PASTA E FAGOLI

My Nana Ortenzi used to make this wonderful soup. So I made my version of it. OK Ortenzi /Ordille cousins...what do you think??? Is it right?

PASTA E FAGOLI

3 teaspoons oil

2 lbs ground beef or Italian sausage (or a mixture of both)

1 1/2 cups  carrots, chopped                      

1 1/2 cups   onions, chopped

5 stalks celery, diced

48 ounces diced canned tomatoes

2 14 oz cans red kidney beans

2 14 oz cans white cannelli beans

8 cups beef stock

3 teaspoons oregano

2 1/2 teaspoons pepper 

3 teaspoons Italian seasoning                                                 

5 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce (more or less to taste)

48 ounces tomato sauce

8 ounces dry small elbow macaroni

Directions:

1. Sauté meat in oil in large 10 quart pot until beef  browns. Drain.
2. Add onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minute.
3. Drain and rinse beans and add to pot along with beef stock, oregano, Italian seasoning, pepper, Tabasco, sauce and pasta .
4. Simmer until celery and carrots are tender, about 45 minutes.
5. Serve, topped with fresh parmesan   
6. NOTES : Makes 10 quarts! Just cut the recipe down for smaller batches or FREEZE for later or SHARE with friends. Serve with crusty Italian bread and a salad!

  

STUFFED BAKED TOMATOES

STUFFED   BAKED  TOMATOES

When the tomatoes are in season is the time to make these! My kids use to gobble them up!

         6 medium ripe tomatoes

         Italian Bread crumbs

        Shredded Mozzarella

        Fresh Basil and Parsley-3 tbs chopped of each

        Salt and Pepper to taste

        Butter

        Shredded Cheddar

Cut the top off the tomato. Throw away. Scoop out the insides of the tomatoes. Dice up and put in a medium sized bowl. Add equal amount of cheese to diced tomatoes. Add just enough of Italian Bread crumbs to bind together. Add spices, salt and pepper. Stuff into tomatoes. Top with a pat of butter and shredded cheddar. Place tomatoes in a small baking dish. 

Bake- 350 degrees 15-20 min til hot and bubbly, soft and still holding shape.

or 

Microwave Hi-3-4 minutes, checking for softness, continue in minute intervals until done.

Serve with your favorite steak, chicken or fish dishes!

               

Jack Kapp's Macaroni Salad

My friend and former Mayor of Haymarket , Virgina Jack Kapp shared this wonderful recipe of his for Macaroni salad! I am not a fan of Macaroni Salad but this one I LOVE! It is light and not heavy as most are! Hope you all like it as much as I do!

Jack Kapp's Macaroni Salad

– yields 8 cooked cups

4 – 5 hard boiled eggs

1 ½ cups mayo

2/3 cups sour cream

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar (I use a little less)

2 teaspoons mustard

1 bunch green onions, diced

cucumber about 6 inches of an English cucumber, chopped

radishes 6 – 8, chopped

celery 3 – 4 stalks, diced

2 16 oz box of Elbow Macaroni, cooked to al denti

Cook macaroni as directed. Drain and cool. Mix rest of ingredients with the macaroni. Mix thoroughly  Chill til cold. 

Homemade Meatballs ala Nana

Well, as a half Italian, I have to put a recipe in for Meatballs. My Nana Ortenzi showed me how to make these yummy little treasures!

MEATBALLS ALA NANA
1 1/2 lb meatloaf mix( ground beef, pork and chicken)
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese
1 Tbsp Garlic powder
1/4 tsp Oregano
1 Tbsp Fresh parsley minced (can use dried if no fresh available)
1/2 c Italian bread crumbs
1/4 c of milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together. Pinch off enough of mixture and roll into a ball about  the size of a golf ball.

~ Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1/2 hour. Turn the meatballs over so they cook evenly and are browned another give or take another 1/2 hour.

OR
~In a large skillet, brown the meatballs on all side. Place on paper towels to drain. Put meatballs in spaghetti sauce. simmering 2-3 hours.

OR

~After making meatballs, can drop them directly into fresh homemade spaghetti sauce and simmer 3 hours.

Serve with Spaghetti, a fresh salad and Italian bread!

My Blog

Thank you for viewing my blog...haven't posted too much recently. Most of my recipes are quick and very easy! I hope you do try them then come back and post a comment/review of the dish you tried! Preparing meals shows love to those to whom you are cooking! Buon appetito!
Patti

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

I was blessed with an invitation to Christmas dinner with Marsha Davis. She served this Pumpkin Soup and it was incredible. She gave me permission to post here on my blog..enjoy!

CREAMY PUMPKIN SOUP   from Anissa via Marsha Davis

4 Tblsp. butter (1/2 stick)
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 celery ribs, sliced (1/2 cup)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
4 cups chicken broth (vegetarians substitute  with Vegetable broth)
One 16 oz. can solid pack pumpkin
1 cup half and half
soft pretzels - you can buy them frozen then heat

Melt the butter in a large pan over medium high heat. When hot, add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until
softened. Stir in the salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute more.
Stir in the broth and continue to cook over medium high heat,
uncovered, for 15 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin and half and half.

Pour into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. If
using a blender, the mixture will have to be blended in two or three
batches. Return the soup to the pan and cook over medium heat,
stirring, until heated through. May be made ahead up to this point
and reheated.make the pretzels and serve with soup

CREAMY CRAB SOUP

This is the most fabulous recipe for cream of Crab soup from Betty Groff's Country Goodness Cookbook. Betty has a restaurant in Amish country in Lancaster PA. One of these days I will make it there!

 I use extra potatoes and occasionally add shrimp and scallops to make a seafood chowder. This is a favorite for Christmas Eve dinner following in the traditional Italian 7 Fishes meal. Buon appetito!

Crab Soup

Sauté the onion in the butter in a large, heavy soup kettle. Add the water, potatoes, celery, parsley, salt, pepper, and seafood seasoning. Cook, uncovered, for 12 minutes until tender. Most of the liquid will have evaporated. Sprinkle the flour over the potatoes and stir. Add the crab meat, evaporated milk, and milk and simmer on very low heat for 30 minutes more until the potatoes fall apart and thicken the soup. Note: Be sure the check crab meat carefully for shell pieces before adding it to the soup. Makes 6 servings

1/2 cup chopped onion 3 T. butter 2 cups water 2 med. potatoes, cut in julienne strips 1 cup finely chopped celery 1 T. chopped parsley 2 t. salt fresh ground pepper to taste 1/4 t. seafood seasoning, preferable Old Bay brand 2 T. flour 2 c. diced crab meat 1/2 c. evaporated milk 4 c. milk

The recipe above appears in:

Betty Groffs newly revised and illustrated Country Goodness Cookbook is a virtual cornucopia of family recipes and home-spun anecdotes. This 326 page soft-cover edition has seasonal menus, common sense cooking, and microwave ideas. As an added bonus this book is autographed by the author.Betty Groffs Country Goodness Cookbook $17.95.