A copycat version of Olive Garden’s Minestrone Soup, this dish is hearty and filling with just the right amount of seasoning. Make your own breadsticks by using the easy pizza dough recipe on our website, rolling the dough into breadstick shape, sprinkling them with garlic salt, Parmesan cheese and/or Italian seasonings, and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.  

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup white onion, minced
• 1/4 cup zucchini, thin sliced and cut in half
• 1/4 cup frozen or fresh italian (wide) green beans
• 1/4 cup celery, minced
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup carrots , julienned or sliced
• 4 cups vegetable broth (Vegeta is our favorite… buy it in the Polish aisle or on our website)
• 1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can small white beans or great northern beans, drained
• 1 /2 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons fresh Italian Parsley, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3 cups fresh spinach, choped or torn, or 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 cup small shell pasta

Directions

Filed under: Category copycat recipes, Recipes, Soup | Tags: copycat olive garden minestrone soup,minestrone soup recipe,soup and breadsticks by No Comments »

In a challenge from our audience to create a copycat crab bisque similar to the best Maryland Crab Shacks, we combined the styles of many favorites we found online. We hope this fills the request for the Copycat of Jerry’s Seafood Crab Bisque, with a little extra love and ingredients. Now I just wish it was easy to get delicious Maryland Crab here in the midwest!

Ingredients
• 1 lb fresh lump crab meat
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 generous dashes hot pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons sherry

Cook onion and celery in butter until tender but not brown. Blend in flour and seasonings. Add milk and creamgrad, stirring constantly; cook until thick.
Add crabmeat and hot pepper sauce and sherry; heat thoroughly.

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Cashew Corn Chowder

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 onion, diced
• 1/4 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 red pepper, minced
• 1 clove garlic, mashed
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons oil
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1 can corn, drained, OR 1-1/2 cups fresh corn kernels, blanched
• 2 teaspoons parsley

Melt butter in large pan on stove. Cook onions, garlic, peppers and celery for 4 minutes until softened. Stir in flour and black pepper and cook until brown, approximately 3 minutes. Add broth and simmer, stirring until smooth. Meanwhile, in food processor, combine cashews, oil and all but a few spoonfuls of corn. Process until relatively smooth. Add to soup pot, blend and simmer for 20 minutes. Top with remaining corn and parsley when serving.

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Easy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• The meat from one half a butternut squash, cubed
• 2 cups chicken broth
• one apple, cubed (or one pear, or one cup carrots)
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Season squash with garlic salt. Cook the squash in oil in a large pan on the stove 10 minutes. Add pear, apple or carrots, and continue cooking until soft, about 20 minutes.
2. Add onions to the pan, stir and cook a few more minutes until translucent.
3. Add broth and water and simmer.
4. Transfer squash to a blender and puree.
5. Return to pan. Stir in cream, lemon juice and pepper. Cover, and continue to simmer 25 minutes.

Filed under: Category Light Cooking, Recipes, Soup, Vegetarian | Tags: butternut squash soup recipe,squash soup by 1 Comment »

Ingredients

• 2 packages seasoned rice
• 2 cups cooked chicken
• 3 cups water
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 can creamed corn
• 1 can corn

Directions

1. In a stock pot over medium-high heat, brown the chicken and the fresh vegetables in the oil until all browned, stirring often, about 8 minutes.
2. Add the water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the broth, and continue simmering.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour until smooth. Add salt and pepper. Whisk in the milk, and continue cooking until mixture is bubbly and thick. Add some of the broth mixture to the milk mixture, continuing to stir, then stir all of the milk mixture into the broth mixture.
4. Add the rice packages and both cans of corn, and simmer for an additional half hour or until rice is cooked through. Additional water may be added to thin out soup as desired.

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This soup is so hearty that served with a side of garlic bread, it makes a fabulous meal.

Ingredients

•            2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
•            2 tablespoons butter
•            2 tablespoons flour
•            3/4 cup milk or cream
•            1 can diced tomatoes, or 4 fresh tomstoes, diced
•            1/3 package frozen spinach, or one cup fresh spinach
•            1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
•            1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In medium-sized pot on stove, make a roux by melting butter over medium-low heat, and mixing in flour, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in milk or cream. Add tomatoes and broth.

Add cream mixture and stir to blend. Mix in spinach. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring often until cooked through (about 20 minutes). Stir in Parmesan cheese and serve.

Filed under: Category 70 Meals, One Trip to the Store, Recipes, Soup | Tags: tomato florentine soup by No Comments »

The combination of flavors that top this delicious soup favorite are what makes it  special.

Savory Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 1 bag green lentils
• 7 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 6 slices bacon
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 6 ounces goats cheese

Saute onions and 3 slices bacon in butter in bottom of large stock pot. When wilted, add broth and lentils. Simmer on medium-low, stirring frequently, for at least 35 minutes, and up to 3 hours, adding liquid as needed for desired consistency (thick is ok). When soup is near done, cook remaining bacon until crisp in frying pan on stove. Remove bacon from pan and add spinach to pan. Cook spinach in bacon fat until cooked through. Top soup with crumbled pieces of bacon, spinach and crumbled goats cheese.

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