Cold weather is approaching, so now I offer you three great recipes for comfort food.
Slow cooker pasta Fagiolli soup
1 TBS olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
2 whole carrots, diced
4 celery stocks, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 cans beef broth
2 whole bay leaves
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
1 15-oz. can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 C uncooked egg noodles
Add olive oil to large skillet and add ground beef. Cook until browned and no longer pink. Place beef in slow cooker along with rest of ingredients except for beans and pasta. Cook on low for 7–8 hours or high 3-4 hours. 30 minutes before serving add in beans and pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaves before serving. Serves eight.
___
The easiest lemon cookies
1 16.5-oz. roll Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookies
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C flour
3 tsp. grated lemon peel
1-1/2 C powdered sugar
2 to 3 TBS lemon juice
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Let cookie roll stand at room temperature to soften. Line large cooking sheets with cooking parchment paper.
In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Add cream cheese, flour and 2 tablespoons of lemon peel: stir with a spoon or hands until well blended. Shape dough into 36, 1-in. balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake 12–14 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool one minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl stir powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth then frost cookies and sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel. Store in airtight container.
Peach quick bread
1 C white sugar
1/2 C salted butter
2 eggs
1 TBS vanilla
1 TBS almond extract
1 C milk
2 C flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 C pecans, chopped
2 C fresh peaches, diced
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-in. loaf pan. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, almond extract and milk, beating well. Add dry ingredients and beat until well combined. Add pecans and peaches and mix by hand gently with a spatula until just combined. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake 60–70 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to finish cooling.
___
Thought – Always keep a bottle of wine in the fridge for special occasions … you know, like Wednesday. If you would like to share a recipe with me, just send it to the J-T or email it to me.
(Melanie Behrens – melb@marysvillejt.com)
...For the full story, select an option below.