Category: Dinner

Cheesy Kielbasa and Potato Soup

It’s no secret that if you asked me about my favorite category of food, I would say soups and stews without hesitation. I love the creation of them; the chopping, the fact that you don’t really have to measure, the slow cooking on the stove that you get to walk over and lovingly stir throughout the cook time. I love all of it. So when the temperature really began to drop and our evenings got a little less chaotic, I immediately set out to create a new soup recipe: Cheesy Kielbasa and Potato Soup.

I didn’t grow up eating kielbasa. Looking back, I don’t know why because it seems like a perfect meal for our little family of four. However, the Mr. did; so when we got married, it quickly became a staple every couple weeks. It’s great because it keeps well in the fridge so you can grab it at the grocery store and save it for the hectic nights. And my kids LOVE it. 

Generally speaking, if we aren’t eating it with scalloped potatoes and green beans (my kid’s favorite), we are mixing it up in this Kielbasa Quinoa Bowl (SO DANG GOOD!), and now we will add this recipe for Cheesy Kielbasa and Potato Soup to the list of go to kielbasa recipes. 

Think of this soup as your traditional potato and ham soup with a twist. The kielbasa adds another layer of flavor with its own unique spice blend. Let’s get cooking!

Your Ingredients 

  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil 
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • ¾ cup diced onion
  • 4 cups diced potato (I leave the skin on)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups chicken stock 
  • 2 cups diced kielbasa
  • ½ teaspoon pepper 
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 ½ cups milk 
  • 1 ½ -2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese 
  • Salt, to taste 

Your Steps to Cheesy Kielbasa and Potato Soup 

In a large dutch oven (Bring on the cast iron. I love it so much!), heat the olive oil over medium. Once hot, add celery and onion. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes and garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes, giving some color to the potatoes. Slowly add chicken stock and pepper, cooking until the potatoes are soft, approximately 10 minutes. 

While the potatoes are cooking, heat a saucepan. Cook the diced kielbasa until just crispy, about 5 minutes. Kielbasa can be oily, so this will pull that excess oil rather than adding it to the soup. Remove the sausage from the pan, and place on a paper towel. Reserve the grease and add enough butter to reach 2 tablespoons of fat. Stir in flour and whisk until the roux starts to bubble. Continue to whisk for about 2 minutes over medium heat.

SLOWLY stir in the milk, ⅓ of a cup at a time, whisking the whole time. Once the milk has been incorporated, stir it into the simmered vegetables. Add freshly shredded cheese (This matters. Pre shredded cheese doesn’t melt as well) and the kielbasa. Cook over low-medium heat until the cheese has incorporated. Serve it up with some fresh bread, a salad, and top with parsley if you choose! 

Chopped onions, potatoes, and celery
Chop, chop, chop.
Softening the vegetables.
Soften up those veggies!
Adding color to the kielbasa
Crisp up that sausage.
Gotta love a beautiful roux.
Cheesy kielbasa and potato soup
Perfection. Let’s eat!

Cheesy Kielbasa and Potato Soup

Grab your dutch oven and cook up a batch of this comforting and cozy cheesy kielbasa and potato soup for you and your family!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • ¾ cup diced onion
  • 4 cups diced potato I leave the skin on
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups diced kielbasa
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 ½ cups milk
  • 1 ½ -2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium. Once hot, add celery and onion. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes and garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes, giving some color to the potatoes. Slowly add chicken stock and pepper, cooking until the potatoes are soft, approximately 10 minutes. 
  • While the potatoes are cooking, heat a saucepan.
  • Cook the diced kielbasa until just crispy, about 5 minutes. Kielbasa can be oily, so this will pull that excess oil rather than adding it to the soup. Remove the sausage from the pan, and place on a paper towel.
  • Reserve the grease and add enough butter to reach 2 tablespoons of fat. Stir in flour and whisk until the roux starts to bubble. Continue to whisk for about 2 minutes over medium heat.
  • SLOWLY stir in the milk, ⅓ of a cup at a time, whisking the whole time. Once the milk has been incorporated, stir it into the simmered vegetables.
  • Add freshly shredded cheese (This matters. Pre shredded cheese doesn’t melt as well) and the kielbasa.
  • Cook over low-medium heat until the cheese has incorporated.
  • Serve it up with some fresh bread, a salad, and top with parsley if you choose!

Notes

Note: If you or someone you love is gluten free, you can totally skip the roux. Simply add the milk (preferably 2% to thicken the soup up a bit) to the chicken stock and skip the flour and butter. 
Also, if you want to thicken your soup without the flour and butter, an option is to hit the soup with an immersion blender for just a bit before you add the kielbasa and cheese. This is a great way to given the perception of a creamy soup without adding the extra stuff. 
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Oh the Soups you can make!

If you dug this soup, I have a few more favorites that you may want to try!

JessLeave a comment

Rice and Pancetta Stuffed Squash

I have an odd relationship with growing squash. Maybe I am not alone. I grow it, but the act of actually dicing it, roasting it, and all the things doesn’t always happen. It isn’t that I don’t like the way it tastes. I generally love it. It just takes a little more work than I want. However, this rice and pancetta stuffed squash is worth all the work, and I am super pumped to share it with you. 

One of my first friends adores patty pan squash. She has talked about them for years and this year, I decided to plant a row of them, having ZERO idea if I would like them. Well, I had a bumper crop of these beautiful “starfish” squash, as the Mr. so fondly called them. (Turns out I grew early bush scallop, if you are wondering).

I enjoyed dicing them and roasting with a little salt and pepper and olive oil. And while the Mr. and my mini me enjoyed the squash this way, my big HATED it. So I looked to give the squash a face lift for my kiddo, and boy does this rice and pancetta stuffed squash recipe do it. 

The flavors of the Brussels sprouts are complemented by the sweet potato and pancetta. Fall feels so present in the in the colors and spice blend. And turns out that both my kids fought over how much each of them could get. I thought six squash would leave us leftovers, but my goodness, they were gobbled up by parents and kids alike. 

