Turkey Meatloaf

Posted on January 10, 2026 | Leave a comment

Turkey Meatloaf is definitely one of our family favorites . Perfect for a large family gathering or just the two of you with great left-overs. I love the down home flavor of meatloaf and this one is just delicious. 

I cut the recipe in 1/2 for the 2 of us using 2 lbs. of Ground Turkey and 2 eggs and cut everything else in 1/2. I still have enough leftovers the next day and it’s just enough. If you’re making for 4 or more go with the full recipe. I served with roasted (burnt brussels sprouts and roasted red potatoes) and if you do make the whole recipe you can easily freeze the leftover for another night.

Enjoy!

*original recipe from The Barefoot Contessa – Ina Garden 

*you will need a meat thermometer to check for doneness

Ingredients:

5 lbs ground turkey— I prefer chopped dark meat as it has a little fat and a lot less dry than white meat turkey. You can find 85% lean which is fine . It’s sometimes hard to find dark meat ground turkey so when I find it I buy it. It just makes for a tastier meat loaf.  If made with all white meat it will be very dry especially the 98% –take my word for it I’ve tried it both ways

3 cups chopped yellow onions ( app. 2 large onions)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/3 cup Worcestershire Sauce

3/4 cup chicken stock

1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 1/2 cups plain dry bread crumbs

3 extra-large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup ketchup/1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

In a medium saute pan (frying pan) , over a medium low heat, cook the onions in the olive oil, add salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent app. 10 minutes or so. Don’t brown them. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow this mixture to cool in frying pan off the heat to room temperature.

In the meantime, combine the turkey, bread crumbs, and eggs in a large bowl and mix well. Then add in the onion mixture when it’s cooled down and incorporate well. Shape into a rectangular loaf on a lightly sprayed sheet pan. When you shape as a loaf , try to make the ends even with the middle or they will dry out. ( I kind of like the ends like that but just saying…) Spread the ketchup/brown sugar evenly on top. Bake for app. 1 1/2 hours  until the internal temperature of meatloaf is 160 degrees and the meatloaf is cooked through. Once meatloaf comes out of the oven let it sit for about 5 minutes. 

Serve hot, at room temperature and delicious cold the next day.

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this was our dinner with baked sweet potatoes and roasted string beans and turkey meatloaf–

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Air Fryer Salmon

Posted on January 7, 2026 | 1 comment

I love cooking salmon in the air fryer. It is no small announcement when I tell you that salmon cooked in the air fryer is truly something to brag about. It is seriously tasty and I have to say better than a lot of the salmon I’ve ordered out. If you haven’t tried an air fryer maybe it’s time. I generally hate purchasing another new kitchen appliance especially a rather large one but this one is worth it. If you DO have one you know what I’m talking about. Salmon and Chicken are delicious cooked in the air fryer.

This recipe is very easy and very loose and what I did last night. Served with rice pilaf and a vegetable ( like burnt brussels) or a salad. Perfection!

Ingredients:

2 Salmon Fillets — about 6-8 oz. each

Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon brown sugar or you can use Honey or Hot Honey which is awesome

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1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1/2 Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

with paper towels, pat the salmon dry. Sprinkle lightly on top with Salt and Pepper

For easy cleanup I always spray the air fryer with cooking spray

Pre-heat the air fryer to 400 degrees for about 5 minutes -I like this step and find it gives the salmon a little more crisp.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, dijon, oil, soy sauce and garlic powder. Spoon over the top of the salmon.

Cook the salmon in the air fryer for 6-10 minutes depending on thickness of salmon. Around 1″ salmon fillets will take about 8 minutes. Do not over cook or the salmon will be dry. Salmon is done when it registers 145 degrees with and instant read thermometer .I like to remove mine a few degrees early, let it rest, the carryover cooking will finish the job. You can easily check it a few times towards the end to make sure it doesn’t overcook.

I love cold salmon so leftovers are perfect.

Ridiculously easy and delicious!

