Zuppa Toscana

This is my favorite soup at one of my favorite restaurants: Olive Garden.

(I am using a very small, very borrowed picture until I find the one I took, or make it again and take another!)

With the potatoes, bacon and sausage, it is real comfort food. It is also a cinch to make - BONUS! It does require a search for Kale in the produce section - but it is worth it! (The man who helped me at Harmon's said, "Oh, you want the kind to make that Olive Garden soup? We get people in here looking for that all the time!") I guess there are a couple of different kinds. The one you need is dark green with 'ruffled' edges. You can add it sooner to the soup if you want. As it simmers, it softens up a bit. I omit the red pepper flakes because my kids won't touch it with the extra spice. So, season according to your family's liking. This recipe will feed 6-8 people. I got it from Tuscan Recipes

Buon Appetito!

Zuppa Toscana

1 lb. ground Italian Sausage

1 1/2 tsp. crushed (dried) red peppers

1 large diced white onion

4 Tbs bacon pieces (or more - you can't go wrong with more bacon!)

2 tsp minced garlic

10 cups water

5 cubes chicken bouillon

1 cup heavy cream

1 lb. cubed Russet potatoes (about 3 large)

1/4 of a bunch of kale

Saute Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat. Put cooked sausage in a bowl.

In the same pan you cooked the sausage in, cook the bacon, onions and garlic over medium heat until the onions are soft.

Add water and chicken bouillon to pot and bring to a boil.

Add sliced potatoes and cook until soft - about 15 minutes. (Not too soft, they'll continue to cook as you finish up the soup.)

Add the heavy cream and cook until heated through.

Stir in sausage and kale. Let it all heat through and serve.

P.S. Sometimes I have to skim off fat from the sausage as the completed soup heats through. You'll know what I mean if you get orange liquid on the top!

Samoas Bars

These bars taste just like the Samoas Girl Scout Cookies. I love anything with chocolate, caramel or coconut - so to have all three in one dessert was awesome! I got this recipe from My Kitchen Cafe

Samoas Bars

Cookie Base:

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350.. Grease a 9x13 pan.

In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter until fluffy.

Beat in egg and vanilla extract.

At a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly.

Pour crumbly dough (it won't stick together.) into prepared pan and press into an even layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes until base is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely on a rack before topping.

Topping:

3 cups shredded coconut

14 oz. bag caramels

1/4 tsp. salt

3 Tbs. milk

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Spread coconut on a baking sheet and toast for 20 minutes, stirring very 5 minutes until it is golden. (Or microwave it in batches, stirring every so often.) Cool and set aside.

Unwrap caramels and microwave with milk and salt at 50% power for 1-2 minutes, stirring a few times to help the caramel melt.

When smooth, stir in toasted coconut. Drop by spoonfuls onto the cookie base. Spread the topping into an even layer.

Let cool and then cut into bars.

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave and then drizzle over the cut bars.

Enjoy your sugar rush!

Pumpkin Fudge

This treat is really yummy - tastes just like pumpkin pie! There is about 30 minutes of standing by the stove stirring - but if you have the ingredients measured and ready and follow the recipe exactly, it will turn out great for you! The fudge is creamy - but not gooey - and very sweet. A small piece definitely satisfies a sugar craving! (Recipe is from Allrecipes)

Here's to my favorite season of the year: Autumn!

Pumpkin Fudge

2 Tbs. Butter

2 1/2 cups white sugar

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 cup white chocolate chips

7 oz. marshmallow cream

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Line a 9x9 pan with aluminum foil and set aside.

In a 3 qt. saucepan, heat milk and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

Mix in pumpkin and cinnamon; bring back to a boil.

Stir in marshmallow and butter. Bring to a rolling boil.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for 18 minutes.

Remove from heat and add white chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir quickly until chips are melted and mixture is creamy.

Pour into prepared pan.

Cool (about 2 hours) and cut into squares.

Store in a cool dry place.

Too Much Chocolate Cake

This is my absolute FAVORITE chocolate cake. It is very rich - it definitely lives up to it's name! I got the recipe from AllRecipes.com.




Too Much Chocolate Cake


1 (18.25 oz.) box Devil's Food Cake mix
1 (5.9 oz.) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips.


Preheat oven to 350.


In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs, and water. stir in chocolate chips and pour batter into a well greased 12 cup bunt pan. (For other pans, follow the time on the cake mix box. You may need to cook a bit longer, start checking it at the time specified on the box. A clean toothpick means it's ready - just don't hit a melted chocolate chip!)


Bake for 50-55 minutes until top is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in the pan for at least an hour and a half before inverting onto a plate.

Rainbow Cake & Dump Truck Cake

I love decorating cakes. I've got very limited artistic talent - I'm the first to admit it - but when you get to eat your mistakes....beats an eraser any day!

Under the frosting of both cakes is "Too Much Chocolate Cake" - which will be my next post!

Gracie had a rainbow cake. The colors are Skittles and the clouds are marshmallows.

Shaylor had a 'Struction' Cake (Construction) - I found the dump truck, bulldozer, digger and cement truck candles at Zurchers for $3. I used Duncan Hines chocolate frosting(surprisingly yummy!), crushed oreos, and chocolate rocks (found at Gardner Village Sweet Shop).

Grilled Hawaiians

This recipe comes from Allrecipes. It is one of those that I come across and think, "Duh! Why didn't I think of that?!" It is so quick and easy. This ends up tasting like Ham and Pineapple Pizza when you dip it in the pizza sauce. You could fill the grilled sandwich with any combination of pizza toppings and then dip it in the sauce with the same effect. (Think pepperoni and olives, sausage and peppers, etc.) We LOVE Hawaiian pizza in this house, so we'll keep the recipe the way it is! Feel free to experiment though and let me know how it turns out!

Grilled Hawaiians

12 slices of bread

6 slices of Swiss cheese

6 slices of ham, cut thick

large can of crushed pineapple, drained

Butter

Pizza Sauce (found next to the pasta sauces in the grocery store)

Do you really need instructions for making grilled cheese? OK, but I feel a little silly writing it out! ;)

Butter one side of each piece of bread. Place a piece of bread, butter side down, onto a griddle (or fewer onto a frying pan). Layer the cheese, ham and then spread on some crushed pineapple. Top with another piece of bread, butter side up. Do this for all 6 sandwiches. Turn on the heat to medium and let it cook for about 5 minutes per side (Watch it carefully and turn it over when the first side is golden brown.)

Serve with a side of Pizza Sauce to dip it in and Enjoy!

Birthday Cakes

Here are a few of the birthday cakes I have decorated this past year. I thought I'd post photos just for fun! Let me know if you want to know how I made any of them.

Shaylor's Jungle Cake

Noelle's Candyland Cake

Ashlyn's Flip Flop Cake