If you’re looking for a meal that feels fancy but really just take a little prep, give this one a try! 

Ready to get cooking? I know I am! 

Your Ingredients 

  • Six Early Bush Scallop squash (other squash would work too, but you may need to increase the bake time as bush scallop are pretty light on bake time) 
  • 1 ½ cup chicken stock 
  • ¾ cup long grain brown rice
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon pepper 
  • 1 tablespoon butter 
  • ¾ cup pancetta 
  • ½ cup each: chopped onion, carrot, Brussels sprouts, and sweet potato
  • ¼ teaspoon dried, ground rosemary
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • Salt to taste

Your Steps to Rice and Pancetta Stuffed Squash

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Wash each squash and slice off the top quarter. Hollow out the inside, removing seeds and making room for the filling. 

Bake squash upside down for 15 minutes. When they are done, remove from the oven and flip over so they don’t collapse on themselves.

Meanwhile, combine chicken stock, ⅛ teaspoon pepper and garlic and long grain rice. Bring to a boil, cover and lower to a simmer, cooking for 35 minutes (or according to package directions). 

While the rice and squash are cooking, begin to cook down the vegetables. In a large saucepan (you’ll mix the rice into this so have room for that), begin to melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion and carrot. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add Brussels sprouts and pancetta. Cook until the pancetta is becoming crispy, about 10-12 minutes. Add sweet potato, pepper, and rosemary and cook an additional 3-5 minutes. Salt to taste. 

Remove from heat and stir in cooked in rice. Stuff parbaked squash and bake for an additional 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve your family a delicious and beautiful meal everyone will fight over!

I hope your family loves them as much as mine did. My big (who doesn’t like the squash plain) said I could just make a big pan of the filling and he would eat it all. It’s that good! So maybe double the filling? Ha. Just a thought *wink, wink*

Hollowed Squash
Squash Prep!
Sautéed vegetables
Get the color on those vegetables!
Stuffed Squash Filling
The colors in that filling!
Stuffed Squash Ready to Bake
Ready for the oven!
Stuffed Squash
Perfection!
Stuffed Squash
Check that filling!
Stuffed Squash

Rice and Pancetta Stuffed Squash

A little prep in the kitchen turns some simple ingredients into beautiful rosemary rice and pancetta stuffed squash!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Equipment

  • Baking Sheet
  • Large Skillet or Saucepan

Ingredients
  

  • 6 Early Bush Scallop squash or other patty pan squash
  • 1 ½ cup chicken stock
  • ¾ cup long grain brown rice
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ¾ cup pancetta
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • ½ cup carrot diced
  • ½ cup Brussels sprouts quartered
  • ½ cup sweet potato diced
  • ¼ teaspoon dried ground rosemary
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Wash each squash and slice off the top quarter. Hollow out the inside, removing seeds and making room for the filling.
  • Bake squash upside down for 15 minutes. When they are done, remove from the oven and flip over so they don’t collapse on themselves.
  • Meanwhile, combine chicken stock, ⅛ teaspoon pepper and garlic and long grain rice. Bring to a boil, cover and lower to a simmer, cooking for 35 minutes (or according to package directions).
  • While the rice and squash are cooking, begin to cook down the vegetables.
  • In a large saucepan (you’ll mix the rice into this so have room for that), begin to melt the butter over medium heat.
  • Add onion and carrot. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add Brussels sprouts and pancetta. Cook until the pancetta is becoming crispy, about 10-12 minutes.
  • Add sweet potato, pepper, and rosemary and cook an additional 3-5 minutes. Salt to taste.
  • Remove from heat and stir in cooked in rice. Stuff par-baked squash and bake for an additional 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

Notes

Any small squash would work for this recipe, although initial bake time may change based on the texture and hardness of the squash used. You want the squash to be almost done baking when the stuffing is put in.
Keyword Brown Rice, brussels sprouts, early bush scallop squash, pancetta, squash, stuffed squash, sweet potato
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for more meal inspiration?

Check out any of the links below or head right to my cooking page to learn more!

JessLeave a comment

Air Fryer Southwest Chicken Skillet

I don’t know about you, but our air fryer is perpetually on the countertop during the summer. I’ll be honest, eight times out of ten, I am making homemade fries (SO GOOD!), but sometimes I am cooking protein in it. I love cooking up chicken in all sorts of ways. I dig chicken thighs, chicken breasts, you name it. But one of my favorite ways to cook up chicken is when it’s marinated and cut into bitesize pieces. This Air Fryer Southwest Chicken Skillet is a great way to do just that! 

Reasons I love this recipe? It’s FULL of color and flavor. Don’t skip the cilantro or onions (as long as you aren’t an ‘it tastes like soap’ kind of guy or gal. Man, my heart hurts for you. I could eat cilantro by the bucket!) It adds so much. 

It preps up SO fast with minimal dishes. The chicken gets marinated in a baggy and goes in the air fryer. Everything else goes straight in the skillet! You don’t even need much of a cutting board if you have scissors for the onions and cilantro. It sure made my dishwasher (my 12 year old kiddo) happy to see that I didn’t create a pile of dishes for him. 

Now, I went lighter on the spicy factor here. If you want some extra kick, feel free to top with some sliced jalapeño too! Also, no air fryer? No problem! You can easily cook up the chicken with the rice or on the side. I just like the texture the air fryer brings to the party.

Your Ingredients for Air Fryer Southwest Chicken Skillet 

  • 1 ½ pounds chicken breast, cubed into bitesize pieces
  • 1 cup long grain white rice
  • 1 can unsalted diced tomatoes
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 cup shredded cheese
  • Fresh cilantro and green onions, optional 
  • Salt and pepper to taste 

Seasoning: 

One teaspoon each of:

  • chili powder
  • ground coriander
  • ground cumin 
  • paprika

One half teaspoon each of:

  • salt
  • garlic powder 
  • oregano 

Dash of cayenne pepper, to taste 

Your Steps to Air Fryer Southwest Chicken Skillet

Combine the spices to create a seasoning mix for the chicken. Reserve ½ tablespoon and set aside for seasoning the rice. 

