Minestrone Soup

This soup is comforting and delicious but also very quick and versatile when dealing with dietary restrictions! This is a recipe easily made Vegetarian, Gluten Free, or Extra Hearty to fill even the hungriest diners! Hope you enjoy our favorite Minestrone Soup!

INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pound buffalo/beef
1/2 yellow onion chopped
3-4 garlic cloves grated or chopped
1-2 carrots chopped
1-2 stalks celery chopped
6 cups chicken stock
1 can kidney beans
1 can cannelloni beans
1 large can tomato sauce
1 small can diced tomatoes (or I sometimes use chopped fresh tomatoes with the other fresh ingredients)
1 heaping tbsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp marjoram
1 cup of mini shells pasta (or whatever kind you like)

DIRECTIONS:
Using a large soup pot over medium-high heat brown the meat. Salt and pepper generously. Add the fresh ingredients and cook until tender. Add stock, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and beans. Bring these ingredients to a boil and then lower to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Add the spices along with any salt and pepper right at the end. If serving immediately add the pasta at the end of cooking time and serve when pasta is al dente. Top your bowl with a healthy amount of Parmesan Cheese!

For the pasta portion I tend to do the following:
Cook your pasta of choice separately in salted water until al dente. Add to the soup per bowl and then combine with cooled soup for storage. This keeps the pasta from getting overcooked and is also a way for me to keep this meal Gluten Free using Ancient Harvest GF Pasta and Kurt to get extra protein using his Barilla PLUS Pasta without having to make two separate dinners!

P-Dub's Brisket

This was my first brisket attempt. I was nervous. For one, the meat was expensive and I really didn't want it to go to waste. Two, I was making it for a group of people.. I wanted it to be delish! Leave it to the Pioneer Woman to come through for me! I made her Passover Brisket and not only was it easy, but it was very, very good. My husband even called me from work while he was eating the leftovers just to tell me how wonderful it was! Next time (and there will be a next time!) I think I will use one 12oz bottle of chili sauce and one 12oz bottle of BBQ sauce. Also, I read in the comments section of PW's blog that it is best to cook the brisket the day before you plan to serve it. This requires way too much self control for me, but I think it would be worth it if you can manage to not eat it when your home smells so wonderful!!

Ingredients:

6-8 pound brisket, trimmed of fat

24 oz ketchup or chili sauce

1 package of dried onion soup

1 cup of water

Directions:

Place the meat in a large baking dish. Combine the other ingredients and pour over the top. Cover and let the meat marinate for about 24 hours. Bake, covered, in a 275 degree oven for 6-8 hours (depending on how many pounds of meat). I tested the meat around 6 hours into the baking time with two forks to see how tender the meat was. When it's done, cut the meat against the grain! Voila!

Granny's Goulash

There is nothing fancy about this meal, but it's good and both my men love it!

Add as little or as much of each ingredient as you'd like!

Ingredients:

medium onion, chopped

1lb ground beef

1 14oz can of diced tomatoes

6oz of tomato paste

6oz of water

1 T of Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper to taste

ketchup

shredded cheese

1lb of cooked macaroni

Directions:

Saute the onion until translucent, then add the ground beef and cook until brown. Add the diced tomatoes, paste, water, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Once that is mixed together add the ketchup, I usually start with about 1/4c. and adjust until I like the way it tastes. Add the macaroni and mix together. Top with shredded cheese and cover until the cheese melts.

That's it!!