Italian Bread Bowls

I've been on a bit of a soup kick this winter. It's been so obvious in fact that my husband started complaining about all the leftover soup in our fridge. That's unusual. My husband was called "the garbage disposal" by his family growing up because he ate all the leftovers and never complained about it. I feel like I'm able to move on from soup now that the weather is starting to warm up...I hope.
I like to make bread bowls to serve soup in every now and then. My favorite soup to put in them is Veggie Cheese Chowder.

• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. oil
• 7 cups flour
  
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.


2. Add salt, oil and 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture; beat well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well with an electric mixer at medium speed after each addition.


3. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.


4. Punch dough down, and divide into 8 equal portions. Shape each portion into a 4 inch round loaf. Place loaves on a lightly greased baking sheeting sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes.


5. Preheat oven 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, beat together egg white and 1 tablespoon water, lightly brush the loaves with half of this egg wash.


6. Bake in preheated over for 10-12 minutes. Brush with remaining egg mixture, and bake 10-12 minutes longer until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.


7. To make bowls: Cut a 1/2 inch think slice from top of each loaf; scoop out centers, leaving 3/4 inch thick shells. Fill bread bowls with hot soup and serve immediately.

Minestrone Soup

We ate this soup at a church activity and so I have to give tribute to Marina Rice for this recipe. I like to serve it with garlic breadsticks and salad.

• 3 chicken breasts (cooked in chicken broth) cubed
• 6 cups of chicken broth
• 1 lb. Italian sausage - cooked, drained
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 cup kidney beans, drained
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 3 Tbsp. parsley
• 2 cups carrots, diced
• 3 stalks of celery, diced
• 4 small or 2 large cans crushed tomatoes
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. basil
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 oz. pasta, cooked and added to soup as needed

Combine all ingredients and let simmer all day in crockpot on low heat.

This recipe makes a lot of soup. So much in fact, that it doesn't fit in my crockpot so I just do it in a big pot over the stove. It tastes just as good...I just make it in the early afternoon instead so it can simmer and blend the flavors until dinner.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

I've been looking for a good chicken noodle soup recipe for quite some time. I haven't found anything that really strikes my fancy. It was a very "cold and blustery" day today. The kind of day where I didn't even step outside long enough to get the mail. My husband had to go out in it though. He's also in the middle of tests at school, and we haven't seen each other much in the past two weeks. So, considering these two factors, I wanted to make something for dinner that was "warm and togethery."

I decided to combine my favorite ideas from the chicken noodle soup recipes I've been looking at, and boy am I glad I did! YUM! The perfect comfort food on this not so comfortable day.

• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1/4 cup green pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 tsp. crushed dried marjoram leaves
• 1 chicken boullion cube
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 chicken breast, cooked and cubed
• 6 oz. bow-tie noodles
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

In a large pot, melt butter. Add carrot, celery, green pepper, onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are slightly tender, but still a little crisp. Add chicken broth and 1 cup of the milk. Stir in marjoram, boullion cube and salt and pepper.

Add noodles and chicken. Cook until noodles are almost done.

In a cup, stir together remaining milk and the flour until smooth. Add to soup. Stirring over medium-high heat, bring soup to a boil and boil for three minutes.

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 cups flour
• 12 oz. chocolate chips

Mix together butter, shortening and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Mixture will be thick. Add chocolate chips. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 or 375 degrees, depending on oven (it takes 13 minutes at 375 degrees in my not-so-great oven).

Ma's Pancakes

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 4 Tbsp. sugar
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 2 Tbsp. oil

Stir together dry ingredients in large bowl. Combine wet ingredients then add all at once to flour mixture. Stir together with wire whisk. Pour batter onto hot, slightly oiled griddle. Brown on both sides.

Crescent-Topped Ratatouille Casserole

The ingredient list for this recipe may seem a little intimidating, but most of these items are standard pantry items. Usually, I'm not a casserole person. I don't have anything against casseroles, but I'm lactose intolerant and most casseroles include "cream of something or other" or oober amounts of milk and cheese. From my other recipes, I'm sure you'll note that I do use those things to cook, but they're usually recipes that have been given to me. I never intentionally go out in search of recipes loaded with milk. Anyways, back to this casserole...no "cream of anything."
Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 small eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (4 cups)
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 medium green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
• 1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 can (15.5 oz) dark red kidney beans, drained, rinsed
• 1 can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, if desired

1. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add eggplant, zucchini, onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook and stir 4-6 minture or until veggies are lightly browned.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, Italian seasoning and pepper. Cover; simmer about 10 minutes or until veggies are crisp-tender. Stir in beans; cook 5 minutes longer.
3. Meanwhile, remove dough from can in 2 rolled sections; do not unroll dough. Cut each roll into 4 slices; cut each slice into quarters. Place cheese in 1-quart resealable plastic bag; add crescent pieces, seal and shake to coat.
4. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon eggplant mixture into baking dish. Arrange crescent pieces on top.
5. Bake 17-20 minutes or until crescents are golden brown. Sprinkle with parsley.

Smoked Sausage Sweet Potato Packets

• 4 12"x18" sheets heavy duty aluminum foil
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 16-oz. package fully cooked smoked sausage, cut into 8 pieces
  

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray the top side of each foil sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place one-fourth of sweet potatoes and apples in center of each foil sheet. Sprinkle each with 1/2 tsp. garlic, 1/4 tsp. ginger, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. brown sugar. Top with 1/2 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces.
3. Place two sausage pieces on top of sweet potatoes and apples. Bring up the sides of the foil. Double fold the top and ends to seal the packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Repeat to make four packets.
4. Place packets on large cookie sheet and place in the oven for 40-50 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender.