"Orzo-to"

Ingredients:
1 small or 1/2 lg onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c white wine
2 1/2 - 3 c warm chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 c orzo pasta
salt & pepper
Olive oil

Heat olive oil (2-3 tbsp) in a skillet or saucepan over med-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sautee just until the onion is translucent. Add the orzo pasta and cook just a couple of minutes until it starts to absorb the oil. Add the wine, simmer and stir until it's absorbed. Add the stock, 1-2 ladle-fulls at a time, each time stirring and simmering until the liquid is absorbed. Continue until the pasta is fully cooked, 10-15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.


I got the idea for this one from a Rachael Ray episode a couple weeks ago, and tweaked it for the ingredients I had on hand. This is probably my new favorite pasta dish. I cannot even begin to tell you how much I loved it! It gets a creamy consistency, but since the sauce is just broth and wine (combined with the starch from the pasta), it's not overly rich. I absolutely recommend using a good wine-- something you wouldn't hesitate to drink, because the flavor of it really comes through. It was soooooo good!

Creamy Curried Pumpkin Soup

* 1 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1 small onion, finely chopped
* 1 can (29 oz.) pumpkin
* 2 cups vegetable broth/you can also use chicken broth
* 2 cups water 
* 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
* 3/4 tsp. curry powder or paste
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, cubed

HEAT oil in large saucepan on medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 3 min. or until crisp-tender. STIR in remaining ingredients except cream cheese until well blended. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. ADD cream cheese; cook until cream cheese is completely melted and mixture is well blended, beating constantly with wire whisk.


**This recipe does come out a little thick,I like it that way but you can always adjust..just an FYI


**I also added some fresh corn (uncooked from the cob) to the soup today & it was delish! Enjoy!


Posted by: Jenny

Tortilla Soup

Sautee in oil:

1 onion ( I use red)
1 chipotle in Adobo sauce chopped(i buy a small can,use 1 pepper & freeze the rest..lasts forever)
some Kosher salt

Once browned, add too:

2+ quarts of vegetable broth or Chicken broth
1 can of corn ( I like frozen so I just eyeball it...around 2+ Cups)
2 cans cooked black beans (I buy my beans in the bulk, I use around 3+ Cups)
2 limes (squeezed)

Once close to eating:

2 or more chopped tomatoes
1/2 or 1 bunch of cilantro leaves

Top with cheese and chips (for tortillas) can go in bowl before soup or after on top.

*I use corn tortillas instead of actual tortilla chips,both work great!

*I am a vegetarian but my friend adds shredded chicken when she makes this.


Posted by: Jenny