Tomato Basil Soup

It took a long time and many less than great bowls of soup but I've finally found a homemade tomato soup that is similar to the canned stuff but tastes even better! My husband had never had tomato soup until we were married and now this is one of his favorite soups, served, of course, with grilled cheese.
This soup is easy to put together and can withstand a long simmer time so it's perfect for days when dinner needs to be started early. However, it can also come together quite quickly. Since I try to keep chopped carrots and celery in the freezer I've definitely pulled this together spur of the moment.

Tomato Basil Soup
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Adapted from: Kate's Great Crafts & 365 Days of Slow Cooking
Yields: 6-8 generous servings

Ingredients:
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
28 oz can tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth
1 T basil
1 small bay leaf
3 T butter
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
dash garlic powder
1/4 tsp basil

Directions:
   1.  Saute onion, carrots and celery in olive oil. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, 1 T basil, bay leaf and butter. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer.
   2.  Remove bay leaf. Blend using either an immersion blender or regular blender {in batches}; add milk and remaining seasonings. Heat until warm.
   3.  Serve with grilled cheese and buttery crackers.

Pear Chicken Salad Sandwiches

We are blessed to have two pear trees in our backyard. I never would have thought to put fruit trees in so it was definitely a bonus when we discovered them in the backyard. We got about fifteen pounds of pears this year so definitely lots of pears for experimenting.

When grapes were on sale I knew one great use for some pears would be a chicken salad. I looked at a few recipes for inspiration and then just started putting things in the bowl. It turned out quite well and thankfully I took notes!

Pear Chicken Salad Sandwiches

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Yields: 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 cup grapes, halved

1 medium pear, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

2 cooked chicken breasts, diced

3 T onion, diced

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup mayonaise

salt & pepper

1/8 tsp dill

1/4 tsp parsley

dash nutmeg

dash ginger

Directions:

   1.  Mix ingredients in a medium bowl; refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve on bread or rolls.

Crockpot Smokey Sesame Chicken

My husband loves this recipe for Sesame Chicken. However, though it is quite tasty it does take a little bit of time to make. Right now I'm usually more interested in easier, less labor intensive meals. So, the hunt was on to find an easier Sesame Chicken recipe. After browsing a variety of recipes I ended up modifying my original recipe for the crockpot with fantastic results.

Crockpot Smokey Sesame Chicken
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Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound chicken breast
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chicken broth
~1 cup sugar
2 T vinegar
2 T soy sauce
2 T sesame oil
~1 T chili powder
~1 T garlic powder
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
sesame seeds
3 cups cooked rice

Directions:
   1.  Place whole chicken breasts and chopped onion in crockpot; top with chicken broth, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili powder and garlic powder.
   2.  Cook on low for 2 hours. Remove chicken and cut into pieces; return to crockpot and cook two hours longer.
   3.  Forty five minutes before serving combine cornstarch and water in a small dish; stir into sauce. Add celery. Cook on high until slightly thickened. Serve over rice, sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Cheeseburger Pie

While I was putting this Cheeseburger Pie together I was very skeptical of how it would turn out. It looks like it's just a pie crust filled with hamburger and it seemed as though it would be heavy and blah. Well, I was completely wrong! The egg oozes down from the cheese topping, settling on the bottom, creating an unexpected richness. The oregano is a surprise flavor that works nicely with the hamburger, onions and green peppers. In general, it's a great dish and one my husband declared should be added to the recipe box.
I actually prepared most of this dish during nap time. I did wait to assemble it until just before baking because I wasn't sure if the crust would get too soggy if I let it sit for a few hours. Even if you were to do all the prep work right before baking it doesn't take long to put Cheeseburger Pie together.

Cheeseburger Pie
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Source: St. Paul's Cookbook, Fairmont, MN
Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 pie crust (I like to use this one)
Filling
1 lb hamburger
1/4 c chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Cheese Topping
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp mustard
2 cups shredded cheese

Directions:
   1.  Bake pie crust at 425 for 8 minutes.
   2.  While pie crust is baking, brown hamburger, onions and green pepper; drain grease as necessary. Add bread crumbs and seasonings; pour into baked pie crust.
   3.  In a small bowl, beat eggs and milk; stir in cheese and seasonings. Pour over meat.
   4.  Bake at 425 for 30 minutes.

