Cheese Tortellini Soup with Cannellini, Kielbasa and Kale

I'm making a favorite soup of ours today.  I was first introduced to this soup by our good friends, Frank and Karen.  It's from a past issue of Bon Appetite.  First off, you can do a lot substituting in this recipe.  I have never made it with the chopped fennel.  Two reasons, one is I'm not real fond of the taste.  And two, it can be hard to find where I live.  You can also substitute spinach for the kale.  I made today's with a combination of spinach and purple kale.  Another substitution I had to make today because I bought the wrong thing, I had to use smoked sausage instead of the kielbasa.  I almost ran out to get the correct item, but it's so crappy outside with the cold rain I went with what I had.

 This is the browning of the sausage and vegetables.  I added some carrots since I don't use the fennel.

 The purple kale and spinach made for an interesting color combination.

After you brown the sausage, you add in the broth and then the kale to wilt it.  Add the beans at this time.  Lastly goes in the tortellini and cook till it's done, about five minutes. 

 The kielbasa is really what makes this soup, so don't make the mistake I did and grab smoke sausage.  What I made today is still very good, but I really love kielbasa.  

Cheese Tortellini Soup , with Cannelloni, Kielbasa and Kale

2 TB Olive oil
12 ounces fully cooked smoked kielbasa sausage, thinly sliced
1 onion chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
1 cup chopped fennel bulb
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper
10 cups low salt chicken broth
4 cups chopped kale
1 15 ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans) rinsed, drained
1 9 ounce package cheese tortellini
1 cup grated Asiago cheese or Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.   Add next 6 ingredients and saute until vegetables are soft and kielbasa is brown, about 12 minutes.  Add broth and bring to boil.  Stir in kale and cannellini.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until kale is wilted, about 4 minutes.  Add tortellini to soup.  Simmer until pasta is just tender, but still firm to bite.  About 5 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and add cheese to top.

Misty, damp end of the month

Hard to believe it's the end of October already.  The remnants of a hurricane have brought us a couple days of light rain and mist.  I did venture out this morning on an early walk and found myself damp with mist.  It was very quiet out and you could see the moisture in the air.  You can kind of see the mistiness in a pic I took as I headed downtown to walk around the courthouse.

We had to switch doctors because of insurance changes and our new doc wants to put Chris thru a bunch of tests.  Chris is a bit unnerved by this, but I am a bit relieved as I've been concerned about him for awhile now.  His blood pressure always seems to be a tad high despite being on several medications for it.  Our previous doctor ran very few tests, the new one wants to do a lot.   How is one to know what is necessary and what is not?  We are both overweight, but my weigh fluctuates a lot as I know how to lose, but then I also know how not to eat very well and the weight comes back.  Chris has always been quite heavy and to me, doesn't seem to eat the volume of calories one would think to be over 300 pounds.  Two of the tests he is to have is for diabetes and thyroid. The doctor felt his neck and think his thyroid may be enlarged.  He is also having a stress test and maybe a sleep study.  Chris still is on the fence about doing that.  

So, we'll see.  Of course, as my mind goes I immediately begin to worry about what this will cost us in the end.  We do have insurance, but as most go now deductibles are fairly high. Hopefully payment plans can be worked out.

And so, life goes on....

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls in the crockpot

I need to use up some cabbage, so tried another new recipe today.   This one I found in the cookbook Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever.  And indeed, it is a really nice crockpot cookbook.  You can find it on Amazon either new or used, I got my copy used from there and it cost me all of 5 dollars which included shipping.

This recipe is called:  Mom's Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

1 large head of cabbage
One large can pureed tomatoes.  (my can was 28 ounces)
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 TB apple cider vinegar
One 6 ounce can of sauerkraut, drained.
1 large onion, sliced into half rounds
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup cooked white rice
1/2 cup ketchup
Salt and pepper to taste.

Bring 6 quarts of water with salt to a boil.  Core the cabbage and separate the leaves carefully so they don't tear. (I found this kinda hard to do)  Blanch the cabbage a few leaves at a time in the boiling water for about 30 seconds at a time.  You need about 8 nice size leaves for rolling.

Drain the cabbage in large colander, set aside.  Chop up the remaining cabbage and place in the bottom of a 5 to 7 quart crockpot.  Add to the chopped cabbage the can of tomatoe puree, sugar, vinegar, sauerkraut and onion.  Stir the mixture.  Cover and cook on high while you make the rolls.  Below is what the mixture looks like in the pot.

For the rolls.  Blend the beef, onion, rice, ketchup, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper in a large mixing bowl.  Divide the mixture into 8 portions.  Place one portion in the center of each cabbage leaf and roll.  Place seam-side down in the sauce in the crockpot.

