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.