Kale and Ravioli Soup

I found these cute little pastas labeled Plin at Whole Foods which basically means “pinch” in Italian. These were small ravioli stuffed with cheese and pesto. They inspired me to make a delicious rainy day soup. It has a lot of similarities to my Italian Sausage Soup recipe. The main similarities being it starts with carrots and onions and gets most of its flavor from the Italian sausage and garlic. This soup uses pasta instead of root vegetables to add bulk and it doesn't require cream. It’s a delicious and healthy meal. We made a large pot and are happy to have leftovers as its going to be another rainy weekend. I recommended the Pesto Plin that I used but to be honest the pesto didn’t contribute a whole lot of flavor so I think any type of bite sized cheese filled pasta would work. Johnny added red pepper flakes to his but I thought it was perfect without.

What you need:

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1 pound of bulk turkey or chicken Italian sausage or links with the skin removed (you could also use pork but will want to drain some of the fat after browning the sausage)

3-4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1.5-2 quarts of low sodium chicken broth

9 oz of fresh bite sized ravioli or small tortellini

1 cup frozen chopped kale

1 Parmesan rind

Toast or Garlic bread for serving

Begin by adding the onion and carrot to a soup pot with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables have softened a bit, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and start to brown, break it into small pieces as you stir occasionally. When the sausage is mostly cooked add the garlic. After 2-3 minutes the garlic should produce a strong aroma, now add the broth. I would start with 1 and a 1/2 quarts and reserve extra in case you need to add it after the pasta has thickened the soup. Bring the pot to a boil and then add the kale. Reduce to simmer and toss in the Parmesan rind. Allow to simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Remove the Parmesan rind and taste to see if it needs a touch more salt and pepper. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions (mine said 4 minutes). If the soup is too thick add the remaining broth. That’s it, enjoy! So easy : )

The Best Chili

Chili needs no introduction, it’s the ultimate comfort food. We love it all winter long but it’s especially good for our current snow day. We love to use Elk or Venison because it adds a rich gaminess that blends so well with all the spices. A little bit of bacon adds smokiness and just enough extra fat. If you are using ground beef instead of game, I would omit the bacon.

What you need:

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 lb ground venison, elk, or bison

2 -3 slices of bacon, chopped into small pieces

1 small sweet onion, finely chopped

2 poblano peppers, finely chopped

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp ancho chili powder

1 tsp dried crushed chipotle chilies

1/2 tsp dried onion powder

1 tsp dried oregano

2 cups of tomato sauce (15 oz can)

2 cups of low sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 15 oz can of dark red kidney beans

1 15 oz can of black beans

Salt and pepper

Begin by adding the butter and olive oil into a soup pot and turning the burner to medium. Toss in the onions, peppers, chopped bacon, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally. After the bacon has rendered and the onions and peppers have softened up quite a bit add all of the spices. Coat the peppers and onions with the spices. Let that cook for a minute and then add your meat. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the top and brown the meat. Chop up the meat while stirring occasionally and when it’s mostly cooked add the tomato sauce and broth. Bring to a boil and then lower to simmer for around 45 minutes. Stir occasionally and make sure the bottom isn’t burning. After about 45 minutes rinse and drain the beans and then add them to the pot. Taste and see if it needs any additional salt or seasonings. Cook for another 10-15 minutes and then it’s ready to serve. If you can make this a a day in advance it’s even better the second day. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, corn chips, and/or corn bread. Yum!

Tofu Parmesan

Sometimes, I just crave something different and light and when I saw the package of tofu at the grocery store ($2.00 to serve the entire family...!?!?) I thought it would be a nice change of pace. Also, I had no idea how good for you tofu was. Not only does it contain a ton of protein but its loaded with iron, magnesium, and tons of other essential vitamins. I'm not saying I want to replace all of my steaks with tofu, but its good to eat occasionally and, and feels like a good meal to have leading up to the gluttonous holidays.

This preparation is so simple and it is really tasty. The flavor of the herbs carries through and the texture is meaty and firm but also has nice crispy edges.

This meal is super easy and was on the dinner table in under 20 minutes. I used extra firm tofu so it didn’t take much to squeeze out the excess water (placed between paper towel and then under a stack of dinner plates for 10 minutes) and sliced it into 4 portions. A light dusting of corn starch, bread crumbs, Italian herbs, salt and peppe and then pan fry for 5 minutes per side. Another 5 minutes under the broiler. So simple!

What you need:

1 lb of extra firm tofu

corn starch

salt and peper

Italian herbs

Breadcrumbs

1 cup marinara sauce (always Rao’s in this house)

1/2 lb mozzarella cheese ( the sandwich slices of mozzeralla work well here)

Fresh basil and/or parsley to garnish

I mixed about 3 tbsp corn starch with 2 tsp Italian herbs (oregano, basil, parsley, rosemary mix) and 1 tsp salt/pepper. Very lightly coat each slice of tofu in the mixture on all sides. Then sprinkle over breadcrumbs and press down to adhere (in hind sight, grated Parmesan cheese would be a really good addition to this mixture, will try next time. Place in a skillet (medium-high heat) with about 2 tbsp canola oil and fry 5 minutes per side or until tofu is nicely browned and crispy (the tofu doesn’t need to reach a certain temp, its all about the crispness we are trying to achieve). Do not over crowd your pan or it will slow down the cooking time. Be very gentle in the flipping process so the breadcrumbs don't come off. Meanwhile, place half of your marinara sauce in the bottom of a glass baking dish. When the tofu is finished frying, arrange evenly on top of your marinara. Pour the remaining marinara over the top and next add your mozzarella on the top. Place under the broiler in your oven until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown. Top with fresh herbs and serve. This goes really well with roasted spaghetti squash or broccolini.