Tortellini and Italian Sausage soup..this one of my favorite soup recipes! It's so hearty, delicious and filling! You can also substiute turkey italian sausage for less fat...serve with a nice salad and piping hot French bread for a great meal! :)

Tortellini  & Italian Sausage Soup

 

1 lb. Italian Sausage

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 cups beef broth

½ cup water

½ cup dry red wine or water

1 can petite-diced tomatoes

1 cup sliced carrots

1 t. dried basil

1 t. dried oregano

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

3 zucchini, sliced

8-ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini

3 T. chopped fresh parsley

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

 

Take the casing off sausage and brown whole on all sides in a black-iron or heavy-duty skillet.  Remove sausage from skillet and place on paper towels to drain, reserving drippings from sausage.  Transfer drippings into a large soup pot, and cook onions and garlic in drippings until tender.  Slice sausage and it to the onion mixture, along with broth, water, wine, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, and tomato sauce and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Stir in zucchini, tortellini, parsley and bell pepper.  Cover and simmer 25 minutes or until tortellini are tender.  Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.

 

Fried rice at home...so much healthier for you!

Melissa’s Fried Rice

2 tablespoons real butter

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 small bag frozen peas and carrots

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt and pepper

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 cups cooked white rice ( I like to cook my rice in the morning and refrigerate it for about 6 hours)

In a large wok or electric skillet, heat butter and sesame oil for about  1 minute.  Add onion, peas and carrots and cook on high for about 6 to 8 minutes.  Push to the side and add eggs, salt and pepper.  Cook eggs for 1 to 2 minutes or until scrambled.  Add rice and soy sauce.  Mix all together and cook on high for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. 

 

 

My pecan crusted salmon....oh, so delicious!

Baked Salmon with Pecan Crunch Topping

4 salmon filets

Salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder

2 tablespoons course ground Dijon mustard

2 tablespoon real butter

1 tablespoon honey

¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs

¼ cup chopped pecans

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Pat salmon dry and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.  Place the filets, skin-side down, in a baking dish.  Mix together the mustard, butter and honey and spoon over the filets.  In a small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, pecans and parsley.  Spoon this over the filets as well.  Bake in a 450 oven for 12 minutes or until the fish flakes.  Delicious served with couscous and a nice salad.  Enjoy J

Beef Patty Melts..my mom made these when I was growing up, and I love it! Serve with a baked sweet potato and steamed brocolli and you have a perfect meal. It's also beautiful on the plate! :)

BEEF PATTY MELTS:

1 lb. ground sirloin        

1 lb. ground chuck

½ cup oatmeal or breadcrumbs

1 egg

1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

½ cup whole milk

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

Chopped tomatoes

Chopped green onions

Sharp cheddar, grated

In a small pot, mix soup, milk and Cajun seasoning.   Let simmer on low while you make the patties and cook them.   Mix first 7 ingredients together and form into 6 or 7 patties.  Grill 5 minutes on each side on high heat.  Transfer patties to a platter and cover with foil for 10 minutes.  To assemble:  place a patty on a plate, spoon a generous amount of soup over patty, then sprinkle tomato, green onions and cheese over soup.  Delicious J

 

 

 

Super simple stuffed mushrooms...a last minute appetizer if you need it :) Merry Christmas!!

SIMPLE STUFFED MUSHROOMS

1 lb. pork sausage ( I use Jimmy Dean)

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

3 (8-ounce) cartons whole mushrooms, stems removed and scraped out

Paprika

Chives, chopped

Place room temperature cream cheese in a medium-size bowl and set aside.  Cook sausage in a skillet.  Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and place in bowl with cream cheese.  Stir vigorously until cream cheese is melted and mix well with sausage.  Using a teaspoon or baby spoon, stuff each mushroom.  Place them in a 13x9x2 oven-proof dish.  Sprinkle with paprika and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Broil for 2 to 3 minutes (watching carefully) then remove them from the oven.  Transfer them to a serving dish and sprinkle chives over the tops.  So delicious and so easy! Enjoy J

 

Rolo-Chocolate Cookies....delicious!

ROLO-CHOCOLATE COOKIES

2 ¼ cups flour

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa

1 t. baking soda

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter, softened

2 t. vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup chopped pecans

1 (9-ounce) package Rolo candies

1 T. sugar

4 ounces vanilla-flavored almond bark

In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking soda.  In another large bowl, beat sugars and butter until light and fluffy and then add vanilla and eggs, mixing well.  Gradually add flour mixture and ½ cup of the pecans.  For each cookie, with well-floured hands, shape 1 tablespoon of dough around each Rolo candy, covering completely.  In a small bowl, combine remaining ½ cup pecans and 1 tablespoon sugar.  Press one side of the cookie into the sugar mixture.  Place nut side up 2” apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10 minutes.  Cool completely then place cookies on wax paper.  Melt the almond bark in a microwave and drizzle over cookies.

De-Tox Cabbage Soup...oh, so good!!

MY “DE-TOX” CABBAGE SOUP

This is my football season go-to “De-tox” recipe J  By this point, I’ve eaten so many fatty foods, and this soup is just what I need..Hearty, filling, low fat and full of good stuff for your body!

2 lbs. very lean ground turkey

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2  cans (14.5-ounces) chicken broth

1 can water

1 tablespoon chicken granules

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 small head cabbage, washed and chopped

1 (16-ounce) bag frozen carrots

2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes

1 small can tomato sauce

3 or 4 shakes of hot sauce (optional)

1 tablespoon each of salt, pepper and Greek seasoning (use more if you’d like)

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil for 2 minutes  and then add ground turkey and onion.  Cook for about 10 minutes then add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  As soon as the soup comes to a boil, reduce heat to very low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.  Enjoy J