Mix the rest of the seasoning with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon water. Place the cubed chicken in a plastic bag. Pour the seasoning mixture over the chicken, massaging it into pieces. Seal and allow to marinate in the refridgerator for at least 3 hours. 

When you are ready to cook the chicken, start the rice according to the package directions. Once the water is boiling, add rice and the diced tomatoes, black beans, frozen corn, and reserved seasoning blend. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. 

Meanwhile, preheat an air fryer to 380 degrees. Spray with cooking spray. Cook chicken for 10-15 minutes, tossing once or twice. 

Immediately after the rice mixture is done cooking, top with shredded cheese and cover, removing from heat. Serve once the cheese has melted, topping with chicken, cilantro, and sliced green onions. 

Spices make me happy!
Marinate it up!
Cook it up!
Almost there!
That chicken though!
Add the cheese…
And some cilantro.
Chicken on top!
And served.

Looking for other recipes?

Give my cooking page a try! Or maybe you need to add a sweet treat to your dinner? Baking is the way to go!

Southwest Chicken Skillet

Air Fryer Southwest Chicken Skillet

The use of an air fryer and a skillet make this dish a cinch to make! Minimal dishes and full of flavor, you're sure to love this air fryer Southwest Chicken Skillet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Marinate 3 hours
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Southwest
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ pounds chicken breast cubed into bitesize pieces
  • 1 cup long grain white rice
  • 1 can unsalted diced tomatoes
  • 1 can black beans rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 cup shredded cheese
  • Fresh cilantro and green onions optional
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Seasoning

  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • Dash of cayenne pepper

Instructions
 

  • Combine seasoning mix. Reserve ½ tablespoon and set aside for seasoning the rice.
  • Mix the remaining seasoning mix with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon water. Place the cubed chicken in a plastic bag. Pour the seasoning mixture over the chicken, massaging it into pieces. Seal and allow to marinate for at least 3 hours.
  • When you are ready to cook the chicken, start the rice according to the package directions. Once the water is boiling, add rice and the diced tomatoes, black beans, frozen corn, and reserved seasoning blend. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
  • Meanwhile, preheat an air fryer to 380 degrees. Spray with cooking spray. Cook chicken for 10-15 minutes, tossing once or twice.
  • Immediately after the rice mixture is done cooking, top with shredded cheese and cover, removing from heat. Serve once the cheese has melted, topping with chicken, cilantro, and sliced green onions.
Keyword 30 minute meals, air fryer, chicken, rice, skillet, Southwest, Tex Mex
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Korean BBQ Inspired Beef and Broccoli

This Korean BBQ Inspired Beef with Broccoli has been are recipe that has hung out on my Instagram page for a long time and is an ultimate go to dinner for our family when time is short. Sitting down together for meals is incredibly important to everyone in our house, but basketball, baseball, barre classes, and the like can make that challenging. This complete meal can be done in under 25 minutes (depending on your rice) and provides a healthy and nutritious meal everyone can love!

What I love best about it (besides the flavor of course!) is that it truly can be a pantry meal that gets thrown together last minute. We are a hunting family which means our freezer is full of home-ground venison, which is what we use in place of ground beef 90% of the time. We always have Minute Rice on hand (they make a great brown rice), and if we don’t have fresh broccoli, we will definitely have some frozen. As long as we don’t run out of the sauce ingredients, we are golden and can make this any day of the week. 

Also, I ADORE these steamer bags by Ziploc. It allows us to quickly cook up some broccoli (fresh or frozen) without heating up the house. We use them for cooking vegetables on a regular basis!

Ready to get cooking?! Let’s go! 

Your Ingredients For Korean BBQ Inspired Beef and Broccoli 

  • 1 pound ground protein (beef, venison, turkey)
  • ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
  • ⅛ cup water
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon ginger 
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil 
  • Red pepper flakes, to taste 
  • 3 cloves garlic 
  • 4-6 servings brown rice, cooked 
  • Two heads of broccoli, chopped into bite size pieces (four servings frozen broccoli florets) 
  • Sesame seeds 

Your Steps 

Over medium heat, brown protein, adding oil as needed. Venison benefits from a ½ tablespoon of olive oil in the pan to help keep it from sticking. Meanwhile, steam broccoli and cook instant brown rice if you haven’t already. 

I highly recommend these Ziploc steam bags for all things vegetables. I think we cook our vegetables in these bags 2-3 times a week for simplicities sake. They are amazing and come with timings for all types of food, fresh and frozen! I dig any kind of instant brown rice and have also fallen in love with frozen, par-cooked rice for those busy nights! 

While your meat is browning and rice and broccoli are cooking, mix your sauce. I like to add the liquids in a 1 cup liquid measuring cup and then add the rest of the spices. Don’t skip the sesame oil! It makes the dish! 

Once the meat is cooked, drain if necessary. Pour sauce over the browned protein, cooking over medium for 4-5 minutes, until slightly thickened. 

Serve protein over rice, topped with steamed broccoli and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Good luck having any left overs! 

Mix up the sauce!
Add it to the browned protein.
Top it off!
Get in my belly!

Korean BBQ Inspired Beef and Broccoli

Dinner in under 25 minutes is possible with this complete meal of Korean Inspired BBQ Beef served with broccoli over rice.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground protein beef, venison, turkey
  • ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
  • ⅛ cup water
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon ginger
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • Red pepper flakes to taste
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 4-6 servings brown rice cooked
  • Two heads of broccoli chopped into bite size pieces (four servings frozen broccoli florets)
  • Sesame seeds

Instructions
 

  • Over medium heat, brown protein, adding oil as needed. Venison benefits from a ½ tablespoon of olive oil in the pan to help keep it from sticking.
  • Meanwhile, steam broccoli and cook instant brown rice if you haven’t already.
  • While the meat is browning and rice and broccoli are cooking, mix your sauce.
  • Once the meat is cooked, drain if necessary. Pour sauce over the browned protein, cooking over medium for 4-5 minutes, until slightly thickened.
  • Serve protein over rice, topped with steamed broccoli and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Good luck having any left overs!

