The Easiest Soup In The World

This whole post is actually somewhat of a joke. I mean, it's not really a recipe. But maybe there's someone out there that has never tried this or thought of it. This is Tortellini Soup.


Tortellini Soup and I go waaaaay back. I remember my Grandmother making it for me as a little girl. I remember going to an Italian Restaurant that served it as an appetizer, but my Mom would always order it for me as my meal. And I would slurp those little donut shaped, cheese filled pastas up like there was no tomorrow.

And for the longest time, I thought Tortellini was only to be eaten as a soup. Just the Tortellini and the broth. Eventually, I learned to appreciate and adore Tortellini in different ways, including Tortellini Salad, Tortellini Al Fredo, and even Tortellini is a tomato sauce. Or gravy.

And for a long time, Tortellini Soup was forgotten. Until I had my kids. Then, I remembered how much I loved Tortellini Soup. It's one of those dishes that bring back memories. One of the flavors, that as I taste it, I can close my eyes and hear my Grandmother's voice and convince myself I'm like five years ago. It is truly a comforting, Soul Soothing bowl of memories.

After my kids came along, I started making it for them. And they can't get enough of it. Whenever I make soup for their lunch or for a quick dinner, it is almost always 99% Tortellini Soup. My son can live on this soup. And I really don't mind, because it's so easy and simple and quick to make.

Are you ready? Are you ready for the recipe?

It's a carton of Chicken Broth (I use the Fat Free and Low Sodium because the Tortellini's are already salty enough from the cheese). And it's a bag of dried Tortellini.


Ta-Da!!

Well, you got to bring the broth up to a boil first. Then drop the Tortellini's in. Let them cook for about 8 minutes...then...

Ta-Da!!!

One pot. Two ingredients. And it is seriously some good stuff. Better than any canned soup, that's for sure.

You can, and I have, add some diced chicken, sliced carrots and celery. But most of the times I just make it with the broth and pasta. That's it. Usually when I'm just not in the mood to cook or make a mess or feed my kids, but I know I have to feed them or I'll go down in Mommie Dearest History or something.

This is also great for cooking quickly in the morning, then filling up the kids' little soup thermos for a nice, warm lunch.

Funny thing is, I whipped this up one afternoon when my Dad was here. He had three bowls of it. He thought it was the best thing ever. And I laughed.

But...sometimes simple is the best thing ever.

Presto! It's Pesto!

I discovered Pesto later on in life. I don't really remember where or how. I just know that I absolutely LOVE IT!! If there is something with Pesto on the menu, I'm ordering it.

One of my favorite dishes was this grilled chicken and mozzarella panini sandwich with Pesto from Joshua Tree on Restaurant Row. Everytime I went there, I had to get this Panini. So good!!

Then, I tried this proscuitto sandwich with a Pesto dressing at another restaurant one time. Proscuitto and Pesto? Oh my!!! HEAVEN!!!

And of course, there's always Pesto Pasta. And it's always so good.

A couple of years ago, not knowing how to make Pesto, I bought some jarred stuff. Eh. Not the same. I also tried some freeze dried envelope packet thingy. Even worse. Pesto really needs to be fresh. And truthfully, since I've started making my own, there is something so special about it. The smell of the fresh basil and the toasted pine nuts...it really wakes up the kitchen and the senses.

Pesto is so easy. So uncomplicated. You really can't screw this up. Only once, did I mess it up and that's because I didn't have a Food Processor and tried to make it in a blender, then a mini-chopper and it was just a mess. After that, I bought myself a Food Processor.

Here's how simple it is. It's lots of fresh Basil, rinsed off and patted dry with some paper towels.


A good handful of Pine Nuts...or as my mother would call them: Pignoli's. I like to toast them ever so lightly in a dry pan over a low flame.


When you start to smell the Pine Nuts, turn off the heat and let them cool just a bit, then give them a whirl in the Food Processor. This will release even more goodness to the nose...the smell reminds me of an old fashioned Italian bakery.


