Zucchini Soup with Garlic Toasts

Here's a great soup for fall.  It uses up some of those zucchini and is easy, fast and healthy.  I just add wine and chicken broth and fresh chopped chives for added flavor. The garlic toasts are a snap to make and add a nice touch to the soup.

I made a great big batch and froze it in containers for winter, along with a big batch of this soup.  It's so nice to pull out soups like this for a nice warm winter lunch.  

Click to read more ...

Sausage and Bean Soup with Pasta

Baby, it's cold outside - the high for today is supposed to be 16 degrees! Here is a hearty soup to get you through the winter. This soup, along with a green salad and some nice bread, is a great dinner for a chilly night.  This soup is loaded with sausage, beans and ditalini pasta.  It's really a pretty traditional "Pasta e Fagioli" soup, but with sausage. I've made the soup with turkey sausage, but you can use any sausage you like.  

Click to read more ...

Pappa di Pomodoro - Italian Bread and Tomato Soup

I've been asked by Mel to guest post over at Bouchon for Two while she is traveling around Europe, so hop on over there for the entire post and recipe for this delicious and simple traditional Tuscan soup.   

Pappa di Pomodoro was originally a way to use up stale bread – in the Tuscan kitchen, nothing goes to waste.  When I was growing up, it was also a way to use slightly overripe tomatoes – the ones you’re thinking maybe wouldn’t be so great to slice into a sandwich.  So this Is a very practical dish.  “Pappa” means mush, but don’t let that fool you – it’s delicious.  Now you can find this “peasant” dish in upscale restaurants in Florence.  People love this kind of comfort food. 

Click to read more ...