Spicy Sausage Pasta

This week, I was craving some sort of a zesty pasta dish with sausage. After a few searches, I ran across this recipe and knew they were the flavors I was looking for. The smoky turkey sausage with the tomatoes, green chiles, pepper jack cheese, and creamy sauce made for a delicious dinner. And the pasta of course hit the spot – I’ve never met a carb I didn’t like! It was exactly what this pregnant lady was wanting.

What’s even better is, if you have an oven safe pan, you can make the whole meal in one dish! Gotta love less dishes to do after a great simple meal. Also, the original recipe has Weight Watchers info and tips to make this a lower calorie meal. (see the link below) Enjoy!

Spicy Sausage Pasta

Ingredients:
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 of an onion, chopped
13 oz smoked turkey sausage, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/4 cups chicken broth
10 oz can Ro-Tel tomatoes & green chiles
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
10-12 oz uncooked bowtie pasta
4 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded
2 medium green onions, diced

Yield: 6 servings

Directions:
In a large skillet or sauté pan (oven-safe if you have it), add the olive oil and bring over medium heat. Add the onions and sausage to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes until sausage is browned and onions are tender. Add the garlic and stir. Continue to cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the broth, Ro-Tel, half and half, salt, and pepper and mix together. Add the uncooked pasta and stir together until the liquid covers the pasta. Cover the skillet and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and keep covered. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked.

Set your oven to broil and make sure one of your oven racks is in the top 1/3 of the oven. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in half of the shredded cheese. If your skillet is oven-safe, you may continue to use it in the following steps. If it isn’t or you aren’t sure, transfer the pasta into a baking dish. (either a 7×11 or 9×13 dish would work)

Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the top of the pasta. Place the dish in the top 1/3 of the oven and broil for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown (keep checking because broiling can happen really fast!). Remove from oven and sprinkle the green onions on top. Serve while hot and enjoy!

Source: Slightly adapted from Emily Bites

Creamy Italian Tomato Soup

I’ve had a hankering for a new soup lately and found this yummy recipe that totally fit the bill. The base is a simple creamy tomato soup but then some Italian twists are thrown in. The cheese tortellini makes this soup extra hearty and filling and the sun dried tomatoes add some great color and flavor. The addition of Italian sausage really beefs the whole thing up but is optional – I used a mild sausage, but a spicy or sweet sausage would be delicious too!

Sprinkle on a little parmesan when you serve and this will keep you extra warm and full on a cold winter day!

Creamy Italian Tomato Soup

Ingredients:
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cans of condensed tomato soup (10 3/4 oz cans)
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lb ground mild Italian sausage
9 oz package of frozen or fresh cheese tortellini
Shredded parmesan, for garnish

Yield: 4-6 servings

Directions:
Heat a large stock pot over medium heat and sauté the garlic in olive oil until golden brown. Add the tomato soup, sun dried tomatoes, half and half, chicken stock, and spices. Bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, cook the Italian sausage, drain the grease, and add the sausage to the soup.

Once simmering, add the tortellini to the soup and cook then according to the package directions. (or you can cook them separately and add them when done) When tortellini is cooked, ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle a little parmesan on top. Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from Mrs. Schwartz Kitchen

Chorizo Lentil Soup

This soup is a perfect quick and easy dinner that packs plenty of flavor. The chorizo gives it a nice hint of spice and the beans and lentils make it hearty and filling. Toss in some fire roasted tomatoes and spinach for a bit of color and nutrients, and you have a delicious soup that can be simply eaten as it is, include some sriracha for more of a kick, or top with some cheese and cilantro for an extra Tex Mex twist. Enjoy!

Chorizo Lentil Soup

Ingredients:
1 pound chorizo sausage
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained
1 can (15 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup dried lentils
2 cups chicken stock or broth
6 cups fresh chopped spinach
Salt and pepper, to taste

Yield: 6-8 servings

Directions:
In a big stockpot, brown the chorizo in a little bit of vegetable oil, stirring constantly, until almost done, about 5-7 minutes. Add in the cannelini beans, tomatoes, lentils, and chicken stock and stir until combined. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes until the lentils are soft and tender. Remove from heat and stir in the spinach; cover for about 5 minutes to let it wilt. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot and enjoy!

Source: Tasty Kitchen

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Tortilla soup has always been a favorite to eat, but I’d never made it myself! Leading up to Cinco de Mayo, I tried out a few new Tex Mex recipes, including this one for spicy chicken tortilla soup. It was love at first bite – very easy to toss together, super colorful, somewhat healthy, and has amazing flavor with all of the peppers and spices.

I slightly adapted the original recipe, excluding hominy and adding some corn and crispy tortilla strips. Side note: to make crispy tortilla strips to top your soup, simply slice a few corn tortillas into strips, put them on a lined baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Super simple and adds a nice texture when you dig in.

Enjoy!

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
2 cups chicken, shredded or chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (with or without seeds)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 poblano pepper, roasted and diced
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
8 cups chicken broth (2 quarts)
1 4-oz can diced green chilies
1 15-oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 bag frozen corn
1 14-oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
4 corn tortillas, cut into strips (plus more if making crispy strips)
Juice of 2 limes
Shredded monterey jack cheese, optional for serving
Chopped cilantro, optional for serving
Sour cream, optional for serving

Yield: Serves 6-8

Directions:
First, roast the poblano pepper over a burner on a gas range stove or under the broiler. You want the pepper to be very dark and charred— almost black. Set aside on a plate to cool then dice. (you can either leave or remove the seeds)

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot. Once hot, add the diced onion and jalapeno and cook for five minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and diced poblano pepper and cook for another minute. Add the chili powder, cumin, and coriander and mix until well combined.

