Sunday, October 11, 2009

Favorite Recipes: Olive Garden® Zuppa Toscana, Just Like the Restaurant

Favorite Recipes: Olive Garden® Zuppa Toscana, Just Like the Restaurant

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Olive Garden® Zuppa Toscana, Just Like the Restaurant

Olive Garden® Zuppa Toscana

This is a much requested recipe on the site given its name! Someone who used to work at the Olive Garden sent in the original recipe and I've adapted it to serve just 6-8. Try it since it is really yummy!

It is a very good soup and hits the spot on cold winter days. I've included this and a few other Olive Garden-inspired recipes on the site for all of our visitors that enjoy eating at the restaurant chain. In my opinion, making these recipes at home makes them even better than the ones you eat at the restaurant! :)

Makes: 6-8 servings
INGREDIENTS

* 1 lb ground Italian sausage
* 1½ tsp crushed red peppers
* 1 large diced white onion
* 4 Tbsp bacon pieces
* 2 tsp garlic puree
* 10 cups water
* 5 cubes of chicken bouillon
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
* ¼ of a bunch of kale

1. Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.












2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic for approxiamtly 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
3. Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling.












4. Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated.
6. Stir in the sausage.
7. Add kale just before serving. Delicious!




Buon appetito!

Sunday, October 4, 2009

HomeMade Chocolate Brownies



Ingredients:
 * 1 1/2 sticks butter
* 6 ounces semisweet chocolate (or unsweetened, and increase the sugar a bit)
* 3 large eggs
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1 cup sugar (more if using unsweetened chocolate)
* 1/2 cup light brown sugar
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 3/4 cup flour

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour an 8x8 baking pan.
3. Melt together the butter and the chocolate. In a good microwave oven, 2-2.5 minutes on high should work. Stir the chocolate and butter together until it's smooth.
4. Whisk 3 large eggs in a large bowl.
5. Add the salt, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla, and combine until smooth.
6. Stir in the chocolate.
7. Fold in the flour. Mix only until the flour is combined; don't over mix.
8. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30-40 minutes.