Italian Sausage Soup

1 lb uncooked Hot Italian sausage

4 cups chicken broth

1 small onion

3 cloves of garlic

1 tsp fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary

2 carrots

2-3 small turnips (smaller turnips are better and sweeter, large ones will be bitter)

2-3 small yellow potatoes

1 cup of chopped kale

1 cup of sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup of half and half, cream, or milk

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

olive oil

This soup has so much flavor yet it is so incredibly easy. You can make this in the slow cooker and reserve the cream for the end. I make it on the stove top because unlike many soups that get better over time or even the next day, this one has many layers of deliciousness in under one hour.

Begin by peeling your carrots, potatoes, and turnips and chopping them into bite sized pieces. Slice your onion and place in pot w/ a tbsp of olive oil and a dash of salt (1/2 tsp) and begin to sweat. Next place in your sausage and cook while stirring occasionally and crumble into pieces. When the sausage is 3/4 cooked through, drain the fat. Now add your carrots and mushrooms and soften, about 5 minutes. Add another 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper. Throw in the garlic and rosemary. When you can really smell the garlic aromas pour your chicken broth into the pot and add your root vegetables and kale. Bring everything to a boil and then reduce to medium simmer, stirring occasionally. After about 20-30 minutes your soup should be done. You’ll know when the turnips are soft. Now is the time to add your cream, turn off the heat and slowly stir it in. You do not want to add it in at a boil or it will curdle. You can temper it by warming it in a separate pan before adding but I have found just giving the soup a few minutes to cool works too. Serve with parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes for anyone wanting extra heat.

Pumpkin Curry with Chicken and Rice

Cozy, warm, a little bit spicy with subtle pumpkin creaminess. This dish is perfect for a dreary rainy fall evening which we are having due to Hurricane Ian. We are lucky to be just getting rain and some wind gusts and thankful that we can enjoy a warm meal at home. This dish tastes complex but comes together easily with just a few ingredients.

What you need:

Olive oil

1 small yellow onion

1 red bell pepper or a handful of small red peppers (not hot)

1 large carrot

2 tbsp red curry paste (my go to is Mekhala Living)

1 1/2 lbs chicken breast tenders

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree

1 15 oz can coconut milk

Salt and pepper

basil for garnish

Begin by slicing your onion, pepper, and peeling and chopping the carrot. Stir fry with a bit of olive oil over medium heat and add a pinch of salt and pepper. When the veggies have softened a little scoot them to the outside of the pan. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and brown two minutes per side, working in batches so they sear properly and the pan isn’t over crowded. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate. Now add the red curry paste, 2 tbsp adds a fair amount of heat so if you don’t like it too spicy you can add just 1-1 1/2 tbsp. Stir it around for a minute to release the aromas. There will be a fair amount of brown bits stuck to the pan so I like to add a splash of water and quickly scrape up all those bits. When the water has evaporated stir in your coconut milk and pumpkin puree. Stir until everything is well combined. Lastly add the chicken back in and simmer for about 10 more minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the flavors have melded together. Serve with rice and chopped fresh basil. Enjoy!

Hot Sesame Salmon

When perusing the freezer today I found a bag of Trader Joe's veggie fried rice and some salmon filets: thus, dinner was inspired. I threw some chopped zucchini in with the fried rice because more veggies are always a good idea and it helped to stretch the bag. This was yummy and we will definitely be adding it to the weeknight rotations, so quick and easy!

What you need:

4, 4 oz salmon filets

1 tbsp gochujang

2.5 tbsp honey

2 tsp rice vinegar

1 scallion finely chopped

3 tsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame seeds

Sprinkle a little salt over the salmon filets and place in a shallow dish to marinate. Combine all liquid ingredients plus the scallions in a dish and then pour over the salmon. Turn the salmon so that it's flesh side down and marinate for 30 minutes-1 hour. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and place the salmon filets skin side up on the pan. Turn on the broiler and place the pan a few inches below the broiler. Broil for 3 minutes until the skin is super crispy. Remove from the oven and flip the salmon over. Pour any remaining marinade over the top and then sprinkle the sesame seeds evenly across the salmon. Place back in the oven for approx 3 more minutes for medium salmon, still lightly pink in the middle. Serve with fried rice, plain rice, or any side of your choice. Enjoy!