resistance, about 2 hours. As it cooks down, add more water, if necessary. When done, stir in the masa harina. Take a potato masher and mash the chili so the meat comes apart in shreds. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish each serving with the shredded Cheddar, chives, and sour cream.
Monday, March 11, 2024
Lasagna - Double-Post Monday
Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's double post deals with one of my favorite foods, Lasagna. Chek out the Crock Pot Lasagna, the Barbecue Lasagna, and the rest of today's yumminess. Enjoy!
LASAGNA
This yumminess is from Regina Schrambling in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. The recipe begins, "In 2001, Regina Schrambling went on a week long odyssey in search of the best lasagna recipe. Her ideal here has an intensely flavored sauce, cheeses melted into creaminess as if they were bechamel, meat that’s just chunky enough and noodles that put up no resistance to the fork.
"Keys to This Recipe
"How to Make Lasagna: To prepare lasagna from scratch, you start by making sauce, then layer it with wide, flat lasagna noodles and cheese before baking. The sauces can vary from tomato-based sauce, with or without meat, to creamy bechamel sauce, which works well with a wide variety of vegetables."How to Layer Lasagna: The basic building formula for lasagna is sauce, noodles, more sauce, then cheese. Repeat the noodle-sauce-cheese order until the pan is nearly filled, then end with sauce and cheese on top."Make-Ahead Tips for Lasagna: Both tomato and cream-based sauces for lasagna can be made and refrigerated for up to 3 days before assembling the lasagna. Once baked, the lasagna can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. To freeze, bake 30 minutes but do not brown, then cool, and freeze for up to 4 weeks. We do not recommend assembling and refrigerating or freezing an unbaked lasagna. This will adversely affect the texture."
How to Reheat Lasagna: To reheat frozen lasagna, defrost, then sprinkle with mozzarella and bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling on the surface. Refrigerated lasagna also can be reheated in a 400-degree oven until heated through. Chilled small individual servings can be microwaved."
The Best Pan for Making Lasagna: Wirecutter has recommendations for casserole dishes, including one specifically designed for lasagna."
Time: 4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in "The Noodle and I: A Face-Off at the Oven", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9530-lasagna.
Also, you might want to check out Samin Nosrat's guide, "How to Make Pasta."
Ingredients
For the Sauce
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, finely diced
2 large cloves minced garlic
8 ounces pancetta, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 cups good red wine, preferably Italian
2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 pound ground sirloin
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
2 eggs
10 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only, washed and dried
2 large whole cloves garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 pound Italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet
For the Lasagna
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
2 eggs
2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 pound mozzarella, grated
16 sheets fresh lasagna noodles, preferably Antica Pasteria
Preparation
For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.
Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.
In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1-1/2 hours.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
REAL LASAGNA SOUP
This is from John Mitzewich, aka Chef John, on AllRecipes. This yumminess begins, "If you love lasagna, but don’t love the time and effort it takes to do all that layering, then this amazing lasagna soup is for you. Unlike many of the other lasagna soup recipes online, this is way more than just some pasta, meat, and cheese sitting in a bowl of thinned out tomato sauce. This is real lasagna in soup form.
"Anyway, I loved how this came out, and I think one of the secrets is baking the pasta to give it more of the taste and texture of an actual baked lasagna noodle. They may not have looked much different in the final product, but I found the texture to be far superior to the standard technique, which is just to heat up some cooked pasta in the finished soup. So I do recommend the extra few minutes of prep, but either way, if you’re in the mood for lasagna, but aren’t into the whole production, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/real-lasagna-soup-recipe-7967799.
Ingredients
Noodles:
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
6 ounces bulk Italian sausage, or 1 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 (24 ounce) jar prepared marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade marinara sauce
4 cups chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cheese Mixture:
12 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Garnish:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in lasagna noodles and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just flexible, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer noodles into cold water until cooled; drain very well.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cut noodles in half lengthwise. Arrange noodles in evenly overlapping rows on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and use fingers to rub some butter between the noodles.
Bake noodles in the preheated oven until they are golden, blistered, and are beginning to brown with crispy outside edges. Let cool; cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a soup pot, and place over high heat. Add beef and sausage. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small pieces; cook without stirring until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle in its own fat, then continue to cook and stir until meat begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a bowl, stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese together; set aside.
