Waiter, there's a taco in my soup

Meghan, who sits outside my office, has to put up with my incessant rantings about the food I've made and the restaurants I've been to. Well, the other day she gave back, in the form of a delicious and oh-so-simple recipe for Taco Soup.

I made it last weekend and Meghan was right. Now, with the cool weather coming, I feel an uncontrollable urge to share the recipe with you.

LIBBY'S TACO SOUP (modified a bit by Neil)

What to buy

- 1 lb boneless chicken breast

- Emeril's essence

- 2 cans 14.5 stewed chopped tomatoes

- 1 can Rotel tomatoes

- 1 can corn (with juice)

- 1 can pinto beans (rinsed and drained)

- 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)

- 1 package Hidden Valley Dip mix

- 1/2 package taco seasoning

What to do

1. Sprinkle Emeril's essence on chicken and grill. Let cool. Dice.

2. Put all ingredients into a pot and simmer on a low flame for 1 hour covered.

3. Serve w/cheese, avocado, and/or sour cream.

Ole!

Famine and Feast

I know this blog is about food, but today I'm going to write about fasting.

This past weekend was Yom Kippur. I spent Saturday September 18th repenting by not eating, which is not fun. But the Break-the-Fast meal is always a blast. My niece Sydney thinks it's the best meal of the year.

This year we went to my sister Fran's studio apartment in Manhattan. Fran is an amazing cook, but her studio has a very small kitchen that can fit one and half people. (How do you fit half a person in a kitchen, you may be wondering. Someone is in the kitchen, the other person is in the doorway shuttling plates and bowls to the table, is the answer.)

Fran served requisite fare, and most of it was carbs. Rye bread and bagels, cream cheese, lox, herring, tuna salad, egg salad. Usually there's a kugel, but not this year.

We couldn't show up empty handed, so I made a blintz souffle. I think it was my grandmother's recipe, or maybe it was Fran's mother in-laws' recipe. No matter what, it was super delicious. Here's how to make it.

Old-Fashioned Blintz Souffle

What to buy

- 1/2 stick unsalted butter

- 2 packages of frozen cheese-filled blintzes (6 per package)

- 4 eggs

- 1/2 c sour cream

- 1/2 c OJ

- 1/4 sugar

How to prepare it

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Melt 1/2 stick of butter in 9 x 13 baking pan

3. In blender beat eggs, sour cream, OJ and sugar

3. Lay frozen blintzes in melted butter crosswise. Pour blended mixture over blintzes.

4. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Serve immediately.

This was so good, I think I'll make it for Christmas breakfast this year. Now how's that for mixing things up.

Reinventing the Shmear on a Bagel

I just went to a new bagel place near my office for lunch—and loved it!

It's called Vic's Bagel Bar at 544 3rd Ave (www.vicsbagelbar.com). They took the Cold Stone Creamery idea and translated it to bagels and cream cheese.

First you pick your bagel, and they have big, fat, air-filled bagels that are chewy on the inside and crusty on the outside. There are standard types, like sesame, whole wheat, everything and pumpernickel. Then they have designer styles—flagels, french toast with a sugary crust on top, gluten free and chocolate chip. (Why would anyone add chocolate chips to a bagel?)

Next you pick your mix-ins, just like at Cold Stone. Choose from all kinds of veggies, herbs, fruits, cheeses, potato chips, bacon wasabi, bbq sauce, and chocolate chips (which I still don't get). If you're feeling too hungry to be creative, you can order a signature mixed sandwich. I had the Club Med which included roasted red peppers, olives, capers and fresh basil leaves. Usually they mix this in hummus, but I wanted cream cheese.

I was tempted by the Backyard BBQ (corn, cheddar, bbq sauce and red onion) and the Vermonter (bacon bits, maple syrup and cinammon).

Don't you love a menu that has too many GOOD options and makes your decision difficult.

If you're looking for a bissel of bagel (bissel, that's Yiddish for "a little"), give Vic's a try.

Asian Slaw Extravaganza

It's official. We kicked off of the barbecue season last weekend on Memorial day with our annual neighborhood barbecue in my garden. While our wonderful neighbors were there, fewer and fewer of our children attended, with a large contingency busy with pre- or post-college prep. With no children running around and screaming, the festivities were low key, but still filled with the merriment and anticipation you expect at the beginning of summer.

