Creamy Tomato, Sausage & Tortellini Soup

I'm going to be honest here and admit something... I'm not really a "soup person." There, I said it. Everyone always goes on and on about how chicken noodle soup is the most comforting food of all and I just sit there shaking my head, in my head. I don't actually shake my head physically... just mentally. I mentally shake my head. 

Maybe I should be a little more specific here... it's mostly broth-based soups that I'm not a huge fan of, I guess. I do love a good creamy soup from time to time! Loaded potato soup, chicken & corn chowder... well, those are okay in my book. 

Oh, and did I mention Creamy tomato soups? I do love those, too. Okay, so maybe I do like soup. Just not all soup. Maybe it's chicken noodle I have something against? 

The one thing I can be certain of is that this Creamy Tomato, Sausage & Tortellini soup I'm sharing with you today is my favorite soup. That's a fact. And the picture above is my favorite picture of it. I feel like it really captures the true essence of this soup and who or what it is, as a soup. Okay, that sounded a little rehearsed, didn't it? And it didn't really make sense, did it? Okay, I'll stop now...

Let me just say that I really, really love the colors in this soup! I'm finding that as I age it becomes more and more important to me to have a variety of colors in whatever it is I'm eating. I love the yellow from the bell pepper, the red from the sun-dried tomatoes and the green from the spinach! So pretty and so fresh looking.

 

I could eat this soup every day if I had to. Maybe it's the sausage, maybe it's the tortellini, maybe it's the delicious creamy tomato-y ness... or maybe it's a combination of them all. Whatever it is, this soup is killer. My hubby's favorite part was the sausage nuggets that he said were "just the right size." When you come across one it's like finding a little ball of treasure. See? Eating soup can be fun!

Okay, so I've just convinced myself that soup is a wonderful thing. I know you guys were already a step ahead of me and you were probably shaking your head in disbelief when you read my first paragraph, but, don't worry, I'm with you now. We're on the same page. Now, just go make the soup and we'll forget about this whole thing...

Creamy Tomato, Sausage & Tortellini Soup:

{Print Recipe}

Ingredients:

• 24 ounces tomato sauce
• 3 cups half and half
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound sweet italian sausage
• 9oz package cheese tortellini
• 1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 medium yellow pepper, sliced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Roll sausage into small balls, or "nuggets" about the size of a quarter and place in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until no longer pink.

Meanwhile, in a dutch oven, over medium heat, place olive oil, onions, garlic and bell pepper. Cook until bell pepper begins to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Pour in tomato sauce, add sugar, lemon juice, pepper, basil and italian seasoning and allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, half and half, sun-dried tomatoes and cooked sausage. Bring to a boil and allow soup to cook for 5 more minutes, then, add in your tortellini and cook according to package directions (mine was 8 minutes). Stir in spinach during last 2 minutes of cook time.

Top soup with shredded parmesan cheese and a little fresh parsley and serve!

Enjoy!

Tuscan Turkey Melt

Let's be honest with each other for a minute here, okay? I make a lot of food and *most* of the food I make comes out really, really yummy and I'm usually very happy with it. Well, I'm not sure how to properly convey the message I'm wanting to convey here but I'll give it a try...

You. Have. To. Make. This. Sandwich.

Did you understand what I was trying to say there? I care about you deeply and I want only the best food for you... So, I need you to make this Tuscan Turkey Melt and then I need you to come back here and tell me how it made you feel afterward. I'm pretty sure this sandwich has changed my life and opened my eyes to a whole new world of sandwich-eating.

You see this? This is the beginning of a very beautiful sun-dried tomato sauce that is one of my favorite things EVER. I would eat this with a spoon if I could, but that would just be weird...

It becomes a very beautiful color once it's blended. See? How could you not want to eat it?

It's stacked with delicious herbed turkey and dry salami (placed beautifully by my darling husband!) Let's all give my hubby a hand for being such an amazing salami-placer. Great job, honey!

Now it's starting to look pretty...

Cheese! Lots o' cheese! This is a melt afterall, so we're going to need a whole lot of cheese.

Then, a little spinach... 

And roasted red bell peppers! My favorite. They're so beautiful, aren't they? I just love their vibrant color! They just scream "Look at me! I'm so pretty and you should devour me!"

And then... and then... the sauce. The SAUCE! Hands down the best part of the sandwich. I was tempted to just dump the whole thing of sauce on just one of the sandwiches but my hubby talked me out of it and brought me back to reality, where just because something is delicious, it doesn't mean you have to overdo it. Darn him and his wisdom.