Pull the Basil from the stems and pile it in the Food Processor. Top it off with lots of Grated Parm Cheese, some salt and pepper, and lots of minced garlic. I also love to add some fresh Lemon Zest. The citrus from the zest really brightens the flavor of the Pesto.


Let the Food Chopper whirl again while you slowly drizzle Olive Oil in, letting the whole thing emulsify.


The Basil, the Pignoli's, the Lemon, the Garlic...so much going on, but so simple.

While you are doing all this, have your water boiling and salted. Cook the pasta of your choice. I like to use a real thin spaghetti. The pasta is light and the Pesto is the star of the dish with a thin spaghetti.

After the pasta is drained, just toss the Pesto throughout out. You can control how much too. A little. A lot. I like just enough to coat the pasta.


And Presto! You made Pesto! This is a great vegatarian option or a great meal for a hot summer night. The only thing you are cooking is the pasta. No slaving away over a hot stove or oven.

I love this stuff. I can't get enough of it. Eat it on pasta, as a dressing on sandwiches. Top on grilled chicken or shrimp. Drizzle a bit on Bruschetta. The options are endless.

No Meat Fridays

Growing up, this time of the year meant the fresh smell of grass, new flowers blossoming out of the dirt, the sound of lawnmowers, Cadbury Eggs and Yellow Peeps, and...no eating meat on Fridays.

So, most of my Fridays were spent either waiting forever for a pizza to be delivered, because I'm pretty sure this is the busiest time of the year for them (Fridays during Lent) or eating what my Mom would call "Poor Man's Supper".

Poor Man's Supper is so easy and so simple and it has become a real comfort food for me over the years. Spaghetti, Olive Oil, and Garlic. That's it. If you wanted to, you can sprinkle some grated parm cheese in there too. So simple. So cheap. So good.

I have carried on the tradition of serving Poor Man's Supper on Fridays during Lent, but last week, I wanted to do something different. I wanted to do Pizza. But I didn't want to wait forever to have one delivered. And the truth is...I enjoy making my own Pizza Pies.

I started off by putting my oven on at 500 degrees. The hotter the oven, the better the crust cooks. If you are afraid of a really hot oven or your oven doesn't go that high for whatever reason, then partially bake the crust first to firm it up. It'll help from getting a soggy crust.

Then, I made the kid's Pizza:


Easy peasy. Pizza Dough, stretched out. Some jarred sauce. Some sliced Mozzarella cheese. And we are done. If it wasn't Friday, I would have plopped some pepperoni on it too. But...that would have been a sin.


Then, I wanted to make a "Grown Up Pizza" for me and Hubby.

Pizza Dough. Always get the real thing. Not the stuff that comes in a can. Most stores carry real Pizza Dough now. And they freeze pretty well.


I brushed the dough with a mixture of Olive Oil and some Minced Garlic.


Then topped with with thinly sliced Tomatoes.


Then nice, big slices of Mozzarella Cheese. And a Sprinkling of Chopped Basil.


Baked at that high temp for about 15 minutes. I love when the cheese gets a little burnt. That's the best part.


Mmmmm.....soooooo good!!! This is great for those who used to live in New York or the surrounding areas and miss that good ole' New York Style Pizza. I highly recommend investing in a Pizza Stone to bake it on. It makes a WORLD of a Difference in the crust. So close to a Pizzeria.

Playing With Dirt

Last summer, at the end of the school year, my son hopped off the school bus carefully carrying a dixie cup of dirt and a big grin on his face.

"It's for you, Mommy!!" he beamed as he proudly showed me the cup of dirt.

I pasted a proud, but confused smile on my face and said, "Oh! Wow, Bubba!! A nice...cup...of dirt?"

"Noooo. It's a sunflower! We planted sunflower seeds in the cup," he explained.
"And I have to put it in the sunlight and water it everyday and a big sunflower will grow!!"