Cook on high for one hour, then on low for 4 to 5 hours or until the meat reaches 165 degrees.  Season the sauce if needed with more salt and pepper and skim off any fat from it.  Here is how it looks in the crockpot after it's already prepared.

Since this is a new recipe, I have no idea how this is going to taste when it's down.  I'll update later today with a thumbs up or a thumbs down.

On a different subject.  I've applied for a part-time job with the Jasper County Prosecutors Office.  They had an ad in the paper for a part-time filing clerk.  It would be nice to find another part-time job to go along with the one I have.  I know the odds of that are a long shot, but prayer can do miracles so could use a few.  I'm hoping to at least get a call for an interview.  You had to mail in a resume and cover letter.  

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

A good friend of ours lost his mother yesterday. I thought this would be a good scripture for today.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

13 Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about people who have died so that you won’t mourn like others who don’t have any hope. 14 Since we believe that Jesus died and rose, so we also believe that God will bring with him those who have died in Jesus.

Eggplant Casserole

I really didn't mean to turn my blog into a recipe blog, but lately I've been cooking more than I used to.  A few weeks ago I began subscribing to a weekly organic food box.  A young family near here has started an organic produce farm.  Freedom Foods Indiana offers a wide variety of vegetables and you can subscribe for weekly boxes.  They have small to large boxes and their prices are very reasonable.  I just get the small box and it's 50.00 a month.  That comes down to about 12.00 a week for a decent size box of organic veggies for this size. 


As a result, I'm getting some vegetables that I'm not used to cooking and it's been fun finding ways to use them.  I've been getting at least one eggplant a week.  I'm not a fan of eggplant parmesan, so started looking for other recipes.  I have a cookbook that I received for Christmas a couple years after we got married called The American Country Inn and Bed & Breakfast Cookbook. (thank you Frank and Karen for giving me this way back when)   It's a wonderful book and I believe you can still get used copies of it on Amazon for a reasonable price.  I found this following recipe in their using Eggplant.  It will also help use up an excess of tomatoes and peppers.

1 eggplant, peeled and cubed

3 TB butter
3 TB flour
2 cups chopped tomatoes (fresh if possible.  I've used fresh and canned)
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 green or red or yellow pepper (whatever you have)
1 TB brown sugar

Grated cheese (recipe does not specify.  I've used both cheddar and muenster)
Cracker crumbs.

Grease a casserole dish.  Place cubed eggplant in a pan with water and bring to a boil.  Boil for 10 minutes then drain.  Place in the prepared dish.

In a saucepan, heat the butter and stir in the flour.  Add the tomatoes, onion, green pepper and sugar.  Cook until the sauce thickens.  Pour over eggplant.  Top with grated cheese and then cracker crumbs to cover.  I just used saltines, but other crackers I'm sure can be used.  Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and a tad browned.

I sometimes use a larger casserole dish and add some cooked chicken in with the eggplant.  I did that today.  This picture shows the chicken on top of the eggplant and tomatoe mixture.

This is the casserole before it goes into the oven.  I was a little lazy tonight and didn't crush up the crackers as much as I usually do.  I also did not shred the cheese.  I had a block of cheese so just sliced some thin pieces and put that on top.

And this is the finished casserole. Very colorful and very tasty.  Great way to use eggplant.  I have two heads of cabbage in the fridge, so Friday I'm going to try Cabbage Rolls in the crockpot.

Romans.

Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature.  Romans 12:2

The color October.

Wow, two blog posts in one day.  Pretty amazing when you notice I had almost 3 years between some posts.  

Anyway, it's October and my favorite month.  I like to say I love the color October.  Chris and I were married in October.  October 26, to be exact, 30 years ago.  Yes, our 30th anniversary is this month.  When we got married the weather was perfect.  It was about 65 degrees, sunny and the trees were beautiful.

A lot of the trees here in town are turning and I took a few pics this morning on my walk.

The bottom pic is a tree by PNC bank here in town.  I think I took a picture of this tree last year.  I don't decorate a whole lot for October, tho I should.  Chris and I used to really decorate a lot for Halloween, but over the years we stopped.  A lot of our decorations have gotten old and sad looking and most of the orange light strands we have don't work anymore.  This is the only things I put out for fall.

I bought this scarecrow before we moved down here from the bazaar at a church we attended in Illinois.    Maybe next year I'll try to do more fall decorating.  Pretty soon, I'll be bringing down from the attic all the Christmas things!

Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

I love all things pumpkin, so when I find a new recipe using pumpkin I save it.  The other day I got an email from one of my favorite authors, Liz Curtis Higgs.  It was her weekly email and in it she included a recipe for Frosted Pumpkin Cookies.  She was attending either a Bible Study or book signing, I can't remember which, but someone had brought these.  They were so good, she asked for the recipe and was kind enough to put it in her email.  