Just looking at this picture, you know you're in for a treat. You know that there is no way this isn't going to be the best Tuscan Turkey Melt you've ever had. Or maybe even the best sandwich you've ever had *fingers crossed*. 

So, before you do anything else, put down whatever it is you're doing, go to the store and buy the ingredients for this sandwich. Then, at your earliest convenience, make this Tuscan Turkey Melt. Make it. Do it. Peer pressure!! You won't be sorry. Your tastebuds will thank you. All will be well in the world. Now, go!

Tuscan Turkey Melt:

{Print Recipe}

Ingredients:

• 4 slices sourdough bread 
• 6 thick slices herbed deli turkey (we used a garlic herb turkey breast!)
• 12 slices dried salami
• 6 slices provolone cheese
• 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
• 1 red bell pepper, stem removed, halved and deseeded
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Sea salt

for the Sun-dried tomato sauce:

• 5 sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), chopped
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 2 large basil leaves, torn in half

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place bell pepper on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Roast in oven, turning twice, for about 25-30 minutes, or until skin is charred and wrinkly. Remove from oven, place in ziptop bag and set aside for 10-15 minutes. Turn oven down to 400 degrees.

Place sun-dried tomatoes, mayonnaise, garlic and basil in a food processor and pulse until it becomes a pretty coral color, but there are still chunks of sun-dried tomato left. Set aside.

Butter one side of your sourdough bread and place it on a baking sheet. Repeat with other bread slices. Now, layer on the turkey, then the salami, then the provolone on two of the bread slices. Remove stems from the spinach and layer on top of the cheese.

Remove peppers from bag and remove skin, Cut pepper into 3 equal pieces and place over the spinach. 

Spread half of the sun-dried tomato mixture over the remaining bread (the non-buttered side!) Top sandwich with bread (butter side out!)

Place a heavy baking sheet over the top of the sandwiches and place in the oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes, check bread and make sure it's getting crispy, then remove the top baking sheet, crank oven to 475 degrees and bake for additional 5 minutes.

Remove from oven when bread is crispy and starting to brown and cheese is melty and delicious.

Cut sandwiches in half and serve right away to hungry family members.

Enjoy!

Makes 2 (large) sandwiches.

5 Minute Thai Ramen

It was only about a year ago that I first tried Thai food. My hubby had been begging me to get some with him and for some reason I really didn't think I was going to like it, so I kept putting it off. After I finally gave in and let him get his precious Thai food, and after I took that first bite of Pad Thai, I knew my life was about to change forever. I fell head-over-heels in love with it! Who knew that peanut sauce would become one of my all-time favorite sauces in the whole wide world? I sure didn't!

It's because of my darling husband that I like many of the foods I do. Without him, I would have never been adventurous enough to try oysters for the first time (which I did this past weekend!) and discover that they are mouth-wateringly delicious. Now every time we take a trip to the beach I know I will be ordering some! Yum x 1000. 

Last night I was really craving something new and was really in the mood to make something I'd never made before... so after searching around Pinterest for a while, I stumbled across a couple of different recipes involving Top Ramen noodles and peanut butter! I knew I could kick it up a notch and create something more amazing, so I grabbed my packages of noodles and headed to the kitchen to make what ended up being my favorite easy side dish ever. It would also be a perfect lunch if you just threw in a little roasted chicken! Or you don't even have to throw in the chicken... you can not throw in the chicken and it would be equally as amazing for lunch! ;) Plus, it's even better the next day!

Make it, devour it and let me know what you think! 

5-Minute Thai Ramen:

{Print Recipe}

Ingredients:

2 packages Chicken Top Ramen

4 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter

2 tablespoons {bottled} teriyaki sauce

1 teaspoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons sliced green onion

2 tablespoons crushed peanuts

Directions:

Cook ramen noodles in medium pot according to package directions. Once cooked, drain almost all of the liquid out, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot. Mix in chicken seasoning packets, peanut butter, teriyaki sauce, lime juice, pepper and red pepper flakes. Once well combined, mix in green onion. Top with crushed peanuts before serving to hungry family members!

Makes 2 {large} servings

Green Eggs & Ham Sandwiches

Obviously today's post is more for the little ones. However, I will admit... it was a pretty delicious sandwich ;). I've kind of been on a Dr. Seuss kick since all the planning that went into my son's Dr. Seuss 1st Birthday. I love coming up with cute, fun and colorful treats that go along with the amazing Dr. Seuss books we all know and love! I grew up reading them, my daughter loves them and my son... well, he doesn't care too much right now, but he will! 

