BTW, Trisha Yearwood's Cheese Straw recipe gets rave
reviews. Does not use puff pasty....recipe on food.com
Posted on 05/28/2015 3:40:05 PM PDT by Jamestown1630
Many years ago, we invited a bunch of people for lunch two days after Christmas, to use up the leftovers from an enormous holiday dinner party. We had just found a great soup recipe that we thought would be a perfect addition to the leftover casserole. We added a crisp salad with a light dressing, and it was a great meal.
The casserole comes from an old edition of 'The Joy of Cooking', and uses leftover turkey. This was also a 'food memory' from a visit with a friend who invited me to lunch after a Thanksgiving.
The soup is a somewhat spicy Navy Bean-Spinach-Hot Sausage recipe; but you can tone it down by using mild sausage, and not using as many of the red pepper flakes as we do. (We like stuff hot ;-)
The day of our brunch was an extremely cold day, and some people had just come from the local, annual Christmas Count. They said that this soup was just the thing for their nearly-frozen extremities!
Sausage, Spinach and Bean Soup
8 oz. Hot Italian Sausage, casing removed (or your favorite sausage - I usually use one of the little 'chubs' of hot sausage)
1 tsp. Olive Oil
5 cloves Garlic, minced (Yes, 5; you may want to tone this down, too)
1/2 tsp. dried Red Pepper flakes
2 10-oz packages of fresh Spinach, torn (Baby Spinach is good here)
2 15-oz cans of Great Northern Beans, undrained
1/4 cup unsalted Butter
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan Cheese
2 plum Tomatoes, diced (can use canned)
2 T. chopped Parsley
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
3 cups Chicken Broth
Brown sausage in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat for 10 minutes, breaking it up and stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink.
Add garlic and crushed red pepper, and saute 2 minutes.
Add spinach and saute 2 minutes, or until wilted.
Stir in the beans and cook 1 minute. Add broth, and bring to a boil. Add butter, cheese, tomato and 1 T. parsley.
Cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in salt and pepper.
Sprinkle each serving evenly with 1 T. parsley.
And, the casserole:
Turkey or Chicken Casserole with Vegetables
(this is almost the same recipe as the one in 'The Joy of Cooking'; I add chopped walnuts or pecans sprinkled on top before baking, as per the original:
http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/turkey-or-chicken-casserole-with-vegetables/22145
-JT
Thanks that sounds great. My daughter fixed something similar once, but lost the recipe. It was really good, so I’ll be keeping this for a winter day. I do most of my baking in the winter.
A delicious no-cal salad dressing: just add a packet of sweetener to 1/2 c balsamic vinegar-—can blender w/ a ripe tomato for more flavor.
We are not big fans of guacamole. I’ve tried several recipes using avocado, but haven’t really found one we like that much. Glad to hear that a person can handle them quickly.
I had trouble with the ones we bought - I don’t think we get very good quality from the local Walmart either. I do keep some avocado oil in the refrigerator to use now and then.
The recipe sounds interesting- thanks for posting it.
Kids love "Trail Mix"......they don't know its nutritious.
Just bowl up raisins, dried apricots, chopped dates rolled in dry oatmeal, lots of bran flakes (or other sugarless cereal), honey-roasted peanuts, popcorn, pretzel sticks, chocolate chips......the idea is to add whatever you, or she, likes.
Nice TV munch. Can take it with them out to play in lidded boxes.
Thanks for posting this; I’ve never had success with crouton-making, but I’ve never tried anything but regular sandwich bread. I’ll try your recipe!
-JT
I will eat puff pastry plain! Once my husband saw a TV chef make it, and wanted to try himself. It’s a lot of time and work, and we didn’t do it again; but it turned out pretty good, and I had pastry for months of these:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/cheese-straws-recipe.html
-JT
BTW, Trisha Yearwood's Cheese Straw recipe gets rave
reviews. Does not use puff pasty....recipe on food.com
Every
Single
Time.
Trust me.
On the up side.. I've got ice cream working in the freezer. ;)
/johnny
Ran across this today...meat loaf recipe thought you might enjoy
http://www.whatscookinchicago.com/2015/05/bacon-blue-cheese-meatloaf-with.html
Not that there is anything wrong with that...
/johnny
Hey, you’re back!
Doin’ ok?
/johnny
Um....why were you almost-boiling whipping cream?
We have your back ;)
Missed you and glad to see you here!
Wow, now that sounds like a fun job. I wish I was near you - I’d volunteer to help and learn a lot!
/johnny
I use puff pastry and make turnovers sometimes on the weekends. I just thaw one sheet, and when I say just that I mean as soon as you can unfold it I use it so it is still cold. Cut one sheet into 4 squares and dab on a tablespoon of your favorite apple or any fruit preserves. Pear is good and I also like blackberry preserves and goat cheese. Fold over into a triangle and bake at 350 for 5 minutes or so. Don’t pinch them closed too tight. Ice with a simple powdered sugar/milk icing.
Hey, FRiend....thought I’d pop in on this thread and say...SO good to see you...and that custard ice cream sounds wonderful ;-)
Or I'd be having more.
I guess I'm stuck with candy bars until tomorrow sometime. ;)
12 egg yolks per 1/2 gallon recipe.
/johnny
Gee....candy bars and homemade custard ice cream....
...THAT is something I could dive right in to :)
Nothing better than homemade ice cream. I think I’d crumble up some of the candy bars into my bowl of ice cream.
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