Mom's Chili

My mom's chili has been a family favorite (especially with my brother) for years. She often makes it when we go home and she had it waiting for my husband and I when we came home from the hospital after our daughter was born so Mom's chili definitely has lots of good memories associated with it.
It's really quite easy to put this Chili together. It benefits from a long simmer time so, if need be, you can make it early in the day and let it simmer all day. Growing up, we always had Club crackers with our chili so that's how I eat mine. My husband has adopted the Club cracker technique but also adds olives to his. To each his own!

Mom's Chili
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Yields: ~10 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb hamburger (not pictured)
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cans tomatoes
4 can kidney beans (drained, reserve juice)
3 T chili powder
2 T flour (not pictured)

Directions:

   1.  Fry hamburger until no longer pink; drain fat.

   2.  In a large pot combine meat, chopped onions, tomatoes (with juice), and kidney bean juice.

   3.  In a small bowl mix chili powder and flour with water until it makes a watery paste. Add to pot.

   4.  Simmer for at least 1 hour. Thirty minutes before serving add beans.

   * This recipe freezes well.

This is linked to URS and Finding Joy in My Kitchen.

Chicken Fajita Pizza

We've been enjoying Chicken Fajita Pizza for quite some time now but just recently perfected the whole thing. The new addition of the fajita seasoning is quite tasty! That being said, we thoroughly enjoyed this pizza even without the extra seasoning so if you don't have any seasoning on hand it's still possible to enjoy Chicken Fajita Pizza.

Chicken Fajita Pizza
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Yields: 2 medium pizzas

Ingredients:
pizza dough {I use this recipe, slightly adapted, which yields 2 medium pizzas}
pizza sauce
1/2 envelope fajita seasoning {optional}
1/8 cup water {if using fajita seasoning}
1 cup shredded chicken
1/2 - 1 cup chopped onion
1/2 - 1 cup chopped green pepper
2 - 3 cups shredded cheese

Directions:
   1.  Roll dough out to desired shape; top with pizza sauce.
   2.  Mix fajita seasoning and water in a small bowl. Add chicken and stir until coated.
   3.  Spread chicken on pizza; add onions and green pepper to pizza. Top with cheese.
   4.  Bake per dough directions. {We usually do 375 for 16-20 minutes.}

This is linked to Tasty Tuesday.

Burrito Pizza

Burrito Pizza--the first time we had it we were definitely a little apprehensive. The whole thing is so very different from most pizzas we enjoy. Well, it's a good thing we tried it anyway because it has turned out to be quite a delicious pizza. It took a few tries but we've finally found what we enjoy as Burrito Pizza.

Burrito Pizza
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Yields: 2 medium pizzas

Ingredients:
pizza dough
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup chicken, cooked and chopped
1 onion, diced
2 tomatoes (or 1/2 can diced tomatoes), diced
olives (optional)
1-2 cups shredded cheese
1/3 cup sour cream

Directions:
   1.  Preheat oven to 400. Roll out pizza dough to desired shape.
   2.  In a food processor combine drained beans and 3-4 T salsa. Pulse until it reaches a thick sauce consistency. Spread over pizza dough.
   3.  Top with chicken, onion, tomatoes, olives and cheese.
   4.  Bake at 400 for 15-18 minutes.
   5.  Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Adapted from: Good Cheap Eats

Cranberry Chicken Sandwiches

The first time we had this sandwich my husband was not that impressed. However, after I made a few tweaks to the recipe he said there was a night and day difference. Now everything blends nicely together to create a fantastic sandwich.
This sandwich is different from many similar sandwiches because it doesn't have mayo or extra sauce in it. It goes without saying that this would be an excellent recipe to keep in mind for after Thanksgiving as turkey would work just as well as chicken.

Cranberry Chicken Sandwiches
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Yields: 8 sandwiches 

Ingredients:
1/4 cup onion, diced
olive oil (not pictured)
1 lb cooked, shredded chicken
1 can cranberry sauce
2 stalks celery, diced (not pictured)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup dried cranberries
bread or rolls (not pictured)

Directions:
   1.  In a small fry pan heat 1 tsp olive oil. Saute onion until softened.
   2.  In a medium bowl combine all ingredient except bread. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
   3.  Serve on bread or rolls.

