Italian Meatball Soup

 This is a delicious quick and hearty soup!  If you're lucky enough to have leftovers, the reheated soup seems even more tasty!

I used homemade meatballs for this recipe.

Italian Meatball Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb. cooked meatballs, fresh or frozen
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced, OR 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 4 c. beef broth OR 4 c. water w/4 tsp. beef bouillon granules
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 1/2 c. pasta (rotini, elbow, fusilli, etc. If you use spaghetti pieces, I would recommend only 1 cup)
• Fresh spinach (optional)
• Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional, can also use mozzarella)
• salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions in olive oil for 4 to 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.  

Add crushed tomatoes, beef broth, red bell pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil.  Add pasta, reduce heat, cover and simmer until pasta is cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Instant pot option: saute onions as above, add remaining ingredients except meatballs and spinach, seal and cook on SOUP function for 10 minutes. Quick release the pressure and proceed.

Add meatballs and spinach and stir until heated through and spinach wilts/cooks.

Serve topped with cheese if desired. Garlic bread15 sticks or bread are a good side for this.

Makes 4 to 6 serviings.

Italian Bread (breadmaker)

 We LOVE this bread for toast, sandwiches, or just eating warm with butter.  I use the bread maker to mix the dough due to arthritis in my hands but do the rest by hand.

Italian Bread

• 1 1/3 c. warm water
• 1 1/2 tsp oil
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 c. bread flour (do not pack into the measuring cup; measure loosely)
• 2 1/4 tsp. yeast
• 1 egg white, whisked briskly for egg wash

Add first 6 ingredients to bread maker pan in the order listed. Mix dough and let rise until dough cycle ends. Remove dough and shape into a loaf shape and place onto greased cookie sheet; make 3 diagonal slashes across the top of the loaf, about 1/4 inch deep.  Let rise until almost double in size. Brush with egg wash on top and sides of loaf.  Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 25 - 27 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting, if you can wait that long!  Yum!

4-Bean Baked Beans

 This fills all of the requirements: easy, tasty, and quick to prep!

I like to put it all together, then let it cook on low for a couple of hours in the crockpot before serving. This recipe is easily doubled for larger groups.

4 Bean Baked Beans

• 1 15 oz. can butter beans, drained
• 1 15 oz. can lima beans, drained
• 1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained
• 1 16 oz. can pork & beans
• 1/4 to 1/2 lb. bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 to 3/4 c. brown sugar (to taste)
• 1/4 to 1/2 c. ketchup (to taste)
• 1/4 to 1/2 c. white vinegar (to taste)
• 1/4 c. molasses
• 1 tsp. dry mustard

Gently mix beans together in a casserole dish or crock pot.  

In a saucepan, cook and stir bacon, onion, and garlic until bacon is cooked to choice.  Pour off excess fat.

Whisk last 5 ingredients together into the bacon mixture and simmer for a few minutes.  Pour sauce over beans and mix gently.

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for an hour, or in a crock pot on low for 2 to 4 hours.

White Chicken Enchiladas

 This is our favorite white chicken enchilada recipe.  I use a can of Rotel tomatoes with chilies instead of the small can of chilies and it works great.  

Loaded Potato Soup

 

Loaded Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS:
1 package (12 oz) bacon
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
6 cups chicken broth (from two 32-oz cartons)
2 lb baking potatoes, peeled, cubed
2/3 cup butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup diced cooked ham
1 container (8 oz) sour cream
2 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (10 oz)
3/4 cup sliced green onions

DIRECTIONS:
In 12-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 6 to 7 minutes or until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon; set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Cook onion in bacon drippings over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until almost tender.

In 6-quart Dutch oven, mix onion, broth and potatoes. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.

Meanwhile, in same skillet, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour with whisk until smooth. Cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually stir in 2 cups of the milk. Pour milk mixture into potato mixture. Add remaining 2 cups milk, the salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with whisk, until mixture is thickened and bubbly.

Stir in ham, half of the bacon, the sour cream, 2 cups of the cheese and 1/2 cup of the green onions. Cook until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted. Evenly top individual servings with remaining bacon, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/4 cup green onions.

Instant Pot Cabbage, Sausage and Potato Soup

 Instant Pot Cabbage, Sausage and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

⅛ tsp Cayenne pepper

2 tsp. Garlic salt

Pepper to taste

3 Tbsp. butter

1 medium head of cabbage chopped

1 Onion sliced into wedges

1 Tbsp. Minced garlic

2 to 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices

2 stalks celery, sliced

4-5 Medium gold potatoes largely chopped

1 Package smoked sausage cut into rounds

1 C. Chicken broth




Mix together the cayenne pepper, garlic salt, and pepper in a small bowl, and stir to combine.  Lightly stir into prepared vegetables.

Melt the butter in the Instant Pot and lightly saute the veggies for 5 minutes before adding smoked sausage and cooking for another 5 minutes.  Add broth and stir.

Seal Instant Pot.  Set to "Soup" setting and let cook.  Natural release for 5 minutes, then quick vent until pressure is released.  Stir and serve.

HAMBURGER STEAKS WITH ONION GRAVY

 HAMBURGER STEAKS WITH ONION GRAVY

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp dried beefy onion soup mix

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1tbsp better than bouillon beef base

2 medium onions

2 cups mushrooms

4 cups beef broth

1 Tbsp corn starch

Directions:
In a large bowl add ground beef, bread crumbs ,egg, milk, salt, black pepper, dried onion mix and Worcestershire sauce mix well form into patties of your size.

In a large skillet heat 1 tsp of oil add the patties to brown about 5 minutes per side.

When browned remove set aside .then add onions and mushrooms sautee for another 3 minutes.

Then add the mix the cornstarch with the beef broth then add beef broth and beef bouillon to the pot now add back the patties to cook for 45 to 50 minutes until it comes down to your desired thickness .