Tiffany Tastes

A Healthy Recipe Revisited

A few months ago, I wrote about this recipe for Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup, which was before I made a habit of including pictures with my posts. I made a batch of this soup over the weekend, and this time I remembered my camera (well, my iPhone).

Rustic Italian Soup
Adapted for my tastes.  You can find the original recipe here.

8 oz. turkey sausage (spicy or mild) casings removed
1 medium onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 package (6 ounces) fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped 
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2-1/4 teaspoons minced fresh basil
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional if using spicy sausage)
salt and pepper to taste

Crumble sausage into a Dutch oven; add onion. Cook and stir over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.

Add garlic; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.

Add the broth, wine (make sure you use a wine that you'd actually drink), tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder and garlic powder. Bring to a boil.  

Stir in tortellini; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-8 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.

 

 

Add the spinach, oregano, thyme, basil, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper; cook 2-3 minutes longer or until spinach is wilted.

 

It looks like a lot, but it will wilt in just a couple of minutes. See?

  

This recipe makes 2 quarts, which is about 6 generous portions.

 

I just happened to have about 3 tablespoons of heavy cream that I threw into the pot at the last minute just to get it out of my refrigerator, which explains the creamy color of the soup (If you're cutting calories, feel free to omit). To finish it off, I top it with some freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add a crusty roll and a side salad, and you've got dinner!

Some Like It Quick and Easy

My husband has been trying to convince me to post more of his favorite recipes that I make at home on a regular basis. This post is for him :)

Like most people who work a 9-5 job, when I get home, I often do not feel like cooking a fancy elaborate dinner. I want something simple, healthy (usually) and tasty. I've decided to add a new category to my blog, Meals Under 30 (minutes). (Well 30 Minute Meals was taken). From start to finish, these meals should usually take less than 30 minutes and should be appropriate even for the beginner cook.

Without further ado, my first Meal Under 30.

BBQ Biscuit Cups
These are easy to make, fun to eat and kids will love them.

I got this recipe off the Pillsbury website and modified it to suit my own tastes. You can find the original here

-1 pound ground beef 
-Non-stick cooking spray
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1 small yellow onion, finely chopped 
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp black pepper
-1/2 tsp garlic powder
-1/2 tsp onion powder
-1/2 tsp of your favorite grill seasoning
-1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
-1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce 
-1/4 cup brown sugar
-1/2 chopped green onion
-1 can (12 oz) refrigerated biscuits
-1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

-Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

-Spray 10 regular muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray

-Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute until soft (about 2-3 minutes)

-Add ground beef, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, grill seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook until ground beef is no longer pink (about 6-8 minutes)

-While beef is cooking, separate dough into 10 biscuits. Place 1 biscuit in each muffin cup. Firmly press in bottom and up sides

-After beef is browned, drain off all the excess fat. Add barbecue sauce, brown sugar and green onions. Cook one additional minute to let flavors meld.

-Divide beef mixture evenly between the 10 prepared biscuit cups. Sprinkle each cup with cheddar cheese.

-Bake for 10-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 1 minute in the pan. Remove from muffin pan.

This can be a healthy recipe if you use 96-4 (4% fat) and 2% cheddar, or you can make it more decadent by using higher fat content meat and cheese. It's up to you :)