The planning was even more lackadaisical than usual, which is why we ended up with three different Asian cole slaws. One was Chinese style, another Thai and a third Korean. Each was delicious, in a different way. Just in time for your next barbecue, here are the recipes for all three.

Crispy Chinese Cole Slaw (from my sister Fran)

What to buy

For salad

• 2 T butter
• 1 pkg Ramen noodles (broken)
• 2 tbl sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 head green cabbage cored and shredded
• 1/2 head purple cabbage cored and shredded
  
• 1 grated carrot
• 1 zucchini julienned

For dressing

• 3 tbl peanut butter (soften in micro)
• 2 tbl chicken broth
• 1 tbl minced garlic
• 3 tbl soy sauce
• 1 tbl sesame oil
• 1 tbl hoisin sauce
• 2 tbl rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbl sugar

How to prepare it

1. Melt butter in skillet on medium heat. Saute Ramen noodles, sesame seeds and almonds until brown. Set aside

2. Combine cole slaw, cabbage and zucchini in a large bowl.

3. Just before serving, whisk together peanut butter, chicken broth, minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar and sugar in a separate bowl. Pour over cabbage and mix. Garnish with sauteed noodle, sesame seed, almond mixture and serve.


Thai Peanut Cole Slaw (from my neighbor Elizabeth)

What to buy

For salad

• 3/4 cup purple and green cabbage cut up
• 1 carrot julienned
• 3 scallions cut up with green stems
• 1 cucumber seeded and julienned
• Fresh cilantro chopped (to taste)
• Fresh mint chopped (to taste)
• 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts

For dressing

• 1 red onion or shallot finely minced
• 3 tbl peanut butter
• 3 tbl rice vinegar
• 3 tbl soy sauce
• 3 tbl sesame oil
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic finely minced
• 1 tbl sugar
• salt/pepper to taste
• chili oil or powder to taste

1. Combine veggies in a bowl and set aside.

2. Mix together dressing ingredients. Add enough dressing to lightly coat the slaw and toss. Refrigerate till ready to serve. Can be made a few hours ahead.


Pickled Asian Slaw (from my neighbor Cynthia)

What to buy

• 2/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 cups of water
• 1 red pepper julienned
• 1/4 head green cabbage, cored and shredded
• 1 carrot julienned
• 1/2 red onion julienned
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, stemmed and chopped

How to prepare it

1. In a large saucepan,, bring 2 cups of water, the vinegar and sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

2. Add the red pepper, cabbage, carrot and onion and cook, stirring until the carrot and onion are tender—about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain the vegetables and spread them out in a large baking dish to cook to room temperature.

3. In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with the cilantro and sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate to serve.

About Men & Food

"Men are like bagpipes. No sound comes from them until they're full.

Celtic Proverbs

Eating For Good

I have the good fortune to work with a group of caring, courageous people at Cardinal McCloskey Services, in White Plains, NY. They work tirelessly toward protecting, empowering and promoting the independence of society's most vulnerable—children in need and adults with disabilities. CMS provides foster care services, homes for the developmentally disabled, and head start and daycare centers in Westchester, the Bronx and upper Manhattan.

On Apr. 25, in Garrison, NY, Cardinal McCloskey Services will be hosting their fifth annual Spring Wine Tasting & Dinner at a private home overlooking the Hudson River. Guests will enjoy fine wines personally selected by Tony Corso from his private collection, and enjoy a dining experience by acclaimed Iron Chef winner and owner of Xaviar’s Restaurant Group, Peter X. Kelly. (I've had the pleasure of tasting Chef Kelly's creative food at X2O, his restaurant in Yonkers that sits on the Hudson River, where the views are as sumptuous as the food.)

Dinner is followed by a live auction of extraordinary prizes with all proceeds benefiting CMS. The cost $350/person—money that is well worth it.

If you want to eat for good, call 914-997-8000, ext. 114 or email ccondon@cms46.org to sign up. I promise you, nothing could be more satisfying.

