Zuppa Toscana

♫ ♪ "Oh the wind is lashing lustily
And the trees are thrashing thrustily
And the leaves are rustling gustily
So it's rather safe to say...
That it seems that it may turn out to be
It feels that it will undoubtedly
It looks like a rather blustery day, today
It sounds that it may turn out to be
Feels that it will undoubtedly
Looks like a rather blustery day today" ♪ ♫

Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day

It's been a rather blustery day today in the AV and all day long it's felt like a soup kind of day. While at the grocery store in search of all things green, I found some really beautiful and vibrant red chard. I couldn't wait to use the chard in some form for dinner and this soup came to mind.

I wouldn't call it a copy cat recipe because it's not exact, but this soup is loosely based on the soup by the same name at that Italian-American restaurant we all know and love with the grapes in it's logo. Which is really an odd choice for their logo considering the name speaks of olives in a garden. ;)

What You'll Need:
1lb. sausage
1 large baking potato, diced into bite size pieces
½ large onion, diced
1 large garlic clove
2 cups swiss chard or kale, chopped (vein removed)
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
2 Tbs flour
salt and pepper to taste

What You'll Do:
Break up the sausage and place in a large sauce pot over med-high heat.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage begins to brown.

While the sausage is browning, chop and dice the onion.
Add to the sausage.
Add minced or freshly pressed garlic clove.
Cook, stir occasionally, until the onion begins to soften.

While the onion and sausage are cooking, chop the potato and add to the pot.
Stir to incorporate and cook for 1-2 mins over med-high heat and reduce heat to low.

While the potato is cooking, wash and chop the chard, removing the vein.
Stir all ingredients and add the chicken broth and 1 cup of milk.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, make a 'slurry' with 1 cup of milk and 2 Tbs. flour.
You can use a 'blender cup' or just blend it together in a cup using a fork or small whisk.

Increase heat back up to med-high and add the slurry to the soup.
Bring to a boil.
Once the soup reaches a boil it will thicken slightly.
Cook and stir for 1-2 mins until soup is thick and bubbly.
Serve hot!

Thai Noodles

Actual conversation:
"What do you want for dinner?"
"I don't know, what do you want for dinner?"
"I don't know."
"What do we have?"
"I don't know."

How many times a week does that conversation take place in your home? It happens A LOT in mine! Sometimes I am just uninspired.. and tired of the same old thing. Sometimes I don't know what to make and I go to the pantry for inspiration and just come up short. But sometimes... sometimes I find something like peanut butter that inspires me! I saw the peanut butter and thought Thai! I went to the computer and found a recipe that looked easy enough and went to work.

I made a few changes (like I always do)... add this, eliminated that.. and the dish that resulted was AH-mazing! The kids loved it and everyone went back for seconds. ºÜº

What You'll Need:
1 box of Fettuccini or Linguine noodles
2 Tbs. oil
1 lb. Chicken breast (I used 4 small breasts)
2 cups shredded cabbage
½ cup shredded or julienned carrot
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped green onions
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup chicken broth or water
2 Tbs. sesame oil ( you can substitute vegetable oil as well)
½ tsp chili sauce (such as Sriracha)
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

How to Make It:
Heat 2 Tbs oil in a large sauté pan over med-high heat. Once the pan and the oil are hot, and the chicken breast and cook until done, about 5 mins on each side. Remove from pan and set aside. Lower flame to medium and add the veggies. Stir fry until the cabbage begins to soften. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, chicken broth or water, sesame oil, chili sauce and peanut butter to the pan. Mix and stir until all ingredients are incorporated. Lower the flame to low. While the sauce is simmering, chop the chicken into strips, add to the pan and stir. Add the noodles are stir until coated well with sauce. Serve immediately.