Creamy Crockpot Tomato Soup

2 (28 oz) cans of peeled whole tomatoes

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

1 qt chicken broth 

2 T oil

1 diced onion

2 T minced garlic

1 packet of Italian dressing mix. 

Pepper to taste

1 c heavy cream

3 T cornstarch

3-4 T hot sauce (optional) 

1 c shredded parmesan cheese

Saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic & cook another minute. Add tomatoes, sautéed onions & garlic, seasoning packet & broth to the crockpot. Season with pepper.

Cook on high 4 hours or low 6 hours. Then take an immersion blender or a regular blender (just be careful) and blend the soup until smooth.

Now whisk heavy cream & cornstarch together. Add to soup. Add optional hot sauce & parmesan cheese. Mix and let cook another 30 minutes. 

Serve! Add croutons, shredded Parmesan etc.

Chopped Italian Salad

Lettuce 

Salami

Ham

Provolone

Red Onions 

Tomatoes

Olives

Chop up on a cutting board

Add:

Mayo

Hot hoagie spread

2 T red wine vinegar 

2 T oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ c sliced pepperoncini

½ tsp each salt, pepper, red chili flakes & oregano

Mix & Enjoy!

Pigs In A Blanket

1 tube refrigerated pizza dough, thin crust

14 oz cocktail sausages

2 T butter, melted

¼ tsp garlic powder

½ cup BBQ sauce, or dip of choice

Preheat the oven to 400⁰. Prepare springform pan, by placing an oven proof bowl in the middle of the pan and generously spraying the pan and outside of the bowl with nonstick spray. 

On a lightly floured surface unroll tube of pizza dough. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut into 35-38 rectangles {depending on how many sausages are in your 14 oz package}. Combine melted butter and garlic powder, spread generously onto each rectangle using a pastry brush.

Wrap each cocktail sausage into a piece of dough. Once all of the sausages have been wrapped, begin to place them vertically into the prepared pan. You want them to be snug but not super tight. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Remove the outside ring of the springform pan, fill the bowl with your dip of choice.

Serve your pigs in a blanket wreath and enjoy!

Creamy Tomato Basil soup & Mini Grilled Cheese

¼ cup EVOO

2 T salted butter

1 yellow onion, finely diced

2 large carrots, finely diced

1 ½ teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 tsp crushed red pepper

56 oz San Marzano Tomatoes (Cento)

1 teaspoon lemon zest

4 cups vegetable stock

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 large handful freshly grated parmesan

2 handfuls fresh basil

1. Heat the olive oil and butter on medium high heat. Add in the onions and carrots. Cook them until the onions are translucent (approximately 10 minutes).

2. Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, dried basil, and lemon zest. Then add the tomatoes and vegetable stock. Stir to combine and let it simmer for approximately 30 minutes.

3.Add the heavy whipping cream and let it simmer for approximately 5 minutes. You can also add a handful of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano to make it extra delicious.

4.Remove it from the heat, then add fresh basil and blend it until it's smooth.

For the Grilled Cheese:

1 pack of King's Hawaiian Original Sweet Rolls

Fontina Cheese, sliced

Garlic Herb Butter:

6 T softened butter

1 T Freshly grated parm

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

oregano, garlic powder, and parsley.

Cut King’s Hawaiian Original Hawaiian Sweet Rolls individually, then cut each roll into thirds and spread garlic herb butter on one side of each roll slice.

Assemble mini grilled cheese sandwiches on a baking sheet, then bake at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Serve sandwiches with tomato soup. 

Chick Fil-A Chicken Sandwiches

From Natashaskitchen.com

Chicken Marinade:

3 medium chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, halved into 6 cutlets

1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk

1 Tbsp hot sauce

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

Classic Breading for Fried Chicken:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

Oil for frying - vegetable oil, canola oil or peanut oil

Toppings for Chicken Sandwiches:

6 burger buns, buttered and toasted

6 green lettuce leaves

1 large tomato, sliced

2 dill pickles, sliced into rings

Mayonnaise, or your favorite sauce

Pound chicken cutlets between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to an even 1/2” thickness so they cook evenly.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients. Add Chicken, turning to coat then cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or overnight.

In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together breading ingredients: flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder. Remove a piece of chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off and dip chicken into flour mixture, pressing it on with your hands to coat well. Transfer to a wire rack.

Heat 1 ” oil in a soup pot or dutch oven to 350˚. Just before frying chicken, dip it into the seasoned flour again for a thick and shaggy exterior. Add chicken, 2 pieces at a time so you don’t crowd and reduce the temperature of the oil too quickly.

Place chicken into the oil one by one. Adjust the flame to keep the oil temperature at 300-325˚. Cook 3-4 minutes on the first side or until browned and crisp then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes on the second side or until cooked through and chicken is browned and crisp all over.

Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. The internal temperature will continue to rise as it rests. The final resting temperature of the chicken should reach 165˚.

Lightly butter and toast the cut sides of your buns and build your crispy chicken sandwiches with desired toppings.

Chick Fil-A Sauce:

4 tspns yellow mustard

¼ c barbecue sauce

1 cup mayonnaise

2 T honey

¼ tspn garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together & chill

Copycat Spaghetti-O's

Olive oil to coat the pan (~1 Tablespoon)

1 small shallot minced

2 cloves garlic minced

1 T oregano

Chili flakes to taste

1/4 cup tomato paste

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

16 ounces small ring pasta

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated

Optional: Fresh chopped basil for garnish

The Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich

https://pin.it/6hmYbYxmQ

2 slices Sourdough Bread

1 TBS Butter

2 tsp Mayonnaise

4 oz Cheddar, freshly grated

1 oz Gruyère, freshly grated

Preheat a cast-iron skillet over low heat. As the skillet preheats, slice two 1/2-inch thick slices of sourdough bread and freshly grate your cheese into a bowl or cutting board.

Use a knife to spread a teaspoon of mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread.

Add one tablespoon of butter to the skillet and swirl it around until it melts. Place one slice of bread mayo-side down in the pan and sprinkle the cheese on top of the bread. Put the other side of bread on top of the cheese, mayo-side up.

Cover the pan with the lid and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the bottom of the bread is evenly golden brown and crispy.

Remove the lid and use a spatula to flip the sandwich over. Cover with the lid again and continue cooking for another 2 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and the bottom is golden brown.

Remove from the heat and place onto a cutting board. Use a serrated knife to slice in half and enjoy immediately!

Great with Tomato Basil Soup!