Pour in the chicken stock and add the tomatoes, corn, black beans, green chilies, chicken, and salt. Bring to a boil.

Finally, add the regular tortilla strips and lime juice and cook until tortillas soften. Serve with chopped cilantro and shredded cheese, plus crispy tortilla strips and sour cream if wanted.

Source: Slightly adapted from Eat Live Run

Mango Pico de Gallo

I never used to be a big lover of pico de gallo, but now I’m a huge fan. It’s such a delicious healthy addition to any meal. The traditional style is great, but this mango version is perfect for the summer with it’s fresh fruity flavor. Pile it on top of a taco or simply scoop it up with tortilla chips and you’re in for a tasty treat!

Mango Pico de Gallo

Ingredients:
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/4 red onion, diced
1 small jalapeño, deseeded and minced
2 mangos, chopped
Juice from one lime
Cilantro
Dash of salt

Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. Add additional salt or cilantro to your liking. Refrigerate until ready to serve and enjoy!

Source: Slightly adapted from A Zesty Bite

Zuppa di Gnocchi e Pesto

I know we’re past soup season, but this recipe is too tasty to set aside till fall! You know that a soup is good when it’s requested by your husband in advance for future times of sickness! This Italian soup is hearty without being heavy and the roasted onion and garlic adds some amazing flavor. When topped with diced tomatoes, it tastes like bruschetta in soup form! YUM!

PS: Happy Birthday to my mom! 🙂

Zuppa di Gnocchi e Pesto

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 yellow onion, quartered
8 cloves garlic, in skins
1 Tbsp olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 cartons chicken broth, 32 oz each
1/2 jar pesto sauce (8 oz jar)
1 package gnocchi, 16 oz
2 whole roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Place chicken breasts in a roasting pan. Break apart quartered onion and scatter around and on top of chicken breasts. Toss the garlic, skins and all, around the chicken. The garlic will not flavor the chicken at this point. You are merely roasting them and will add them to the broth in a bit. Drizzle olive oil on the chicken. Add some salt and pepper and roast for 35-45 minutes or until the center is white and no longer pink.

Once cooked, allow the chicken to cool so that it can be shredded. Scoop out the roasted onion and garlic to use in the broth. While the chicken is cooling, pour the chicken broth into a food processor or blender along with the onions and roasted garlic (skins removed after roasting of course) and half of the pesto. Pulse until there are no large chunks of garlic left. The roasted garlic will give the soup a velvety feel in your mouth. Definitely don’t skip this step. It’s so worth it!

After shredding the chicken, mix in the rest of the pesto. Stir well and set aside.

In a large pot, bring the broth/garlic/pesto mixture to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook according to the package directions. In soup bowls, place a pile of chicken in the center. Ladle the hot broth over the chicken and garnish with chopped tomatoes. Enjoy!

Source: Slightly adapted from The Coupon Goddess

Fiesta Rice

This colorful and healthy side dish is perfect for any Mexican inspired meal. I made a huge batch and contently ate from it for days. You can use white or brown rice depending on your preference and could include any extra vegetables and seasonings you like. The cilantro and lime were plenty for me and mixed perfectly with the corn, tomatoes, and black beans. Totally delicious and guilt free 🙂

Fiesta Rice

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cooked long grain rice
3/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed
3/4 cup cooked corn
1 large tomato, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine hot rice, heated corn, heated beans, tomato, cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper if needed. Toss and serve.

Source: Skinny Taste

Tomato Basil Bruschetta

Does anyone else love a certain food, but only in certain ways? Tomatoes fall into that category for me. I can’t stand big chunks or slices of tomato, but cut it up into small pieces or make it into a sauce and I can handle it. Weird? Yes, I know. (I’m the same way with onions)

Besides salsa, bruschetta is my favorite way to eat tomatoes. My dad recently gave me some various items from his garden, including these tomatoes. Combine with garlic, basil, some olive oil, and parmesan, and you’ve got a tasty appetizer or hors d’oeuvre! (or lunch in my case!)

I also visited Italy last spring and remember having a traditional bruschetta as part of the antipasto course – this simple recipe tastes identical, which put a smile on my face. 🙂 Enjoy!

PS: Just a reminder that today’s the last day to enter the Shiner giveaway! Good luck!

Tomato Basil Bruschetta

Ingredients:
1/2 cup tomato, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh basil, minced
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
Grated parmesan cheese
Baguette, sliced and toasted

Directions:
Combine the tomato, garlic, basil, and olive oil in a bowl and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to let the flavors mingle. Slice the baguette and lightly toast the slices. Top the bread with the tomato basil mixture and sprinkle a little parmesan on top.

Source: A Beckster original

Salsa

This salsa is so simple to make and tastes phenomenal! My mom passed this recipe on to me – I remember that once I took a batch of this salsa to a get-together in high school and my friends got hooked on it. They’d always request more and my mother would kindly oblige. 🙂

Now that I’ve started making it myself, I can’t get enough. Spoon a little on an omelette, eat some as a quick snack, or, make a meal out of it! (please tell me that other people eat chips and salsa as a meal?)

This is a perfect item to bring as an appetizer for a party – it’s easy and delicious and everyone will be impressed that you made it yourself! Enjoy!

Salsa

Ingredients:
4 fresh jalapeños
2 cloves of garlic
2 cans of whole tomatoes (28 oz each)
1 bunch of cilantro
1 tsp salt

Directions:
Remove stems and seeds from peppers. Put in sauce pan of boiling water and cook covered for 10-15 minutes. Remove and set aside. Wash cilantro and cut off stems. Chop cilantro leaves. Peel garlic and put it into blender with about 2 inches of water. Puree garlic and add all ingredients a little at a time and chop together on low speed or chop cycle. (add more tomatoes if it’s too hot)

Source: My mom 🙂