7-INGREDIENT ZUPPA TOSCANA (CREAMY GNOCCHI SOUP WITH SAUSAGE AND KALE)

7-INGREDIENT ZUPPA TOSCANA (CREAMY GNOCCHI SOUP WITH SAUSAGE AND KALE)

If you love this classic restaurant-style soup, you'll love the easy homemade version made with gnocchi, sausage and kale! Ready to go in less than 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound ground hot* Italian sausage

1 small white onion, peeled and diced

4 cups good-quality chicken stock

1 (12-ounce) jar DeLallo roasted red peppers, drained and diced

1 bunch kale, roughly chopped (and stems removed, if desired)

1 pound DeLallo potato gnocchi

1/2 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper

optional toppings: freshly shaved or grated Parmesan cheese, crumbled bacon

DIRECTIONS:

Add Italian sausage and diced onion to the large stockpot or Dutch oven.  Cook over medium-high heat until the sausage is completely browned, stirring occasionally and breaking up the sausage with a spoon.  Drain out as much of the excess grease as possible.

Then add in the chicken stock and diced roasted red peppers, and bring the mixture to a simmer (still over medium-high heat).  Once it reaches a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and add the kale and gnocchi and stir to combine.  Continue cooking for 5 minutes, or until the gnocchi are cooked through and tender.  Stir in the heavy cream.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  (I used about 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper.)

Serve warm with desired toppings.

You can also refrigerate this in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

When it's too hot to bake, we no-bake

Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies that is. I haven't made these in ages and forgot how good they are. Here's the recipe so you can make them, too!

Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

1/2 C Butter

2 C Sugar

1/2 C Milk

4 Tbsp Cocoa

1/2 C Peanut Butter

3- 3 1/2 C Quick cooking Oats

2 tsp. Vanilla

We took a Sunday drive (a habit, it would seem as of late) to the Angeles National Forest and needed a quick treat  and these were perfect. Except it did make me a little woosey (ALOT woosey). All those switchbacks, the sugar, the headache, the children...oy. I can barely talk about it, let alone type it. Cookie disclaimer: Avoid operating heavy machinery, high altitudes and swimming when consuming. 

Chocolate & Coffee No-Bake Cookies

Do you remember eating no-bake cookies as a kid? I sure do. My brothers and I routinely begged my mother to let us make cookies. She usually indulged us by agreeing to make no-bake cookies. No chocolate chip cookies or sugar cookies—just no-bake cookies. She was busy raising three kids and running her own business, so I can’t blame her for wanting to minimize mess and baking time.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups turbinado sugar
• ½ cup milk
• 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup peanut butter
• 2½ cups rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 package Starbucks Columbia VIA

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour sugar, milk, cocoa and butter in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a rolling boil for 1 minute and 30 seconds, stirring often.
2. Remove from heat and quickly mix in the rest of the ingredients.
3. Drop spoonfuls on wax paper or parchment paper.