My Menu For Week

The day after my Saturday in the city with Kira, Ed and Nick we decided to eat in. That means it's a Sunday—and I love Sunday dinner. It's a chance to cook full out. Meat, potatoes, veggies, rolls, and everyone sits at the dining room table.

Naturally, we invited the in-laws over.

Back in the Saddle Again

It's been a while since I posted. But even though work has been maniacal over the past few weeks, good food has been the relief and the release.

To make up for lost time, I'm going to blog about a week of food for the Feinstein family, starting with Saturday March 6th.

Yesterday, my 15-year-old daughter Kira and I went to the Manhattan Theatre Club's Family Matinee Day (www.mtc-nyc.org), along with my friend Ed and his 16-year-old son Nick. Every theater season, MTC hosts a truly special event where a parent and a teenager can spend a Saturday immersed in a rich theatrical experience. In the morning there are acting workshops run by directors, with working actors participating. In the afternoon the group goes to see a MTC show. This time we saw "Time Stands Still" with Laura Linney. All the exercises in the morning are related to themes in the afternoon's show.

We arrived at MTC in early. Nick and Ed were in group A while Kira and I were in group C. After our workshops, we met up for lunch at one of my favorite pizza joints—John's Pizzeria on 44th Street between 8th and 7th Avenues. It's a huge restaurant, in the heart of the theatre district, that used to be a temple. There's always a line, and it's very noisy inside. But the food is well worth the agita.

John's is a place to worship pizza.

There are just three items involved in a pizza, yet the flavor varies so much from one pizza place to another. John's, in my opinion, has perfected pizza. A perfect sliver-thin crust, a flavorful sauce that isn't over spiced and hot, gooey mozzarella cheese.

We ate quickly without wasting one bit of the cheese that oozed off our slices, and went to theater for a thoughtful, provocative afternoon. Even after the Q&A, we were still talking about this powerful show.

Next up...dinner with the wives.

We decided to meet up with the wives and all kids for an early dinner. But we had a challenge: We were in the theatre district, where touristy, expensive, theme-park restaurant are everywhere. As true New Yorkers, we wanted real food at a restaurant that was teenager-friendly. The selection was easy. Virgil's BBQ (www.virgilsbbq.com) on West 44th St between 6th and 7th Avenues. The funny thing was both families came up with the same idea separately.

Virgil's has great, tangy barbecue. They are extremely portion-generous. Of the seven at the table, only Nick (the teenage boy) was able to eat a full meal—the rest of us ordered sandwiches and appetizers.

There were several Carolina pulled pork sandwiches topped with mustard cole slaw, one Owensboro lamb sandwich, one pulled chicken sandwich, a riblets, and Nick's meal was the Memphis pork ribs. If that wasn't too much (and it was too much), we also ordered buttermilk onion rings for the table (crunchy fried with lots salt and pepper) and super cheesy mac & cheese. It was a good thing the cars were parked several blocks away. We needed to walk, talk and digest before we settled in for a sedentary night.

Next up...Sunday dinner with the grandparents.

A Super Bowl of Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili

I know, I know. The Super Bowl was last weekend. But I wanted to bring something new this year to our annual party at Judy and Lew's house. And I wasn't going to post my recipe until I tried it out.

The challenge is to serve healthy food. For so many people Super Bowl = fat-filled fare. Inevitably, someone brings three-alarm chili.

While I like flavorful food as much as the next guy—and I even enjoy a spicy kick—I don’t like food that’s overly hot. I find the heat overpowers the spicing.

My chili has no meat, a little kick and a whole lot of interesting tastes mixed together. This year, I used my chili as the stuffing for potato skins.

When I told my host what I was bringing she said she wanted healthy food. (Isn’t that an oxymoron on Super Bowl Sunday?) I told her there were vegetables and beans in tomato sauce on a scooped out potato, with a little bit of melted cheddar on top. What’s unhealthy?

