Minestrone Soup

Temperatures have been consistently in the 90s. So Joan decided to make this soup recipe with the fresh produce she had.

1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon oil
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups reduce sodium beef broth
1 cup chopped poatoes
1 cup peeled and slice carrots
(May substitute 2 cups of any other desired vegetables, such as green beans,
broccoli, zucchini for potatoes or carrots - or just add these extras anyways)
1/2 cup dry pasta, any shape
1 can (15 ounces) beans of any kind, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in large pot, add onion, celery, garlic and cook over medium heat until onion is tender. Add tomatoes, parsley, basil, oregano, pepper, bay leaf, broth and vegetables. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add pasta and beans. Cook 10 minutes until pasta is done, remove bay leaf. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Make 8 servings.

Ziggy was right soup will cool you on a hot day. With had this soup with Chicken Parmesan pizza.


Next time, Joan plans to add another cup of beef broth to the recipe.

Peach Cobbler

Joan used fresh Pennsylvania peaches purchased at Sauder's to make this dessert.

3 pounds ripe fresh peaches
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 large egg

1. Heat oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease a 2-quart casserole. Peel and slice fresh peaches; place in greased casserole. Stir in lemon juice.
2. In 1-quart saucepan, stir together brown sugar and cornstarch. Gradually add water, stirring until cornstarch is dissolved. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened - about 5 minutes. Pour sauce over peaches in casserole.
3. Set aside 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. To prepare topping, in medium-size bowl, stir together remaining granulated sugar, the flour, baking powder, and salt. With wooden spoon, stir in butter and egg until a soft dough forms. Drop spoonfuls onto peach mixture (topping will spread as it bakes). Sprinkle with reserved 1 teaspoon granulated sugar.
4. Bake cobbler 40 to 45 minutes or until topping is golden brown and filling bubbles. Cool slightly on wire rack. Sprinkle with additional granulated sugar, if desired. Serve Peach Cobbler warm or a room temperature.

After inviting Lori over to share, we enjoyed this cobbler with French Vanilla ice cream.

This recipe was developed by Chi Chi Woods, a peach-grower's wife in Atwater, GA, for Country Living magazine.

Old-Fashioned Rice Pudding

Recipe appeared on the Minute Rice box.

Sent to 'Recipe Swap' (food@syracuse.com) for Shirley Farricy, of Syracuse, who requested the recipe.

4 cups milk
1 cup Original MINUTE© Rice or MINUTE© Premium Long Grain Rice
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
1 egg, well beaten
1 package (4 serving size) JELL-O© Vanilla or Coconut Cream Flavor Pudding and Pie Filling
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine milk, rice, pudding mix, raisins and egg in saucepan. Stir over medium heat until mixture just comes to a boil. Cool 5 minutes, stirring twice. Pour into desert dishes or serving bowl. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Serve warm.

Makes 10 servings.

Puffed Pancake

Taking advantage of the fresh seasonal fruit: peaches, red raspberries, and blueberries provided by Wegmans, Joan made this old favorite for Sunday brunch this morning. She also included fresh cantaloupe slices and link sausages.

Joan took this recipe from the Bed & Breakfast menu of the Shire Inn, Chelsea, Vermont. Built in 1832 by a successful Chelsea chair manufacturer, the inn's a great stop-off if you're traveling through Central Vermont and the Upper Connecticut River Valley.

Ingredients:

6 large eggs

1 cup milk

1/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup butter or margarine

For garnish: confectioners' sugar

Toppings: fruit preserves or jam (thinned with water until sauce consistency),
fresh fruit, bottled pourable fruit

Directions:

Put a 1 3x9-inch baking pan or dish in oven. Heat oven to 425°F.
Process eggs, milk, juice, sugar, flour and salt in blender or food processor until well blended.
Add butter to hot pan and heat 1 to 2 minutes until butter sizzles (check often so it doesn't get brown). Holding hot pan with potholders, tip to coat bottom with butter. Immediately pour in batter. Bake about 20 minutes until puffed and brown. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with toppings.

• Makes 6 servings.
You can halve the recipe and make this in a 9 inch cast-iron skillet to serve 3 or 4.

Rigatoni, White Beans and Sausage

Rigatoni, White Beans and Sausage

Joan recently purchased Marlene Koch's cookbook, Eat What You Love. This evening she served this dish which had a fabulous favor.

Ingredients:
8 ounces rigatoni
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 pound turkey kielbasa sausage, sliced thin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (14-ounce) can white cannellini beans, drained
1 (14-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, well drained
6 ounces (6 cups) baby spinach leaves
6 tablespoons finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions in a large pot. Drain and set aside.
2. Pour chicken broth and garlic into the same pot. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Add the sausage, oregano, and olive oil. Stir well.
3. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, and cooked past to the pot. Place the spinach on top of mixture. Cover with a lid and turn off the heat. Allow steam for about 1 minute, just until spinach has begun to wilt. Sir mixture.
4. Sere with a heaping tablespoon of Parmesan cheese on top and seasoned with black pepper to taste.

This recipe can be found on page 239 in Marlene Koch's cookbook, Eat What You Love.

Fresh-Picked Frittata

This dish is easy to personalize...just let everyone suggest a veggie and bake until the center is set!

1 c. redskin potatoes, diced
1/2 c. onion, diced
2 T. olive oil
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1 c. broccoli flowerets
1/2 c. red pepper, chopped
1/3 c. water
1-1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
8 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. dried basil
1 T. Italian salad dressing mix

Combine potatoes, onion, and oil in a skillet over medium heat; sauté until golden. Add mushrooms, broccoli, pepper and water; cover and cook just until potatoes are tender. Uncover and cook until liquid evaporates. Spoon vegetables into a lightly greased 9-1/2” round deep-dish baking pan; top with half the cheese. Whisk together remaining ingredients except cheese; pour evenly over top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes, or until a knife tip inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe can be found on page 109 of Get-Togethers with Gooseberry Patch Cookbook.

Lentil Soup

Health-conscious people are always telling how good lentils are for you.
This soup's great taste is an added bonus.

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium-sized carrots, finely chopped
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
5 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) ready-to-serve chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 package (12 ounces) dried lentils, washed and drained

In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat and sauté the onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Remove and discard the bay leaves before serving.

NOTE: For a heartier soup, add about 1 cup of chopped smoked ham or leftover cooked beef, or even chopped cold cuts, along with the other ingredients.

Joan made this soup using leftover Easter ham. She also serve the soup with a dinner salad. The salad contained fresh garden salad mix along with cubed ham, hard-boiled eggs, fresh Romaine lettuce, quartered vine-ripened tomatoes, cucumber slices, sliced red bell peppers, black olives, and sliced Provolone cheese topped with sweet and sour dressing.

This recipe can be found on page 54 in Mr. Food's Italian Kitchen cookbook.