Zuppa Toscana

Last night Dillon and I got to go on a date with my Olive Garden gift card. (Thanks mom for the present and for watching the boys!) I love their Zuppa Toscana soup so much. I have the recipe and after eating it there last night, I have to say that the recipe I have tastes really exactly like theirs. It's so good, and easy to make as well.


Ingredients:
1 lb. spicy Italian sausage *(I do just use normal and add a bit of cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes--just add a little at a time at the end till it's as spicy as you like, so just a couple shakes, then taste)
1/2 lb. smoked bacon, chopped
4 c. water
1 cans chicken broth
2 large russet potatoes, sliced thin and cut in half, with skins
2 garlic cloves, crushed (I add more usually)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 c. chopped kale (the green leafy stuff in the soup)
1 c. heavy whipping cream (half and half is fine, or even milk would probably work great)
salt and pepper to taste (don't forget this part! It's also important to watch it with the bacon being salty as well, so add a little at a time)
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Brown sausage. Drain and set aside. Cook bacon--drain an dset aside. Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes and onions are tender. Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes. Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through. Top with Parmesan cheese. Serve with rolls or breadsticks!

Calzones

This meal is great because you can put anything you want in it. I have seen ones with ham, salami, and other sorts of lunch meats, and ones that were made of all vegetables. So be creative and don't feel like you have to follow the recipe exactly. (the picture is of a chicken single fold calzone)

Also, I am guessing on the amounts, since we usually just sort of put on however much we want (or have handy) so feel free to change that too.



Bread:
Rhodes Bread loaf dough (1 per calzone)
butter (the spray kind is easiest)
garlic salt or powder

Pizza Calzone filling:
1 jar spaghetti sauce (you won't use all of it)
1-2 cups graded mozzerella cheese
1/4 cup graded parmesan cheese
1 package pepperonis
4-6 precooked sausage links, diced
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
Italian seasoning (a couple of shakes)


Chicken Calzone filling:
1 jar alfredo sauce (you won't use all of it)
1-2 cups graded mozzerella cheese
1/4 cup graded parmesan cheese
1-2 chicken breasts, cooked, cut in long slivers (preferably already seasoned with salt, pepper)
1 cup broccoli, cooked and chopped
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
Italian seasoning (a couple of shakes)
garlic powder (a couple of shakes)


Directions:
Let dough rise according to package directions (this can take 2-7 hours, depending on the method).
For a "single fold calzone", roll out dough into a long rectangle. Spray the dough with butter and sprinkle with garlic salt. Place a thin layer of sauce slightly to one side, then lay down cheese and other toppings. Fold the dough over to cover toppings and connect securely to the other side, pinch ends shut (use the butter to help make this easier). Spray the top with butter and sprinkle with garlic salt and some of the graded Parmesan cheese. Place on a cookie sheet (you can make the calzone on the cookie sheet if you feel nervous moving it).
For a "double fold calzone", roll out the dough into a big square. Spray with butter and sprinkle with garlic salt. Place a thin layer of sauce directly down the center, then lay down half of the toppings. Fold one side over the center pile. Butter and garlic the newly exposed bread. Add the rest of the toppings (with more sauce if you want) on top, then fold the last flap over, connecting securely to the other side, pinch ends shut. Butter and garlic the top, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place on a cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown on top. Slice like a subway sandwich and eat plain or dip in extra sauce.

here is the process for the single fold pizza calzone

Crockpot Chicken Alfredo

Okay, if this picture makes you want to puke rather than eat it, totally understandable! Anyways, I've been on a little of a health-kick lately, and this is really NOT healthy. I tried to counter the cube of butter by using the light cream cheese and 98% fat free cream of chicken soup, so I felt a little bit better, but hey, it's the fat that makes it so good I guess. I really didn't taste any difference however with those changes, so maybe they're worth it!


Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
1 package dry italian dressing mix
1 cube butter
1 package Neufchatel
1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup

Directions:
Put melted butter in crockpot. Place chicken in and sprinkle with italian dressing mix. Let cook until chicken is done (my crockpot is hot and on high only takes a couple hours). Take chicken out and put the cream cheese and soup in--soften cream cheese first though to make it less lumpy. Let that heat up a bit while you shred the chicken. Whisk the cream cheese and soup together and add enough milk to make it a thinner sauce. Add chicken and heat through. Serve over noodles. Very easy!

Pasta with Chicken

This isn't a very appealing picture but this pasta is a great twist on the same ol' boring spaghetti.






Ingredients:
1 pkg. thin spaghetti (or whatever pasta your family likes)
2 T. olive oil
1 T. garlic
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2-14.5 oz. cans diced Italian tomatoes
1-2 chicken breasts, grilled and cubed
salt & pepper
Parmesan cheese (if you have it)

Directions:
Cook Noodles. In separate pan saute garlic in olive oil. Stir in diced tomatoes & vinegar. Add grilled chicken, cook at med-high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toss pasta w/sauce and season to taste.

**Please Note: This recipe was originally posted by my sister in law Melanie. There was some problems with the html when I was fixing the spaces in all the posts, so I had to repost it! Sorry Mel!***