Zuppa Toscana

Well, it is about time I posted on this blog. It has certainly been long enough! I admire the dedication that some of you must have to blog daily. To make up for my badness at blogging, I will offer up one of my best recipes of all time. At least according to my family. I'm not sure how you can go wrong with flavors like this together. Keep in mind, this makes a full, HUGE pot of soup. I don't recommend halfing it though, you will want the leftovers--plus it just gets better as it sits in the fridge and the flavors have a chance to meld.

Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients:

1 lb spicy sausage (My Favs: If you REALLY want to steam things up, go with Hormel Hot & Spicy Breakfast Sausage links, for a slightly milder soup go with Jimmy Dean Hot Breakfast Sausage)
6 medium russet potatoes, thinly slices (scrub & leave skins on)
2 cups onions, diced
1lb. bacon
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
4-6 cups kale leaves, cut in half, then sliced (stem removed)
6 tablespoons chicken base
3 quart water
11/3 cup heavy whipping cream




Directions:
Brown, Drain, & Dice Sausage.

Place onions and bacon in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until onions are almost clear. Remove bacon and crumble. (At this point I usually drain off most all the bacon grease so I don't have a heart attack at 30). Add garlic to the onions and cook an additional 1-minute. Add chicken base, water, and potatoes, simmer 15 minutes. Add crumbled bacon, sausage, kale and cream. Simmer 4 minutes and serve.

I HIGHLY recommend that you serve this soup with Crusty French Bread, warm from the oven. It is so good to sop up this soup with.

Glazed Pork Tenderloin

I made this last week & it was so dang good.  Tony & I both really loved it.  The kids loved the tenderloin but scraped the glaze off.  Whatever, they don't have any taste buds anyway.  I got this out of a cookbook I checked out from the library and I have been trying to remember to blog it before returning the book.  Tonight is the first time I have really gotten a chance. 

 Lord, help me to survive the summer!  I love hanging out with the kids, doing the activities, etc.  But the fighting.  Good God.  Anyway, they are in bed & I'm not going to think about that right now.  I am going to think about this mouth-watering pork instead.  You know, the other white meat???  

This recipe calls for 1 lb. of pork. For our family, I have to make closer to 2 lbs. of pork.  I have some real carnivores around these parts.  

Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Serves 4

5 POINTS per serving

Ingredients

	1/4 tsp table salt
	1/4 tsp black pepper
	1 pound(s) Pork, tenderloin, raw
	2 item(s) rosemary sprig, (I skipped this)
	1/2 cup(s) Smucker's Pineapple Preserves
	1 tbsp Kraft Prepared Horseradish

Instructions

Combine salt and pepper; rub over pork. Place in a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Place one sprig of rosemary under the pork and one on top. 
Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat preserves and horseradish until preserves are melted; stir until blended. Remove top rosemary sprig. 
Brush pork with 1/4 cup pineapple sauce. Bake 10-20 minutes longer or until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing. 
Serve with the remaining sauce.

Pork Medallions with Olive-Caper Sauce

This is, according to my husband, the best recipe that I make. Aside from steak and other manly things, of course. Honestly though, he makes better steak than I do that this is probably truly his favorite thing that I make for him. The great thing about this is all 3 of my kids like it to & so do I!! It is a miracle! The only complaint I get is that I should have made more. This recipe sounds fancy, but it is really a very simple & quick dish to make.

Pork Medallions with Olive-Caper Sauce

WW Points Per Serving: 6

1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives

2 tablespoons capers

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Cut pork crosswise into 8 pieces. Place each pork piece between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle both sides of the pork with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Dredge pork in flour, turning to coat; shake off the excess flour. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of pork, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove pork mixture from pan, and keep warm. Repeat procedure with the remaining oil and pork. Return pork to pan. Add wine and broth; bring to a boil. Stir in olives and capers; cook 4 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 medallions and 2 tablespoons sauce)

CALORIES 212 (34% from fat); FAT 8.1g (sat 1.8g,mono 5.1g,poly 0.9g); IRON 2.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 74mg; CALCIUM 30mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8.1g; SODIUM 894mg; PROTEIN 25.5g; FIBER 0.9g Cooking Light, JUNE 200

Megan's Chili

I have tried & tweaked countless different chili recipes & I think I finally have it right with this one.

main meals
POINTS® Value: 8

Servings: 8

Serving Size: Approx 1 1/2 cups

I like to top my chili with extra jalapenoes, some shredded Reduced-Fat cheddar, & a dollop of low-fat sour cream. Corn bread is great served as a side!

Ingredients
1 cup(s) green pepper(s), diced
2 cup(s) onion(s), diced
8 clove(s) garlic clove(s)
1 pound(s) cooked extra lean ground beef
1 medium jalapeno pepper(s), minced
2 tbsp chili powder
1/4 cup(s) packed brown sugar
1 tbsp Durkee Ground Cumin Seed
3 tbsp canned tomato paste
1 tsp ground oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp table salt
2 serving(s) Durkee Bay Leaves
1 1/4 cup(s) red wine, (I use Merlot)
30 oz canned tomato sauce
30 oz Eden Organic Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, (I usually use Rotel)
30 oz canned kidney beans, drained- I usually use 1 each dark & light kidney
1 pound(s) Jennie-O Turkey Store Lean Italian sausage link, hot, casings removed- can also use sweet if you prefer

Instructions

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage, onion, and the next 4 ingredients (onion through jalapeo) to pan; cook 8 minutes or until sausage and beef are browned, stirring to crumble.Add chili powder and the next 7 ingredients (chili powder through bay leaves), and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, tomatoes, and kidney beans; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.Uncover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaves.

Side Note: Like most chilis, this version tastes even better the next day.