Recipes

[Writer with Flair]

On 3/24/2015 RespectLife said:

I haven't made this one yet but plan on it. I have a bag of itsy mini frozen meatballs that would be good and easy in this.

These recipes are all kinda similiar but some are beef based and some chicken. I'll post them all if you guys don't mind. This is the only one I haven't done yet....

Slow Cooker Italian Meatball and Tortellini Soup

http://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/2011/11/slow-cooker-italian-tortellini-soup.html#more

Cooking time: 6 hours

2 tsp dried basil

2 tsp dried oregano

1 finely diced onion

1 cup grated carrots

1 Tbsp tomato paste

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 lbs frozen Italian meatballs

1 (14 oz) can petite diced tomatoes

2 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (20 oz) bag of frozen cheese tortellini

1 medium zucchini, sliced into quarter inch rounds

1 green pepper, diced

5 cups water + 5 tsp beef bouillon (OR 5 cups beef broth)

Salt and pepper

Grated mozzarella cheese, for topping

1. In a microwave safe bowl combine the basil, oregano, onion, carrots, tomato paste, garlic and olive oil. Microwave for 5 minutes, stirring every 90 seconds. Add to the slow cooker.

2. Add meatballs, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tortellini, zucchini, green pepper, water and bouillon to the slow cooker.

3. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

4. Salt and pepper to taste.

5. Ladle into individual serving bowls and top with mozzarella cheese.

I would prolly just make this in a dutch oven. Too impatient to wait for 6 hours! LOL

Num-Num! When is dinner? I had a chicken (or was it turkey?) meatball Italian wedding soup once that was delicious. It had spinach in it, too. I can't remember the rest of the ingredients. Have you ever had that soup? What a great thread this topic is getting to be!

[RespectLife]

Hi Writer!

Oh you have me really drooling with the idea of lemon curd on that cake! I have tried many lemon recipes and have always craved more lemon flavor. That would really fit the bill!

I am a collector of recipes! While I put my mark on them..I can't take the credit! I never invented a recipe totally on my own. I have some family recipes in my head as taught by my Gram. Sometimes I search on line and the next thing I know I am all over the internet copying! Many times I read a recipe and think....DUH, I know that already!

The meatball recipe above is beef based, I haven't tried it w/ beef. I make Italian Wedding Soup with a chicken base. I cheat (don't tell my Gram) and buy the mini frozen meatballs. They are tiny so honestly, to me, you can't tell they aren't homemade! Add whatever veggies I have. Add spinach and maybe kale. The baby pastina as we always called it (Ancini di Pepe) I cook separately so it doesn't take all my broth and add at the end when I serve.

I am major into portion control and LOVE your idea of freezing the uncooked cookie drops! Brilliant!

I couldn't be trusted otherwise! If I cook them and freeze them...it is too easy to microwave and eat...and eat...and eat. If I must cook them, I would be very diligent about when I should/could have them.

Also, what a great way to have a fast dessert for the unexpected. I have always thought I should buy the prepared ones for an emergency but never have. This would be so much better and fairly quick! Thanks!!!!!

[katiescarlett]

Sounds delicious. I will use potstickers from Trader Joe's. WAY less expensive that QVC's, and very good.

[Writer with Flair]

On 3/24/2015 RespectLife said:

Hi Writer!

Oh you have me really drooling with the idea of lemon curd on that cake! I have tried many lemon recipes and have always craved more lemon flavor. That would really fit the bill!

I am a collector of recipes! While I put my mark on them..I can't take the credit! I never invented a recipe totally on my own. I have some family recipes in my head as taught by my Gram. Sometimes I search on line and the next thing I know I am all over the internet copying! Many times I read a recipe and think....DUH, I know that already!

The meatball recipe above is beef based, I haven't tried it w/ beef. I make Italian Wedding Soup with a chicken base. I cheat (don't tell my Gram) and buy the mini frozen meatballs. They are tiny so honestly, to me, you can't tell they aren't homemade! Add whatever veggies I have. Add spinach and maybe kale. The baby pastina as we always called it (Ancini di Pepe) I cook separately so it doesn't take all my broth and add at the end when I serve.

