Pepperoni Pasta Sauce

I have never watched Top Chef in my life, but maybe I should if yummy recipes like this are on there all the time!


This recipe intrigued me when I first saw it...I stared at the picture trying to see the bits of pepperoni in the sauce, but alas, there were none.  They were blended into this perfect pasta sauce!  You get the wonderful spicy flavors of the pepperoni into a dish that would otherwise be just "a normal" pasta sauce recipe.  It really does give the sauce a great bite.  It was wonderful over some tortellini.  Enjoy :)


Pepperoni Pasta Sauce
From:  Cassie Craves


6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, cut into small dice
5 medium cloves garlic, cut into very thin slices
1 pound pepperoni, cut into thin slices
1 teaspoon fennel seed, toasted
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
14 ounces canned Italian tomatoes, chopped, with their juices
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 fresh bay leaf

1. Toast the fennel seed in a small dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the skillet often to keep the seeds from burning. They will become fragrant and slightly darker in color.

2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, until the oil simmers. Add the onion and garlic; cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until they are golden and fragrant.

3. Stir in the pepperoni; cook for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and evenly coated, then add the toasted fennel seed and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.

4. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the broth, and the bay leaf; stir to incorporate. Once the mixture starts to bubble at the edges, cover and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. The pepperoni slices will be soft, with a deeper color. Remove from the heat.

5. Working in batches as needed, transfer to a food processor or a high-powered blender (including the bay leaf). Puree until smooth. Serve with pasta. 

Black Bean Soup

Not sure why I was craving soup today.  It's nasty hot....the weather man says it feels like 110 degrees outside and the humidity is so thick I feel like I can't breathe, not optimum soup weather!  I suppose it is because it is super good for you, and I'm into that right now.  According to the source, it is 125 calories per one cup of soup.  Not bad, not bad at all :)

Black Bean Soup

From:  Our Best Bites

1 T olive oil

4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped

3/4 C diced carrots (about 2 med carrots)

3/4 C diced celery (about 2 ribs)

1 C diced onion (about 1 sm-med onion)

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 3.5oz can green chilies

2 cans low-sodium beef broth

1 t kosher salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 t chili powder

1/4 t cumin

1/2 t dry oregano leaves

1 bay leaf

Optional Toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, grated cheese, chopped cilantro, etc.

Place a large stock pot on the stove-top and set to medium-high heat.  When pan is warm, add olive oil.  Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and saute 4-5 minutes.

Add in the black beans, chilies, and beef broth. Stir to combine and then add the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf.

Simmer uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Remove from heat. Remove bay leaf from soup. 

Place soup in a blender. (You could use an immersion blender in place of this step) Place lid on blender, but remove the stopper in the lid to let heat escape. Place a paper towel over the hole to avoid splatters. 

Puree soup until completely smooth.  Optionally you could pulse until a semi-chunky soup is achieved. Squeeze in the juice from one lime and pulse to combine.

Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings. Serve with extra lime wedges.  Makes about 8 C soup.

Peach (or other fruit) Smoothie

Mixed Berry (also good with a banana thrown in)

I don't know what it is about Spring/Summer that makes me want fruit!  I was looking for something new/healthy and came across this yummy smoothie that really is good for you!  If you use lowfat milk, it is a great low-cal breakfast!  The website I found says this makes 7 servings, I basically halved it twice and used it for my breakfast...perfect size for me!  As you can see, I've also made it with mixed berries, just switch up the Crystal Light flavor.  I'm sure any frozen fruit would be tasty!  The original was found on Jamie Cooks It Up!

2-3 C frozen peaches (I like a little bit more to make it thicker)
1 package Crystal Light peach flavor (I used a strawberry flavor since I couldn't find any regular peach, only peach tea)
4 1/2 C milk
1/3 C sugar

Put the frozen fruit in your blender. Add the milk crystal light and sugar. Mix until blended and frothy.

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Thank you again Paula Deen! This sounds absolutely serendipitous! There is nothing better than chocolate!

3 ounces best-quality chocolate (or a variety of your favorites)
2 teaspoons store bought hot chocolate mix
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
3 cups ice
Whipped cream, for garnish
Chocolate shavings, for garnish
Directions
Chop the chocolate into small pieces and melt in a small heavy saucepan or in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Add the hot chocolate mix and sugar, stirring constantly until blended.

Remove from heat and slowly add 1/2 cup of the milk, stirring until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

In a blender, place the remaining 1 cup of milk, the chocolate mixture, and the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and the consistency of a frozen daiquiri. Pour into a giant goblet and top with whipped cram and chocolate shavings.

Orange Julius

Just and old favorite.  Sometimes, I like to use the peach/banana/orange concentrate rather than just the orange.  It's a good twist and turns out just as yummy!

1 - 6 oz. can frozen orange juice
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar (or less to taste)
1 tsp. vanilla
5 - 6 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in blender. Blend about 30 seconds. Serve.