This is linked to Good Cheap Eats and Tasty Tuesday.

Mom's Sloppy Joes

Growing up we always called these BBQs but somewhere along the line I've evidently converted because I now call them Sloppy Joes (as it seems most people do). Whatever you call them though this is a delicious sandwich. It's so simple to make with just a few ingredients but the combination is wonderful. I love how moist the sandwich is while still having a little bit of crunch from the celery.

Mom's Sloppy Joes
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Yields: 4-6 sandwiches

Ingredients:
1 lb hamburger
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup ketchup
1 T mustard
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
3 T tomato paste

 
Directions:
   1.  In a large skillet brown hamburger, onion and celery until hamburger is no longer pink.
   2.  Add remaining ingredients; stir to combine.
   3.  Simmer 15 minutes. (If the mixture isn't wet enough add a small amount of water at a time until it reaches the right consistency.)
   4.  Serve on hamburger buns or bread.

Source: My mom

Broccoli Ham Quiche

 

When I went to make dinner I knew I wanted to make some sort of egg dish in a pie shell but I wasn't quite sure what exactly it was going to turn into. I pulled out a couple of egg recipe I already had and in the end decided to adapt my Cheese Quiche recipe. That turned out to be an excellent choice as we loved this dish!
Since the ham and green pepper I used were both from the freezer there was very little prep work involved in making this dish. Also, this recipe can definitely be adapted even more to accommodate whatever is on hand.

Broccoli Ham Quiche
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Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped, cooked ham
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup shredded cheese, divided
pie crust

Directions:
   1.  In a medium bowl mix eggs and milk. Add broccoli, green pepper, ham, onion, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper and 3/4 cup cheese.
   2.  Pour into pie crust and top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
   3.  Bake at 375 for 45-50 minutes. Let set 5 minutes before cutting.

 

This is linked to Joy in my Kitchen.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

The newest addition to our pizza repertoire is this marvelous Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza. My husband loves it because it has not one, but two types of meat on it and the flavors all combine so well. I love it because it tastes good and because I usually have all the ingredients on hand.
There are five simple ingredients, all of which can be prepared ahead of time, making this incredibly easy to put together. Be sure to not overdo the ranch dressing though as it could easily overpower everything else on the pizza.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza
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Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:
pizza dough (not pictured)
~1/2 cup Ranch dressing
4-6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
~2 cups chicken, cooked and diced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
~3 cups cheese

Directions:
   1.  Roll out pizza dough to size of pan. Spread Ranch dressing over top (sparingly).
   2.  Top with bacon, chicken and onion. Cover with cheese.
   3.   Bake at 400 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until done.

This is linked to Good Cheap Eats.

3 Bean Salad

Much like the Stromboli we had at the same meal, the memory that comes to mind when I think of 3 Bean Salad is eating at my sister-in-law's house soon after we were engaged. It was delicious and finally this summer I got around to figuring out my own version!
Technically, I suppose mine is only 2 Bean Salad since all I use is green beans and kidney beans (white kidney beans in these pictures). I looked at buying wax beans like many recipes call for but since I can get green beans for half the price I call that good enough!
This salad tastes best if you mix it up in the morning for an evening meal. That way all the flavors can really blend to make a delicious taste.

3 Bean Salad
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Yields: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
~ 2 cups green beans
1 can kidney beans
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup Italian dressing
5 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup vegetable oil  

Directions:
   1.  In a medium bowl combine beans, onion and parsley.
   2.  In a small bowl mix salt, pepper, dressing, sugar, garlic powder, vinegar and oil.
   3.  Pour dressing over beans; stir well. Refrigerate until serving.

This is linked to Good Cheap Eats and URS.

Tater Tot Hotdish

I grew up in Minnesota so in my opinion it's a hot dish, not a casserole! Either way this dish hits the spot; as my husband says "It's basic, but good".
All the ingredients are things commonly on hand so it's an easy meal to put together when you have no other idea. It has vegetables, meat, and a starch so just add a side of fruit and you have a pretty well rounded meal.

