Bean and Pasta Soup

Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while I was in the hospital for a few days getting a little tune up.
I will be going to New Orleans next week for a much needed vacation so I will post some of my fab food finds when I return. I am also working on my favorite Thanksgiving Recipes since the holiday is fastly approaching. But on to the new recipe...

This recipe I found from everyone's favorite "Susy Homemaker" Martha Stewart. I took no time at all for a big pot of soup. One thing I changed in my soup was the type of pasta I used. I only had ABC small pasta but it turned out great. It only took about 30 mins. to make so it could be a fast week night meal.


1 strip bacon, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cans (15 ounces each) beans, such as navy or cannellini, drained and rinsed
4 cups reduced-sodium canned chicken broth
3/4 cup tubetti, ditalini, or other short, tubular pasta
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

In a Dutch oven or stockpot, cook bacon over medium heat until browned and crisp, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
Add onion and carrots; cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and rosemary; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in tomato paste, beans, broth, and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until soup has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
With a potato masher, mash some of the beans (still in pot) to thicken soup. Add pasta; cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.
To serve, ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with parsley.
Serves 6

Creamy Asparagus Orzo

I love asparagus !!! This is a different way to have your asparagus with great flavor. Also this recipe is a great resoto fakeout with the orzo.


1 pound thin asparagus, washed and trimmed
1/2 pound orzo pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup heavy cream½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
Ground black pepper

In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Add the asparagus and salt. Cook the asparagus for 1 minute. Drain the asparagus and save the cooking water for later use.
Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water and the reserved asparagus water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until tender, but still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta.
Cut the asparagus into 1 ½ inches piece and add to the blender and save the tips for later use.
Add the garlic cloves, heavy cream, salt and pepper to the blender and blend until smooth.
In a saucepan add the orzo, asparagus mixture and parmesan cheese. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the asparagus tips, stir gently and serve warm with parmesan cheese on top.

Bacon Seared Salmon with Balsamic Glaze

This is one of my favorite salmon dishes! Of course of you but bacon on anything it will be good!! It sounds hard but it very easy, Please try it.
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 tablespoon water

2 slices bacon

4 salmon fillets

6-oz skin-on scaled, center cut

1/2 teaspoon salt & freshly ground black pepper

In a liquid measuring cup, combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, rosemary, and 2 tbsp water.

Cut the bacon slices in half. Lay a slice of bacon on the flesh side of each piece of salmon and arrange he salmon, bacon side down, in a 12 inch heavy-duty nonstick skillet.

Sprinkle the salmon skin with salt and pepper.

Set the skillet over medium-high heat and cook until the bacon is golden and crisp about 4 to 5 minutes from when it begins to sizzle.

Turn the salmon and continue to cook until the skin is crisp and the salmon is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes.

Take skillet off heat and transfer the salmon to a platter.

Pour off the fat and return to medium-high heat. Stir the vinegar mixture well and add it to the skillet. Simmer until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour over salmon and serve

The "Famous" Corn Dip

Yes- this is the recipe for the famous corn dip that I make for all my parties. It came from my cousin Gretchen, we never had measurements for it so unless you are an eyeball type of cook it was hard to pass the recipe along. Well I have finally measured out the ingredients and wrote it all down. This one is for you Terrilynn !


2 (11 oz) cans of Mexicorn

1 Jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

4 Green onions, thinly sliced

1/3 cup Mayo

1/3 cup Sour cream

1/3 cup Salsa (for example mild/med. Pecante)

1/2 cup shredded cheese Mexican blend or cheddar

Mix all ingredients together and serve with Frito's or your favorite chips or crackers.

*If you prefer the dip spicy use more jalapeno or use a hot or fire salsa.

Strawberry Lemonade

We had a little going away get together for a neighbor that was moving this weekend. We kept it easy only doing cake and punch. This is the punch we served, my mom's friend gave her this recipe. It is not to sweet at all everyone seam to enjoy it.


3 liters sparkling water
2 10 oz. packages frozen strawberries
1 12 0z. can frozen lemonade
1 lemon to garnish
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stir and serve.

*makes about 20 cups

** To make this a "Party Punch" take away 1 liter of sparkling water and replace it with 1 bottle of vodka (750 ml)

Sautéed Orange Roughy with Browned Butter, Leeks and Capers

I found this recipe in Cooking Light, August 2009 issue while I was getting my Chemo this week. It originally did not call for leeks and they used sole but you can pretty much make this recipe with any white flaky fish. I decided to make it because I left the hospital wanting to eat this dish, which is surprising since I don't have an appetite these days. It was a hit at my house and I served the fish with brown rice and oven baked squash.

I made the recipe for two but you can easily make it for more.

2 (6 oz) orange roughy fillets
1/4 tsp. salt
1//4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper, divided
Cooking spray
3 tbsp. butter
1 leek, cleaned and chopped
2 tbsp. shallots
1 tbsp. capers
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Sprinkle fish evenly with salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 2 fillets to pan; sauté 2 min. or until browned. Carefully turn fillets and sauté another 2 min. or until fish is flaky. Place on a plate; and tint with foil to keep warm.

Then melt butter in the same pan used to make the fish. Cook 2 min. or until browned add leeks and shallots and sauté for about 2min. until leeks are softened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in remaining pepper, capers, and fresh lemon juice.


Serve the mixture over the fish and garnish with lemon slice.