I pretended to be excited for him as he ran into the house and proudly placed the cup of dirt front and center in our living room for the whole neighborhood to see...and for it to get sunlight. Truth was, it...was...a...cup...of...dirt. At least in my eyes. And I don't do dirt. Dust? Yeah, sure. Dirt? Soil? Mud? That belongs OUTSIDE.

I don't keep plants, except a cactus that we have in our dining room. I tried the whole plant thing. They died. And I was left with pots of dirt. And pots of dirt freak me out. What if there's bugs in it? Worms? A SNAKE????

But, I ignored my very rationals fears of having a cup of dirt displayed in my house. I figured my son would forget about it after a day or two. Maybe a week. Then I could toss it.

But...then...a funny thing happened. Greenery began to unfold from the soil. Then it grew. We were so impressed that we decided to try a little .99 cent tomato plant the kids had gotten for Easter. And that began to grow too.

Soon, the sunflower was too big for the little dixie cup, as was the tomato plant that was growing in a bag. So, my husband found a little corner in the yard and replanted them. Then he built of barrier of broomsticks and wire and chairs to keep the dogs from running into them.

By the end of the summer, there were three sunflowers and a lovely little tomato plant. The tallest sunflower towered over eight feet. I was amazed. Everyone who came over spotted them and commented.

Now, summertime is when I do my best and favorite cooking. It's also my most expensive time with cooking. As I made my marinades and chopped up veggies and herbs, I began to realize how much money I could save by growing my own little garden.

And since it was so easy with the sunflower, how hard could it be to grow just a couple little things? Mainly herbs. Maybe a tomato plant or two. But wouldn't it be nice to have eggplants? And cucumbers?

I talked it over with Mr. Movie Junkie, and we agreed. That in the spring, we would start a little garden. It should be fun. After all, we were practically farmers now with that sunflower!!

And like a kid in a candy store, we went to the local garden center...and I went nuts.

I went from irrational fear of a cup of dirt in the house, to this:



and this:



It is a sickness. It has taken over my living room window and my entire dining room. I have things growing in cups and containers and lids from hero sandwiches I had catered a couple of weeks ago. Anything that will hold dirt, I put dirt and seeds in 'em!!

Little seeds, like the broccoli.


Big seeds, like the sunflower that began it all.


And I'm playing with this:


Dirt. Right in my kitchen.

And I am absolutely in love with my little patches of dirt, because from them comes these little lovelies:


and these:


and these:


and these:


and so on and so on and so on....

I am dreaming of the day where I can make a fresh salad or salsa or marinades or grilled veggies. I can't wait to use the eggplant, the lettuce, the dill, the cilantro, the cucumbers, the sugar snap peas, the bell peppers, the jalapenos, and so on.

I went so crazy, I ordered strawberry plants and a couple of blueberry bushes!! I have turned into a monster!!!

But, who knows. It all looks good now...but there is a VERY good chance I will fail at this. Because, the truth is....I have NO FRICKIN CLUE what I'm doing. I just went all willy nilly, throwing seeds in dirt everywhere. Then, every morning, I water them and sing "Grow! Grow! Grow! Grow for me, my little babies. I want to eat you!" And then my husband yells for me to stop that because it's kinda creepy. But they say singing and talking to plants help them grow, no?

Mock Paella

The days go by so fast, don't they? Yet, at the same time, winter just seems to be DRAGGING ON!! Enough already!! I'm tired of cooking indoors. I want to grill. I want to Bar B Que. (And yes...I know there is a difference between the two.) I want to marinate meats. I want to smoke the meats. I want to eat fresh veggies and herbs. I want to drink Coronas with limes while mopping my apple BBQ sauce on a brisket and feeding the fire wood chips for 8 hours.

But...Winter is fighting to stick around. Spring is trying her best to arrive. The grass is greener, the snow is melted, the occasional bud is trying to peek out...but the skies are grey and the air is still chillled. And the occasional flake still falls from the sky. So, the grilling and BBQing will wait. The Coronas with limes and the wonderful scent of fresh Cilantro will have to wait.

