Sausage Soup Italian Style

INGREDIENTS

* 2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
* 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
* 1 pound Italian sausage
* 2 small zucchini, cubed
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1 cup sliced carrots
* 1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained
* 2 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

* In pot, brown sausage with garlic.
* Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 mins.
* Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover, and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.
* Remove from heat, and add spinach.
* Replace the lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 mins.

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Spinach and Pesto Pasta

INGREDIENTS

* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 16 ounces fresh spinach, washed & chopped
* 6 ounces low-fat, firm silken tofu
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1/8 cup low-sodium chicken broth
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup diced red onion
* 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
* 10 ounces fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
* 6 ounces fresh sliced shiitake mushrooms
* 1/4 cup bacon bits
* 1 pound penne pasta


DIRECTIONS

* Cook the pasta according to package directions.
* While pasta is cooking, in food processor or blender, combine spinach, tofu, lemon juice, garlic, broth, cheese, pepper, and Italian seasoning, process until smooth. Set aside.
* Spray a large non-stick saute pan with cooking spray. Over medium heat, cook onions and mushrooms until tender. Reduce heat to low, add pesto mixture and heat until hot.
* Toss pasta with sauce &bacon bits. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Note that if sauce seems very thick, thin to desired consistency with pasta cooking water or broth.

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Chicken Pie Recipe

INGREDIENTS

* 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
* 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, boiled
* 1/2 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of potato soup

DIRECTIONS

* Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
* Line a 9 inch pie dish with pastry.
* Blanch frozen mixed vegetables for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain.
* Dice chicken and place in a large bowl. Add vegetables, thyme, celery soup and potato soup. Stir together.
* Pour filling into pastry lined pie dish. Arrange top layer of pie crust, seal and flute the edges. Cut slits in the top of the crust to allow for steam to escape.
* Place pie on cookie sheet. Put aluminum foil around pie crust edges. Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for an additional 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven & let stand for 5 minutes and then serve.


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Gorgonzola Risotto with Wild Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS

* 2 ounces dried chanterelle mushrooms
* 1 1/2 teaspoons butter
* 1 teaspoon truffle oil (optional)
* 1 chopped onion
* 2 shallots, minced
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 3 ounces sliced fresh button mushrooms
* 1 (12 ounce) package Arborio rice
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 quart hot chicken stock
* 2 tablespoons heavy cream
* 2 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, or to taste
* ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

* Cover chanterelle mushrooms with hot water, cover, and set aside to soften for 30 mins. Once soft, remove the mushrooms from the water and chop; discard water.
* Melt butter along with truffle oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, shallot, and garlic; cook and stir two minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add the fresh mushrooms, and continue cooking until the mushroom softens and begins to release its liquid. Stir in the chopped chanterelle mushrooms, and cook 3 mins more.
* Add Arborio rice; cook and stir for a few minutes until the rice is well coated with the onion mixture and looks glossy. Stir in the white wine, and cook until nearly evaporated.
* Reduce heat to medium, and add 1/3 of the hot chicken stock. Cook & stir until the chicken stock has been mostly absorbed, about 5 minutes. The risotto should be simmering gently while you stir in the chicken stock. Add half of the remaining stock, and stir for 5 minutes more. Finally add the remaining stock, and continue cooking until the risotto is creamy and the rice is tender, about 5 minutes more. The rice should not be completely soft, but still have a little firmness when you bite into it. You can add a little water if needed to cook the rice to this state.
* Remove risotto from the heat, & stir in the heavy cream & Gorgonzola cheese. Season to taste with salt & pepper, & serve.

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Wild West Pasta Salad Recipe

INGREDIENTS

* 1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped
* 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
* 1 (5 ounce) jar stuffed green olives, sliced
* 2 1/2 tablespoons bacon bits
* 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
* 1 (16 ounce) bottle ranch-style salad dressing
* 1/2 cup chopped green onions
* 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
* 16 ounces of pasta

DIRECTIONS

* Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta & cook for 8 to 10 mins or until al dente; drain & reserve.
* In a large bowl, combine black olives, green olives, Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, bacon bits, dressing, onion, ground black pepper & pasta; mix well.
* Cover bowl, refrigerate to chill for 1 hour, and serve.

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Fantastic Duck and Peas Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 x 4-5lb (2- 2 ½ kg) duck
10 fl oz (275ml) giblet stock - made earlier with duck giblets, onion, carrot, peppercorns and celery
a bouquet garni made with sage, marjoram and thyme
1 large Webb or Cos lettuce
1lb (500g) podded fresh peas
2 eggs, yolks only
2 fl oz/55ml double cream
salt and pepper
1 lemon, juice only
a large handful of chopped mint

METHOD

* Prick duck all over with fork. This will help to release the fat.
* Put herbs into duck's cavity.
* Heat 2 tbspof olive oil in a heavy based casserole and brown the duck all over. If you do this slowly, it will release all the fat, so it can run out. Ladle some of the fat out of the pot and keep aside (wonderful for roasting potatoes.)
* When nice and brown, pop it breast side down in the pot, cover with stock and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
* When done, turn the duck over and add the lettuce which has been shredded and the peas, season and replace the lid and cook for a further 40 minutes.
* Take out the duck and carve or joint. Keep warm. Drain the peas and lettuce and put with the duck.
* If necessary, skim off any fat off the sauce, season. Mix yolks & cream in a basin and pour over half the stock. Mix well and then pour back into the rest of the sauce. Cook gently, but DO NOT boil.
* Add the lemon juice & the mint and then pour over the duck and serve.

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