Creamy Sausage & Tortellini Soup

It finally feels like fall outside here, so I knew I wanted to make some soup to welcome in the cooler days! I combined bits and pieces from two recipes to make the perfect Creamy Sausage & Tortellini Soup! Original recipes are from Life Made Simple and Two Peas & Their Pod. It's a great hearty soup and is easily a meal in itself!

 

 

Creamy Sausage & Tortellini Soup

 

1 lb. Italian sausage, rolled into 3/4 teaspoon size balls

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 large carrots, peeled and diced

1 1/2 cups chopped kale

1 teaspoon kosher sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

5 cups chicken broth

2 cups half & half

2 cups cheese tortellini

 

In a skillet brown the mini sausage balls until cooked through. This will take about 5-7 minutes. Place the sausage balls on a plate lined with paper towels.

 

In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook until tender, 3-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.

 

Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add in the chicken broth and whisk to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 6 minutes.

 

Add sausage, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, kale, tortellini, and half & half. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes or until the tortellini is fully cooked.

 

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top if desired. Serve with crusty French bread.

 

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Cheeseburger Pizza

When you can't decide between a cheeseburger or a slice of pizza, why not have both? This is a fun recipe too because you could easily add any of your other tried-and-true burger toppings. I may add a few dill pickles next time! The original recipe calls for a homemade pizza crust, but I don't have the time or the patience for that. I always buy the package of 2 premade crusts at Kroger and make 2 pizzas. Makes dinnertime so easy. Kids love this meal too, and I thought it turned out really pretty. Y'all know I love food that tastes AND looks good! :) Enjoy!

 

 

Cheeseburger Pizza

{Southern Living magazine}

 

Premade pizza crust of your choosing

12 ounces ground beef

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms

1 cup chopped yellow onion

3/4 cup jarred pasta sauce

8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups pre-shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives

1/4 cup ketchup

 

Directions

 

Preheat oven according to premade pizza crust package directions. (Brands may vary slightly.)

 

Cook ground beef in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high, stirring often, until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove from skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

 

Add mushrooms to hot drippings and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden (about 5 minutes).

 

Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown. Remove mushrooms and onions with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

 

Brush premade crust with olive oil.

 

Top crust with pizza sauce, beef, mushroom-onion mixture, shredded cheeses, and olives. Drizzle with ketchup.

 

Place pizza on middle of oven rack and bake for 8-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.

 

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Hope everyone has a happy Hump Day!

 

 

Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken

Holy smokes, this was probably one of the easiest things I've ever made...and it was so yummy, guys! Rob said it was his new favorite way to have tacos. Winning!

I know everyone and their brother has heard of Skinnytaste, but this was my first time making one of her recipes. I was so impressed and can't wait to try out more of her stuff.

Has anyone made this before? Any other Skinnytaste recipes you love and recommend?

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Crock Pot Salsa Verde Chicken

{Skinnytaste}

1 1/2 pounds raw, skinless chicken tenders

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon oregano

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt, to taste

16 oz. Roasted Salsa Verde (I used the Herdez brand)

Season chicken with garlic powder, oregano, cumin, and salt and place in the bottom of a slow cooker. Cover chicken with salsa verde and cook on high for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove chicken from pot and shred. Remove 2/3 cup of liquid in the pot and discard or set aside. Place shredded chicken back into the crock pot and stir to combine with remaining salsa. Adjust seasoning if needed and keep warm until ready to serve.
 

 

I served our chicken with corn tortillas and a few toppings. I've found the best way to heat corn tortillas is to stack and wrap them in a damp paper towel, then microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

 

Spoon chicken mixture over tortillas. Any other toppings are up to you, but I thought a dollop of sour cream kind of calmed down the spicy chicken. I also added a slice of avocado to each taco, along with cilantro (from our garden!), and a few pickled jalapenos.

 

We're having this again tonight, and I'm honestly counting down the minutes until dinner!

 

And below is a pic of the brand of salsa verde I used. I thought it was great.

 

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Hope y'all have a great day!
 

Tamale Pie Mix-Up

There's no better feeling than finding a recipe that the whole family loves! And there's no worse feeling than cooking something that your kids refuse to even touch. Anybody with me here?

 

I found this recipe in the January issue of Southern Living magazine. I bookmarked it immediately for a night when we needed some comfort food. And guys, it is so good. And the girls loved it too! If you wanted to add some spice I think some jarred jalapenos would go great in the mix. I served ours with a side salad and garnished with cilantro. Enjoy!

 

 

Deb Wise's Tamale Pie Mix-Up

{Southern Living magazine}

 

2 cups whole milk

1 cup plain yellow cornmeal

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 2 medium onions)

1 Tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 garlic cloves)

1 large green bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 pound ground beef

2 cups tomato sauce

1 cup frozen or drained canned corn

1 cup drained canned sliced black olives

2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

6 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)

Sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

 

Directions

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together milk and cornmeal and set aside.

