Pasta e Fagioli

I don't know about you but our weather here in Cascade has been more than a little on the chilly side lately and when that happens, there is nothing better than a hot cuppa soup, one of which is Olive Garden's Pasta e Fagioli Soup.  I didn't feel like driving 24 miles to Hagerstown to Olive Garden so I came up with this version of my own.  

I really hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Pasta e Fagioli

Ingredients

1 cup ditalini pasta, uncooked

2 tbs olive oil

½  lb spicy Italian sausage, casing removed

½ lb hamburger meat

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

3 carrots, peeled and grated

2 stalks celery, diced

3 cups beef broth

2 cups water

1 qt whole tomatoes or 15 oz tomato sauce + 15 oz diced tomatoes

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp thyme

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups dried navy beans

Boil beans until nearly done and set aside.  Cook hamburger meat and Italian sausage until done, drain and set aside.  Sauté the onion and celery in oil until tender but not done.   In a large stock pot, add the beef broth, water, tomatoes, vegetables, beans, meat and spices.  Simmer for at least an hour.  Add the pasta and cook until done then serve.  

Serve with grated parmesan, a warm bread and a salad.  

~hugz n blessingz~

Elizabeth

Watermelon Lemon Shine

Every now and then you find a recipe and you want to make it your own and that's what I did with this recipe.  I had picked up a jar of moonshine at the store and went to town recreating this drink.  It is a little sturdy so make sure you are at the end of your day when you make it!

*Hugz n Blessingz*~Elizabeth

Gluten Free/Vegan Tiramisu Pancakes

Oh my gosh, I can't believe that these taste as good as they did.  This was the first time that I made them and I was happily surprised at the outcome.  I found the original pancake recipe on the PETA website http://www.peta.org/living/food/chef-chloe-tiramisu-pancakes/ and I tweaked it a bit because they were not originally gluten free, just vegan.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Gluten Free/Vegan Tiramisu Pancakes

The original is From Chloe’s Vegan Desserts titled : Tiramisù Pancakes

1 cup Betty Crocker Gluten Free Rice Flour Blend
1 Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¾ cold coffee
¼ cup maple syrup
1 Tbsp. McCormick's Imitation Rum Extract
1 cup nondairy semisweet chocolate chips
Canola oil
Powdered sugar
Vegan whipped cream, optional

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt.
• In a separate small bowl, whisk together the water, maple syrup, and rum.
• Add the liquid to the flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Do not overmix; the batter should have some lumps in it.
• Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
• Lightly oil a large nonstick skillet or griddle and heat over medium-high heat.
• Pour ¼ cup batter onto the skillet. When bubbles appear in the center of the pancake, flip it.
• Let cook on the other side until lightly browned and cooked through, about 1 minute more.
• Remove from the skillet and keep warm in the oven.
• Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the skillet as needed. If the batter becomes too thick (which it did frequently), add a little more water, 1 tablespoonful at a time.
• To serve, dust the pancakes with powdered sugar and top with a dollop of vegan whipped cream if desired.

Makes 2-3 servings of 2 pancakes each

*hugz n blessingz*

~Elizabeth