Tomato Basil Soup

My husband hasn't been feeling good. So when he is sick, my husband requests soup for supper. He wanted some tomato soup. The best thing about soup is normally there are some servings of vegetables in it. Plus it tends to be a lower calorie meal. This soup is really good. I actually think the leftovers tasted better the next day. Since this recipe made a lot of soup, I even placed some in the freezer. My husband said they heated up really well. I did forget to add the cream and I liked it just the way it was made.

Tomato Basil Soup
2 tsp vegetable oil
4 large carrots, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp dried basil
3 (28 oz.) cans of Roma tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste
light cream, if desired

Directions: 

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.
2. Add the carrots and onion. Stir occasionally and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the basil and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth. 
5. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes.
6. Mash or puree the tomatoes. 
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Add cream if desired.

Recipe adapted from The Sister's Cafe.

Two years ago...................Banana Bread Cookies.

Did you already know...............
-China is the largest producer of tomatoes. 
-In Spain, the La Tomatina Festival is held the last Wednesday of August.
-At the La Tomatina Festival, participates throw over 150,000 tomatoes at each other.

Basil and Tomato Chicken with pasta

I am holding onto summer as long as I can. Yes, I know the kids are back to school. Yes, I have spotted some red leaves outside. Yes, all the signs are here that summer is leaving. So, I had to make a dish with basil and tomatoes. I really liked it. The meal didn't seem heavy and it was full of flavor. I think summer should not be in a rush to leave.

Basil and Tomato Chicken with Pasta
1/2 box of a 1 lb. box of pasta
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 boneless chicken breast
salt and pepper
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup basil 
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp heavy cream
Garnish: Parmigiano cheese and basil

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to directions.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. 
3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper
4. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 4 minutes.
5. Turn the chicken over in the skillet.
6. Add the tomatoes, basil, and garlic.
7. Allow to cook for 4 minutes.
8. Add the chicken broth and butter.
9. Place the cover on the chicken and allow to simmer until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
10. Add the heavy cream and stir.
11. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place on a plate.
12. Add the pasta to the skillet and mix.
13. Serve the pasta with the sauce and top with the chicken. 

Recipe adapted from Menu Musings. 

One year ago..........................I made Peaches and Cream Cake.
Two years ago........................I made Mussels.
Three years ago......................I made Streusel Cake.

Did you already know................
-Basil is in the mint family.
-Basil is native to Asia but may have originated from India.
-Another name for basil is Saint Joseph's wort.

Bruschetta

Sometimes the simple appetizers tend to be the best. If I am spending a lot of time preparing the main course, I really don't have time to spend hours to make an appetizer. Why make an appetizer? Well, I really need something to hold the kids (boy) over until dinner is ready.

The best thing about bruschetta is it is just toast. I can even toast the french bread in the toaster oven which clears up even more space. I do recommend slicing your bread thinner than mine.

Bruschetta
1/8 cup of olive oil
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp parsley
1 tsp rosemary
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste
 8 slices of french bread
1 tomato, sliced in cube pieces
8 leaves of basil, sliced
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, sliced


Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper.
2. Brush each top of the sliced french bread with the olive oil.
3. Toast the french bread in the toaster oven, oven, or grill.
4. Brush the cubed tomato pieces with some of the olive oil mixture.
5. Mix the basil and tomato pieces together.
6. Top each piece of the french bread with the tomato mixture.
7. Sprinkle each slice with a little cheese before serving.

Recipe inspired by Quick Bruschetta for two in the Food & Family Cookbook best loved: quick & easy recipes. 

Did you already know...
- Bruschetta is an Italian antipasta or appetizer.
-Bruschetta is topped toast.
-Bruschetta is a great way for the growers to sample the quality of the newly pressed olive oil.

Tortellini Pasta Bowl

My favorite friend brought over a tortellini kabob appetizer. It was so good. My youngest son loved it. He wanted me to make it for him. I said sure and my favorite friend gave me her recipe. She had seen it while waiting for an appointment. Since she was preparing the recipe from memory, she had to improvise.

I went out and purchased the ingredients then my husband asked what we were having for supper. I told him I was making the appetizer and some other snack kind of food. He said he was really hungry. I said I would think improvise. My son loved it. My husband was happy. I was glad since it came out well.

