Olive Garden offers its patrons three kinds of traditional Italian soups - Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Beans), Classic Minestrone, and Zuppa Toscana. While I like all three soups, I'm especially fond of the Zuppa Toscana. Anyone who says "Zuppa Toscana" isn't Tuscan, obviously doesn't know Tuscan food. It's about as Tuscan as you can get. Below is a recipe that duplicates it well as it was taken directly from Olive Garden's own cookbook. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Pair it with a salad and a loaf of crusty bread and you'll have a nutritious and filling meal.
Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients:
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1 ½ tsp. crushed red peppers
1 large diced white onion
4 T. bacon pieces
2 tsp. garlic puree
10 C. water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 C. heavy cream
1 lb. sliced Russet potatoes, about 3 large potatoes
¼ of a bunch of fresh kale
Directions:
1. Saute Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in pot.
2. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
3. In the same pan, saute bacon, onions and garlic for approxiamtly 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
4. Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling.
5. Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
6. Add heavy cream and cook until thoughouly heated.
7. Stir in the sausage.
8. Add kale just before serving.
This is really delicious!
Buon appetito!
Showing posts with label soups. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soups. Show all posts
Monday, March 3, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Recipe - Split Pea Soup
Winter seems to be heaving one last, big gasp in many parts of the country, one of them being where I live. Even though we know spring is just around the corner, on cold days like today, one of the things I love most is a wonderful bowl or two of soup. A big plus is that most soups are quite healthy as well as delicious. The low fat, high fiber spilt pea soup presented below is both warming and filling. Pair it with some crusty homemade whole grain bread and I can't think of a better way to welcome your loved ones home from school or work, or just to treat yourself.
Split Pea Soup
Ingredients:
1 T. canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, diced
1 stick of celery, chopped
1 small russet potato, peeled and cut into pieces
4 Cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 Cups of water
1 1/2 Cups dried split green peas, picked through and rinsed
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large pot.
2. Sauté garlic, onions, carrots and celery for 3-4 minutes, until softened.
3. Add potatoes, broth, water and dried split peas. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Allow soup to cool a little. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.
5. Season to taste.
Serves 6
I've now presented three soups that are wonderful for wintertime dining and extremely healty as well. I hope you'll try at least one of them and let me know what you think.
Bon Appetit!
Split Pea Soup
Ingredients:
1 T. canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, diced
1 stick of celery, chopped
1 small russet potato, peeled and cut into pieces
4 Cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 Cups of water
1 1/2 Cups dried split green peas, picked through and rinsed
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large pot.
2. Sauté garlic, onions, carrots and celery for 3-4 minutes, until softened.
3. Add potatoes, broth, water and dried split peas. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Allow soup to cool a little. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.
5. Season to taste.
Serves 6
I've now presented three soups that are wonderful for wintertime dining and extremely healty as well. I hope you'll try at least one of them and let me know what you think.
Bon Appetit!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Recipe - Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup
It was relatively warm (50s) and quite sunny here yesterday, but today, though still warm, is very rainy, so feels chillier than it really is. Tonight, however, winter is going to make a return.
I thought this would be a good time to offer yet another great wintertime soup recipe. Those who like winter squash should like the previously posted recipe, but if you're looing for something just a bit sweeter, but still very healthy (eat as many of those deep orange vegetables as you can), this Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup should fill the bill quite nicely. It's naturally sweet, but has some spiciness due to the addition of curry powder and cumin. Enjoy it with whole grain bread or whole grain crackers.
Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients:
2 tsp. olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. cumin
2 T. curry powder
1 pound bag of baby carrots
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 1/2 cups fat-free, low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven and saute onion until softened.
2. Stir in cumin and curry powder and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add carrots, sweet potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
4. When cool, transfer vegetables to a blender and blend until smooth, working in batches.
5. Return to Dutch oven to reheat.
Serves 6
I thought this would be a good time to offer yet another great wintertime soup recipe. Those who like winter squash should like the previously posted recipe, but if you're looing for something just a bit sweeter, but still very healthy (eat as many of those deep orange vegetables as you can), this Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup should fill the bill quite nicely. It's naturally sweet, but has some spiciness due to the addition of curry powder and cumin. Enjoy it with whole grain bread or whole grain crackers.
Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients:
2 tsp. olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. cumin
2 T. curry powder
1 pound bag of baby carrots
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 1/2 cups fat-free, low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven and saute onion until softened.
2. Stir in cumin and curry powder and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add carrots, sweet potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
4. When cool, transfer vegetables to a blender and blend until smooth, working in batches.
5. Return to Dutch oven to reheat.
Serves 6
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