Increase the heat under soup to medium high; stir in noodle pieces. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of cheese mixture, and sprinkle with freshly torn basil and Italian parsley if desired.
Cook’s Note
The pasta does not have to be baked first, and can simply be broken up raw, stirred into the soup, and cooked until tender. Other pasta shapes can be used instead.
More or less chicken broth can be used for a thicker or thinner soup texture.
SKILLET LASAGNA
This is from Brittany at AllRecipes. It begins, "This no-bake skillet lasagna is made right on your stovetop and is a fast and easy alternative to store-bought hamburger mixes!"
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 3 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/273775/skillet-lasagna/.
Ingredients
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried basil (Optional)
2 teaspoons dried oregano (Optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups dried mafalda noodles
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease. Add spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat until sauce is hot, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Cook mafalda noodles at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
Add cooked and drained noodles to the sauce and stir until completely coated. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
Place skillet under the hot broil and cook until cheese is golden and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes.
Cook's Note:
You can use ground turkey in place of beef, if you like.
CROCK POT LASAGNA
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Discover the fix-it-and-forget-it way to make lasagna! It's so easy.”
Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 jar (26 to 28 oz.) tomato pasta sauce
1 can (8 oz.) no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/2 pkg. (9 oz. = about 8) no-boil lasagna noodles
1 jar (1 lb.) Alfredo pasta sauce
3 cups (12 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.
Spray 4 to 5 quart crock pot/slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato pasta sauce in bottom of sprayed slow cooker. Stir remaining tomato pasta sauce and tomato sauce into ground beef.
Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce in the crock pot/slow cooker, breaking noodles as necessary. Top with 1/3 of the Alfredo pasta sauce, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Top with 1/3 of the ground beef mixture, spreading evenly.
Repeat layering twice, using 2 lasagna noodles in last layer. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.
Cover and cook on LOW heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours. If desired, cut into wedges to serve.
TACO LASAGNA
This is from the Food Network. It starts off, "Equal parts lasagna and taco, this dish is comfort central, with layers of classic taco meat and toppings nestled between tender lasagna noodles and melty cheese. Use your favorite salsa to build the sauce -- milder to keep it kid-friendly or spicier to liven it up."
Active Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/taco-lasagna-3666644.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 pound ground beef sirloin
2 tablespoons chili powder
Kosher salt
Two 16-ounce jars salsa
1 pound no-boil lasagna noodles
Two 16-ounce packages part skim mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 large beefsteak tomato, diced
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
Directions
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the ground beef and sprinkle with the chili powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, breaking apart chunks of meat with the back of a spoon, and stirring often, until meat is crumbled and browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the salsa and 1 cup of water, bring to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Spread a quarter of the meat sauce over the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Lay a third of the noodles over the sauce, overlapping slightly and breaking them to fit, if needed. Leave a 1/2-inch space around the edges of the baking dish. Top the noodles with another quarter of the meat sauce and a third of the mozzarella. Make another layer with a third of the noodles, a quarter of the meat sauce and a third of the mozzarella. Repeat, making a final layer with the remaining third of the pasta and quarter of the sauce, making sure that the top layer of noodles is completely covered in sauce. Top with the remaining third of the mozzarella.
Cover loosely with foil and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the noodles are tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Remove the foil and cook 15 minutes more. Let rest 10 minutes. Dollop with sour cream and sprinkle with lettuce, tomato, Cheddar and chips.
BARBECUE LASAGNA
This is one of the yummy recipes from a long-since-forgotten emailing list that my son was on for a few years. Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup ketchup
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) small-curd cottage cheese
1 egg
Directions
In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. For barbecue sauce, combine the next 13 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Spread about 1/4 cup barbecue sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and half of the beef.
Spread with half of the remaining barbecue sauce; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella, cheddar and Colby cheeses. Repeat layers.
Combine cottage cheese and egg; spoon evenly over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting.
LASAGNA
This yumminess is from Regina Schrambling in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. The recipe begins, "In 2001, Regina Schrambling went on a week long odyssey in search of the best lasagna recipe. Her ideal here has an intensely flavored sauce, cheeses melted into creaminess as if they were bechamel, meat that’s just chunky enough and noodles that put up no resistance to the fork.