First, the recipe for Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili Recipe

What to buy
- 1 large red pepper, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 large onion, cut into large pieces (not diced)
- 3 tbl olive oil
- 1 15.5-oz can red kidney beans
- 1 15.5-oz can black beans
- 1 15.5-oz can white cannellini beans
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 29-oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 29-oz can tomato sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbl chili powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp sea salt
- Ground pepper to taste
- Three sprinkles Worcestershire
- 2 tbl balsamic vinegar
- Shredded cheddar cheese

How to prepare it
1. Open cans of beans and pour them into a colander or strainer to drain the liquid out. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add red pepper, onion and garlic. Saute until soft—about 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Add cans of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, drained beans, bay leaf and all seasonings. Bring pot to a low boil, cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring frequently to keep the chili from burning on the bottom of the pot.
4. Serve in a bowl while hot. Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese to taste.

Now, the recipe for potato skins

What to buy
- 1 potato per person
- Vegetable oil
- Sea salt

How to prepare it
1. Clean the potatoes and set aside to dry.
2. Pre-heat over to 400 degrees. While the oven is heating, prick each potato several times with a fork. Place potatoes on a baking pan in the fully heated oven and cook for one hour, turning over the potatoes after 30 minutes.
3. Take the potatoes out of the oven and set aside to cool. Raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees.
4. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle (after 10 minutes or more), cut them in half. Scoop out the insides leaving a wall of skin and potato that ½ inch thick.
5. Place a rack on the heavy-duty baking pan. Brush the skins of the potato with vegetable oil and place skin-side up on the rack. Sprinkle with sea salt and place the pan in the oven for 20 minutes, turning the potatoes over after 10 minutes. This will make the potato skins crisp.
6. Remove the potatoes from the oven and let cool.

All the above can be done beforehand. When you're ready to serve your skins...

7. Put a heaping tablespoon of chili in each potato. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on each potato. Heat in the over until the cheese is melted about 15 minutes.
8. Serve hot.

That my new Super Bowl recipe. Do you have a special Super Bowl recipe to share with us? Post it here.

What To Eat For Dinner The Night After The Most Amazing Meal

Last night we had dinner at our friends Donna and Vasili's house.

OMG!

Donna and Vasili are uber-generous and gracious hosts. She's Italian and handles the cooking. Vasili is Greek and handles the wine. Put the two together and you have an unforgettably delicious meal. I weighed myself at the gym one day later—after my yoga class—and I was still three pounds up. We couldn't stop eating.

The meal started with antipasto—three platters of it. The first had an assortment of Italian meats—two kinds of prosciutto, Genoa salami, Sopressetta and Mortadella. The second held homemade roasted red pepper and olives with virgin olive oil. There was, of course, a cheese platter with four kinds of cheese—provolone, pecorino, parmigiano reggiano and rocchetta. A warm baguette and various other bread sticks rounded it up. Vasili served a delicious Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon with this. All the guests agreed that was enough of a meal for us. But not for Donna.

Next came the main course. Roasted grouper, perfectly infused with fresh herbs. Also to fill our plates was mushroom risotto, haricot vert, carrots and a salad with clementine slices and pistachios dressed in a balsamic vinaigrette. Vasili's contribution was equally creative—a fresh, crisp Brocard Chablis.

Dessert was a Jean Georges recipe—Swiss chocolate cake with a molten center. As I said, OMG.

We waddled home later that evening swearing we would only eat salad the next night. That's what I made.

The denouement: dinner the next night.

A while back I got a recipe from Prevention.com for roasted butternut squash and spinach salad . The recipe said there were just 238 calories per serving. Considering what we ate last night, the fewer calories the better.

But it was dinner and I was serving my two teens. So I grilled three boneless chicken breasts, with salt, pepper, herbs De Provence and freshly squeezed lemon juice, and put the sliced chicken on top of the salad recipe below (which I changed slightly based on what was in the house).

Roasted Butternut and Spinach Salad from Prevention.com.
Here's the link to the recipe: http://bit.ly/bKaXOY. And here's the slightly modified recipe I made:

What to buy
- 3/4 lb precut butternut squash cubes (3/4") or 1/2 med butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 1 lg red bell pepper, cut into 3/4" pieces
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided (MUFA=monounsaturated fat)
- 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 4 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 4 tsp honey
- 1/4 sm red onion, chopped (about 1/4 c)
- 4 c package packed baby spinach (4 oz)
- 1 sm Gala or Golden Delicious apple, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 c thinly sliced radicchio
- 1/2 c toasted hazel nuts

How to prepare it
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. While the oven is warming, season boneless chicken breast with salt, pepper and herbs De Provence. Then place on warm grill, cooking on both sides until done. About 10 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness of chicken. While the chicken is cooking...