I came up with this sandwich as we had a ton of hard boiled eggs in our fridge after Easter and I was in party-planning mode, so I was surrounded by all things Seuss... I had never seen or heard of anyone turning an Egg Salad Sandwich into a green eggs & ham sandwich... so I did! Annnnd it was awesome!

Your kids will love to find this adorable sandwich in their lunchbox at school and if they're fans of egg salad (like my daughter) they will be completely stoked for a cuter version of the classic sandwich! Unfortunately, the only thing I had in the fridge was ham lunch meat, but I would have much rather used a ham steak cut into perfect little squares! Instead I took the easy route and tore a bunch of little pieces of ham ;) Plus the ham looks a little purple... and it really wasn't! I promise. We don't eat purple ham in our house...

I hope you and your Seuss-loving family love this sandwich as much as we did! Enjoy!!

Green Eggs & Ham Sandwich:

Ingredients:

• 3 hard boiled eggs
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1/4 cup diced ham
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Green food dye
• 2 slices bread

Directions:

Smash together eggs, mayonnaise, mustard and green dye. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Mix in diced ham. Spread mixture on toasted bread and serve to hungry children (or adults!)

#ChooseSmart Santa Fe Quesadillas with Sweet & Spicy Sour Cream

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.

Lunches. How do I even begin? Lunches for my daughter, lunches for my hubby and lunches for me... Trying to find the perfect non-turkey sandwich lunch can sometimes be a challenge. I know there are days when simply throwing some slices of turkey on some bread and smearing on a little mayo seems like the simplest and best option, but, really, you can only eat so many turkey sandwiches in a week. My family loves new and different things, for breakfast, for dinner and, yes, even for lunch, which is why I have decided to devote some of my time to thinking outside the box -- err lunch box, or lunch bag, that is. 

Ever since I was a young girl, my mom and I always made our weekly trips to Smart & Final. She always had the same list of items to buy: plastic cups, sodas, lunch meats, cheeses, frozen snacks/yummies, but then, of course, we always found other delicious items along the way -- frozen cheesecakes, cream puffs, you know, all that good stuff life has to offer. I always liked our trips to Smart & Final because it seemed so huge and there were so many things to buy. The shelves were packed full and almost to the ceiling and it made me feel tiny. It was impressive. It wasn't until I was much older and had a family of my own that I realized that the reason my mom went to Smart & Final wasn't because it had extremely high shelves, but because they carried such a wide variety of items to buy and had really, really great prices! You can find anything there, in large quantities, for an awesome price, and it's an overall great shopping experience!

That's why when #CollectiveBias gave me the opportunity to shop at Smart & Final for items to build a deliciously unique & different lunch, I jumped at it! I knew I exactly what I wanted to make -- Santa Fe Quesadillas -- so, I headed out to get the items I needed!

Cheeeeeese!! I needed Kraft Shredded Mexican Cheese, which happens to be part of the Kraft Buy 4, Save $4 deal going on at Smart & Final February 19 - March 4!

I also needed some Sour Cream, so I grabbed some Knudsen Sour Cream, which also happens to be a part of the Buy 4, Save $4!

The first, of many, new lunch recipes I will be developing begins with a cup of Knudsen sour cream, a little ground chipotle, sugar, salt and garlic powder. This is going to be your dip for your Santa  Fe Quesadillas!  I have to say... it's amazing. It goes well on tortilla chips as well, FYI ;)

Next, you combine your tomatoes & green chiles, corn, black beans, cilantro and lime. So colorful and so pretty!

Then comes my favorite part... the addition of the cheese! Place the mixture, along with a bunch of Kraft Shredded Mexican Cheese on half of a tortilla then fold it right on over...

Next, you get to get it all nice and crispy and golden! So pretty!

Then, you can sit back and admire your beautiful little quesadilla before you pack it up for your hubby or your kids for lunch. This is one brown bag lunch that you won't wanna miss... Luckily this recipe will make 4 quesadillas, so your whole family can indulge! Hope you and your family enjoy this fun and tasty deviation from the same old sandwich in a bag!

