So one of my new goals for the new year is to try at least one new recipe per week. I've really started to love cooking the more I do it and am venturing into it more and more. Last night I was pretty impressed with myself. I made french bread boules and tortellini minestrone soup. Oh, and to top it off was trying to make homemade blue cheese dressing when I realized I bought Gorgonzola cheese......it's gorgonzola cheese dressing. Very tasty!
here are the recipes
Minestrone Soup- makes a ton!
*1lb. hot pork sausage-out of casing
*1 yellow onion-finely chopped
*2 cloves garlic-chopped
*2 sticks celery-chopped
*1 can kidney beans-drained and rinsed
*1 14oz can diced tomatoes
*2 large carrots- cut in half length wise then diced
*32 oz. beef broth
*1 14oz. can tomato sauce
*4 cups water
*1 zuchinni-cut length wise then diced
*1/2 green bell pepper-diced
*1T. Italian Seasoning
*salt and pepper to taste
*1/4 cup Italian parsley-chopped
*2c. cheese tortellini or just cylinder shaped noodles work too....pene or rigatony
Grated Parmesean to top
In a dutch oven or large soup pot....brown the pork with the onion and garlic.
Add broth, tomato sauce, tomatoes, water, carrots, celery, beans, seasoning, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil then lower heat to a simmer until veggies are tender......20-30 min.
Add zuchinni, peppers, and parsely let simmer for 5-7 more minutes
Add pasta and simmer until pasta is cooked thoroughly.
Serve with grated parmesean on top! YUm YUM
French Bread Boules-
*3 cups warm water
*1 1/2 T. active yeast dry
*1 1/2 T. coarse Kosher salt
*6 1/2 c. all purpose flour
*corn meal
-IN a large bowl add water, salt and yeast. Let set for a couple of minutes to activate yeast.
-Add flour and mix until dough is wet. No need to kneed!
-Let set in the bowl loosly covered with a lid or kitchen towel (allow to breathe) for 2 hours
-Sprinkle cornmeal on the back side of a cookie sheet. This will let you slide the boules off the baking sheet easier.
-After the dough has risen (about 2 hours) cut off grapefruit size chunks and work into nice smooth balls. You will need to add some flour because it will be sticky! Pull the sides of the dough under the ball so that it is nice and smooth on top. Place on the cornmeal spread cookie sheet.
-Let dough sit uncovered on the sheet for 40 min. They will rise a little bit more.
-Preheat oven to 450 degrees! 20 minutes before baking place another cookie sheet (you will place the dough on this one) plus a large roasting pan in the oven. The roasting pan should be on the lowest rack and there should not be any racks above the cookie sheet for the bread.
-Sprinkle each boule with flour and Using a seraded knife, slice a V or tic-tac-toe board shape in the top of each boule.
-Slide the dough boules onto the hot cookie sheet and place back in the oven. Quickly and carefully pour 1 cup hot water into the roasting pan and close the oven to cook.
-Bake until golden brown. Aprox. 20 min. depending on your oven and size of boules.
Okay so it may sound a little complicated but I will be making these often as they are so delicious! They were great with the soup inside but I'd probably do them with a creamy soup next time as the bread got a little mushy after a while.
Let me know if you try it and what you think! Until my next cooking adventure..............
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