Tater Tot Hot Dish
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Yields: 6 servings 

Ingredients
1 lb hamburger
1/2 onion, diced
1 bag frozen green beans or 2 cans green beans, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I like to use this homemade version)

1 bag tater tots

Directions
   1.  Fry hamburger and onions until hamburger is no longer pink.
   2.  In a 9x13 pan, combine green beans and soup. Stir in hamburger and onions. Top with tater tots.
   3.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until tater tots are done.

 This is linked to Good Cheap Eats.

Apple Pork (or Chicken)

This recipe is a little nostalgic for me because it's the first recipe I remember tweaking so extensively that it completely changed the dish. The original recipe looked good but for some reason or another I couldn't make it the way it was written. (If I'm remembering correctly I didn't have most of the ingredients.) I tried my own version of it and am glad I did because this is now one of my favorite recipes.
I've made it with chicken and pork but I think I prefer chicken. I often up the amount of apples and onions in the dish to stretch it a bit and it's still great.

Apple Pork (or Chicken)
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Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked rice (I like to add a little cinnamon and nutmeg to the rice as well.)
1 lb pork or chicken, cut into 1 in pieces
1 T olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 apples, diced
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 cups apple juice
2 T cornstarch

Directions:
   1.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil; add meat and cook until browned. Remove to a bowl.
   2.  In same skillet, add apples and onions and cook until softened. Return meat and any juices to pan. Sprinkle seasonings over mixture.
   3.  Add apple juice to pan. Sprinkle cornstarch and stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer; simmer until sauce has thickened. Serve over rice.

This is linked to URS.

Baked Beans

We had always been content fans of canned baked beans until one Saturday last summer. We were grilling and wanted to have baked beans but there were none in the house. I went to my cookbooks, looked around and found this recipe. The first time I made the beans they were good but not perfect. Now I think I've pretty much got it down and we actually prefer these beans as opposed to the canned stuff.

The longest part of the prep is boiling the coffee mixture but even that doesn't take long. After that you can relax and enjoy the delicious smell of your baked beans baking in the oven, making you wish it were already time to eat!

Baked Pinto Beans
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Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
1 30 oz can pinto beans (or 2 14 oz cans), drained
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup water
1/2 T vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp celery seed
1/4 cup cold coffee
1/2 onion, diced
2 slices bacon, diced
1 cup water

Directions:
   1.  In a small saucepan, heat brown sugar, 1/8 cup water, vinegar, salt, cloves, pepper and celery seed to boiling, stirring occasionally. Stir in coffee.
   2.  Place beans, onion and bacon in a casserole dish. Pour coffee mixture and 1 cup water over top; stir.
   3.  Cover and bake in 350 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove cover and bake 15-25 minutes longer.

Adapted from: 1988 printing of Betty Crocker Cookbook

This is linked to Good Cheap Eats.

Cheese Quiche

I don't know why exactly but it truly surprises me how much we like this Cheese Quiche. Maybe it's the fact that a big component of the dish is spinach which in frozen form is not exactly the most appetizing looking thing. Whatever it is we like it! At first our daughter was a little hesitant about it but then she attacked her serving with gusto!
This is a ridiculously easy meal to put together. If you use a store bought crust (which I did this time) it doesn't take much time at all and it's a dish you can feel good about putting in front of your family.

Cheese Quiche
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Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
1 small onion, chopped
1 10 oz pkg frozen spinach, thawed and drained
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheese
1 9 in pie crust
1/4 cup bacon bits (optional; not pictured)
1/4 tsp nutmeg (not pictured)
1/4 tsp paprika (not pictured)
salt & pepper (not pictured)

Directions:
   1.  Preheat oven to 375.
   2.  In a skillet cook onions in a small amount of olive oil over medium heat until tender.
   3.  In a large bowl beat eggs and milk until blended. Add spinach, onions, cheese and spices and mix. Pour into crust; top with bacon bits (if using).
   4.  Place crust tin on a cookie sheet and bake 50 minutes or until center is set.

Source: Kraft Foods

This is linked to Good Cheap Eats.

Fiesta Chicken Soup

There are a few different "Mexican" based soups in our rotation but I keep each of them there because they each have their own little twist. This one incorporates so many ingredients and in the end they all go together so well. The flavors meld perfectly, especially considering the relatively short cooking time.

