Kristen's Recipes

16 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage

2 C. diced onions

1 C. diced carrots

5 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

4 C. chicken broth

14 1/2 ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes

10 ounces tomato sauce

1 C. dry Campanelle pasta

2 C. chopped fresh spinach

4 ounces diced provolone cheese

1 ounce fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1 T. plus 1 tsp. sliced fresh basil

 

In a Dutch oven over medium-high, add sausage and cook until browned – crumble the sausage as you go with a wooden spoon. Add the onions and carrots – cook 3 minutes. Mix in the garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper – cook 1 minute. Pour in the broth, crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and add in the pasta. Simmer soup until the pasta has cooked. Mix in the fresh spinach and cook until wilted – about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. To serve – place 1 ounce of diced provolone in the bottom of 4 bowls. Evenly divide the soup between the 4 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan and basil.

 

3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

2 large cauliflowers, one chopped, one cut into neat and uniform little florets

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. salt

6 C. water

3 C. grated cheddar cheese

2 C. milk (whole milk tastes best, but you can substitute low-fat)

2 tsp dill

1 tsp caraway seeds (so good and really important, don’t leave these out!)

Black pepper, to taste.

 

Place the potatoes, garlic, onion, salt and water into a large pot. Add the chopped cauliflower chunks (reserve the tidy florets!). Bring to a boil and simmer until the vegetables are very soft (~30 minutes). While the veggies are cooking, steam the reserved cauliflower florets until tender. Puree the stewed veggies in batches in a blender. Return the puree to the original pot, stir in the steamed cauliflower florets and the remaining ingredients. Heat gently until the cheese is completely melted. Serve topped with extra cheese and fresh pepper.

3 C. chopped onions

3 celery stalks, diced

1 T. oil

2 bell peppers (any color), diced

1 dash cayenne (more for hotter)

2 T. curry powder

1 C. brown rice

1 28oz can diced tomatoes

6 C. water

1 tsp salt

1/2 C. natural peanut butter

1 T. sugar

Juice of one lime

 

Chopped cilantro, chopped scallions, and/or ground peanuts for toppings (optional). In a large pot, sauté the onions and celery ~10 minutes on medium heat. Add the bell peppers and sauté ~5 minutes more. Add the cayenne and curry powder. Add the rice, water, tomatoes and salt. Stir well. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let cook ~40 minutes, until rice is tender. Whisk in the peanut butter, lime juice, and sugar. Add water if soup is too thick. Taste it, and add more salt or sugar as needed. Serve topped with chopped scallions, cilantro, ground peanuts, lime wedges, etc. This recipe makes approximately 12 servings.

2 medium ham hocks, about 2 pounds

1 pound medium shrimp

3 T. vegetable oil, like soy, peanut, or corn

2 T. tomato paste

1 head garlic, halved, plus 6 cloves sliced

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 wide strips lemon zest

1 large onion, sliced

1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced (like it hot? Keep the seeds)

6 canned whole plum tomatoes

12 ounces frozen black-eyed peas (about 2 heaping C.)

10 C. chopped escarole, 2 small or 1 large head

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges

 

Cover the ham hocks with cold water in a soup pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes. Drain the water, set the hocks aside.  Meanwhile, peel the shrimp, reserve the shells. Devein the shrimp and refrigerate.  Heat 1 T. of the oil in a soup pot over medium heat; add the shrimp shells and tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until the shells turn pink, about 3 minutes. Add the ham hocks, halved garlic, thyme, lemon zest, and 3 quarts cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until the meat falls off the ham hock, about 1 1/2 hours.  Strain the broth into a bowl (you should have about 6 C. broth), and save the ham hocks. When the ham hocks are cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bone; discard the rind, fat, and bone. (This can be done a day ahead.)  In a large soup pot, heat the remaining 2 T. oil over medium heat. Add the onion, sliced garlic, and 1/2 of the jalapeno. Crush the tomatoes through your hands and add to the pot along with their juices and cook until onions soften and tomatoes dry, about 10 minutes. Add the broth, ham, black-eyed peas, and bring to a boil, adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until the peas soften, but hold their shape, about 20 minutes. Add the escarole, and the remaining jalapeno, and cook until the greens wilt, about 7 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and cook until the shrimp turn pink and curl, about 3 minutes. Divide the soup evenly into warmed bowls. Serve with a lemon wedge.

1 12 to 14-ounce package of dried white beans, rinsed, picked over and soaked overnight

8 ounce length of Chorizo or other spicy sausage

3 T. pure olive oil

2 T. butter

6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

2 scotch bonnet, chilies, stemmed, seeded and minced

2 poblano chilies, stemmed, seeded and diced medium

1 C. red onion, minced

3 quarts chicken stock or water

1/2 pound beef chuck steak, left in one piece, rubbed with salt and pepper

1 smoked pork hock or ham bone

2 bay leaves, broken

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 red potato, scrubbed and diced into large bite sized pieces

1 turnip, peeled and diced into large bite sized pieces

2 C. (packed) collard greens, stems cut out, washed and cut in shreds

More salt and pepper to taste

 

Heat a large, heavy soup pot on medium heat and add the olive oil. Once it is warm lay the chorizo sausage in the pan and turn it as necessary to brown. Pierce the sausage casing and cook until done. Allow to cool a few minutes and then place it in the refrigerator to firm up.  Now working in the same soup pot add the butter. Heat on medium heat and allow the butter to melt. Now add the garlic, chilies and red onion. Allow to cook 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Drain the soaking beans and add them to the pan. Stir well. Add the stock, the hock (or bone) and bay leaves. Turn up the heat and bring it to just under a boil, skimming as necessary. Lower the heat to low and add the beef chuck. Do not cover. Stir occasionally, taking care to not let the beans stick to the bottom.  When the beans are almost tender, season them with salt and pepper. Now add the potato, turnip and collards. Cook until the potato is just tender, (about 45 minutes). Cut the chorizo into 1/2-inch rounds and add it to the soup. Remove the beef and allow it to cool on a plate. Turn off the soup. Shred the beef apart and add it back to the soup. Season to taste and serve.