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DELISH BOLOGNESE (REAL DEAL)

Posted on January 5, 2026 | Leave a comment

Forget engagement chicken. This is the dish to make if you’re really interested in getting engaged!  I know there is a whole lotta hoopla out there about making a roast chicken and getting an engagment ring out of the meal but I will tell you that this should really be called “The Engagement Bolognese Sauce” because it is that good; and everyone who eats it falls in love with it. Well…almost. You just have to be a meat lover and a pasta lover. Then, surely, this will work. Try it and let me know. What have you got to lose? This is my perfect Sunday night dinner. It’s pure comfort food. So, even if you’re not looking to get engaged, are already married, or just want a wonderful meat sauce to make…Serve with a green salad with my vinaigrette dressing, a nice crusty bread and you’re set. You can always make my chocolate cherry cookies as an add on bonus. Have a great meal! 

*freezes perfectly for up to 3 months in a sealed container

(Original inspiration from Mario Batali)

Delish bolognese 

Ingredients: 

1/4 CUP OLIVE OIL

1 MEDIUM SIZE CARROT DICED

1 MEDIUM CELERY RIB DICED

1 MEDIUM ONION DICED (SPANISH ONION)

1 GARLIC CLOVE, THINLY SLICED

4 OZ. PANCETTA,  DICED (I USUALLY CAN FIND A 4 OZ. PKG. IN THE SUPERMARKET ALREADY DICED AND IT WORKS JUST FINE.)

1 LB. GROUND BEEF (NOT THE SUPER LEAN ONE, THE 85/15 IS BEST FOR THIS B/C YOU WANT THE FAT)

1/4 CUP TOMATO PASTE (Why I love the tubes of tomato paste)

1 cup milk  (not skim, whole or at least 2 percent)

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup water

salt and freshly ground black pepper

red pepper flakes

fresh parmagiano or pecorino cheese, grated

1 box (1 pound)  gemelli, rigatoni, penne, etc . a sturdy type of macaroni that will stand up to the sauce

I use my Le Creuset large cast iron casserole.

Heat the olive oil on a medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Continue to cook this stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned (you may need to lower heat). Cook for about 10 minutes. Add the pancetta to pot and crisp it up a bit, then add the ground beef breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until the beef is no longer pink; about 10 minutes . Add the tomato paste and stir it in over a low heat. It will get a shiny look to it, and a deep rust color. Cook for another 10 minutes.

Add the milk, white wine and water and simmer over a low heat, stirring sauce occasionally. It will get thick and saucy looking. I cook it for another 1 1/2 hours. Taste for salt and pepper here.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook 1 box of pasta according to directions on box, until al dente. Drain pasta and add it to the sauce. Stir well and coat pasta.  Serve in nice pasta bowls, along with fresh cheese. I add a few red pepper flakes but I like it hot. You can leave that on the table along with grated cheese for your guests.

Note: You can make sauce ahead and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I have frozen it as well.

This is super yummy, and I believe this is the go to engagement dish.

*serves 8 as a small side dish and 4 as a meal

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Halved Chicken in a pan — also known as spatchcocking the chicken

Posted on January 4, 2026 | Leave a comment

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Once you try this method for either butterflied ( spatchcocked) or halved chicken you’ll probably never turn back unless you forget to as butcher to cut the chicken and remove backbone. I have posted the standard way under Good Old  Roast Chicken.  You’ll need to remove the backbone of the chicken , and I am not that great with butchering so left it to the butcher in Whole Foods or whoever you go to. Just ask the butcher to remove backbone ( I discarded it or save it for making stock)  and cut chicken in 1/2 or you can leave it as one piece if you’d like, I find it easier to maneuver as 2 halves. True spatchcocking a chicken is a method of cooking whole chicken or turkey where you remove the entire spine so that you can butterfly the chicken and cook it faster. Simply put you will cook the chicken in about 1/2 the time as conventional methods with the maximum crispiness to the skin, and very moist chicken is achieved.  I used my more shallow Le Creuset pan and chicken fit snugly in which is what you want. You don’t want it in too big a pan, just make sure your pan is flame proof , a 12 inch cast iron skillet is also perfect.  This is really easy so don’t be intimidated by the title, I changed it a bit by cutting the chicken in 1/2 but used the times it posted and it was sheer perfection.  Crispy and moist! Served with fresh cranberry sauce and roasted potatoes.  You’ll have to turn your exhaust fans on for this one . By the way did I mention prep to table in an hour???