One thing that amazed me about this soup was how much color the broth had. Most of it, I assume, is from the tomato juice but look at that color!

Fiesta Chicken Soup
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Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients
1 T Italian dressing or olive oil
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1 onion, chopped
3/4 cup carrots, sliced
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 tsp chili powder
3/4 cup peas
1 can kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions
   1. Cook chicken, onions and carrots in the Italian dressing until the onions and carrots are beginning to soften.
   2. Add tomatoes (with juice), chicken broth, water and chili powder to pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer.
   3. Fifteen to 20 minutes before serving add peas and kidney beans.
   4. Serve with cheese sprinkled over the top.
Notes: The measurements of the vegetables are extremely flexible. I've also added green beans.

Source: Kraft Foods

This is linked to Tasty Tuesday and URS.

Apple Onion Cider Chicken

This smelled amazing as it cooked! The vinegar really added a sweet tartness. At first, my husband was wondering if this would be too similar to another apple, onion and chicken dish we love but we discovered, while they contain similar ingredients, they each have their own very unique taste.
The original recipe calls for whole chicken breasts. We've found that, in general, we prefer to cut our chicken into smaller pieces. That way, more of the chicken is exposed to the sauce which spreads the wonderful taste throughout.

Apple Onion Cider Chicken
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Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:
olive oil
2 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 apples, diced
1 onion, diced
3 T apple cider vinegar
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup water
2 T butter
salt and pepper

 Directions:
   1.  Heat 1 T olive oil in a large skillet. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Remove to a bowl.
   2.  If necessary, add more olive oil to pan. Add onion and apple; cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
   3.  Add apple cider vinegar; cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cook until sauce is reduced by half. Whisk in butter.
   4.  Return chicken to pan; stir to combine.

Adapted from: Food Network

This is linked to Good Cheap Eats.

Bunsteads

This is a recipe I remember fondly from my childhood. A few months after we were married I made Bunsteads for my husband and now he too thinks fondly of them. They are filling, warm and tasty.

Bunsteads are a relatively easy sandwich to put together. The mixture can be made ahead of time and refriegerated until closer to dinner time. This leaves only the simple task of filling the bread and putting them in the oven.

Bunsteads
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Yields: 6 servings 

Ingredients
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 can tuna or chicken, drained
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped sweet pickle or pickle relish
1/2 cup Miracle whip
1/2 tsp paprika
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
bread or hamburger buns (not pictured)

Directions
   1.  Lightly mix all ingredients, except bread.
   2.  Fill bread or buns. Seal in tinfoil and place in 350 oven for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
   Alternative: Microwave mixed ingredients until warm then fill bread or buns.

Lasagna Soup

In the pot this soup looks like a normal vegetable and broth soup. Once you dish it up on top of the cheeses it turns slightly creamy and absolutely beautiful. There are wonderful layers of flavor in this surprisingly hearty lasgana soup.
The work time for this recipe, like many soups, is not too long but the simmering time means you don't have to prepare it immediately before dinner. The slightly longer list of ingredients might be intimidating but since many of the ingredients are spices they don't create a lot of work.

Lasagna Soup
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Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb Italian sausage
1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced (not pictured)
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
2 T tomato sauce
2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 cup uncooked pasta
1 cup spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp basil
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded cheese

Directions:
   1.  In a skillet, cook Italian sausage until no longer pink. Drain fat.
   2.  In a large stock pot, saute onions in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic powder, oregano, Italian seasoning, red peppers flakes and tomato sauce. Cook 2 minutes.
   3.  Add cooked Italian sausage, tomatoes with juice, chicken broth, water and bay leaves. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
   4.  Add pasta; bring back to a boil on medium heat until pasta is tender, about 7-8 minutes. After five minutes add spinach and basil. Remove bay leaves.
   5.  To serve put 1/4 cup cottage cheese, 1 T Parmesan cheese and 2 T shredded cheese in each bowl. Ladle soup on top. [When we had this as leftovers it worked well to warm up the soup then put the cheeses on top and stir them in.]

Adapted from: Our Simple Life