"Keys to This Recipe
"How to Make Lasagna: To prepare lasagna from scratch, you start by making sauce, then layer it with wide, flat lasagna noodles and cheese before baking. The sauces can vary from tomato-based sauce, with or without meat, to creamy bechamel sauce, which works well with a wide variety of vegetables."How to Layer Lasagna: The basic building formula for lasagna is sauce, noodles, more sauce, then cheese. Repeat the noodle-sauce-cheese order until the pan is nearly filled, then end with sauce and cheese on top."Make-Ahead Tips for Lasagna: Both tomato and cream-based sauces for lasagna can be made and refrigerated for up to 3 days before assembling the lasagna. Once baked, the lasagna can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. To freeze, bake 30 minutes but do not brown, then cool, and freeze for up to 4 weeks. We do not recommend assembling and refrigerating or freezing an unbaked lasagna. This will adversely affect the texture."
How to Reheat Lasagna: To reheat frozen lasagna, defrost, then sprinkle with mozzarella and bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling on the surface. Refrigerated lasagna also can be reheated in a 400-degree oven until heated through. Chilled small individual servings can be microwaved."
The Best Pan for Making Lasagna: Wirecutter has recommendations for casserole dishes, including one specifically designed for lasagna."
Time: 4 hours; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
This was featured in "The Noodle and I: A Face-Off at the Oven", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9530-lasagna.
Also, you might want to check out Samin Nosrat's guide, "How to Make Pasta."
Ingredients
For the Sauce
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, finely diced
2 large cloves minced garlic
8 ounces pancetta, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 cups good red wine, preferably Italian
2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 pound ground sirloin
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano
2 eggs
10 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only, washed and dried
2 large whole cloves garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 pound Italian sausage, a mix of hot and sweet
For the Lasagna
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
2 eggs
2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 pound mozzarella, grated
16 sheets fresh lasagna noodles, preferably Antica Pasteria
Preparation
For the sauce, heat 1/2 cup oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or kettle over low heat. Add the onions, minced garlic and pancetta, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until the onions are wilted. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Raise heat slightly, add the wine and cook until it is mostly reduced, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pan, and add their juice. Add the tomato paste and 2 cups lukewarm water. Simmer for 1 hour.
Combine the sirloin, cheese and eggs in a large bowl. Chop the parsley with the whole garlic until fine, then stir into the beef mixture. Season lavishly with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until all the ingredients are well blended. Shape into meatballs and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dust the meatballs lightly with flour, shaking off excess, and lay into the hot oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (do not cook through) and transfer to the sauce.
In a clean skillet, brown the sausages over medium-high heat. Transfer to the sauce. Simmer 1-1/2 hours.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, pecorino Romano, parsley and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Remove the meatballs and sausage from the sauce, and set aside to cool slightly, then chop coarsely. Spoon a thick layer of sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-12-inch lasagna pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spoon more sauce on top, then add a third of the meat and a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat for 2 more layers, using all the meat and cheese. Top with a layer of noodles, and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle reserved mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
REAL LASAGNA SOUP
This is from John Mitzewich, aka Chef John, on AllRecipes. This yumminess begins, "If you love lasagna, but don’t love the time and effort it takes to do all that layering, then this amazing lasagna soup is for you. Unlike many of the other lasagna soup recipes online, this is way more than just some pasta, meat, and cheese sitting in a bowl of thinned out tomato sauce. This is real lasagna in soup form.
"Anyway, I loved how this came out, and I think one of the secrets is baking the pasta to give it more of the taste and texture of an actual baked lasagna noodle. They may not have looked much different in the final product, but I found the texture to be far superior to the standard technique, which is just to heat up some cooked pasta in the finished soup. So I do recommend the extra few minutes of prep, but either way, if you’re in the mood for lasagna, but aren’t into the whole production, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/real-lasagna-soup-recipe-7967799.
Ingredients
Noodles:
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
6 ounces bulk Italian sausage, or 1 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 (24 ounce) jar prepared marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade marinara sauce
4 cups chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cheese Mixture:
12 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Garnish:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in lasagna noodles and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just flexible, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer noodles into cold water until cooled; drain very well.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cut noodles in half lengthwise. Arrange noodles in evenly overlapping rows on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and use fingers to rub some butter between the noodles.