So why not try it? Look like a pro.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken cut in 1/2 and remove backbone ( app. 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 lbs) or spatchcock which is butterflied –I do it both ways

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kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (app. 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound)

sweet paprika

olive oil–1 to 2 Tbsp. of Olive Oil for the pan

*feel free to play around with seasonings of your choosing. Thyme , garlic and lemon are always perfect

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. I dried the chicken pieces with paper towels on both sides. The drying is very important for maximum crispiness.  I put about 2 teaspoons of olive oil in Le Creuset pan. Lay the chicken breast side down on a seperate plate and with a brush pour a little bit of olive oil over the chicken and salt and pepper and paprika , then turn over to breast side and add a little oil and salt, pepper and paprika. I used clean hands and rubbed the chicken to make sure the spices and oil got all over . Be liberal with the salt, they say 3/4 teaspoon per pound and that is just a guideline, but it’s about right.  I then put pan on the stovetop and heated up the olive oil in pan , you’ll want oil very hot so that chicken will sizzle when you put it in breast side up. You will now place pan in the oven with the chicken. The 2 halves of chicken fit snugly in the the pan.

I cooked at 475 degrees for the first 20 minutes, chicken should start to crisp up, I then flipped it over to the other side for another 10 minutes. Then put it back in the oven for about 15 minutes breast side up till it was finished cooking.  My total oven time was 45 minutes!  Use tongs to handle chicken because you don’t want to pierce skin, you’ll lose too much liquid that way. I removed from oven , checked meat thermometer for the right temperature ( 165) in thigh,  and removed from oven and let it sit for another 10 minutes. This was restaurant worthy chicken for certain. See photos, though they don’t do the crispiness justice. My oven was hot enough at 475 degrees, when you flip chicken over check the crispiness and make sure it’s not burning, so you may need to lower to about 450 or raise to 500 to get it to brown perfectly. My chicken didn’t stick at all due to drying out the chicken and preheating the pan. Total cooking time should be anywhere from 45 – 60 minutes.

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Chicken Crust Pizza

Posted on December 29, 2025 | 1 comment

This is an alternative low carb and gluten free pizza crust made with ground chicken. It’s high in protein and pretty darn delicious. And a good way to get some protein into your kids.

It’s simple and easy to prepare and you can do whatever toppings you prefer . I made this last night and it cooks up super fast , just a handful of ingredients that I happen to have on hand. I didn’t use toppings but do as you prefer.

Press the ground chicken for a thin and even crust — if it’s too thick you might end up with a soggy middle and nobody wants that. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before adding sauce and toppings, this will allow it to set and hold up better.

I made 1 lb. ground chicken and we ate the whole thing. I suggest doubling up recipe for more but use a larger sheet pan so base of chicken is still thin. After the first bake at 400 degrees turn up the oven to 425 degrees which will help the cheese melt perfectly and gives everything a golden, bubbly finish. Don’t overload with toppings, this crust is sturdy but piling on too many wet ingredients (extra sauce etc) Keep it balanced for the best texture.

I used a cooking spray like Pam so didn’t use parchment paper but you can use parchment paper for easy removal but I had no problem using cooking spray. You’ll need a rimmed baking sheet.

again this is basic recipe 1lb. fed the two of us, double for more but follow directions above.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground chicken — I used 93/7 but use what you like I just figured a little more fat would make it less dry.

app. 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

app. 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

app. 1 cup marinara sauce — I happen to have Raos Pizza sauce in the house but any sauce will do

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Olive Oil or Olive Oil Spray

*crushed red pepper flakes — which I of course added

*toppings are your call but read what I wrote in heading

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use cooking spray or use aluminum foil and spray that with non stick cooking spray

In a bowl mix the ground chicken with 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, and seasonings

Scoop the chicken mixture onto the prepared pan and form it into a flat rectangle. I really pressed and try to get it even ( see pic) ends may have been a little thinner which came up very crispy which I liked a lot. I also gave it a very light spray of olive oil this step may or may not have been necessary but I did it. You can also drizzle real EVOO over it — up to you

