Aisle Twelve

It's officially soup season.  I'm not a huge fan of soups but if you give me an interesting flavor combination, I will give it a try.  This was a recipe I found on Pinterest.  It's a copy cat recipe of Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden.  When I go to Olive Garden I O.D. on salad and bread sticks and Eggplant Parmesan.  I don't think I've had another single item off the menu; I love those too much.  I know Joe liked this soup so I decided to give it a try.  He liked it almost as much as his favorite soup, Mulligatawny .  Actually, he said he might like it better.  This soup has a nice heat to it.  I used mild spicy Italian sausage as well as the red pepper flakes.  I am not a huge fan of heat, but I like it in the background and this is definitely there.  The kale in the soup makes you feel like you're being a little healthy - forgetting about the sausage of course.  With the potatoes and the white wine cream broth, it's a...

Winter is a good time for soups.  At least they say it is winter; today is a balmy 50 degrees.  Not that I'm complaining, I just have a nagging feeling that the late arrival of winter means snow until May.  Let's hope that is not the case.  This soup was literally, and I mean literally literally, on every menu in Scotland.  This recipe for potato leek soup tastes different than the soups we had there, but it is every bit as good, and perfect for a winter's day.  I've become somewhat of a vegetarian since I've had a bun in the oven, mainly because the smell of meat cooking really does me in.  (Don't worry, dare I say I feel that I'm starting to turn a corner.  Please God, please God, please God let me turn this nausea corner.)  Nausea aside, this is a great vegetarian recipe since it really sticks to your ribs, you won't miss the meat at all! This is based on a recipe from Ina Garten's Back to Basics cookbook.  I think what makes it di...

It's been six days and I still have a cold.  I have to admit that I've never been one who likes chicken noodle soup.  The too salty, greasy broth and bits of floaty chicken chunks makes me actually even a little more sick.  But I need something to break up this congestion, so this seemed like a good time to try Barefoot Contessa's Italian Wedding Soup recipe.  This was SOOOO much better than chicken noodle soup; canned or homemade.  This recipe made so much soup, that I was able to have three more servings that I put in individual freezer bags so the next time I feel a little under the weather, homemade soup is just a few minutes away! For the meatballs: 3/4 pound ground chicken 3/4 pound chicken sausage, casings removed 2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves) 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra 3 tablespoons milk 1 extra large egg, lightly beaten kosher salt and ground black peppe...