Bake noodles in the preheated oven until they are golden, blistered, and are beginning to brown with crispy outside edges. Let cool; cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a soup pot, and place over high heat. Add beef and sausage. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small pieces; cook without stirring until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle in its own fat, then continue to cook and stir until meat begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a bowl, stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese together; set aside.
Increase the heat under soup to medium high; stir in noodle pieces. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of cheese mixture, and sprinkle with freshly torn basil and Italian parsley if desired.
Cook’s Note
The pasta does not have to be baked first, and can simply be broken up raw, stirred into the soup, and cooked until tender. Other pasta shapes can be used instead.
More or less chicken broth can be used for a thicker or thinner soup texture.
SKILLET LASAGNA
This is from Brittany at AllRecipes. It begins, "This no-bake skillet lasagna is made right on your stovetop and is a fast and easy alternative to store-bought hamburger mixes!"
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 3 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/273775/skillet-lasagna/.
Ingredients
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried basil (Optional)
2 teaspoons dried oregano (Optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups dried mafalda noodles
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease. Add spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat until sauce is hot, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Cook mafalda noodles at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
Add cooked and drained noodles to the sauce and stir until completely coated. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.
Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
Place skillet under the hot broil and cook until cheese is golden and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes.
Cook's Note:
You can use ground turkey in place of beef, if you like.
CROCK POT LASAGNA
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Discover the fix-it-and-forget-it way to make lasagna! It's so easy.”
Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 jar (26 to 28 oz.) tomato pasta sauce
1 can (8 oz.) no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/2 pkg. (9 oz. = about 8) no-boil lasagna noodles
1 jar (1 lb.) Alfredo pasta sauce
3 cups (12 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.
Spray 4 to 5 quart crock pot/slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato pasta sauce in bottom of sprayed slow cooker. Stir remaining tomato pasta sauce and tomato sauce into ground beef.
Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce in the crock pot/slow cooker, breaking noodles as necessary. Top with 1/3 of the Alfredo pasta sauce, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Top with 1/3 of the ground beef mixture, spreading evenly.
Repeat layering twice, using 2 lasagna noodles in last layer. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.
Cover and cook on LOW heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours. If desired, cut into wedges to serve.
TACO LASAGNA
This is from the Food Network. It starts off, "Equal parts lasagna and taco, this dish is comfort central, with layers of classic taco meat and toppings nestled between tender lasagna noodles and melty cheese. Use your favorite salsa to build the sauce -- milder to keep it kid-friendly or spicier to liven it up."
Active Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes; Makes 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/taco-lasagna-3666644.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 pound ground beef sirloin
2 tablespoons chili powder
Kosher salt
Two 16-ounce jars salsa
1 pound no-boil lasagna noodles
Two 16-ounce packages part skim mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 large beefsteak tomato, diced
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips
Directions
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the ground beef and sprinkle with the chili powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, breaking apart chunks of meat with the back of a spoon, and stirring often, until meat is crumbled and browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the salsa and 1 cup of water, bring to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Spread a quarter of the meat sauce over the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Lay a third of the noodles over the sauce, overlapping slightly and breaking them to fit, if needed. Leave a 1/2-inch space around the edges of the baking dish. Top the noodles with another quarter of the meat sauce and a third of the mozzarella. Make another layer with a third of the noodles, a quarter of the meat sauce and a third of the mozzarella. Repeat, making a final layer with the remaining third of the pasta and quarter of the sauce, making sure that the top layer of noodles is completely covered in sauce. Top with the remaining third of the mozzarella.
Cover loosely with foil and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the noodles are tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Remove the foil and cook 15 minutes more. Let rest 10 minutes. Dollop with sour cream and sprinkle with lettuce, tomato, Cheddar and chips.
BARBECUE LASAGNA
This is one of the yummy recipes from a long-since-forgotten emailing list that my son was on for a few years. Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup ketchup
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby or mild cheddar cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) small-curd cottage cheese
1 egg
Directions
In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. For barbecue sauce, combine the next 13 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Spread about 1/4 cup barbecue sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles and half of the beef.
Spread with half of the remaining barbecue sauce; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella, cheddar and Colby cheeses. Repeat layers.
Combine cottage cheese and egg; spoon evenly over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting.
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