I am major into portion control and LOVE your idea of freezing the uncooked cookie drops! Brilliant!

I couldn't be trusted otherwise! If I cook them and freeze them...it is too easy to microwave and eat...and eat...and eat. If I must cook them, I would be very diligent about when I should/could have them.

Also, what a great way to have a fast dessert for the unexpected. I have always thought I should buy the prepared ones for an emergency but never have. This would be so much better and fairly quick! Thanks!!!!!

RespectLife,

Thanks so much for filling me in on what goes into the Wedding Soup. It sounds scrumptious! What is the brand of the mini frozen meatballs and where do you get them? Are they precooked or do they just cook in the soup broth?

Today for lunch I made turkey chilli with ground turkey I got from Kroger. It was their natural store brand. It was so nice and fresh I could not believe it. If the urge (and the time) to make my own mini meatballs hits me, I would definitely use their ground turkey.

Speaking of meatballs, a waiter at a now-defunct Italian/Greek restaurant in our area told me the chef's secret to tender and moist meatballs: instead of breadcrumbs he used grated white potatoes. When I make them I season them with "Simply Organic" All-Purpose seasoning (Whole Foods has it) and a little catsup and bake them in the oven at 350 degrees until they are done. I make medium size ones. I always make enough to freeze some so I can make a quick spaghetti and meatballs on days when I feel too tired to do a lot of cooking. By the way, I also use this "mix" to make meatloaf with the addition of grated carrot , chopped onion and green pepper, and an egg. The grated potato really does keep things moist. I'm sorry I cannot give exact amounts since I am an intuitive cook. I think you are too. I take a recipe and change it. Much to the chagrin of friends and family, when I try to explain one of my recipes, there always is a part that goes something like "and add (what ever the ingredient is) until it looks right." Not very exact, is it?

The Simply Organic All-Purpose Seasoning is also great on roasted potatoes. (Toss potato pieces in olive oil and this seasoning.) This seasoning does not contain salt, so you'll need to add some if are not watching your sodium. You can really take this same combination and use it on any vegetable you want to roast. I have even used it to make cauliflower "steaks." (Cut cauliflower in 1 /12 to 2" slices, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with seasoning, and bake at 350 degrees until tender and a little golden. You can also sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese a minute or two before you take them out of the oven, if you want to.

[mustang66lady]

ChiliPepper!

I got a chuckle out of your greeting, "Good morning, Kitchenettes!" What a great name-I love it! I am so sorry you have all that snow. You and Respect - sounds like you have had a really tough winter. Our snow has finally all disappeared. The piles in parking lots have looked like dirty miniature mountains for so long.

Respect,

I'm not sure why your potstickers fell apart; a few of mine did also but I think I may have put them in and simmered them a little too "full force" if that makes sense. I have some more in the freezer and will try them again.

My old bottle of sesame oil was Dynasty brand; my new one is Ty Ling. I have to say that while they both looked the same and smelled the same, the Dynasty brand had a much better and pronounced flavor than the Ty Ling. Neither bottle said light or toasted but have to think from the color and smell, they were both toasted. Will go back to the Dynasty brand when the Ty Ling is gone but will probably use a tad more of it to see if it improves the flavor depth in the recipe.

Thank you for all the tortellini soup recipes; will have to give them a try. The one I use did come from Recipe Swap-it belongs to Lavendersage who used to contribute many wonderful recipes here. I will look thru my recipes and post it to go along with yours in this thread.

Writer with Flair,

I'm thinking if you freeze individual portions of that torte, they would probably survive a mailing to Respect and me to sample!

katiescarlett,

Love your nic; my oldest daughter is named Katie. Love me some Gone with the Wind!

Ladies, it kind of sounds like we all cook pretty much alike-a pinch of this and that and recreate recipes that suite our taste as well as our families. Hope you all have a wonderful afternoon. We are having thunder right now. The weatherman said this morning, it is the first March on record in quite sometime that we have not had a tornado warning yet. I think he may have jinxed us...... Oh well, spring in the St. Louis area isn't complete until that first warning of the season comes-just always happy when we get a warning. It's the ones that happen without warning that keeps you on your toes!