 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 8 to 9 minutes. Add beef; cook, stirring often, until meat crumbles and is no longer pink, about 7 minutes.

 

Stir beef mixture into cornmeal mixture. Stir in tomato sauce, corn, olives, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Transfer to a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.

 

Bake in a preheated oven until set and well browned around edges, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven, and bake until cheese melts, 3 to 4 minutes. If desired, top servings with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with cilantro.

 

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7-Ingredient Tuscan White Bean Soup

I've been on the hunt lately for easy, weeknight dinners. When the girls get home from school I hate spending the remainder of my day in the kitchen...so I like finding things that are quick yet tasty!

 

I ran across this recipe for 7-Ingredient Tuscan White Bean Soup, and it was just what I was looking for! Simple to put together, yet the flavors were really good. Make sure to add shaved Parmesan at the end...and have a big loaf of crusty bread for dipping!

 

 

7-Ingredient Tuscan White Bean Soup

{Gimme Some Oven}

 

4 ounces pancetta or bacon, finely diced (I used pancetta)

1 small white onion, peeled and diced

5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

8 cups good-quality chicken stock

4 (15 oz.) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 bay leaf

1 large sprig fresh rosemary

Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

 

Heat pancetta in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Cook until crispy, stirring occasionally. Transfer the bacon to a separate plate, using a slotted spoon, reserving about 3 Tablespoons of bacon grease in the stockpot.

 

Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, stirring occasionally.

 

Add chicken stock, beans, bay leaf, rosemary, and half of the cooked pancetta. Stir to combine. Continue cooking the soup until it reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover partially, and let the soup simmer for 10-20 minutes so that the flavors will meld.

 

Add salt and pepper to taste. (I added a healthy few pinches of both!) Remove the bay leaf and rosemary.

 

Serve warm, topped with the extra pancetta. Garnish with Parmesan and serve with crusty bread.

 

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Hope everyone has a great day!

 



Cooking Made Easy With HelloFresh

**This post was sponsored by HelloFresh. I've very picky about sponsored content, so anything I share is something I truly love. All opinions are my own and were not edited by the sponsor.**

Y'all know I love to cook, but I'll admit I've been in a cooking rut lately. I don't know if I'm still in a post-holiday coma, but coming up with new ideas and going to the grocery to pick up those items has almost been too much.

 

I can't begin to tell you how excited I was when I found out about HelloFresh. Fresh ingredients and recipes delivered to my doorstep? Sign me up. STAT.
 

 

Not only is HelloFresh convenient for those who have too much on their plate (hello, everyone), but it's also a fabulous idea for those who enjoy cooking but are running low on creative juices. That was probably my favorite thing about discovering HelloFresh. The recipes that were delivered to my front door sparked new ideas for me and inspired me to try some different cooking techniques and flavor combinations. The recipes were so simple, and they could easily be built on or changed up a little bit to your individual liking.

 

HelloFresh offers three plans to choose among, and I chose the Family Plan to try out. I liked the idea of recipes that our girls would be willing to test as well. The Classic Plan and Veggie Plan are also available, so I love that there are options that appeal to all.

 

Once you choose a plan, you determine how many people you are cooking for as well as how many meals you'd like to receive each week. It's easy to pause or modify your subscription at any time, and I like that. The folks at HelloFresh select the meals that are delivered to you based on your preferences, but you also have the option to select meals from the weekly menu.

 

Each HelloFresh box contains fresh, top-quality ingredients from independent producers. Another perk? You don't have to be home to receive a shipment. The boxes are layered with wool and ice packs to keep the ingredients (meat included) fresh until you are able to bring them inside.

 

Recipe cards are included in each box with easy-to-follow instructions. Prep time and total cooking time estimates are included, as is nutritional information! The instructions are broken down into steps, with pictures, and I promise this is something that someone who doesn't cook often could easily master.

 

Now, the good stuff. Our meals! Since we chose the Family Plan, we had three meals delivered to our doorstep on a Monday. They recommended we cook the fish first so we did. It was amazingly simple, and the flavors were divine. I'll definitely be making the sauce again and think it'd be good on other fish and even chicken dishes.

 

 

 

 

The next night we tried the Beefed-Up Bolognese, and we really enjoyed it as well. The flavors were fresh, and it made a ton. We had leftovers for two nights!

 

 

 

Our final meal (sad!) was the Spanish One-Pan Chicken, and it might have been our favorite only because we hadn't tried anything like it before. I really liked the addition of the chorizo, and the fact that I really only dirtied up one pan, making clean-up a breeze.

 

 

So who wants to try HelloFresh now? I've got a special discount code just for y'all! To get $35 off your first box, simply enter code LINDSEYLATELY35 at checkout. That makes your first box almost, almost free! It's definitely worth it, my friends!

 

I'm also linking up with many other blogger friends at Simply Every's Mom Life Monday link-up. Check it out here!

 

 

 If you try it HelloFresh, please let me know. Hope everyone has a happy Monday and a great week ahead!