Spring is in the air...

...Well sorta. Not really in California at the moment. Yesterday it was around 90 degrees, and today its overcast and in the mid-60's. But inside my house its spring time. I decorated about a week ago, and haven't had the chance to post the pictures on here so I thought I would do that now while I have a minute.

Italian Vegetable Soup

This recipe is probably my all time favorite soup. I call it Italian because I was inspired by it from a Pasta e Fagioli recipe. I don't know if its technically Italian but in my kitchen it is :) I kind of tweaked it to the way we like it, and I make it OFTEN. Its unbelievably easy, and not expensive to make at all.



Recipe:
* 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 2-3 carrots, diced
* 2-3 celery ribs, diced
* 1 small-medium onion, diced
* 3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
* 1 bay leaf
* 3 tablespoons tomato paste
* 4 cups chicken stock
* 2 cups water
* 1 cup (give or take) any small pasta
* 3/4 a can of green beans (or the whole can if you like)
* 1 lemon juiced and zested
* Parsley sprinkled in at the end, not to much
* Shredded Parmesan cheese to top
* Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion and bay leaf. Add salt and pepper to taste. Saute until vegetables are soft, around 8-10 minutes.





Add tomato paste and garlic, cook for around 4-5 minutes.





Meanwhile, juice and zest the lemon. Set aside.




Add the stock and water, bring to a boil. Add the pasta, and turn down to a simmer for 5 minutes.





Add the green beans, and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat.



Add the lemon juice, lemon zest and parsley. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if needed.



Discard the bay leaf. Serve and top with shredded Parmesan cheese!





Enjoy!

My homemade meat sauce

I love to make my own spaghetti sauce. But, every once and awhile if I don't feel like making it or don't have any frozen, I will use the jars. I personally just love cooking, so I really enjoy making it homemade, and of course, everything is better homemade right?

What I like with this, is that I can make a large batch of this, and have 2 more dinners worth that I can freeze.

This can also be very versatile as well. I have done this sauce without meat before, and I usually add some green bell pepper to it also but just didn't have any on hand which I made this. So here is my recipe:




*1 28 oz can plum tomatoes
*1 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
*1 can tomato paste
*2 carrots, diced
*2 celery sticks, diced
*1 small onion diced (or half of a large onion)
*garlic cloves minced (however many you like, I do 4-5)
*1 pound ground beef or turkey
*salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper (optional of course)
*few tablespoons olive oil



In a medium pot or large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add the onion, celery, carrot and ground beef. Brown the beef, and drain liquid.



Once liquid is drained, add the garlic. (adding garlic too early in the cooking process can burn the garlic, and no one likes burned garlic)



Let cook for about a minute or two, and add most of the can of tomato paste. Meanwhile, in a food processor, puree the plum tomatoes. Or, you can also buy crushed tomatoes if you do not have a food processor.





Let the tomato paste cook down for at least 5-7 minutes.

Then add the tomato puree (or can of crushed tomatoes), the jar of tomato sauce, and your spices, you can do those to taste.



Let simmer for AT LEAST an hour. Closer to two even makes it better. I like to add a screen on the top of my pot so it doesn't splatter all over my kitchen :)




Then, cook your pasta and serve! Depending on how many people your feeding you should have extra that you can freeze. For two people I always have at least 2 more dinners worth I can freeze.

Enjoy!

Breakfast for dinner Frittata

So last night I decided to make breakfast for dinner. :) But of course, this Frittata can be made for breakfast as well, and would be great for a brunch as well! It can be totally tweaked and changed and you can pretty much put anything you want in it. But here is the way I made mine :)




*1 tablespoon olive oil
*1 small onion diced
*1 small green bell pepper diced
*handful give or take of fresh spinach lightly chopped
*2 cups frozen diced potatoes
*4 eggs
*2 egg whites
*Salt and pepper to taste (I also used a sprinkle of cayenne pepper)
*shredded cheese to top









Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For this meal you will need an oven safe pan, I didn't have a PAN but I had a medium pot that was oven safe so that is what I had to go with.

Heat oil in the oven safe pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced potatoes, onions and bell pepper. Saute for 5-7 minutes. Then, add the chopped spinach, and cook for 1minute.



Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, egg whites and spices together. I also always add a splash of milk to my eggs, it makes them more light and fluffy.

After the onions =and potatoes have cooked for 5-7 minutes and you have added your spinach, pour the egg mixture into the pan and distribute evenly. Don't stir it all together. Tilt the pan if needed to distribute the eggs.



Cook for about 6 minutes, until the edges look dry but the top still looks wet.

Sprinkle with cheese and put into the oven for around 5 minutes, or until the top is fully cooked, and the cheese has melted.



And serve! :) This should easily serve 3-5 people, depending on the size of your servings.



I didn't have any on hand but diced ham would go GREAT in this dish.

My husband also topped his with some salsa and sour cream which he loved.