Santa Fe Quesadillas with Sweet & Spicy Sour Cream:

{Print Recipe}

Ingredients:

• 4 medium flour tortillas
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes & green chiles
• 1/4 cup sweet kernel corn
• 1/4 cup black beans
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/3 cup Kraft Shredded Mexican Cheese
• Cooking spray

For the sour cream dip:

• 1 cup Knudsen sour cream
• 1 teaspoon ground chipotle powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, chipotle powder, sugar, garlic powder and salt. Cover and place in fridge.

In a medium bowl, combine diced tomatoes & green chiles, corn, black beans, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Place 1/4 cup of the mixture on half of a tortilla and top with 1/3 cup cheese. Fold over the tortilla and set aside. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and place quesadilla flat on griddle. Cook about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crisp. Remove and cook remaining quesadillas. Cut in half, pack in aluminum foil or plastic container with lid, and assemble the rest of your lunch! (Don't forget the Sweet & Spicy sour cream!)

Find more recipes here: Smart and Final Social Circular: http://community.smartandfinal.com

Chicken Florentine Quesadillas

Is it just me, or are quesadillas absolutely amazing? There's something great about being able to stuff whatever you want into a tortilla, pile it with cheese, throw it in the oven and have a bunch of deliciously cheesy triangles of happiness. I have been on somewhat of a quesadilla kick here in our house lately and when I was asked to review the new I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® Deliciously Simple™ spread, I knew I had to come up with a totally awesome quesadilla recipe to test it out... So, today I present to you -- Chicken Florentine Quesadillas! They're loaded with chicken, spinach, cheese, and a creamy garlic sauce! 

The new Deliciously Simple™ spread from ICBINB! comes packaged in a cute little green and yellow squared container, but don't let that adorable packaging fool you... what's inside is a fiercely delicious product that is 100% taste and 0% Artificial preservatives. It's made from simple ingredients that I can pronounce! Like non-fat yogurt and vegetable oil! Crazy, right? There's no long, complicated words that you can't understand... Score! 

The perfect beginning to my Chicken Florentine Quesadillas... Deliciously Simple™ and fresh garlic! No smell compares to fresh garlic simmering away... wouldn't you say? 

Next you add in your spinach, toss it around, cook it, and get it nice and wilty! Is wilty a word? Even if it's not... you definitely want it wilty. Then, when it's all wilty you add in some more Deliciously Simple™. Yay! 

The next part is my absolute favorite part... the addition of the cream! I'm a little bit of a cream freak nowadays... Thanks to Julia Child, I now feel like I should add cream to everything! So I do. I really do. The next time you're cooking something just throw in a little cream and I guarantee it will be even more delicious! Well, i'm sure some things wouldn't... but... you get the idea!

After you've simmered your cream and reduced it down to a perfectly creamy, flavorful, spinachy sauce, you'll want to spread it on your tortillas, top it with your sliced chicken and cover it in a ton of parmesan cheese. Cheese, delicious cheese! I honestly don't think I could live without cheese. It completes me.

The last step is just to plop it in the oven and bake it until it's nice and crispy! Easy peasy and completely amazing. I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! It's already on the lunch menu later this week! 

Our family just loves the Deliciously Simple™ spread from I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® . The flavor is great, plus, no artificial preservatives? Can't beat it! Next i'll be using it to make some muffins for my daughter since she goes back to school soon! Love that it can be used for cooking and baking and I don't have to feel guilty about it ;) ! So, give it a try and let me know what you think!

Chicken Florentine Quesadillas: {Print Recipe}

Ingredients:

• 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked
• 2-1/2 cups fresh spinach leaves, washed & drained well
• 2 large cloves fresh garlic
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® Deliciously Simple™ spread, divided
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 4 flour tortillas
• Salt & pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon Deliciously Simple™ spread. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Place spinach in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until it's nice and wilty! Add in 1 more tablespoon of Deliciously Simple™ spread and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper (to your liking) and simmer for 4-5 minutes or until it has really thickened (you pretty much just want a creamy spinach, not a ton of extra sauce.)

Slice each chicken breast into 1/4" thick slices. Spread half of the spinach mixture on a tortilla, top with half of sliced chicken, 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese and another tortilla. Repeat with remaining 2 tortillas.

Place quesadillas on a baking sheet and into preheated oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cheese has melted and tortillas are crisp and slightly golden.

Cut quesadillas into triangles and serve. (I personally like to serve mine with a little greek yogurt!)

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by  I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter® through their partnership with POPSUGAR. While I was compensated to write a post about I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter® Deliciously Simple™, all opinions are my own.