3. Roughly cut hazel nuts and toast in a cast iron skillet until browned. Put aside.

4. Coat rimmed baking sheet with olive oil spray. Toss squash and bell pepper with 2 teaspoons of the oil, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the black pepper in medium bowl. Arrange in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Roast 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until tender and lightly browned. Let cool 10 minutes.

5. Whisk lemon juice, honey, and remaining 4 teaspoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in large salad bowl while squash roasts. Stir in onion. Add spinach, apple, radicchio, hazel nuts, and squash mixture and toss to combine.

A Quick Tip, Courtesy of Ann Murray (my Mother-In-Law)

When was the last time you cooked a big meal with lots of components and forgot to serve something? (It's usually the rolls. Never the desserts.) Even when you have a list, you're always too busy to check it. Well, my mother mother-in-law solved this.

When you're setting the table, set up a serving platter for each component. Then put a piece of paper in each plate with the food that's going on that platter. When you serve the meal, replace the paper with the food.

You will forget nothing. I guarantee it.

Quick Bite: Recipe for Zuppa alla Pavese

Every recipe has a story. This one is courtesy of my Uncle Harvey.

Harvey has a big personality. It seems he knows everyone, and everyone he knows loves Harvey. Wherever he goes, Harvey runs into a friend or acquaintance. In 1985, Harvey and I spent Thanksgiving in Paris. It was a cold, snowy Sunday night when we arrived, and we stopped into the famous Deux Magots cafe for a petite collation (translation: a little snack) before bed. It was dark outside. We were huddled in a warm corner when I looked up to see a man that Harvey knew approaching to say "hi." What are the chances?

One reason I love to cook is because Uncle Harvey is an artist in the kitchen. He is the king of short-cut cooking: no one else can take pre-made food and put it together in a way that tastes freshly prepared and oh-so-flavorful.

After reading my "Soup is Good Food" posting, Harvey sent me this recipe for Zuppa alla Pavese. This is a classic peasant recipe named for the Battle of Pavese, Italy in the 16th century under Francois Premier, King of France. The recipe is simple, quick and delicious—perfect for lunch or a cold winter evening.

What to buy
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups of chicken or beef stock (store bought is fine)
- Slice of crusty French or Italian bread
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 egg at room temperature
- Salt & pepper
- Grated parmesan cheese to taste


How to prepare it

1. Bring chicken or beef stock brought to a boil.

2. Saute sliced crusty bread in butter, on both sides.

3. Warm soup bowls in a low-heat oven.
4. Place one slice of 'crostini' into bowl and one raw egg on top. Pinch of salt, pepper, and grated Italian cheese.

Slowly add hot soup to each bowl, enough to poach the egg. Serve.

I know what I'm having for dinner tonight. And you?

A Delicious Hors d'oeuvre

I'm not good at hors d'oeuvres. But you can't rush your dinner guests to the dinner table the minute they arrive in your home. You need a transition. You need something to soak up the delicious cocktails or wine you're serving as you're chatting and catching up. That's where hors d'oeuvres come in.

Trader Joe's has a terrific selection of tasty hors d'oeuvres. But whenever I serve them I feel like I'm cheating because I didn't prepare food from scratch for my honored guests. That said, I don't mind the idea of mixing store bought and home made.

During the holidays, there's always a parade of people coming to the house. To make sure these guest are sated, I went to MarthaStewart.com and found a wonderful, easy recipe for Goat-Cheese Crostini with Fig Compote. The sweetness of the figs complements the creamy tang of the goat cheese. All you need to do is prepare the compote, toast some baguette rounds, spread the goat cheese on the baguettes, top with compote and serve.

