How to make French Onion Soup




How to make French Onion Soup



This French Onion Soup is another home recipe that is easy to make. You don’t have to go out to a restaurant anymore to enjoy French Onion soup.

There is nothing that I liked better than going out to a nice restaurant and ordering French Onion soup as a starter to a great meal.

Here is a wonderfully easy French Onion Soup recipe that you can whip up in no time at all and enjoy this soup right at home.

French Onion Soup Ingredients:

  • ½ cup of unsalted butter
  • 5 onions (Sliced)
  • 1 clove garlic (chopped)
  • 2 Sprigs of fresh Thyme
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 2 quarts of beef broth (We use Swanson's Low Sodium)
  • 1 baguette (Sliced)
  • ¾ pound of grated provolone and asiago cheese (Option Swiss cheese)
Instructions:

  1. In a stock pot melt the butter, add the garlic, thyme, and onions, you can add just a little water if needed.
  2. Cook until the onions a caramelized, then add the wine and simmer until the wine is gone, then remove the thyme.
  3. Add the beef broth; bring to a slight boil and then turn down to simmer for about 15 minutes.
  4. Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls. Add 2 slices of the baguette and cover with the cheese.
  5. Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted and turning brown.
 As Always Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy


How to make Italian Wedding Soup

Italian style wedding soup recipe


Warm up on a cold winter day with a hot bowl of homemade wedding soup. This recipe has been in our family for generations. There are many variations of wedding soup, but I like this one the best because this recipe is right from my grandmother’s kitchen.

This Italian style wedding soup recipe has been passed down from my grandmother to my mother and now to Fran.

This soup is a great starter for any meal. Wedding soup is a favorite in our house, especially around the Holidays. 

Some variations to this recipe are, add carrots, or some people add Orzo, or you could use ground pork for your meatballs. So, you can make this delicious soup to your taste.

Ingredients for Italian Wedding Soup:
  • 6 chicken breast (you can use boneless)
  • 1 whole onion
  • 1 stock of celery (Cut into small Pieces)
  • 3 stocks of endive or escarole (clean, boil, squeeze all of the water out, cut into small pieces)
  • Salt (To Taste)
  • Pepper (To Taste)
  • Chicken base (2- cans of Swanson chicken broth)
 Ingredients for the meatballs:
Instructions:
  1. We use a 12-quart pot, add chicken, carrots, celery, and onion to the pot, cover with water and boil.
  2. When chicken is cooked (tender) remove the chicken, set aside to cool
  3. Mix the ground beef with the ingredients, roll into small 1" meatballs, you can fry them or bake in the oven
  4. Shred or cut the chicken into small pieces
  5. Skim the foam from the broth and discard the onion
  6. Add the chicken, greens, and meatballs back into the broth
  7. Add the 2 cans of Swanson chicken broth (we like to use low sodium broth)
  8. Bring the soup to a boil, and then let it simmer for about 15 minutes
best recipe Italian wedding soup

In this picture, our homemade Italian wedding soup simmers on the stove top. This soup brings back so many fond Holiday memories at Grandma's house. 


Serve your wedding soup with these homemade Soup Croutons

As always thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy


How to make Homemade Manicotti

How to make homemade manicotti

How to make Homemade Manicotti


If you like Italian food, nothing is better than homemade. This is our family recipe for homemade manicotti with ricotta cheese. Growing up this was always a favorite family gathering dish and perfect for the Holidays.

This recipe will walk you through how to make your own homemade manicotti shells or crepes, as we like to call them and mix the ricotta cheese.

After that, all you need to do is fill the shells roll them up and bake in a baking dish with your favorite tomato sauce.

Serve with a nice salad and some fresh Italian bread. This will easily serve 5 to 6 people.


Ingredients For Homemade Manicotti Shells:

  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups of flour
  • 1 ½ cups of water
  • Pinch of salt
This will make about 20 Homemade Manicotti Shells


Homemade manicotti batter

Combine all of the ingredients for the shells and mix until you have a smooth batter. Set the batter aside for about 20 or 30 minutes. Use this time to mix the ricotta cheese filling.