Notes

I like to add the liquids in a 1 cup liquid measuring cup and then add the rest of the spices. Don’t skip the sesame oil! It makes the dish! 
Keyword broccoli, Brown Rice, ground beef, quick meals
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other delicious dinner inspirations?

You can also head to my cooking page or perhaps the baking page for other meal and dessert ideas!

Jess3 Comments

Homemade Hamburger Helper

When I am asked what my niche is as a food blogger, I have a hard time coming up with a description because I truly am a dabbler. I love to can and preserve food from our homestead. I am a baker and comfort food is my jam. When I start to think about it deeper and see the big picture, my passion is creating good food for families from scratch. This homemade hamburger helper is such a perfect example of it. 

I don’t know about you, but I grew up eating a lot of hamburger helper as a kid. It was delicious, but now, I try to avoid as much pre-packaged and processed food as possible. When a friend shared her version of homemade hamburger helper, I had to give it a try. The skillet quickly became a family favorite and I had to ask if I could share it here. 

This homemade hamburger helper cooks up just a quick, if not quicker, than the box stuff. It’s a delicious and so simple recipe for busy people who still want to put good food on the table for their families. And without all the preservatives and added salt, it’s a meal parents can feel good about their kiddos devouring. 

Your Ingredients 

  • 1 pound ground protein (beef, venison, turkey)
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder 
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika 
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
  • 6 ounces tomato paste or 8 ounces tomato sauce 
  • 1 ½ cups milk of your choice (regular, almond, etc) 
  • 1 ½ cups low sodium beef broth
    3 cups egg noodles
  • 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese 
  • Olive oil, optional 
  • Salt, to taste

Your Steps to Homemade Hamburger Helper

Over medium heat, begin to heat olive oil (if using a low fat protein) in a large saute pan (that has a cover). Add ground protein. Season with onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, and ground pepper. Brown. Drain if necessary. 

Stir in tomatoes, continuing to heat over medium-high temperature. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in milk and beef broth. Bring to a boil. Add egg noodles, reduce heat, cover, and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the egg noodles are cooked through. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Season with salt if needed. 

Spice blend!
Add in the tomato paste.
Cook it up.
Stir in the cheese.
Serve it up.
Dinner is served!

Homemade Hamburger Helper

Comfort food at its finest with the flavors of childhood without all the preservatives.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground protein beef, venison, turkey
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 6 ounces tomato paste or 8 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1 ½ cups milk of your choice regular, almond, etc
  • 1 ½ cups low sodium beef broth
  • 3 cups egg noodles
  • 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • Olive oil optional
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Over medium heat, begin to heat olive oil (if using a low fat protein) in a large saute pan (that has a cover). Add ground protein. Season with onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, and ground pepper. Brown. Drain if necessary.
  • Stir in tomatoes, continuing to heat over medium-high temperature. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Stir in milk and beef broth. Bring to a boil.
  • Add egg noodles, reduce heat, cover, and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the egg noodles are cooked through.
  • Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Season with salt if needed.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other recipes?

Check out some great, family-friendly recipes below!

Jess1 Comment

One Cookbook Three Recipes

Normally, I spend a fair amount of time experimenting in my kitchen and garden. Creating recipes of my own or reading others and then expanding and making them my own. However, I have recently been fortunate enough to become involved with a group of collaborators who each choose a cookbook from their bookshelf. Maybe one they love. Maybe one they have never used before and it’s been collecting dust. Regardless, with that one cookbook, three recipes are chosen and we cook throughout the month, sharing the results every Tuesday. 

As for me, I had just recently inherited a number of cookbooks. You see, my grandpa was a fabulous chef. His father, his brothers and he ran a restaurant for some time called “Sam and Sons.” His father has immigrated from Sicily so the Italian blood runs deep. This was evident in the cooking that my grandpa did as the head chef at the restaurant for the 5-10 years that they owned it. 

But back to the cookbooks. My grandpa passed away in August 2020, and one of the things we were able to do was go through his cookbooks to take a piece of him with us. As a sourdough baker, I totally took all the books on bread. I found one on Charcuterie boards. But the one I felt especially drawn to was The Talisman Italian Cookbook by Ada Boni. A book I later learned is no longer in print and is considered THE Italian cookbook.

The Talisman: My one Cookbook, Three Recipes Book

This is the book I chose for my first in the one cookbook, three recipes collaboration. It was so fun that I wanted to share my adventure with all of you. Note that the book has very simple instructions with zero pictures. You have to decide by ingredients rather than images, which is new for me. 

When cooking, I tried to follow the recipe to a T. No going rogue and adding extra spices. I did have a substitution or two, but that was only because I didn’t have the exact ingredient on hand. You can jump to each recipe by clicking the images below!

Biscotta Al Pignoli

Chicken Cacciatora

Potato Soup Italian Style

The Talisman
Biscotta Al Pignoli
Chicken Cacciatora
Potato Soup Italian Style

Recipe One: Biscotta Al Pignoli (Biscuits with Pine Nuts)

I am a baker at heart so of course I scanned the cookie recipes first. I wanted something simple with ingredients I generally have on hand, so I went with the Biscotta Al Pignoli. It was a little unique as I had to incorporate the sugar and eggs using a double boiler, something that I have never done baking cookies. They turned out very reminiscent of meringue cookies, light and crisp. The recipe read:

Your Ingredients: 

  • 1 ½ cups sugar 
  • 4 eggs 
  • ¼ teaspoon grated lemon rind
  • 2 ¼ cups pastry flour 
  • 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts

Place sugar and eggs in top of a double boiler over hot but not boiling water, and beat until egg mixture is lukewarm. Remove from over the water and continue beating until foaming and cool. Add lemon rind and flour slowly and blend in gently. 