In the meantime, here's another cozy meal for a night that still needs some cozying up. I call it "Mock Paella". I've been making this for a few years now. My husband loves it. I get compliments on it all the time. And if someone asks what's for dinner and I say "Mock Paella" they know what I'm talking about. At least in my house they do.

Mock Paella has something for everything. A big pot 0' rice with different things to pick through. It's like Paella...sorta, but I don't have a Paella pan...and at the time I first came up with this, I needed a simple way to do it because I wanted to serve this at a party. This can actually be done in steps if needed...phases...and it comes out great!!

So here it is: Mock Paella!!

I start off with chicken wings and I season them heavily with paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, parsley, and oregano.



I put the wings in a baking pan, lined with foil. Then I cut up chorizo sausage and sprinkle the bite sized pieces all over the top of the wings.


Pop them into a 350 degree oven and bake until the wings are cooked through. Turn the wings half way through cooking and let the sausage get all mixed up in there. When you pull them out, it smells awesome. We could eat it right then and there, without anything else.


Especially me with the chorizo. It is really that good!!! Just the right amount of spice...has a little snap to it when you bite it...Mmmmmm....now I want some.

Now, you can let it cool and wrap it up for another time to continue the meal...or if you are cooking straight through and serving dinner soon, then continue on with the rice.

The rice is simple. Easy peasy. It comes in a box. Yellow rice. Cook it according to the directions on the box or bag. Make one box. Make three boxes. However much rice you need for the amount of people you are serving...or the amount of protein you are putting in it....or if you just really love yellow rice. Like my kids. I can't make enought Yellow Rice for them.


While the yellow rice is cooking, we move onto the mussels. I love, love, love to cook with these guys...but I don't eat them. My husband loves them though.

Make sure the mussels are clean, de-bearded, and alive. Alive means they shut if you give them a squeeze or two and NO CRACKS OR CHIPS in the shells. Toss any that do not follow these rules!!


Drop the mussels carefully into a pot of boiling water. When they open, they are done. This happens really quick, so keep an eye on them. DISCARD ANY THAT DO NOT OPEN within a couple of minutes of the first ones that opened. They were dead when they went in and can make you and your dinner guests sick.

Now...onto another pot...in a pan, with a little bit of Olive Oil, throw in some diced onions, a bit of minced garlic, a small can of diced, stew tomatoes, and cleaned shrimp. (We leave the tails on). Let it simmer and toss the shrimp occasionally until they are pink.


You can see Sugar Snap Peas in the pictures. Normally, I don't use Sugar Snap Peas. I like to throw a handful or two of regular, frozen peas into the Yellow Rice. But on this day, I couldn't find the peas in my freezer (they were hiding behind the ice pops), but I did find the Sugar Snap Peas, so I used those instead. Both are good. Whatever you like, use it. Or if you don't like peas of any kind...leave them out. It's still all good.

So, now we got our chicken and chorizo, our yellow rice, our mussels, our shrimp mixture...just mix it all together in a large pot or bowl or serving pan. Make sure you get all the juices from everything in there too!! Lots of good stuff going on there!!!


It seems like a lot of work, but it can be broken down and done in phases, like I said. The chicken and chorizo can be made ahead of time and refridgerated or even frozen. You can make the onion/tomato mixture ahead of time. Even the rice. Seafood, I would make fresh. Especially the mussels. So, all you have to do is heat everything up, and just cook up the seafood...mix and you are good to go!!

And like I said, there is something for everyone. My kids love the wings and the rice. I love the chorizo and the peas and the rice...my husband? He loves it all. His plate is nothing but shells, tails, and bones by the time he's done.


(please disregard any spelling errors...or if my paragraphs should show up all smushed together. for some reason, my computer and Blogger are not getting along today.)