Bake till golden app. 12-15 minutes

Remove and let it sit for app. 5 minutes and crank oven up to 425 degrees

Top the chicken crust with sauce, sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 3/4 cup mozzarella or just use however much cheese you want use my numbers as a guideline, add on your toppings if any season it with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper if you’d like , some Italian seasoning and you can add a sprinkle of garlic powder as well

Put pizza back in hot oven and bake until melted and bubbly, app. 6-10 minutes depending on your oven

allow to sit for a few minutes before cutting into it

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Shrimp Scampi–Classic

Posted on December 28, 2025 | Leave a comment

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Finished Product

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Getting Ready to Cook

This is one of my all time favorite recipes and the easiest, quickest to prepare. Buy shrimp from a reputable fish store or Whole Foods type of market and have them clean and de-vein them. My husband Joel is an ex-seafood guy and he always cleans and de-veins the shrimp. It is a collaborative effort in our house.  Once the shrimp and prep is done this recipe takes all of 15 minutes to cook.

Ingredients are simple and you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry. Directions are super simple and so easy to follow, you will look like a “super chef” and impress the pants off of everybody!

This is a wonderful meal for a special occasion or just for yourself! Enjoy and Happy Healthy New Year to all of my subscribers, friends and readers.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons olive oil

4 minced garlic cloves

1/2 cup dry white wine–use whatever you have open as long as it’s not too fruity, if you don’t want to use wine use chicken broth or vegetable broth

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper– about 10-12 turns on the pepper mill

1 1/2 lbs. large or extra large shrimp .shelled– we are big fans of Mexican White Shrimp and I used under 10’s which means there are approximately 10 to a pound.

1/2 cup ( app.) chopped fresh Italian parsley

Freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon

*pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Cooked Pasta or Rice — I used brown rice this time around

Directions:

In a large skillet, melt butter along with olive oil. Add garlic and saute until fragrant , app. 2 mins.

Add wine or broth, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper and bring to a simmer.

Let wine reduce by half, app. 3 minutes.

Add shrimp and saute until the shrimp just turn pink, 2-4 mins. on each side depending on their size. Squeeze the lemon over the shrimp, I stirred the shrimp in the sauce one final time and served over brown rice with a sprinkling of parsly.

This shrimp would be delicious served over pasta as well.

Enjoy!

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Pasta with Sausage, Beans and Greens

Posted on December 23, 2025 | Leave a comment

I love pasta and am always on the lookout for new and delicious ways to prepare it. This recipe is the real deal and reminded me of many a pasta dish I enjoyed in Italy.  If Joel liked greens more I would have added more kale and as it is he always wonders why I contaminate the pasta with all the beans and green stuff. If I were making for myself I would have added more kale or whatever greens you like. It’s not the most simple recipe as it has a few steps but thoroughly worth the effort involved. I loved the way the beans gave it so much flavor. I used Paccheri Pasta — I was able to pick up a homemade version of this pasta.  It’s just a smooth, giant rigatoni with thinner walls . It soaked up the beans and broth ! I used a can of cannelinni beans but fava beans would be a nice change or chickpeas. I used Italian spicy sausage but you can try spicy lamb sausage as well or any sausage you would like.

Now if you leave out the sausage it can be made completely vegetarian!

Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

8 oz. spicy Italian sausage, casings removed — if you don’t like spicy use sweet

1 15 oz. can cannellini beans (white kidney) rinsed and drained. You can use fava or chickpeas as well .

1/2 cup dry white wine if no wine in the house try chicken broth

12 oz. paccheri, rigatoni or any tubular pasta–try a homemade pasta from your local market

6 cups (lightly packed) torn escarole, baby kale, regular kale, Swiss chard leaves, regular kale even spinach will work–whatever you like

Kosher Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1/2 cup + 1/4 cup of finely grated Parmesan

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium-heat. Add sausage to pot and cook breaking up with a wooden spoon, stir occasionally until browned and cooked through, app. 10 mins. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a separate plate.

Add white beans to pot (drained and rinsed) and cook tossing occasionally, I mashed some beans with the back of a wooden spoon. So about 1/2 the beans mashed and the rest I left whole. Cook beans till slightly browned for about 5 minutes. Transfer 1/2 of this mixture to plate with sausage. Leave the other 1/2 in pot. Add the wine to the pot, bring to a boil and cook until liquid is almost gone–about 2 minutes. I sprinkled a little kosher salt in to the bean mixture at this point. You’ll taste again for salt .