Drop by teaspoonfuls on buttered and floured baking sheet, leaving a space of 1 inch between them. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and pine nuts. Let stand 10 minutes and bake in moderate oven (375 degrees) for 15 minutes (I recommend cooking for 10 and then checking them. My first batch was a little overdone). This recipe makes about 40 cookies. 

Hit up the double boiler
Mix it up with some zest!
Onto the cookie try with pine nuts!
Baked delights!

Recipe Two: Chicken Cacciatora

I am not going to lie, I needed to cook my second recipe and didn’t have any picked out yet. I grabbed my cookbook on the way to our grocery store and started scanning. What was special about this one? I was drawn to the simplicity of the chicken cacciatora recipe and the fact that I had all the ingredients besides the marsala wine. 

I was tempted to add other spices and things, but again, stuck with the recipe as written. And OH MY GOODNESS. I was in awe of how amazing this dish was. It was the kind of food that makes you eat with your eyes closed, savoring every bite. It was cooked in my Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, which is one of my favorite kitchen tools. I served the chicken and sauce alongside some lightly seasoned polenta, which I had never cooked before either. 

Simply put, this is out of this world good. A MUST try.

Your Ingredients

  • 4 pound spring chicken, cut into pieces (I used 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs) 
  • ½ cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup fat
  • ¼ cup chopped onion
  • 1 clove of garlic, chopped fine
  • ¼ cup chopped carrot 
  • 3 sprigs parsley
  • 1 basil or bay leaf 
  • 4 cups tomatoes 
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Dash pepper
  • ¼ cup Marsala, sherry, or white wine (I did Marsala)

Dredge chicken in flour, sprinkle with salt, and brown in fat until golden on all sides. Place in a covered dish in a warm place. Brown onion, garlic, carrot, parsley and bay leaf or basil in fat left in frying pan. 

Strain tomatoes (when strained you should have 2 cups pulp). Add tomato pulp to browned vegetables in frying pan, add 1 teaspoon salt and dash of pepper and bring to a boil. Add chicken and wine and simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender. Serves four.

As a side to the chicken cacciatora, I made four servings of polenta. It got cooked according to the directions on the back of the package, using chicken stock as my liquid.

Again, out of this world good. A must try! 

While prepping the chicken.
So close to finished!
Perfection

Recipe Three: Potato Soup Italian Style

I love soups as much (if not more) as I love baking sweet treats. So when I saw that The Talisman had a whole chapter dedicated to soups, I knew that had to be where I drew from for my third recipe. Again, I searched for a recipe that had ingredients that I mostly had on hand. (It’s my favorite way to cook!) My family loves potato soup, so when I found Potato Soup Italian Style, I thought, “this is it!”

It was unique to me because I generally wouldn’t through potatoes and tomato sauce in the same recipe. I also thought it was interesting that the potatoes got boiled skins on, and then peeled and pushed through a sieve. But after some research, I learned that this is the way all the best chefs make mashed potatoes. I pushed mine through a metal strainer like this.

My family enjoyed this soup more than I thought they would. Again, I stuck to the original recipe, not adding any extra spices or seasoning, although I wanted to. Definitely something they would like me to make again!

Your Ingredients:

  • 4 large potatoes (about 2 pounds) 
  • 3 tablespoons butter 
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • ½ clove garlic 
  • 2 carrots, diced 
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 4 cups warm water
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Boil potatoes until thoroughly cooked, peel and put through a sieve. While potatoes are cooking, melt butter in soup pan, add onion, celery, parsley, garlic, and carrot and brown gently. Remove garlic, add tomato sauce, salt, pepper, warm water and strained potatoes and simmer 15 minutes. Serve with Parmesan cheese. Serves 4. 

Sauting the veg.
Breaking down the potato.
Almost ready!
Potato Soup, Italian Style

That’s it. That was my adventure as I explored using one cookbook, three recipes. I loved thinking that my grandpa was with me as I cooked from his book, sitting at his old dining room table. It was a special experience, for sure.

Looking for each of the recipes from One Cookbook, Three recipes?

You can find them below with a link or two to my favorite kitchen gear I used to create these delicious Italian Recipes.

Biscotta Al Pignoli

A light Italian cookie reminscent of merague cookies with pine nuts
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Servings 40 cookies

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • ¼ teaspoon grated lemon rind
  • 2 ¼ cups pastry flour
  • 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Place sugar and eggs in top of a double boiler over hot but not boiling water, and beat until egg mixture is lukewarm. Remove from over the water and continue beating until foaming and cool.
  • Add lemon rind and flour slowly and blend in gently.
  • Drop by teaspoonfuls on buttered and floured baking sheet, leaving a space of 1 inch between them.
  • Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and pine nuts. Let stand 10 minutes.
  • Bake for 10-15 minutes.
Keyword Cookies, drop cookies, Italian cookies, pine nuts
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Chicken Cacciatora

A meal known as "hunter's style:" Chicken Cacciatora has a rich sauce and tender chicken that is simple to throw together.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 4 pound spring chicken cut into pieces (I used 6 bonelss skinless chicken thighs)
  • ½ cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup fat
  • ¼ cup chopped onion
  • 1 clove of garlic chopped fine
  • ¼ cup chopped carrot
  • 3 sprigs parsley
  • 1 basil or bay leaf
  • 4 cups tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Dash pepper
  • ¼ cup Marsala sherry, or white wine (I did Marsala)

Instructions
 

  • Dredge chicken in flour, sprinkle with salt and brown in fat until golden on all sides.
  • Place in covered dish in a warm place.
  • Brown onion, garlic, carrot, parsley and bay leaf or basil in fat left in frying pan.
  • Strain tomatoes (when strained you should have 2 cups pulp). Add tomato pulp to browned vegetables in frying pan, add 1 teaspoon salt and dash of pepper and bring to a boil.
  • Add chicken and wine and simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender.