Manicotti Shells

Use a non-stick pan over medium heat and add 1/4 cup of batter for one shell.

Make homemade manicotti crepes

After about 30 or 40 seconds flip the shell over to cook the other side.

Homemade manicotti shells

Set them on a rack or wax paper to cool.

Ingredients for the Ricotta Cheese Filling:

  • 2 pounds of ricotta cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup parsley
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
  • Pinch of salt
Directions:

  1. Combine the ingredients for the shells in a medium mixing bowl, and mix until you have a smooth batter.
  2. Set the batter aside for about 20 or 30 minutes.
  3. Spray an 8” non-stick pan with cooking spray, and set to medium heat on the stove.
  4. Pour a ¼ cup of batter at a time into the pan; tilt the pan from side to side so the batter spreads. After about 30 or 40 seconds flip the shell to cook the other side.
  5. Set each shell on a wire rack or parchment paper to cool.
  6. Now mix your ricotta cheese ingredients in a large bowl.
  7. Spoon the ricotta cheese into the center of the shells, about 2 to 3 tablespoons each.
  8. Fold the shell together so it overlaps.
  9. Grease a large baking dish and spread some tomato sauce on the bottom.
  10. Place the manicotti in the baking dish side by side with the fold on the bottom.
  11. Cover the top with tomato sauce and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
  12. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
You might also like our Homemade Cavatelli


As always thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy it.

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Grilled Steak with Onion and Blue Cheese

Grilled steak with onions and blue chees


Time to break out the grills, gas, or charcoal whichever you prefer.

My son graduated from culinary school and is always coming up with something new. This grilled steak with onion and blue cheese is simply amazing.

This is great served with a nice salad, baked potato, or French fries, and a glass of wine or a beer.

I like to have a beer while I'm grilling my steak. If you like good steaks every now and then forget your diet for one day and give this a try.

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 steak of your choice (I like a nice rib-eye)
  • McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 or 3 green onions
  • About 1/2 cup of blue cheese or 2 slices of provolone cheese (your choice)
  • 2 strips of bacon (Optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Fire up the grill, while you're waiting to season your steak with McCormick Seasoning.
  2. Put your steak on the grill and begin cooking to your liking (I like my steak medium rare)
  3. If you're using the bacon cook it in a small fry pan (break it into small pieces)
  4. Slice the onion into nice large rings
  5. Chop up the green stems of the green onions
  6. When the steak is almost finished add the onion rings to the grill
  7. Cook the onion for a couple of minutes turning once
  8. When the steak is ready place the onion rings on top, add your cheese and bacon, close the lid on the grill
  9. When the cheese has melted and begins to brown take the steak off of the grill
  10. Garnish with the green onions
As always thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy it

Quick Seafood Fettuccine

A plate of seafood fettuccine


We love pasta and seafood so what a great combination this makes for a quick and easy dinner.

We make this with crab meat but there are so many other options. This dish is great with shrimp, lobster, clams, or scallops. If you are in the mood for seafood this is so easy to make, and you could use a combination of your favorite seafood.

You can have this ready and on your dinner table in 30 minutes or less, and it’s so delicious. To top it off I like to add some fresh ground black pepper and Romano cheese.

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 lb. of Fettuccine
  • 1 package of imitation crab meat or shrimp if you prefer
  • 1/2 medium onion diced
  • 1/2 stick of butter or margarine
  • 1 glove of garlic minced

INSTRUCTIONS:
  1. In your pasta pot boil the water and add the pasta to cook
  2. Cut your crab meat into small pieces (Whatever size you prefer)
  3. In a 10 or 12-inch fry pan melt the butter
  4. Add the crab meat, garlic, and diced onion
  5. Sauté until tender
  6. Drain the pasta and place it in a large pasta bowl
  7. Add the crab meat from the pan, mix, and serve
As always thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy it


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How to make Hot Dog Chili

Hot Dogs with chili sauce 
Hot Dogs with chili sauce

If you are a fan of a good old-fashioned hot dog with chili, then this recipe is just what you need. I grew up in a small Western Pennsylvania town, where hot dogs are a staple.

