Savory Sausage, Kale & Mushroom Soup with Pumpkin Broth

Happy October, friends! To start the month off right, I bring you soup #2 of the season. And yes, there's some pumpkin in it. 

 

Savory Sausage, Kale & Mushroom Soup with Pumpkin Broth 

 

Ingredients:

One medium onion, quartered and sliced thin

4 cloves garlic, diced

4 Italian sausage links

2 cups sliced baby portabella mushrooms

4 cups low-sodium veggie stock (sausage is salty & low-sodium stock offers a great, light flavor to this dish)

5-6 cups Tuscan kale

A can of pumpkin purée 

Sprinkle of dried rosemary

1/2 tsp nutmeg 

Salt & pepper

Block of fresh Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, and make sure it has a rind! (I'll explain later)

2-3 tbs olive oil

Fusilli noodles (cooked) 

 

Preparation: Brown sausage in a pan over medium-high heat (I removed the casing in order to "crumble" the meat). In a separate soup pot, sauté garlic, onions,  mushrooms, and kale in olive oil over medium heat until tender. Add nutmeg and rosemary and a dash of salt & pepper. Once the veggies are tender, add the browned sausage to the soup pot and toss together. Confession: For flavor purposes, I did not drain the fat off my sausage using a paper towel. But I did use a slotted spoon so... don't judge me. 

 

Add veggie stock to soup pot and bring soup to a boil. Drop in pumpkin purée by the tablespoonful (I did 6 scoops) and stir  to combine. 

Now here is the mother of all soup tips, given to me by my brilliant mother: cut the rind of your block of Italian cheese off, while leaving some cheese on it, and drop it in the soup. Let soup simmer with the rind for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. It'll make the broth opaque and really boost the flavor. Amazing. 

In the meantime, cook up some fusilli noodles according to the package's instructions. Add some to each bowl you serve and top with shaved parm or Pecorino Romano... and enjoy!

My next post will most likely not be a soup... but I can't make any promises. :)

Love,

Amy 

Make your own queso!

Tonight was a big night for all of the folks living in and around the City of Brotherly Love! Football season kicked off for the Philadelphia Eagles, and the fans are hoping for the best.

Football has really grown on me over the past few years, thanks to Jamie's influence. I love the adrenaline it brings to a room full of people, but I must say I mostly enjoy the food it brings to the table. Wings, pizza, chips & dip... nom nom nom.

Here is a recipe for some homemade queso that you can serve up at your next football get together! I like mine a bit spicy, so I went with some jalapeños and included the seeds, but if you are sensitive to heat, feel free to use a milder pepper like red or green bell.

Homemade Queso

Ingredients:

1 medium-sized (or 2 small) jalapeño pepper(s), diced1/4 cup yellow onion, diced

1/2 cup fresh tomato, diced

1 tbs cooking oil such as canola or olive oil

2 cups Mexican cheese (I used a shredded blend of sharp cheddar, monterey jack, and queso blanco)

1/2 cup whole milk
Sprig of cilantro (optional), chopped

Dash of cumin and paprika

Salt & pepper

Sauté the jalapeños and onion until they begin to soften, and then add the tomatoes. Heat through until onions are translucent and the tomatoes are soft, and remove the pot from the heat for a minute. Add one cup of the cheese to the veggies and then pour the milk over it all. Place back on the burner on low heat and stir continuously until the cheese melts and the mixture is smooth. Then add the second cup of cheese and melt through, stirring frequently. If you want it to be a bit thinner, pour in a little more milk. Add cilantro, a dash of salt & pepper, and a sprinkle of cumin and paprika (to taste).

Serve in a bowl alongside some tortilla chips, or pour it over a platter of nachos. This would also be a great cheese to serve with fries, chili, or on top of a burger -- all excellent foods to serve during a game! Cheese is magical like that.

I served my nachos with fresh diced tomato and black beans and may or may not have eaten it for dinner. 

I can because it's football season.


Love,

Amy

Tomato & Zucchini Gratin

Tomatta season is here! Looking to celebrate?

This recipe was inspired by a dish I found via Bon Appétit online, which originally called for tomatoes and summer squash (see original recipe here.) Sadly, my grocer was out of squash, and my dreams were briefly... squashed. But then I supplemented a yellow & green zucchini mix, and it worked out great. Feel free to stick to the original recipe or try out my version below.

Tomato & Zucchini Gratin

Ingredients:
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used shaved parm because I like how crispy it gets)
2 beefsteak tomatoes

1 green and 1 yellow zucchini, thinly sliced1 clove garlic, diced
4 tbs olive oil (total)
1/2 tsp oregano
4-5 fresh basil leaves
salt & pepper

Toss the Italian cheese and breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and season with a dash of salt, pepper, and the oregano. Heat the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced garlic and heat through until fragrant. Add the tomato and cook, tossing occasionally, until heated through and juicy (about 3-4 minutes). Season with salt, pepper, and the basil (chopped up) and transfer to a baking dish. Top with the zucchini slices and the breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees until the veggies are tender and the top is golden brown -- I baked mine for about 25 minutes. This would be a great main course or side dish.

A note: If you have an ovenproof pan/skillet, you are lucky and I am jealous. You can cook the tomatoes in the skillet, top them with the zucchini & breadcrumbs and transfer the dish straight to the oven. One pan -- super easy & hardly any clean-up. Like I said, I'm jealous.

Another note: To be honest, with the breadcrumbs, I feel like less could have been more on this dish. I followed the recipe and found my dish way too covered in breadcrumbs. It didn't destroy the taste (it was still really good!), but it did leave me with some valuable advice for you, my friend: take heed with the breadcrumbs. But do not skimp on the cheese.

Enjoy the season!

Love,
Amy