Italian Sausage and White Bean Soup

Summer is pretty much over. 

But you know what?

I am ok with it. 

Actually at this point, I am welcoming fall. I have had some serious soup cravings lately and let me tell you what...this soup won. 

Usually I am the girl that wants it to be 95+ degrees all year round with NO SNOW EVER. 

And I'm sticking with that last part.

BUT since having a kid...and taking care of said kid in a house with only a window air conditioner... I am ok with the heat wave heading on out. 

Also, I was like a billion pounds pregnant last summer when it literally was 95+ degrees every single day... and it wasn't fun. 

And this year was fun, but you can't take a 6-9 month old child to the beach for 8 hours in 95+ degree weather.. No. 

And you can't tell a 6-9 month old baby to go run through the sprinkler when it gets so hot we can't even breath. 

So goodbye summer. 

Hello fall. 

Fall means soup and cute sweaters and scarves and pumpkin and snuggling to get warm and pretty leaves and holidays and last minute attempts to enjoy the outdoors and coffee and hot cocoa and and and... 

And soup. 

Italian Sausage and White Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 15oz. can great northern beans or cannellini beans, drained

1 lb ground sausage

1 small onion, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

3 tbsp olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 15oz. can diced tomatoes

6-8 cups chicken broth

1 tsp. dried thyme

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup ditalini pasta

grated parmesan or mozzarella

Directions:

Brown the sausage in a large pot and remove when done. Remove most of the grease (if any) and add olive oil, carrot, and onion and saute about 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and saute another minute.

Add tomatoes, 6 cups broth, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper, beans, and sausage and cover. Cook on low for an hour at a simmer. Add pasta and cook uncovered until pasta is tender. At this point you can determine if you want to add more broth. I made 8 cups of broth just in case, but only ended up using 6 cups.

Top with grated cheese before serving. (Parmesan is preferred over mozzarella)

Recipe slightly adapted from: The Italian Dish

I told you this soup won. 

Caesar Pasta Salad

Ok this is how I feel about pasta salad: BORING!!



Seriously, it's all the same.
Don't get me wrong. Pasta salad has its place. It's a great summer side dish.

I'm just so over the same pasta salad at every single barbecue.
Pasta. Italian dressing. Pepperoni.



So when I was asked to bring a pasta salad to a summer party, I went searching for something NOT doused in italian dressing.

Ok. So this is doused in caesar dressing. BUT it's delicious. And it's different.



So next time you're asked to one of those "bring a dish to pass" summer gatherings, try this salad instead.

Caesar Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
1 16 oz box rotini pasta
1 1/2 cups creamy Caesar salad dressing
1 lemon, zest and juice
4 tbsp fresh parsley
1/2-1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cup garlic croutons
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook pasta according to directions on box. Drain and rise with cold water.
Combine salad dressing, lemon zest and juice, and parsley. Add pasta and remaining ingredients.
Serve chilled.

Note: I tossed extra caesar dressing on it right before I served, because no one likes a dry pasta salad. ;)

Recipe slightly adapted from: Sandra Lee

Mexican Stuffed Shells

So I have like a thousand food pins on pinterest and can count on both hands the times I've actually tried a recipe. I decided it was time to quit drooling and start cooking. The biggest reason I started this blog was not to become famous or make money (HA!) it was to encourage you and myself to enjoy food. Try new things! I feel like there are SO many flavors out there and all too often we limit our tastebuds to the common and easy (i.e. spaghetti, hamburger, cereal, bla bla bla.) Life is too short to live on the same 5 meals each week. 

Enter the combination of Italian and Mexican. Genius.

These stuffed shells were seriously amazing. I found this recipe online and made a few changes to suit my tastes. My husband and I LOVED them. I wished I had made a double batch because we hardly had any left overs!

So ditch tonights menu of cereal (and more cereal) and make them. You won't regret it.

First preheat the oven to 350 and start boiling the shells.

Then brown one pound ground beef. I tossed in half of one small onion and a handful of cilantro. (That's a technical kitchen measurement by the way...one handful.) I always make my own taco seasoning* and toss it in as the meat is cooking, but you could easily just use a store bought package. 

Once the beef is browned, add an entire container of Philadelphia Cooking Creme: Santa Fe Blend and stir until well blended. YUM. (This cooking creme has some extreme flavor. So if you want a little less zing, do half a container of the creme and half a block of cream cheese. Seriously, I'm ALL about making changes to suit your preference...thats the fun in cooking!)

Stuff those babies and pour sauce over everything. These will bake for about a half hour before cheese is added. 

Once the shells are completely done garnish with green onion and serve with sour cream (if desired.)

These stuffed shells would be perfect for a Mexican themed party (I know...duh). They are so easy to make you could pre-make a few batches and just toss in the oven before your guests arrive. 

Mexican Stuffed Shells

 Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 package taco seasoning (or homemade version)
1/2 of a small onion, diced
1 handful of cilantro (optional)
10 oz container of Philadelphia Cooking Creme: Santa Fe Blend
14-16 jumbo pasta shells
1.5 cup salsa
1 cup taco sauce
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup monterey jack cheese
Green onions, chopped (optional)
Sour Cream (optional)

*(Taco Seasoning: For one pound ground beef I season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add about two teaspoons of chili powder and one teaspoon of ground cumin)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.

Brown ground beef and add taco seasoning, onion, and cilantro.  Add cooking creme (or cream cheese mixture), stirring over low heat until completely mixed together.  Set aside and cool completely.  While the ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to directions; drain.

Pour salsa on bottom of 9×13 baking dish.  Stuff each shell with the meat/cheese mixture. Place shells in 9×13 pan open side up and cover with taco sauce.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes add shredded cheese, remove the foil and bake for 10-15 more minutes.  Top with any condiments you’d like (green onions, black olives, etc.) Serve with sour cream and/or more salsa.

Adapted from: The Way To His Heart

Make These.