NanaJane's Minestrone Soup

My mother had a wonderful way of making this soup just when we needed it most -- after a day of leaf-raking or chopping wood for the woodstove. It was such a welcome feeling to walk into the warm house and smell this wonderful soup on the stove. One bowl would turn you from chilled-to-the-bone straight into warm-n-cozy. (I think it's magic.)

Ingredients

1 Tbs oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup green beans
2 cup tomatoes, smashed (canned work best)
1 cup of white beans (canellini, navy, Lima etc.)
1 zucchini, cut into half-moon slices
1/4 cup fresh parsley (or1 Tbsp dry)
1 tsp basil and 1 tsp oregano, dried
1 bay leaf
8 cups of beef broth
salt and pepper to taste
4 oz. small pasta (any variety)
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic, celery and carrots for about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta and cheese, and cook over low heat for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cook pasta separately, then add to soup right before serving. top with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Serve with nice, crusty bread.

Enjoy!

Celeriac Vichyssoise

There's a chill in the air, which means the time has come for beautiful soup recipes. This recipe is taken directly from The New Basics Cookbook, by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. I make it every year when the weather turns chilly and your bones tell you that winter is around the corner. "This soup is like eating a bowlful of life itself," my sister told me when I sent her the recipe. It is just too good not to share.

Ingredients

4 tbs butter
3 cups diced onions
1 leek, well rinsed and diced
2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice
2 lbs. celeriac (celery root) cut into large dice
6 cloves garlic
6 cups homemade or store-bought chicken stock
3 tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp celery seed (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream

Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add the onion and leek and cook over medium heat until translucent (10 minutes.) Add the potatoes, celery root, and garlic. Stir and cook 5 more minutes. Add the lemon juice, stock, celery seeds (if using), salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook 30 minutes or until the celery root is tender. Allow to cool slightly, off the heat. Puree the mixture in a blender, in batches. I blend until the soup is the consistency of applesauce -- not entirely smooth, but fairly so. Return the puree to the soup pot and add milk and cream. Heat, stirring constantly, until soup is heated through. Serve with a warm, crusty baguette.

Enjoy!

Great Grandma Mildred's Tomato-Pepper Salad

Great Grandma Mildred worked with a wonderful woman named Brita Saladino in the kitchen of St. Paul Gradeschool. They were great friends, sharing a love of life and plenty of recipes. This salad was one of their simplest, but most satisfying. (When we make it, my husband snacks away at least half the bowl before supper is even served.) As always, this late summer delight is best with produce fresh from the garden or farmers market.



Ingredients:

6 Roma tomatoes
2 green bell peppers
1 small white onion
1 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. white vinegar (or white wine vinegar, if you prefer)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar

Wash and dice tomatoes into 1/2 inch pieces. Remove seeds and stem from peppers and dice the same size as the tomatoes. Peel and dice the onions. Toss tomatoes, peppers and onions in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining four ingredients and toss thoroughly.



Enjoy!

Joe's Gold Medal Chili

Joe made this chili yesterday, as we were hit with a patch of unseasonably cool weather. When the temperature gets down into the 50's in August, you know it's time for a recipe like this one. It has nice kick, so spare the chiles if you mind the heat.

Ingredients:

2.5 lbs boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium onion, diced
10 dried red chiles, minced, with seeds
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced, with seeds
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 can (29 oz.) tomato puree
29 oz. water (use empty tomato can)
60 oz. canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 tbs chili powder
1 tbs cumin
1/2 tbs dried oregano
1/2 tbs dried basil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
peanut oil

In heavy stockpot, heat 1/8 inch peanut oil over highest heat. When hot, add beef and brown, stirring constantly. When beef is almost done, add garlic, onion, chiles and bell pepper. Stir and cook 1-2 minutes more. Add tomatoes, water, beans and stir. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, basil, salt & pepper. Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 1-2 hours.

Enjoy!

Julia's Chicken Cacciatore

I love making Chicken Cacciatore in the slow cooker. It is simple to put together in the morning, and you just can't beat the tremendous flavor that comes from simmering all day long. This fantastic dinner is best with ingredients fresh from the garden or farmer's market. It is a delight in high summer or on a cool, rainy day.

Ingredients:

6-8 pieces of bone-in chicken with skin

1 medium onion, sliced into rings

2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half

1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced

1 large can tomato puree
2 cups whole tomatoes, skinned and seeded
10 large fresh basil leaves, or 1/2 tbs dried basil
2 tbs fresh oregano or 1/2 tbs dried oregano
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Slice onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Place in the bottom of your slow cooker. Nestle seasoned chicken on top. In a separate bowl, combine tomato puree and whole tomatoes. Crush with clean hands or potato masher. Stir in herbs, remaining salt, and pepper. Pour mixture over chicken and simmer on Low for 6-8 hours. Serve hot with garlic bread or your favorite pasta.

Enjoy!

Italian Sausage-Pepper Skillet

Yesterday we harvested the first of our bell peppers. It was fun to see my daughter hold the pepper, warm from the sunshine, against her cheek as she carried it inside. Of course, fresh peppers from the garden are a perfect opportunity to cook this easy, satisfying meal. I serve it over our favorite pasta, angel hair.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. mild Italian sausages (5 or 6 servings)
1 green bell pepper
1/4 Bermuda onion
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cups prepared marinara sauce (store bought or homemade are okay)

About an hour before you plan to eat, fill large skillet with 1/2 inch of water. Place sausages in cold pan, cover, and cook over high heat until water boils. Keep pan covered and turn heat down to simmer. Peel garlic cloves, leave whole and place in pan with sausages. Wash, seed, and slice pepper into thin strips. Cut onion into rings. Place onion and pepper slices into skillet and cook 15 minutes. Add marinara sauce, stir all ingredients to coat. Keep skillet covered and over lowest heat. In the time it takes to prepare the pasta (optional), the sausages will be cooked -- and your kitchen will smell delicious!