There were several hot dog shops around town, each specializing in its own chili sauce. We moved away from our hometown, and it turns out that hot dogs with chili are one of the foods we miss the most. Now we have a recipe to make our own that reminds us of home.

There are so many garnishes for hot dogs, but I like mine with mustard, onion, and chili. Sometimes I add a nice thin slice of dill pickle on top, and it's oh-so-good.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Pound of ground beef
  • 1 small onion chopped very fine
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 3/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp sage
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • Sprinkle in some garlic powder and salt (just a little)
Instructions:
  1. In a medium saucepan brown all of the ingredients
  2. Add 1 cup of water
  3. Add 2 tablespoons of cracker meal
  4. Cook for 1 hour
Give it a try and enjoy a nice chili dog. It's a simple recipe and you could even make it ahead and freeze it for later. 

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Homemade Tomato Sauce For Pasta

Sauce and meatballs simmering on the stove
Sauce and meatballs simmering on the stove

What's best on your favorite pasta? Of course your favorite tomato sauce, we have a simple tomato sauce recipe three generations deep.

Growing up in our house, every Sunday was pasta day. My mother would start the sauce in the morning and it would simmer for hours, filling the house with such a magnificent aroma.

My dad would go to church, and on his way home he would stop at the local bakery and pick up 2 loaves of fresh Italian bread. We would cut the first loaf, take a slice and dip it into the sauce that has been simmering all morning.

To this day when we make our sauce it fills the house with that same magnificent aroma, which brings back fond memories of my childhood.

Pictured here are our Sunday pot of sauce and meatballs simmering on the stove. After the sauce has cooked for a while it will begin to thicken.  I still like to take some fresh Italian bread and cover it with the sauce, just like when I was a kid. It is Oh!!! So good.

Let's start with the Ingredients for the Meatballs:
  • 1 lb. of ground beef
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup of grated Romano cheese
  • 1 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced (you can add more garlic if you like)
  • A few sprigs fresh of parsley, and basil, chopped really fine
  • If you're using dry use a 1/2 tsp. of each
  • Light olive oil: enough to cover the bottom of the pan
  • Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
Now the Ingredients for the Tomato Sauce:
  • 2 - 28 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
  • 2 - 6 oz. cans of tomato paste
  • 2 - 28 oz cans of water
  • A few sprigs of parsley and basil chopped really fine
  • If you're using dry use a 1 tsp. of each or season to your taste
 Now for the Instructions:

  1. Cover the bottom of a 12" fry pan with olive oil and turn on medium heat. Add some minced garlic and parsley.
  2. Mix all ingredients together, and form your meatballs, add them to the frying pan. Cook until the outside of the meatballs are golden brown. Turning them often.
  3. While the meatballs are frying prepare your sauce
  4. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and seasonings in an 8-quart pot, stir all ingredients together, and turn on medium heat. When the meatballs are cooked, place them in sauce, along with the grease from the frying pan
  5. Bring sauce to a boil, stirring frequently, so the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
  6. Let the sauce cook for 2 to 3 hours on medium heat, stirring frequently, again we don't want the sauce to stick to the bottom of the pot.
  7. As sauce thickens turn to a simmer for 30 more minutes. Keep stirring.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 to 4 hours or longer
Serves: 1 lb. of pasta, 4 to 6 people with some left over to freeze

This is not a quick recipe, this sauce takes time as it cooks to perfection.

Now meatballs are a staple when it comes to tomato sauce and pasta day.
Some other options to add to your sauce are Italian sausage or a nice chuck roast. Actually, you can make all of them. Cook your sausage and brown the chuck roast the same as you would the meatballs.

They all add a unique flavor to the sauce, and the meat is so tender and delicious when cooked in the sauce all day.

My mother would always make meatballs and a chuck roast. Oh, how I remember that wonderful smell filling the whole house.

A plate of rigatoni and meatballs
Oh now doesn't this look delicious?


As always thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy it!
     

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