compromises

Dear Kristin,

My hat is off to you and your hubs for trying to eat a more wholesome diet. I won't even pretend that the Whole30 diet sounds like something I would try. I would rather pull my eyelids over the top of my forehead while listening to Neil Diamond's greatest hits than give up cheese or sugar or bread!

To be honest, though, I believe that dad and I enjoy a diet that is somewhat more healthy than we did when we were younger. We certainly have cut down on the amount of processed foods we eat, and we do try to be mindful of the amounts of fat and empty calories we consume. We are part of a generation that was brought up on Chef Boyardee and Tang. Probably 90% of the fruits and vegetables we had as kids came out of a can. Salad? Iceberg lettuce, period. Romaine, Bibb Lettuce or Kale would probably have been viewed with a suspicious eye as some sort of evil cold war enemy plot designed to corrupt the all-American patriotic plates of fine upstanding citizens.

Today we do what we can to eat a more wholesome diet. Cheese is a good example. While we won't eliminate cheese from our diet (that's just crazy talk), we may opt for the reduced fat varieties, and may look for alternate preparations that allow us to keep the richness and depth that cheese can add to a meal while cutting down on the amount we use. This soup is one of the results of these compromises. I came up with this soup after reading a number of recipes for something called "Lasagna Soup". Hmmm.. that sounded intriguing. What I was hoping for was something that would taste like lasagna, but would be lighter than the lasagna I normally make which uses an insane amount of mozzarella and ricotta cheeses. What I eventually came up with turned out to be what I might call "Not lasagna soup", because it really doesn't remind me too much of lasagna except for the dollop of ricotta cheese and the sprinkling of mozzarella that is added at the end. What I love about this soup is the broth - just a hint heartier than a broth, but not anywhere near as heavy as a cream based soup. The flavor of the tomatoes and chicken stock, with just a hint of cream and Parmesan cheese is a winner. Add a green salad and a loaf of homemade bread and you have real comfort food for a cold winter night.

tomato and pasta soup with three cheeses

Soup:
8 oz. farfalle pasta*
1 Tblsp. olive oil
1 lb. Italian sausage, either bulk or removed from casings (hot or mild, according to taste)
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tblsp. tomato paste
1 28 oz. can diced or crushed tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream

Topping:
Shredded Mozarella
Ricotta Cheese (either whole or part skim)
Fresh basil leaves

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Remove from heat and drain well.
2. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven. Add sausage and cook over medium heat until brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, garlic and onion. Cook about 2-3 minutes longer or until onions are translucent. Drain any excess fat. Season with salt and pepper. Finally, stir in the tomato paste, stirring and cooking until combined, about 1 more minute.
3. Stir in tomatoes, chicken stock and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until slightly reduced, about 30 minutes. Stir in pasta, Paremesan and cream. Continue to cook until heated through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
4. Serve topped with a dollop of ricotta**, sprinkles of mozzarella and fresh basil leaves.

* Originally the recipes I looked for used lasagna noodles, but I personally love farfalle - the choice of pasta is yours.
** I actually prefer this soup without the ricotta - I like it topped simply with the mozarella and basil. I feel that you get a better sense of the tasty broth this way. Your dad really liked the addition of the ricotta - so each to his own taste!

starch, cheese and fat

Dear Mom,

Well fall here in New York has been beautiful.  Nicer than Chicago I think.  We have mountains and hills here that are currently covered in the most lovely colors of fall foilage, unlike Chicago's remarkably flat, wind-swept terrain.  I've actually been able to get out to the park a couple of times for a run, which is truly enjoyable between the cool, refreshing air and the colors.  As you would expect though, the only reason I work-out is to eat, and as the weather turns colder its time for more starch, cheese and fat.  We have to bulk up for the winter you know.  A great way to get these items into your system is of course lasagna, but if you're not feeling up to the task this dish is slightly easier to put together and will still satisfy you in the cold winter months.

baked sausage rigatoni with home-made gravy

1 lb. dried rigatoni (cooked according to package directions)

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. italian sausage, crumbled
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 cup white wine
1 28 oz. can plum tomatoes (no salt added)
salt, to taste

1/2 cup parmesan
1/2 cup ricotta
1 cup shredded mozzerella

Preheat oven to 350.

Over medium-high heat in a sauce pan brown the sausage in the olive oil.  Remove to a bowl and set aside.  In the same pan (adding extra oil if necessary) add the garlic and onion.  Cook until fragrant and slightly browned.  Add tomato paste and cook until it is a dark red color.  Add white wine scraping the browned bits up from the bottom.  Cook wine until slightly reduced.  Add can of plum tomatoes mashing with a potato masher into the saucepan.  Adjust seasoning and cook over medium to medium-low heat for 1/2 hour.

In a large bowl toss the pasta with 2-3 cups of the sauce.  Layer 1/2 the pasta/sauce mixture into a 9x13 glass dish.  In an even layer sprinkle the sausage, parmesan and dollops of ricotta cheese.  Ladle about 2 cups of sauce on top.  Top with remaining pasta and sauce.  Sprinkle mozzerella over the top and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes until cheese is bubbly and brown.

da motha-land

Dear Mom,

I have a little confession to make (brace yourself because I think you will be disappointed in me): I like Jersey Shore.  If you're unfamiliar with the show, its this really terrible reality t.v. show on MTV about eight Jersey-Shore-loving-Guidos (I'm not trying to be derogatory, they call themselves that).  Sadly, I'm not the only one addicted to the show, my husband follows it as well, in fact I kind of blame him for getting me hooked.  The first season they were given a house to live in on Jersey Shore, a very low-responsibility job, and lots of cash to spend on going out to bars, alcoholic beverages, and of course the three cornerstones of any Guido's life: GTL (gym, tanning and laundry).  In following seasons, they were given a change of scenery.  They were sent to live in Miami Beach, then back to the Shore, and this season they were in Florence, Italy ("da motha-land").

Florence, Italy....  I never thought I would be jealous of the Vinny, Pauly, Ronnie, Snookie, Jenni, Sammy, Deena and The Situation, but now I am.  While I have no desire to run around the Jersey Shore in a drunken haze for six weeks, I would gladly make the sacrifice if MTV would send me to Italy for free...  I've been dying to go for years now, I don't know why I'm so in love with the country, I'm not Italian, but it just looks so beautiful... And the food!  At least I married a guy who is half Italian, so when we are ready some day our babies will be one-quarter Guido.  But for now, since I'm not Italian, at least I can try to cook some yummy Italian-American food like my Italian Flag Soup. 

Italian Flag Soup

1/2 lb. uncased Italian sausage (I used 1/4 lb. mild and 1/4 lb. hot)
1 small onion, chopped
2 small carrots, chopped
4-5 red gypsy peppers, chopped (or 2 red bell peppers)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine (such as pinot grigio)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch spiagrello, coarsely chopped (or kale or spinach)
1 16 oz. can white beans, drained
extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
parmesan cheese (for garnishing)

Heat about 1 tbsp. olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Brown sausage, crumbling and stirring as you go, remove from pan and set aside.  If your sausage does not leave behind too much oil, heat some additional olive oil in the pan, add onion, carrots, peppers, garlic and a good pinch of salt.  Cook over medium heat until beginning to soften (about 10 minutes).  Add white wine, scrape browned bits off of the bottom of the pan.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Add chicken broth, bring to boil and simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until carrots are cooked through.  Add sausage and spiagrello to soup, cook until spiagrello is wilted and tender.  Add white beans and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until beans are heated through.

Check for salt, and serve with parmesan cheese.