Recipe: Sausage, Potato, and Kale Soup

Prep Time: 5 Minutes | Cook Time: 45 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 12

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Ingredients

• 2 bunches Kale, Picked Over, Cleaned, And Torn Into Bite Sized Pieces
• 12 whole Red Potatos, Sliced Thin
• 1 whole Onion, Chopped
• 1-1/2 pound Italian Sausage
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (more To Taste)
• 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 2 cups Whole Milk
• 4 cups Half-and-half
• Splash Of Heavy Cream
• Fresh Or Dried Oregano
• Black Pepper To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Prepare the kale and set it aside.

In a medium pot. boil sliced potatoes until tender. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, crumble and brown the Italian sausage. Drain as much as the fat as you can. Stir in the red pepper flakes, oregano, chicken broth, milk, and half-and-half. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Give it a taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add the potatoes, a splash of heavy cream for richness, then stir in the kale. Simmer an additional 10-15 minutes, then serve.

Recipe courtesy of Pioneer Woman

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

I was disappointed when I saw shortening on the ingredient list for these cookies, because I typically try to avoid using shortening in my cooking and baking. Normally I would just substitute an equal amount of butter for the shortening and never think a thing about it. However, thanks to an article I read in Cook’s Illustrated, I learned that shortening and butter have some different properties that affect the way they behave in baked goods. I really wanted to keep the thick, chewy texture I was expecting from these cookies, so instead of subbing butter for all of the shortening, I did so only for half. It worked like a charm and I was thrilled with the way these turned out. The honey probably also plays a role in this magnificent texture, but I don’t know enough of that science to explain it. A cookie (or two) with a cold glass of milk was a great way to unwind after a long day. Obviously, I lead a wild and crazy life. Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies Printer-Friendly Version Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1½ tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt ¼ cup vegetable shortening 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup creamy peanut butter 1 cup honey 2 large eggs Sugar, for rolling the cookies Directions: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening, butter, peanut butter and honey. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and beat just until incorporated. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Roll the dough into 1½-inch balls, and roll each dough ball in sugar. Place the dough balls on an ungreased baking sheet, a couple inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store in an airtight container. Source: adapted from What’s Cooking in the Orange Kitchen, originally from Taste of Home

I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions. There is no magical date to make changes in your life, and if you want to make the changes, you can put forth the effort on any day of the year. There’s no time like the present! However, if you are trying to make some healthier choices (whether because of a New Year’s resolution or not), this side dish might be a good thing to incorporate into your menu plan. It has whole grains in the form of brown rice, veggies, and beans to provide some protein. Bridget suggested using two cans of black beans, so that is what I did. I liked it this way because I love black beans, but I think if you’re wanting a rice dish, it might be a little heavy on the beans. I suppose it just depends on if you’re in a rice kind of mood or a bean kind of mood With all the beans, I think topping with a bit of salsa and shredded cheese could make this a light meal all on its own. It would also be great with some spicy grilled chicken mixed right in. I served it alongsidehoney chipotle glazed chicken, and it was an excellent pairing. Brown Rice with Black Beans Printer-Friendly Version Ingredients: 4 tsp. olive oil 1 cup onion, chopped fine 1 red bell pepper, chopped fine 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 2¼ cups water 1½ cups long-grain brown rice 1 tsp. salt 1-2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed ¾ cup corn kernels (fresh from cob, or frozen and thawed) ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro ¼ tsp. ground black pepper Directions: Preheat the oven to 375° F. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and bell pepper to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned and tender, about 12-14 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth and water to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the rice and salt, and cover. Bake until the rice is tender, 65-70 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and uncover. Fluff the rice with a fork, stir in the beans and corn, and replace the lid. Let stand for 5 minutes. Mix in the cilantro and black pepper. Serve. Source: adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles, originally from Cook’s Illustrated

Tortellini Sausage Soup

3 links Italian sausage
4 cloves pressed garlic
1 onion, diced
½ c. water
2 15-oz. cans chicken broth
½ c. apple cider (don’t leave this out! I did once and it wasn’t the same…)
1 16-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. sliced carrots
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 medium zucchini, grated (great way to use your food processor if you have one)
8-10 oz. package cheese tortellini (check the freezer section of your grocery store; if you can find it there, it will almost always be way cheaper than fresh tortellini. Also, Barilla makes a great dry cheese tortellini)
2 Tbsp. dried parsley (yes, that’s two tablespoons)

If you’re using link sausage, remove the casings and crumble into a large soup pot. To remove the casings, you can use a sharp knife to cut a slit down one side of the sausage and then peel back the casing. And just so you know, both Sara and I have tried taking pictures of this method and there is no G-rated way of posting those pictures…

Begin cooking sausage over medium heat, stirring frequently. If your sausage is pretty fatty, you’ll want to drain it when it’s about halfway cooked. Meanwhile, chop onions and garlic

and add to the sausage. Continue cooking until onions are translucent and your sausage is cooked. Your house will smell heavenly.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, juice, water, chicken broth, carrots, oregano, and basil. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. Add parsley and zucchini

and simmer for another 15 minutes or so.
Add the tortellini

and cook until tender, and then serve with bread and freshly-grated Parmesan.

Note: If you’re making breadsticks, start the dough first, then prepare the first “phase” of the soup while the dough is rising. While the soup is simmering, twist the breadsticks, let them rise, and they’ll be done baking about the same time the soup is done.