HEARTY TUSCAN SOUP

HEARTY TUSCAN SOUP RECIPE

 

Hearty Tuscan Soup - charred tomatoes make this soup a little smoky and sweet. And it only tastes 10 minutes to prep!PREP TIME

10 mins

COOK TIME

20 mins

TOTAL TIME

30 mins

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  
  
• 15 oz canellini beans, drained
• 15 oz canned fire roasted diced tomatoes
• ⅓ cup elbow macaroni
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 zucchini, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp thyme, chopped
• 1 heaping cup spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 qt  vegetable broth
• freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pot over high heat, add olive oil, garlic, thyme and onions and cook for 3-4 minutes, until onions are translucent.
2. Add all other ingredients - except the macaroni - and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add macaroni, bring the soup back up to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
5. Serve hot and topped with a little freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Baked Caprese Gnocchi

The end result was this pretty awesome gnocchi bake ...

Baked Caprese gnocchi

 

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

Ingredients

for the tomato and basil sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil ( I used a basil-flavoured one)
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 6 large, ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• ½ cup tomato passata
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• salt & pepper to taste
• small handful fresh basil leaves, roughly torn

For the gnocchi bake

• 1kg ready-made gnocchi , boiled in salted water until cooked then drained
• 100g mozzarella, cubed
• fresh basil leaves

Instructions

1. To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large pan then fry the onion until soft and translucent.
2. Add the garlic and fry for another 30 seconds before adding the tomatoes.
3. Allow the tomatoes to cook until they start to break down then add the passata, bay leaves, sugar, salt and pepper.
4. Turn the heat down and allow to gently simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Add a splash of water if you see the sauce cooking down too much.
5. When the sauce is cooked, adjust the seasoning and add the fresh basil.
6. Pre-heat the oven (with grill setting) to 220°c.
7. Combine the cooked gnocchi with the sauce then add cubes of mozzarella.
8. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese has melted.
9. Remove and top with fresh basil before serving.

CHICKEN CABBAGE STIR FRY ... DO NOT LOSE THIS!

Ingredients
~ 3 chicken breast halves
~1 teaspoon oil of your liking
~3 cups green cabbage, shredded
~1/2 cup diced red bell peppers
~ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
~1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
~1 teaspoon garlic powder
~1⁄2 cup water
~Soy sauce to taste 

Directions
1. Cut chicken breasts into strips.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan.
3. Add chicken strips and stir fry over medium-high heat, turning constantly until done.
4. Add cabbage and red peppers and sauté 2 minutes until cabbage is crisp-tender.
5. Mix cornstarch and seasonings; add water and soy sauce, and mix until smooth.
6. Stir sauce into chicken/cabbage mixture.
7. Cook until sauce has thickened and chicken is coated, about 1 minute.
8. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. If you have any leftovers that is…..
(You can add onions and red peppers to taste)

JAMAICAN BANANA BREAD

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2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt (or pina colada flavored!!)
3 tablespoons dark rum OR apple cider
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, rum, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.
Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely on wire rack
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Pepper Steak

1 lb beef top round steak, cut 1 inch thick
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
1 can chopped tomato, drained or 2 medium tomatoes blanched,peeled and cut into wedges
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water

Directions:
Slice the beef into 3 inch strips 1/4 inch wide. Heat 1 T. oil in skillet on medium high and add onion and garlic, stirring until onion is tender, around 4 or 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add remaining oil and saute the beef until browned.
Remove with a slotted spoon. Add the broth, soy sauce, sugar and ground pepper to the skillet, stir well.Return beef, onion and garlic to skillet and simmer for 30 minutes. Add celery, bell pepper and tomatoes. Cover and cook until celery and peppers are crisp/tender-around 5 minutes. Dissolve the cornstarch in cold water.
Stir into the skillet stirring constantly until thickened around 2 minutes
.

Italian Love Cake

Italian Love Cake

2 lbs ricotta cheese
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (3 3/4 ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup milk
8 ounces non-dairy whipped topping, thawed (such as CoolWhip)
1 box fudge marble cake mix

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare cake as directed on box and pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 pan.
In separate bowl, combine ricotta, sugar, eggs, and vanilla; mix well.
Spoon over unbaked cake.
Bake cake for 1 hour.
Cool.
Mix instant pudding with milk; fold in whipped topping.
Spread over cake; refrigerate.

Easy Homemade Apple Fritters

Easy Homemade Apple Fritters

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup chopped apple

Glaze:
•2 cups powdered sugar
•1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Directions

Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon. Stir in milk and egg until just combined. Fold in apple. Pour oil into skillet so that it is approximately 1 1/2 deep. Heat oil on high. Oil is ready when a little dough thrown in floats to top. Carefully add dough to oil in heaping teaspoons. Cook until brown, about 2 minutes, then flip. Cook another 1-2 minutes, until both sides are browned. Transfer briefly to paper towels to absorb excess oil, then transfer to cooling rack. Make glaze by stirring milk and powdered sugar together in a small bowl. Drizzle over apple fritters. Wait approximately 3 minutes for glaze to harden, then flip fritters and drizzle glaze over the other side. Best served warm.