Tortellini Pasta Bowl

1 package of fresh tortellini
1 package Italian sausage (I used chicken sausage)
10 button mushrooms, sliced
1 pint of sweet cherry tomatoes, halved
2 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp rosemary, chopped
pinch of sugar
10 mini fresh mozzarella balls
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 bunch fresh basil, torn into pieces
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook the pasta according to directions.
While the pasta water is heating, in a medium bowl combine the garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
Add the cherry tomatoes with the mushrooms to the bowl. Set aside.
In a skillet, brown the sausage over medium heat for five minutes.
Remove the tomatoes and set in a small bowl.
Add the marinade with the mushrooms to the skillet. Mix with the sausage. Salt and pepper to taste.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and gently incorporate. Cook for 2 minutes.
Toss in the mozzarella balls and the Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Cook for one minute.
Remove from the heat and add the tomatoes with the basil to the skillet.
Serve with additional Parmesan cheese as garnish.

Recipe from Jen of Sweet Morris with Peggy's help

Did you already know...............
-Tortellini is a ringed shaped pasta stuffed with either meat or cheese.
-Tortellini often served in sauce or broth.
-Bologna is known for its tortellini.
-Theories for the shape of the tortellini range from (the goddess of love) Venus's navel or a turtle.

Do you think the tortellini looks more like a person's navel or a turtle?

I always thought it looked more like a ring.

Cheesy Basil Stuffed Chicken

Did I surprise you that I didn't post a Halloween meal? I guess I could call this ooey gooey chicken. Ooey gooey is a technical term. We even have a child's book with the title of Ooey Gooey. In the story, a pirate loses his gold tooth when he eats his ooey gooey pirate delight. Don't worry you will not lose a tooth if you make this dish. 

Remember the previous photo of my daughter (See Princess cake). The tooth fairy has been at our house a lot lately. When my oldest daughter lost her first tooth, she informed us that her tooth fairy brings only gold dollars. Over the years, the tooth fairy continues to bring gold dollars. My youngest daughter receives the Sacagawea gold coin dollars and my son receives the Presidential gold dollars so they would know which dollar belongs to which child.

It is very good. The chicken came out very moist and I could cut it with a fork. I served the dish with rice. 

Cheesy Basil Stuffed Chicken with roasted tomatoes and broccoli
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped/torn
2 Tbsp milk (I used skim)
1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 stalks of broccoli, roughly broken apart

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Spray a 9 x13 baking dish with a nonstick spray.
3. In a bowl, combine the cheese, 1 Tbsp basil, milk, salt, and pepper.
4. Squeeze the 1/2 lemon into the bowl mixture and mix. Set aside.
5. In another bowl, mix the bread crumbs with the garlic, olive oil, and 1Tbsp basil. Set aside.
6. Hold your chicken and slice down the side of it but stop about an inch from the other side.
7. Open up the chicken breast and fill with the cheese mixture.
8. Hold the chicken back together and secure with toothpicks. I used two per a chicken.
9. Place chicken breast in the baking dish.
10. Spread mayonnaise evenly over the top of each chicken.
11. Top the mayonnaise with the bread crumb mixture. Press lightly to adhere.
12. In another baking dish, toss tomatoes with some olive oil. Salt and pepper.
13. Tranfer the tomatoes around the chicken in the other baking dish.
      (Trying to save dirty dishes.)
14. In the now empty baking dish, place the broccoli.
15. Toss the broccoli with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
16. Place both the broccoli and chicken dishes in the oven. **See below note**
17. Bake for 15 minutes.
18. Place foil loosely over the chicken to prevent the bread crumbs from burning.
19. Cook for 10 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

**Now, prepare rice as directed on the stove top so it will finish at the same time as the chicken. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Let's Dish

Did you already know.................
-Sacagawea was from the Shoshone Indian tribe.
-In 1804, Sacagawea at age fifteen and six months pregnant when she assisted Lewis and Clark on their expedition west.
-Sacagawea's husband accompanied them during the expedition.
-Her son, Jean Baptiste, was born during the expedition.
-Lewis and Clark's expedition took a little over two years.

 Today, you can fly across the U.S. in six hours or drive in about six days.