Easy Split Pea Soup

 

INGREDIENTS

1 large onion, chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)

8 cups vegetable broth, chicken broth or water

1 ham  hock

1 pound green split peas (about 2 cups), picked through and rinsed

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)

1 medium celery rib, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)

Ground black pepper and salt to taste

Croutons for garnish

Directions

Place all the infredioents in a Dutch Oven and bring the mixture to a voulo.

Lower the heat to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 90 minutes. Discard the ham hock. With a hand blender puree the soup.

Serve in soup bowls with croutons. We like grilled cheese sandwiches with this soup

Italian Night

 

Baked Pasta with Herbed Ricotta &  Sausage

Ingredients:

6 servings

1 box of Penne pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1-1/4 pounds Italian-style sausage (casing removed)

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Herbed Ricotta (see recipe below)

3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pan.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Add sausage; cook, breaking into crumbles, about 5 minutes until sausage is browned and cooked through, stirring frequently.

Add tomatoes and red pepper flakes to skillet; cook 5 minutes to heat through, stirring occasionally.

Combine pasta and Herbed Ricotta. Add sausage mixture. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Spoon into 3-quart casserole dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Top with mozzarella. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Herbed Ricotta

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; mix well.

1 container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

Italian Baked Chicken Casserole

 

Ingredients 

4 bone-in chicken thighs

1 lb hot Italian sausage links

1 medium sweet onion, cut into quarters

2 medium potatoes, cut into quarters

2 bell peppers, seeded and cut into quarters

2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon red chili flakes

3 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup lemon juice 

4 tablespoons olive oil 

Sea salt &  coarse black pepper 

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

Arrange the cut vegetables in an oiled 9x13-inch oven-proof baking dish. Sprinkle all the vegetables with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle the garlic over all. Place chicken and sausage on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning and red pepper over all the chicken and sausage. Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for an additional 45 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and serve with Italian bread.