Enjoy!

Fresh Tomato Salsa

This is such a fantastic condiment. I use it on fajitas (recipe below), but also as a delicious addition to summer salads. Of course, my children and husband can't get enough of it with chips. This recipe will stay fresh 2-3 days in the refrigerator -- but mine never makes it that long!

Ingredients:
3 medium-sized round tomatoes (I like Early Girl, but use what you have)
or
6 Roma tomatoes
1 clove garlic, chopped and mashed
1/4 tsp. salt
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup Bermuda onion, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Wash tomatoes and remove stems. Slice in half and gently squeeze over a bowl to remove seeds. Cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch dice. In a medium-sized bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, salt, lime juice, onion, jalapeno and cilantro. Toss gently to evenly distribute ingredients. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours to blend the flavors.

Enjoy!

Grandma's German-Style Baked Beans

Grandma brings these baked beans to just about every summer party or potluck. They are sweet, tangy, and tasty! I hope your family likes it as much as ours. I even let my kids help with this recipe -- it's so easy.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground hamburger
3 large cans Bush's Original baked beans
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white onion, diced
1/2 cup apple sauce
2 granny smith apples
1 cup ketchup
1 tsp. yellow mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Brown and drain the ground beef. Peel and core apples and dice into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces.
In large bowl, mix together beef, diced apples, and all remaining ingredients with a wooden spoon or spatula. Stir until thoroughly combined. Pour mixture into 9x13 glass casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. (Alternate: pour into cool slow cooker and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-5 hours.) Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Garden Green Beans with Onion

Fresh green beans from the garden are such a delight. Their flavor is buttery and their texture is perfect. Here's a simple preparation for one of Summer's perfect foods.

Ingredients:

1 lb. fresh green beans
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbs. minced white onion
2 slices bacon, diced
salt and pepper to taste

Wash beans and trim stems. Drain. In small saucepan, saute bacon and onion over medium-low heat until onion is translucent. Add water, beans, and salt. Turn up heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Stir once and cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. Taste before serving and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Enjoy!

Joe's Black Bean Salad

In the summer, we like to have vegetarian dishes with lots of flavor. This one certainly fits the bill, with a combination of tart and sweet that really works. I like the crunch of the celery, onion, and peppers, too!

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked black beans, rinsed
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cup corn
1 medium vidalia onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 medium bell pepper, diced

For the Dressing,
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
2 tbs. salad oil (I use olive oil or canola)
1 tbs. white wine vinegar
1 tbs. sugar
salt to taste

Place soft, rinsed beans in large mixing bowl. Add chopped vegetable ingredients. Toss. In separate mixing bowl, combine herbs, oil, vinegar, sugar and salt. Mix well until sugar has dissolved completely. Pour over bean/vegetable mixture. Toss again. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Enjoy!

Turkey-Sage Penne Pasta

Good recipes using ground turkey can be difficult to find. I put this one together about three years ago, and it is now a staple at our house. We grow fresh sage in the garden, which I would highly recommend for this dish. Although it combines olive oil and butter, use as much or as little as suits your taste and dietary needs.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey or ground turkey breast
1/2 small white onion, minced
8 large leaves fresh sage
Extra virgin olive oil
4 tbs. salted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound penne pasta

Begin by browning the turkey, uncovered, in a large skillet with a lid. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Once turkey is browned, remove it from the pan and reduce heat. Add 1 tbs. olive oil and onion and cook gently until onion is softened. Slice sage leaves into fine slivers. Return the meat to the pan and add half the sage. Saute together for 1 minute. Add 2 tbs. more olive oil and butter to the pan. As butter melts, toss the mixture to coat and add remaining fresh sage. Add pasta to the pan and toss again. Serve warm in shallow pasta bowls.

Enjoy!

World's Best Dad Brats

When we have a get-together, my husband always wants brats. The trouble is, I don't want him to have to spend the entire party standing over a grill. So, this is my solution. At our last outdoor party, I had one of the grandmothers say, "I love these! I can't believe I ate two!" Another friend, famous for buying only 'specialty' sausage from New York, asked me for the recipe. I was supremely complimented.

Ingredients:

6-20 Uncooked brats from the meat section of the grocery (I use Johnsonville)
1 Sam Adams Boston Lager
1 White onion

The morning of the party (or the night before), preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap the brats and lay on cookie sheets in a single layer, making sure they are not touching each other. Bake 20 minutes, turn over and return to oven for another 15 minutes. Heat your slow cooker or crockpot on the low setting. Slice the onion into 1/4 inch rings. Scatter them on the bottom of insert. Pour in beer. I use half a bottle (the rest is good drinkin' for Dad!) Lay pre-cooked brats in slow cooker on top of onion layer. (For lots of brats, place them standing up-and-down -- I have fit as many as 36 in a standard crock pot.) Cover and cook on Low setting until the party. They are easy to transport and keep warm.

Enjoy! And Happy Father's Day!