Meanwhile, cook your pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, cook until very al dente, a few minutes less than you would normally cook. Don’t overcook!

I used a pasta insert to cook my pasta . I reserved a few cups of the cooking water –you’ll need it. Don’t throw it down the drain. Drain Pasta and then transfer pasta to pot with beans and add your greens and 1 cup of pasta water . Your heat should be on low under the pot just so it’s cooking without burning. Cook and stir often until greens are wilted , pasta is al dente and sauce is thickening up probably 5 minutes or so. Stir and Stir. Add another 1/4 cup of pasta water, then gradually add in 1/2 cup of grated cheese, tossing until melted and cheese dissolves into a beautiful glossy sauce. Thin out the sauce with more pasta water if too thick. Taste for salt  and I put a little freshly ground black pepper in at this point.

Now add in reserved sausage and beans. Delicious pasta right here right now in your pot! and so professional looking and tasting.

Sprinkle with extra cheese if you’d like and crushed red pepper if you’d like.

Pasta was rich and tasty served hot off the stove.

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Clams and Spaghetti–White Sauce

Posted on December 21, 2025 | 1 comment

I made this recipe for the first time back in 2014 and highly recommend it for a quick and delicious meal.IMG_6286IMG_6287 (2)IMG_6283 (2)It is super easy and not intimidating at all. I got the recipe from Jessica’s Seinfeld’s book The Can’t Cookbook even though I know how to cook.  

Pick up Clams at your local fish store and just follow instructions for cleaning. I love Clams and Spaghetti and this is so easy to make you won’t believe it!

Perfect for Christmas dinner or any time —

http://www.doitdelicious.com this is Jessica Seinfeld’s site or you can just buy the book “The Can’t Cookbook”.

Ingredients:

2 dozen littleneck clams

3 cloves garlic

app. 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon blanc. I actually used what I had open which was a Pinot Grigio

1 box spaghetti, you can use any kind of spaghetti you like. I actually had bucatini style in the house so that’s what I used

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

*if you’d like a little heat and you should know your audience because mine didn’t so I put on table for those who wanted to add heat. If you are adding add app. 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Kosher Salt , to taste. I have to say I added almost no extra salt at all.

You’ll need a large deep pot to cook clams in. I used my Le Creuset Pot.

Directions:

I placed my clams in a colander and I put the colander in a larger bowl in the sink and I filled the bowl with cold water. I let the clams soak for a few minutes, then rubbed with my fingers to dislodge any dirt; then drained the clams. Throw away any clams that remain open or were smashed. ( my clams were pretty clean) I purchased them clean from Whole Foods. Any Fish Store will clean them for you, but always run them through this process to remove any residual sand, etc.

Smash the garlic and chop it . Chop the Parsley. Measure the Wine. Place all your ingredients near to the stove.

Cook Pasta according to directions on box.

Place a large pot on the stove and turn the heat to medium. Pour in 2 Tbsp. of Olive Oil until it heats up and shimmers ( a few minutes) Add chopped garlic to the pot, and cook , stirring , for at least a minute, until you can actually smell the garlic breaking down. Don’t Burn!!!! Now add the wine and the clams and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and you’ll want a fairly high flame, probably medium-high . Cook clams until they open, I probably cooked for about 10 – 12 minutes. Looked so beautiful! Add the parsley and the red pepper now if you’re using. Throw away any unopened clams, they are no good.

Once pasta is al dente and drained I transferred to a large serving bowl and added 1 Tbsp. of Olive Oil to pasta, top with clams. Sprinkle if you’d like a tiny bit of coarse salt now if you feel it needs it. I did not need to add any additional salt or pepper. Adjust to your taste.

Amazing!!!! and did I mention Super Easy!!!!!

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Pizza Chicken — a little lighter version

Posted on December 18, 2025 | Leave a comment

This is a fresh take on a heavier more classic Chicken Parmigiana. I mean don’t get me wrong sometimes there’s nothing better than the classic version but other times you just want to lighten it up. I had thin chicken breasts, tomatoes and I had bought a ball of fresh mozzarella. Didn’t want to fry up the cutlets and was sort of craving a parmigiana type of meal. This is what I did last night.

