More Soup...Meatball Soup

We are still is super bowl mode here, so another soup recipe it is! I made this recipe today. It has been bookmarked on my computer for weeks and I finally decided to just make it. It was good. I made a few changes. I made the meatballs the way I usually make them, not the way the recipe said (I made a huge batch and froze some for when baby arrives!)I also did not have cabbage since we don't eat it. So I made it without. I also added some extra potato chunks. Overall it was different and we enjoyed it.


Ingredients

* Meatballs:
* ¾ pounds Ground Beef
* ½ cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
* 3 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, Minced
* 1 whole Egg
* 2 cloves Garlic
* ½ teaspoons Salt
* ½ teaspoons Black Pepper
* ¼ teaspoons Ground Oregano
* 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
* SOUP
* 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
* 7 cups Low Sodium Beef Stock
* 2 cups Water
* ½ teaspoons Salt
* 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
* ¾ cups Onion, Chopped
* ¾ cups Carrots, Chopped
* ¾ cups Celery, Chopped
* 1 cup Russet Potato, Chopped (do Not Peel)
* ½ pounds Cabbage Chopped
* Grated Parmesan Cheese To Serve
* TIED IN A CHEESECLOTH BUNDLE
* 4 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, Minced
* 2 whole Bay Leaves
* 1 teaspoon Peppercorns

Preparation Instructions

To make meatballs, combine all meatball ingredients and mix well. Shape into small balls and chill for 30 minutes.

Gather 4 tablespoons parsley, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a cheesecloth bundle. Tie to secure.

After chilling, heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a heavy pot. Briefly brown meatballs, then remove to a plate. To pot, add beef stock, water, salt, tomato paste, and herb bag. Bring to a boil, then simmer 30 minutes.

Add onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Simmer 15 more minutes. Remove herb bag.

Add cabbage and meatballs. Bring to a boil, then simmer 8 to 10 minutes.

Serve with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.


Recipe adapted from the pioneer woman cooks.

Souper Bowl???

I have made 2 different soups this week. Here is to hoping it helps the Steelers win and head to the Super Bowl... Not really. Its just nice to have soup when it is chilly out.

Earlier this week we had Sherried Tomato Soup. It was yummy with our grilled cheese sandwiches (made in the same sandwich maker I have had since college!)



Ingredients

* 6 Tablespoons Melted Butter
* 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
* 1 bottle (46 Oz.) Tomato Juice
* 2 cans (14 Oz. Cans) Diced Tomatoes
* 1 Tablespoon (up To 3 Tablespoons) Chicken Base
* 3 Tablespoons (up To 6 Tablespoons) Sugar
* 1 pinch Salt
* Black Pepper To Taste
* 1 cup Cooking Sherry
* 1-½ cup Heavy Cream
* Chopped Fresh Parsley
* Chopped Fresh Basil

Preparation Instructions

Sauté diced onions in butter until translucent. Then add canned tomatoes, tomato juice, chicken base, sugar, pinch of salt, black pepper and stir. Bring to a near boil, then turn off heat. Add in sherry and cream and stir. Add in parsley and basil to taste.

Recipe is from : here

Another day I was to lazy to make dinner so we picked up a rotesserie chicken from Costco. I made soup with the leftovers. I have a pretty good home made chicken soup recipe but this was a lot easier. I even made home made noodles to go in it.



Things You'll Need:

* Rotisserie chicken
* 2 qts. chicken broth
* 1 qt. water
* 2 tbsp. olive oil
* 2 white onions, cut into a medium dice
* 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
* 2 stalks celery, chopped
* 3 cups noodles
* Salt and pepper


Bring the broth and water to a simmer in the large stock pot. While you wait for the broth and water to heat up, separate the rotisserie chicken meat from the skin and bones, setting the meat aside for later. Add the skin (optional) and bones to the broth, bring it back up to a simmer and allow it to simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.

Strain the heated broth through the colander then discard the skin and bones. Reserve the broth in a large heat-safe bowl. Place the stock pot back on the burner, setting the heat to medium-high.

Add the oil, carrots, and celery and saute until soft. Add the broth and bring the mixture back up to a simmer.

Add the noodles, simmering until they reach the desired tenderness.

Chop the chicken and add it to the cooking noodles.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.


Homemade Noodles

2 cups of flour
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp milk

mix together and roll out. Cut into noodles. Let cook in broth for about 20 minutes.

No bake cookies

I never liked these growing up. Maybe it was the way they looked (I was/am a very picky eater). Maybe its b/c most of the time they had nuts (since most recipes call for chunky peanut butter). Who knows? But today I wanted them and they tasted yummy. I wanted cake the other day, made one and it was a bust. Very depressing, especially when you are pregnant and REALLY wanted it. So today it was a quick recipe to satisfy my chocolate craving. Here it is:

Ingredients

* 2 cups white sugar
* 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/2 cup margarine (I used butter)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 pinch salt
* 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter (I use regular/creamy peanut butter)
* 3 cups quick cooking oats

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, cocoa, milk and margarine. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, salt, peanut butter and oats.
2. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Allow cookies to cool. Makes 24.