This is my Wild Monkey Bracelet.
There is a birthstone color for each Wild Monkey.
And of course a Wild Monkey Charm.
It too has helped assuage my desire to make bracelets.
I have been looking at how to make bracelets on Pinterest.
I have Googled how to make bracelets.
Lately all I can think about is bracelets.
David gave me a bracelet for Christmas......
I have served it twice.
The second time I served it at my book club.
And they raved about it.
And they are foodies...one has even published two cookbooks. Yeah. I was a cooking rock star.Lasagna Soup
INGREDIENTS
for the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage (I added a 1/2 to 1 pound of ground chuck)
3 c. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken stock (I used a lot more......twice maybe)
8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta (I used bow tie once...then the fusilli second time--both were fine)
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage (I added a 1/2 to 1 pound of ground chuck)
3 c. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken stock (I used a lot more......twice maybe)
8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta (I used bow tie once...then the fusilli second time--both were fine)
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
for the cheesy yum:
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
PREPARATION
Heat
olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up
into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and
cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red
pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to
incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a
rusty brown color.
Add
diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring
to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked
pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer
for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy and
absorb all the soup broth. You may even want to consider cooking the
noodles separately, and then adding some to individual bowls before
ladling the soup over them. This would be an especially smart move if
you are anticipating any leftovers. Right before serving, stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
To
serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle
some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.
Servings: 8
I served this with a nice salad and garlic bread...it was great.