Goat-Cheese Crostini with Fig Compote

http://bit.ly/50ulUS

What to buy

- 1 small baguette (8 ounces), cut on the diagonal into small slices

- 3 tablespoons olive oil

- 1/2 cut chopped dried Mission figs

- 1 cup hearty red wine, like a Chianti

- 1/4 cup light-brown sugar

- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish (optional)

- 5 ounces goat cheese (1 small log)

How to prepare it

1. Heat broiler. Brush both sides of baguette slices with oil, place on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, combine chopped up figs, sugar, wine, thyme and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered until thickened—about 7 to 9 minutes. Let compote cool to room temperature.

3. Spread goat cheese on each piece of toast, and top with compote. Garnish with thyme, if desired.

Do you have any easy, delicious hors d'oeuvres recipes you care to share? Post them here.

"Soup is Good Food"

Remember the Campbell’s Soup ad slogan, “soup is good food?” On a blustery cold winter day, can anyone disagree with that statement?

As we hunker in for January, it’s time to pull out recipes for comfort food. This means I’ll be serving meals of hearty soup and crusty bread. Making soup is often a one-pot meal, and can be very easy. Yet the smell of a well-prepared simmering soup is intoxicating, and the flavor can have so many layers that make each spoonful a sensory delight.

Two weekends ago I made my own Pasta Fagioli, an Italian bean and pasta soup that, according to Wikipedia, started as a peasant dish.

Last weekend I made another bean soup with lentils that I found in Giada De Laurentiis’s section of the Food Network site (www.FoodNetwork.com).

This coming weekend I’m going to make a corn chowder recipe shared with me by Meghann Kelley, my work colleague at True North (the ad agency where I work everyday…www.truenorthinc.com).

Here are all three recipes. Spoons up…

Neil’s Homemade Pasta Fagioli

What to buy
- 6 to 8 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces (to make this easy, put the bacon in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes, then cut it while it’s nearly hard)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium sized yellow onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 29-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 15-ounce can of cannelloni beans (white beans)
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
- Fresh grated parmesan

How to prepare it
1. In a large sauce over medium high heat, cook the bacon bits until they’re well done but not burnt. Place them on a towel to soak up the fat. Pour out the bacon fat, but don’t clean the pot.
2. In the same pot, heat the olive oil over a medium flame. Then add in the chopped onion, celery and garlic. Sauté until they’re soft and translucent—maybe 5 minutes. You don’t want them to start browning.
3. Add the liquids—the crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth—along with the bay leaf. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Drain the cannelloni beans, and then add them to the soup. Let simmer another 10 minutes.
5. While the soup is simmering, cook the ditalini pasta in another pot, according to the directions on the box. Drain the cooked pasta and let stand until you’re ready to serve your soup.
6. Divide the cooked ditalini into six bowls. Ladle the soup on top. Garnish each bowl with the cooked bacon bits and serve with parmesan on the side.

This soup can be prepared a day or two beforehand, but don’t combine with the cooked pasta until you’re ready to serve the soup.


Giada De Laurentiis’s Lentil Soup
Here’s a link to her recipe: http://bit.ly/4Gj7R

Here’s the recipe:

What to buy
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 pound lentils (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
- 11 cups low-salt chicken broth
- 4 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2/3 cup dried elbow pasta
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan

How to prepare it
1. Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and sauté until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes with their juices. Simmer until the juices evaporate a little and the tomatoes break down, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
3. Add the lentils and mix to coat.
4. Add the broth and stir.
5. Add the thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over low heat until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.
6. Stir in the pasta. Simmer until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.


Meghann Kelley’s Hearty Corn Chowder

What to buy
- 3 medium sized potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin oil
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups milk (2% works fine)
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 can whole kernel corn
- 1 can cream corn

How to prepare it
1. Heat olive oil in large saucepot over a low heat, and then add chopped onion. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add in 1-inch cubes of potatoes with 2 cups of water. Raise the heat to high to bring the water to a boil, then cook for 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are fully cooked.
3. Add can of cream corn and can whole kernel corn. Lower the heat to medium and stir occasional for 3 minutes.
4. Add 2 cups of milk and 1 tablespoon of cream. Then cook for 5-7 minutes over medium heat.
5. Ladle into bowls and serve.