Notes

A great side for this dish is polenta, to soak up all the juices. Cooking according to directions on package.
Keyword cast iron, chicken, tomatoes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Potato Soup Italian Style

"Riced" potatoes make the base of this potato soup creamy and the addition of tomatoes make it unique! A fun Italian take on potato soup.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 4 large potatoes about 2 pounds
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • ½ clove garlic
  • 2 carrots diced
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 4 cups warm water
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Boil potatoes (skin on) until thoroughly cooked. Allow to cool slightly and then peel and put through sieve (a metal strainer works great).
  • While potatoes are cooking, melt butter in soup pan, add onion, celery, parsley, garlic and carrot and brown gently. Remove garlic, add tomato sauce, salt, pepper, warm water and strained potatoes and simmer 15 minutes.
  • Serve with Parmesan cheese.
Keyword potato, soup, tomatoes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Sweet Potato and Pea Pilaf with Chicken

I live for creating meals from pantry ingredients. It’s so fun to look into my cupboards and cabinets to see what I have and what I can create from it. Case in point: this Sweet Potato and Pea Pilaf with Chicken. I have this awesome little natural food store that I get to frequent often. When I am there, I can’t help but purchase one or two fun and new bulk ingredients to try out later. Recently, it was basmati rice. 

Our lives have become consumed by basketball. Both of my babies are playing and weekends are for tournaments. That means I don’t get to meal prep the way I love to. While it’s hard for me to give up that much time each weekend, I also see my kiddos flourishing on the court and I am here for that. So the scene: Sunday afternoon. Me, thinking, I have to get some food on the table when the Mr. gets home. A few google searches and recipe magazine flipping inspired this creation from the pantry! 

And I will tell you, my son wasn’t thrilled that I did peas and sweet potatoes. He didn’t get it and complained as pre-teens do. Then he ate dinner and promptly declared he got all the leftovers and requested it again a week later. I don’t know about you, but I call that a major win in the recipe world! I am so excited for you to give it try! 

Your Ingredients 

  • 2½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 
  • ½ medium yellow onion
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic 
  • 2 cups white basmati rice
  • 1 teaspoon tarragon 
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, heated 
  • 1 pound chicken breast
  • 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 2 ¾ cups)
  • 12 ounces frozen peas (about 2 ½ cups) 
  • Salt and pepper 

Your Steps to Sweet Potato and Pea Pilaf with Chicken

Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan (with a cover) over medium heat until hot. Add onion and garlic. Saute until just softened, about 8 minutes. Add rice and saute, stirring often, until just browned, maybe 3-5 minutes. Watch this carefully. You will be so sad if you burn your rice. 

Season with salt, pepper, and tarragon. Add 3 cups of hot stock. Cover lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat and allow it to sit for an additional 15 minutes. 

While the rice is doing its thing, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on each side and place on one half of the baking sheet. In a small bowl, toss the diced sweet potato with the remaining olive oil with salt and pepper, to taste. Layer on the other half of the baking sheet. Bake for approximately 20-24 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove from the oven. (Do not turn off the oven). 

Dice chicken into bite-size pieces. Combine rice mixture, diced chicken and sweet potato and frozen peas. Taste test and see if more salt or pepper is needed. Spread into a greased 9×13 glass baking dish and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Serve up hot on its own or with another vegetable side (I don’t think you can ever have enough!) 

Dice it up! Onions and sweet potato!
Get it roasting!
Look at those onions!
Sautè the rice
Perfectly cooked!
Chicken, peas, and sweet potato!
Mix in the rice mixture!
Baked and delish!
Serve it up!

Tools of the Trade

You’ve got to love a good Pyrex baking dish and flexible cutting boards are a must!

Looking for some other meal inspiration? The recipes below are some of my favorites! If they don’t scream “make me” I recommend checking out my cooking page!

Sweet Potato and Pea Pilaf with Chicken

Pantry and freezer ingredients combine in this Sweet Potato and Pea Pilaf with Chicken for a simple and delicious complete meal the whole family will enjoy!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
  • ½ medium yellow onion
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 2 cups white basmati rice
  • 1 teaspoon tarragon
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth heated
  • 1 pound chicken breast
  • 1 sweet potato peeled and diced (about 2 ¾ cups)
  • 12 ounces frozen peas about 2 ½ cups
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan (with a cover) over medium heat until hot. Add onion and garlic.
  • Saute until just softened, about 8 minutes. Add rice and saute, stirring often, until just browned, maybe 3-5 minutes. Watch this carefully for burning.
  • Season with salt, pepper, and tarragon. Add 3 cups of hot stock. Cover lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.
  • Remove the rice from the heat and allow it to sit for an additional 15 minutes, still covered.
  • While the rice is doing its thing, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Season the chicken with salt and pepper on each side and place on one half of the baking sheet.
  • In a small bowl, toss the diced sweet potato with the remaining olive oil with salt and pepper, to taste. Layer on the other half of the baking sheet. Bake for approximately 20-24 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove from the oven. (Do not turn off the oven).
  • Dice chicken into bite-size pieces.
  • Combine rice mixture, diced chicken and sweet potato and frozen peas.
  • Taste test and see if more salt or pepper is needed. Spread into a greased 9×13 glass baking dish and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes.
Keyword Brown Rice, chicken, peas, sweet potato
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Italian Chili

If you know me, you know I dig ground Italian sausage. We almost always have some on hand (frozen or in the fridge). We also make our own Italian sausage/venison blend that’s great! ⁠A while back, I had some in the fridge that needed to get used up and it was CHILLY outside. It got me wondering, “Is there such thing as Italian chili?” A quick google search got me to all the ingredients and some inspiration to throw a little something together. ⁠I remembered it as delicious and the pictures were beautiful. But…

It may be a big surprise to you, but I didn’t write it down and had only jotted what I remembered after the fact. That doesn’t make for good food blogging, so it went on the back burner. For months, I have been thinking that I needed to revisit the recipe and check the measurements, the flavors, and the like. 