Improvise and use what you have in the house — any balsamic will work and more or less tomatoes will work , and if you don’t have fresh mozzarella use shredded or whatever you have in the house. This recipe is sort of loose and will work with different variations of ingredients. My kind of recipe. It’s a quick prep and a quick cook because of the thin chicken breasts.

Ingredients:

1 Package thin-sliced skinless, boneless chicken breasts app. 1 – 1 1/2 lbs.

1 8 oz. of grape tomatoes — you can half but I left mine whole and you can also add more tomatoes if you’d like– feel free to improvise here

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. white balsamic or white wine vinegar or any balsamic vinegar will do

2 minced garlic cloves

1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. kosher salt –divided — you may need a little more to season the chicken I just estimated

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

app. 10 oz. fresh mozzarella thinly sliced into rounds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large size rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl toss tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar,  garlic, 1 Tbsp. oregano, and 1 Tsp. Kosher Salt then pour them onto rimmed baking sheet.

Season the chicken on all sides with 1 tsp. or more of the kosher salt and 1 tsp. oregano. Place the chicken into the tomato mixture.

Roast until chicken is almost fully cooked through and tomatoes are starting to burst, 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and arrange mozzarella rounds over the chicken.

Return to oven and roast until cheese is melted and chicken is fully cooked through 2-5 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve.

 

 

 

 

 

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All Vegetable Soup — Meatless Monday

Posted on December 15, 2025 | 2 comments

This vegetable soup is a delicious blend of different vegetables brought together in a delightful tomato broth. Very easy to make and you can freeze a few containers and have wonderful soup whenever you’d like it. Of course you can change any of the vegetables for veggies you may have in the house and want to use. If you don’t have a russet potato use a different one. You can add beans such as kidney, chickpea or my personal favorite cannellini beans — just rinse a can of beans and dump it in. Or add some pasta , 1/2 cup would be fine just make sure there is enough broth at the end of cooking bring to a boil add the pasta and cook for about 15 more minutes or till pasta is done, you may have to add water/broth before or after you add the pasta. You can add some spinach, kale, Swiss chard or escarole as well. Many many different variations. I make the basic soup and when I defrost I usually add something new like beans or pasta or kale. It’s a very delicious soup and very hearty and very healthy.

*Slow Cooker Directions:

If you’d like you can also make this in the slow cooker. I would saute the onions, carrots and celery in olive oil first though. Then place in the slow cooker along with garlic, salt, pepper, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, vegetable broth and potatoes. Low heat for 4 hours. Then add the corn and green beans cook for about 10 more minutes and serve. At the end check for liquid before adding the corn and green beans you may need to add some water or broth.

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1/2 cup finely diced onion– yellow or white onion

3 carrots , peeled , halved lengthwise and sliced

3 stalks celery, thinly sliced and then cut in about 3 inch pieces

2 teaspoons minced garlic

Kosher Salt and Coarsely Ground Black Pepper to taste

20 oz. can of diced tomatoes– Do Not Drain

8 oz. can Tomato Sauce

1 1/4 teaspoons Italian Seasoning

6 cups Vegetable Broth — and you may need more or add water if too thick at the end — I added about 1/2 cup of water

1 large Russet Potato peeled and cut into 1/2 ” cubes

3/4 cup frozen corn

3/4 cup cut up frozen green beans or fresh

*extra liquid — you can use water or broth if you still have on hand

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion , carrots and celery to the pot.

Cook for about 5 minutes till veggies are softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute or so. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, broth and potato to the pot and bring to a simmer.

Cook for about 1/2 hour at a low simmer or until potatoes are tender. Taste and add salt and pepper . Soup will probably be ready in 1/2 hour but I let it simmer for a full hour. I added some liquid as a lot of the liquid evaporates and gets absorbed the longer it cooks.

Stir in the corn and green beans and cook for another 10 minutes or so. If you’re adding any other ingredients this would be a good time. i.e. beans, kale, pasta etc. See notes above for *slow cooker directions.

  • Perfect for freezing — just will have to add some liquid as you heat it up. Broth or water is just fine.

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