Creamy Italian Tomato Soup

When I'm working on a project, I often like the comfort of television playing in the background. In cases such as this, I tend to turn on programs that I've already seen before, so I don't have to concentrate on what's happening, I can just enjoy it peripherally.

The other night I was watching The Big Bang Theory, an episode called, “The Intimacy Acceleration” (Season 8, Episode 16). In this episode, among other sub plots, Sheldon and Penny spend the evening performing an experiment to see whether people can fall in love in a few hours. Part of their conversation went like this.

Penny: Do you want to stop? I know you have trouble with eye contact.
Sheldon: Well, you have a brown fleck in your right iris that looks like a Formula 1 racecar, so I'm just concentrating on that. Plus it's easier around people I'm comfortable with.
Penny: Oh, sweetie, I'm comfortable around you, too.
Sheldon: Of course you are. I'm warm and soothing. I'm like a human bowl of tomato soup.

Huh, I thought. Tomato Soup really is warm and soothing. In this case, what would be more soothing for a meal on “Soup Some Soup Sunday” than a heartier, most satisfying version, and that led me to this recipe online. Talk about hearty comfort in a bowl! This is certainly it.

Creamy Italian Tomato Soup

Adapted from insidebrucrewlife.com

1 pound ground Italian Sausage

1 cup diced yellow onion

1/2 cup diced green pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

4 cups chicken broth (or homemade stock)

2 cups water

8 ounces uncooked rotini pasta

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon dry basil

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese mix

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place the ground sausage into a medium stock pot and cook until done. Drain any excess grease that remains in the bottom of the pan.

Stir the onion, peppers, and garlic into the sausage and cook for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften.

Pour in the tomatoes, broth, and water; bring to a boil.

Add the pasta and bring the mixture back to a boil. Keep the soup at a low boil for the amount of time indicated on the pasta box (in my case 11 minutes). Add the heavy cream, basil, and cheeses, and stir until all is melted and incorporated. Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer on low until ready to eat. 

Top as desired. Serves 6.

PRINT RECIPE

This post is linked to:

What’s for Dinner Sunday

Art of Homemaking Monday

Happiness is Homemade
Inspire Me Tuesday
TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME
Dishing it and Digging it
Amaze Me Monday
Cooking & Crafting with J&J

Angel Hair Pasta with Brussels Sprouts and Bacon

To quote “The Big Bang Theory's” Sheldon Cooper in Series 4 Episode 2,The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification:

“Thursday nights are now Cruciferous Vegetable Night instead of Pizza Night. And this week is Brussels Sprouts.” 

I happen to be a big fan of the Brussels Sprout. Over the course of the past couple of weeks I have been experimenting with new recipes, all quite varied, each of which I have liked a great deal.

When my friend, Harol learned of my penchant for sprouts, she sent me instructions for a dish that she’d tried and enjoyed:  “I fixed Brussels sprouts the other night with a little bacon, sautéed them in some of the bacon drippings, then added a little fat free 1/2 'n 1/2 and salt and pepper at the end. They were delicious.”

I was looking for a main dish, so took Harol’s advice, and then added pasta, Parmesan, and a few gratings of nutmeg.  Delicious, indeed, even a picky Pete like Sheldon would surely approve.

Angel Hair Pasta with Brussels Sprouts and Bacon

4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 lb. Melissa’s Brussels Sprouts, cleaned and quartered

¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
Few gratings of freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 cup heavy cream
¼ package Angel hair pasta

Freshly grated Parmesan

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a large, heavy skillet over medium heat place bacon pieces.  Cook, stirring often, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 5-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a dish lined with paper towels to drain.  Increase heat to medium-high, add Brussels sprouts, sprinkle with sugar, and cook, stirring often, until edges are brown and caramelized, 3-4 minutes. Add cream and bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 5-8 minutes.  Stir in reserved bacon.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid.

Add pasta, Parmesan, and 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid to Brussels sprouts mixture, stirring to coat. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Divide among four serving plates and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

This post is linked to:

Be Inspired Friday

Foodie Friday

100th Post, a Recipe, and a GIVEAWAY!

Today I am celebrating two things, first, this is my 100th blog post and in honor of such I have a tasty giveaway (please see details below).  Second, and MOST importantly, it's my son's birthday, so Happy Birthday, Andrew, you handsome devil, and one of the best sons a mother could ever have!

Chef, foodie, & birthday boy

We actually celebrated a little early with a delicious dinner on Sunday.  In addition to the toothsome Brisket Braised in Porter (Brisket seemed an appropriate choice considering Andrew is a big fan of the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory -- other BBT fans will know why), Gruyere Potatoes, and salad, I also served green bean bundles that were a big hit.  The beauty of all of these dishes is that they are make ahead - yay!  I think a good side dish is often hard to come by, particularly where vegetables are concerned, so give this one a try and let me know what you and your guests think.

Green Bean Bundles
Yields: 12 bundles


1-1/2 pounds green beans, washed and trimmed
1 stick butter
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon packed, dark brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 slices of bacon, cut in half


Fill a large saucepan with wanter and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.  Add green beans all at once and when water retruns to a boil, blanch for 3-4 minutes.  Drain the beans and immediately run under cold water.  Pat dry and place in an overproof casserole dish.


While beans are blanching, melt butter in a medium saucepan.  Add mustard, brown sugar, garlic and salt.  Pour butter mixture over beans in casserole dish.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Make bundles of green beans using between 8 and 12 beans depending upon size desired.  Wrap a half slice of bacon around each bundle and secure with a plain wooden toothpick (do NOT use colored toothpicks, or the color will bleed onto both bacon and beans).  Arrange bundles in a single layer in the same pan used for marinating.


Bake, uncovered for 35-35 minutes until the bacon is cook and the beans are roasted.


~~~~~~ GIVEAWAY DETAILS! ~~~~~~
I was fortunate enough to get one of the first issues of this excellent publication on women and their sacred cooking spaces.  Now I want to share one with you.

Where Women Cook is the newest quarterly magazine from the publishers of Where Women Create and Somerset Studio. This premier issue features Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman; Robin Brown of Magnolia Pearl; Serena Thompson, The Farm Chicks; Mamma Agata's Cooking School on Italy's Amalfi Coast; CAKE, Celeste Shaw's newest restaurant & bakery…plus so much more! Creative storage ideas, eye-catching décor, delicious food and drink recipes, and inspirational stories will all be shared within the pages of this magazine.

To win this premier - certain to become a collectible - Winter 2010 issue, all you have to do is become a FOLLOWER of this blog and LEAVE A COMMENT at the end of this post.  That's it!

The winner will be selected on Sunday, January 23rd and announced in my posting on Monday the 24th.


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