I wish I had taken more pics of the batter, as this cookie batter was very different then what I'm used to.  It was almost mousse like and the frosting was not the usual cream cheese color frosting you normally see on pumpkin cookies.  It was a brown sugar with cinnamon frosting, so the color was darker.  Here is the recipe.

1 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin (not pie filling)  (hah..I just realized what I did wrong in this recipe and why my batter was weird)
1 egg
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine butter and sugars together.  Beat until well blended.  Beat pumpkin and egg.  Add cinnamon, baking soda, salt and flour.  Beat entire mixture until smooth.
Drop onto ungreased baking sheet in generous tablespoonfuls.  Bake 8-10 minutes.  Allow cookies to cool before frosting.

Frosting:
3 TB melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 TB milk
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup powdered sugar

Combine ingredients and beat until creamy.  Frost cookies.

In typing this, I realized what I did wrong.  Instead of a cup of pumpkin, I dumped in the whole can!!!!  So, instead of 8 ounces of pumpkin I goofed and put in 15 ounces.   Needless to say, the cookies are still good, tho much softer.   That explains the weird texture of the batter.  It's always nice when an Oops! still turns out a good cookie.

Cowtober Fest

My mom wanted to run out to Fair Oaks Farms Cowtober Fest today.  We went a couple of years ago and they had a nice assortment of craft booths, etc.  So, Chris and I picked her up and we went.  The craft booths were a disappointment this year.  Not very many and a lot of them were of the commercial type.  It reminded me of the commercial buildings you go in at county fairs.  The fest seems to now be more geared for kids and families.  They had a "selfie" area, so Chris and I took a pic.  There was a sign behind us and hay bales, but we didn't manage to get those things in the pic.

Here are a few pics from the festivities.  

The top pic is a man carving a huge pumpkin.  I have no idea what the end result was going to be. 

They had lots of stuff for kids to do and it was a 10 dollar fee per kid to do all the activities.  There was pony rides, a big jumpy thing, climbing wall, train ride, and these weird animals that drove slowly around a track.  I think there was also a big pumpkin patch, but am not sure if that was included in the 10 dollars.  The bottom picture above is a garden Fair Oaks has planted.  The middle pic is their climbing wall which is a giant milk jug, and the top pic is those slow moving animals on a track   Kids could also go trick or treating at all the craft and business booths.

After we walked around a bit outside, we had to go inside for (of course) ice cream. The gift shop/cafe was packed, but we did find an empty table and didn't have to wait too long in the ice cream line.  They have the best ice cream.

It was a beautiful day today,  perfect fall weather.

Amos

Our second class for Course of Study is this coming Saturday.  I am very curious as to what the scores will be on the four papers I emailed off yesterday.  I have no clue if I have even close to what the professor was looking for in these papers.  We had to answer four sets of questions and each paper had to be two pages long.  I struggled with understanding how to answer some of these.  Chris tried to help me by trying to explain it in a way I would understand.  I guess I'll find out Saturday with how my papers are graded.  This first class is an Introduction to the Bible.  It's funny, no matter how many times you read the Bible…until you truly start disecting it and learning of how it was written you don't really understand it.  It's been fascinating learning how it all evovled.  And this one small class is just a tiny bit of it.

We have to write a 10 page exegesis paper as the big grade for the class.  We were given four sets of scriptures.  Chris thinks I chose the hardest of the four.  I chose a set from the Book of Amos.  Maybe they are the hardest, maybe not.  I personally chose them for the challenge they may be in forumating the paper.  We shall see.

October!

Today is Saturday and it's now October.  My favorite month because of the cool, crisp fall air and mostly for the changing colors.  It becomes so pretty when the trees change.  Here is a pic taken at our church last year.  I hope the trees are just as pretty this year.

This evening we have an event at church, Dinner and Movie.  We did this a couple of times last year.  Had pretty good attendance the first two times, then the weather got in our way and it was never restarted.  We have found in pastoring a very small congregation, people can be funny at times.  We have had mixed reviews of movie night.  Everything from extremely happy and love it, to hate it and it's a waste of time.  We even put out a questionnaire a couple of months ago to see if there was enough interest to start it back up.  Most everyone was OK with restarting it, a few gave movie suggestions.  Two people wrote in big block letters on the paper...NO, NOT INTERESTED.   

Anyway, tonight we are showing Faith Like Potatoes.  Wonderful movie if you haven't seen it.  This was actually requested by someone from the church on this questionnaire we handed out.

Along with the movie, we are offering a free dinner.  It will be a baked potato bar.  Seemed appropriate for the movie!

Ok, gotta go finish my papers for the Course of Study class.  Going to be submitting them today.