That time finally came, and friends, it’s a great recipe. It needs just a bit of prep ahead of time (might I recommend browning the meat the night before if your mornings are rushed?), and 6-8 hours later, you will have a DELICIOUS Italian-inspired chili that will keep you warm any chilly day. (Or really any day, because every day is a good day for soup!) 

Before you get started, let me preface this recipe by saying that it will seem like you don’t have enough liquid initially. After cooking in the slow cooker all day, the liquid will be drawn out of the vegetables and it will be perfect.

Let’s get cooking!

Your Ingredients for Italian Chili

  • 1 ⅓ cup diced sweet bell pepper, any color (1 large)
  • 1 ⅓ cup diced onion (1 medium) 
  • 16 ounces ground Italian sausage
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil 
  • 28 ounce Italian diced tomatoes⁠
  • 1 1/2 cup tomato juice⁠
  • 1 cup diced celery⁠
  • 15 ounces kidney beans, rinsed⁠
  • 15 ounces Cannellini beans, rinsed⁠
  • 1/2-1 tablespoon chili powder⁠
  • 1 cup diced zucchini (1 small)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic ⁠
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper ⁠
  • salt, to taste ⁠

Your Steps (So easy!)

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add onions, peppers, oregano, and basil. Cook until just softened, about 7 minutes. Add Italian sausage. Cook until browned.⁠ Drain as necessary. 

Combine the sausage mixture with the remaining ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours. Serve up with some crusty bread and top with some shaved Parmesan. Simple and great. A combination of all the things I love. Happy cooking! ~Jess

Cut your peppers like this. A great hack!
Softened onion and peppers meet sausage.
Browned and beautiful.
Get the rest of the ingredients.
Stir it up!
Perfection!
And serve!

Looking to pair this with some dessert and bread? Give these recipes a try!

Tools of the Trade

I know I share about them a lot, but gosh, I love my flexible cutting boards. I don’t even mess with anything else! And You’ve got to have a great slow cooker, bonus points if it has the timer on it.

Italian Chili

Italian flavors combine with this classic comfort food for a simple slow cooker meal that is sure to make everyone happy!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ⅓ cup diced sweet bell pepper any color (1 large)
  • 1 ⅓ cup diced onion 1 medium
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage
  • 28 ounce Italian diced tomatoes⁠
  • 1 1/2 cup tomato juice⁠
  • 1 cup diced celery⁠
  • 15 ounces kidney beans rinsed⁠
  • 15 ounces Cannellini beans rinsed⁠
  • 1/2-1 tablespoon chili powder⁠
  • 1 cup diced zucchini 1 small
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic ⁠
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper ⁠
  • salt to taste ⁠

Instructions
 

  • Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add onions, peppers, oregano, and basil.
  • Cook until just softened, about 7 minutes.
  • Add Italian sausage. Cook until browned.⁠ Drain as necessary.
  • Combine the sausage mixture with the remaining ingredients in a slow cooker.
  • Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
  • Serve up with some crusty bread and top with some shaved Parmesan.
Keyword chili, crock pot, Italian sausage, roasted vegetables, slow cooker
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Spiced Sweet Potato Soup

Not too long ago, I had the opportunity to do a full moon after dark hike that ended with a fire meditation. It was an incredible event put on by my local yoga studio. When we arrived at the fire, our guide had warm soup prepared for us. Generally speaking, I tend to stick with the very common American soups: chicken noodle, vegetable beef, chili. You know the kind. But there was an option for a curried sweet potato soup that I couldn’t get enough of. I knew I had to get home and recreate my own version of it: A spiced sweet potato soup. 

I love the simplicity of this soup and the number of ingredients. For the most part, it’s the kind of soup you can have all the ingredients “on hand” and be able to throw it together when the “What are we going to have for dinner?!” comes up. It pairs well with a salad and some crusty bread (Seriously, check out my milk and honey sourdough bread. You’ll thank me). The spices are so warming, I can’t help but smile when I think of them.

This may be outside of my general “soup comfort zone,” but holy man, it’s GOOD. I practically licked out the Dutch oven and declared that I could eat it every week. I can not wait to share it with all of you!

Your Ingredients

  • ½ tablespoon coconut oil (or any other oil)
  • 1 cup diced onion 
  • 5 cups peeled and cubed sweet potato
  • 2 cups diced carrot 
  • ½ tablespoon minced garlic 
  • 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock, low sodium
  • ½ cup water 
  • 1 can original coconut milk 
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin 
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander 
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric 
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼-½ teaspoon chili flakes 
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 
  • ½ teaspoon salt 

Your Steps to Spiced Sweet Potato Soup 

In a large dutch oven or soup kettle, heat coconut oil. Once melted and hot, add onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until very soft and browned, about 7 minutes. Add sweet potato and carrot. Stir in stock and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Stir in spices: cumin, coriander, turmeric, pepper, chili flakes, nutmeg, and salt. Remove from heat. 

Using an immersion blender, puree vegetables with stock right in the cooking vessel. If an immersion blender isn’t available, the vegetables can be pureed in small batches in a food processor. Return to soup kettle. 

Slowly stir in coconut milk. Heat until warmed through. The spices will heighten in flavor over time. This is a great soup to prepare early in the day and serve for dinner, but it is DELICIOUS any time of day. 

I hope you like it as much as we do. It has a perfect balance of sweet and savory in a soup that warms you all the way through. And what a great way to have a meatless meal! 

Looking for other soup inspiration? Check out my cooking page!

  • Humble beginnings.
  • Beautifully browned.
  • All that orange goodness!
  • Spice of life!
  • Mix it all together!
  • Blend, blend, blend.
  • Stir in that coconut milk.
  • It’s just so beautiful.
  • Oh my yum!