Here is the link to the tortellini soup that Lavendersage posted.

http://community.qvc.com/forums/Recipe/topic/229683/tortellini-and-sausage-soup.aspx#

[mustang66lady]

"Kitchenettes!"

In reading thru the recipe for the tortellini soup, I should tell you of a couple of things I do different just because of what I usually have on hand. If it isn't tomato season, I use a can of rotel tomatoes in place of the 2 tomatoes called for in the recipe. I rarely have an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce and usually end up using a 16 ounce can. I use cannellini beans most of the time but have also used navy and dark red kidney beans. I often add more garlic because my DH loves it, and my frozen tortellini is 20 ounces and I use all of it. I am also sure I add more spinach than 3 handfulls at the end, too. Not that this recipe needs any changes; more that I was lazy and didn't want to have bits and pieces of this and that to store. I also use homemade chicken stock if I have it. I have not served this to anyone who hasn't asked for the recipe. My aunt passed a little over a year ago and I took this soup to my uncle who asked me a couple weeks later when ever I fixed soup, would I bring him some. This is his favorite.

[RespectLife]

Writer- I buy Rosina Mini Meatballs at Wegman's. You may not have a Wegman's since you are lucky enuf to have a Kroegers AND a Whole Foods! We have neither. I would be thrown out of the 'Half Italian' Club if I ever used purchased meatballs but the mini's are perfect for soup and so much easier.

That is such an interesting idea using shredded potatoes...I am going to have to try that. Fabio, the Chef from 'Top Chef' (not the romance novel, model Fabio) said to put ricotta in your meatballs to keep them moist and boy was he right! I have been doing it for years now and ricotta has greatly improved my meatballs.

Mustang-Let's pray those tornado warnings NEVER come!! Stay safe!

I have been using chick peas in a lot of my soups! They stay much firmer than other beans I use. Although Wegman's carries small cannellini beans that I love. I'm not much for the larger beans...too much 'puss' inside. Hee hee

Thanks for posting Lavendersage's recipe...I sure do miss her! She was on these boards when I first starting coming, and I have some wonderful recipes from her.

[RespectLife]

Hey Chili...you getting this snow?

It started around 8:30 this morning and hasn't stopped. Fat big wet flakes! The 'brown' grass is gone again and the white carpet has reappeared.

I mentioned elsewhere...we had a Green Christmas and might have a White Easter!

It is heavy too...I'm going to have to brush off the car for lunch!

I may be sending it east to Syracuse...don't be mad! I wanted to share....LOL

[ChiliPepper]

Mornin" Respect & Kitchenettes,

Mornin" ??? Mmmmmmm...I guess its not anymore! No, we didn't get the snow...just rain this time. It was actually 40 degrees this morning! Whoo hoo! 8 the other day & 40 today. Its a heat wave! I hope it "warms" up for you so your snow melts. This winter c-r-a-p is getting old. I grew up outside of Buffalo so I've had this my whole life! Time for some warm weather for a change.

Thanks for posting the new soup recipes & tips - Mustang & Writer also - thank you too. I'm going to make one of them tonight or tomorrow. They all sound so good so I think I'll just make them all - one every week!

I am so lazy sometimes - I need some warm weather to get me outside & motivated. I like to do yard work & I'm anxious to get my flowers & vegetable garden going so COME ON SPRING - GET HERE! It is so nice to go to the garden & pick fresh vegies or basil or something when you are making soup. I want to plant garlic this year, has anyone grown garlic before?

I'm taking notes about the meatball secrets - very interesting. I make my own when I have time but I have to admit I cheat & buy the pre-made ones sometimes. Life just gets in the way, there are so many things going on.

Mustang, please be safe!

Have a great day! I will check in later.

[ChiliPepper]

Respect, you jinxed me! The rain turned to snow. Thanks a lot for sharing Pal!!! LOL!!!

Oh well, it will make the soup taste all that much better. I'm looking forward to it.