Tools of the Trade

I can’t begin to share my full love of my immersion blender and my The Lodge Dutch Oven. They are my go kitchen tools. I like to say that a woman can do a whole heck of a lot with a dutch oven and a wooden spoon. These are my favorites:

Spiced Sweet Potato Soup

Sweet potatoes, carrots, and caramelized onions combine with coconut milk to make a delicious spiced sweet potato soup for any meatless meal!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course dinner, Soup
Cuisine Indian
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • ½ tablespoon coconut oil or any other oil
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 5 cups peeled and cubed sweet potato
  • 2 cups diced carrot
  • ½ tablespoon minced garlic
  • 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 can original coconut milk
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼-½ teaspoon chili flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • In a large dutch oven or soup kettle, heat coconut oil. Once melted and hot, add onion. Cook over medium heat until very soft and browned, about 7 minutes.
  • Add sweet potato, carrot, and garlic. Stir in stock and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
  • Stir in spices: cumin, coriander, turmeric, pepper, chili flakes, nutmeg, and salt. Remove from heat.
  • Using an immersion blender, puree vegetables with stock right in the cooking vessel. If an immersion blender isn’t available, the vegetables can be pureed in small batches in a food processor. Return to soup kettle.
  • Slowly stir in coconut milk. Heat until warmed through. The spices will heighten in flavor over time. This is a great soup to prepare early in the day and serve for dinner, but it is DELICIOUS any time of day.
Keyword soup, soup and stews, sweet potato, Vegan, vegetarian
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Tuna and Broccoli Skillet

When I cook, I go all in. Over the years, I have become determined to avoid adding overly processed food and box dinners for my family. I don’t always succeed (let’s be honest, that blue box of Mac and Cheese is pretty dang good sometimes!), but I would say that the food that I cook is from scratch, oh, I don’t know, 70% of the time? So when my kids requested Tuna Helper a few months ago, I was determined to make it my own. After a little experimentation, I came up with a great, simple alternative to the boxed stuff and I can’t wait to share my one pot tuna and broccoli skillet. 

This tuna and broccoli skillet can come together in just over 30 minutes AND you can make it by only dirtying four dishes: 

  • A large skillet or saucepan
  • A cutting board 
  • A knife
  • A strainer

That’s it. Everything will be cooked in the same pan (winning!) and after you strain the noodles, you can put the vegetables on top while you make the roux. I love to avoid extra dishes as much as possible (we don’t have a dishwasher so everything is done by hand in our house). 

Ready to get cooking for a weekend or weeknight meal? I can’t wait to share!

Your Ingredients

  • 12 ounces tri-colored rotini (or any other pasta shape your family loves) 
  • 4 cups broccoli, chopped
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil 
  • ½ cup diced onion 
  • ½ tablespoon garlic 
  • 1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms 
  • ¾ teaspoon pepper, divided
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tablespoons butter 
  • ½ cup half and half or heavy cream (whole milk would work too!) 
  • 1 ⅓ cup skim milk 
  • 2 cans tuna

Your Steps to Tuna and Broccoli Skillet

In a large saucepan, cook rotini according to package directions. Drain and set aside in the strainer. 

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in the large saucepan. Once hot, add onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add broccoli, mushrooms, salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook until softened, approximately 5-8 minutes. Remove from pan, spooning into strainer, on top of noodles (See, I am all about avoiding extra dishes!). 

Add butter to the saucepan. Melt over medium-low heat. Once fully melted, stir in flour, preferably with a whisk. Continue to whisk as the flour browns slightly. Very slowly, stir in half and half, ¼ cup at a time. Then stir in the skim milk, again, very slowly, ¼ cup at a time. (This is hard for me to do. I want to mix it too fast and I get impatient. Don’t be me. Ha.) Sprinkle in additional ¼ teaspoon of pepper, if desired. 

Once milk and half and half have been fully incorporated, slowly stir in noodles and vegetables. Add drained tuna and stir until well combined. That’s it! Serve it up. In our house, we would serve it with additional vegetables that we cooked in these Ziploc Steam Bags. We always keep a stock of our favorite frozen vegetables and cook them up in 6 minutes flat!

  • Chopped up those veggies!
  • Soften them up!
  • Don’t make more dishes!
  • Getting my roux on.
  • I was so patient this time!
  • Add the tuna
  • and stir it up!
  • Tuna and Broccoli Skillet!

Looking for dinner inspiration ideas? Check out my cooking page! Maybe you need dessert. Check out the baking page!

Cooking
Baking
Tuna and Broccoli Skillet

Tuna and Broccoli Skillet

This one pot tuna and broccoli skillet is great for both weekend and weeknight meals. It's sure to please kids and adults alike!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 12 ounces tri-colored rotini
  • 4 cups broccoli chopped
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup diced onion
  • ½ tablespoon garlic
  • 1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms
  • ¾ teaspoon pepper divided
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup half and half or heavy cream
  • 1 ⅓ cup skim milk
  • 2 cans tuna drained

Instructions
 

  • In a large saucepan, cook rotini according to package directions. Drain and set aside in the strainer.
  • Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in the large saucepan. Once hot, add onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add broccoli, mushrooms, salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
  • Cook until softened, approximately 5-8 minutes. Remove from pan, spooning into strainer, on top of noodles.
  • Add butter to the saucepan. Melt over medium-low heat. Once fully melted, stir in flour, preferably with a whisk. Continue to whisk as the flour browns slightly.
  • Very slowly, stir in half and half, ¼ cup at a time. Then stir in the skim milk, again, very slowly, ¼ cup at a time. Sprinkle in additional ¼ teaspoon of pepper, if desired.
  • Once milk and half and half have been fully incorporated, slowly stir in noodles and vegetables. Add drained tuna and stir until well combined. Serve.
Keyword broccoli, dinner, one pot meals, pasta, tuna
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess2 Comments