It’s Chili, Chowder, or Stew Saturday – Vegetable, Bean and Pasta Soup

This week's It’s Chili, Chowder, or Stew Saturday is a recipe for Vegetable, Bean and Pasta Soup. Penne Pasta along with Onions, Fennel, Stewed Tomatoes, Zucchini, Cannellini Beans, and Spices make up this sure fire Comfort Food Soup! It's from one of my favorite recipe sites, CooksRecipes (https://www.cooksrecipes.com/index.html) The Cooks site is loaded with a wide assortment of recipes so check it out today! Enjoy and Eat Healthy in 2018!


Vegetable, Bean and Pasta Soup
This thick and hearty Italian-style bean soup is perfected with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Ingredients:
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 cup dry vermouth
1 large white onion, chopped
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
8 ounces penne or other tubular pasta
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 large yellow crookneck squash, diced
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
4 green onions, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for accompaniment

Cooking Directions:
1 - Bring broth and vermouth to boil in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, fennel and garlic. Cover and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.
2 - Add tomatoes, pasta, zucchini and squash; cook until pasta is almost tender, about 15 minutes.
3 - Add beans and green onions. Cook until pasta and vegetables are tender and soup is thick, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
Makes 6 servings.
https://www.cooksrecipes.com/soup/vegetable-bean-and-pasta-soup-recipe.html

"Meatless Monday" Recipe of the Week - Penne with Asparagus

This week's "Meatless Monday" Recipe of the Week is - Penne with Asparagus. Easy dish to prepare and some of the ingredients  be needing; Sautéed Asparagus pieces, Italian Tomato Sauce, Parmesan Cheese, Herbs, Spices,  and Penne Pasta. The recipe is from the CooksRecipes website. The Cooks site has a huge selection of recipes for all tastes, diets, or cuisines. Check it out today! So Enjoy and Eat Healthy in 2018!  https://www.cooksrecipes.com/index.html

Penne with Asparagus
Tender, sautéed asparagus pieces, an Italian tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese are tossed with penne pasta in this simple, yet sophisticated dish.

Recipe Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium onions, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
2 (14-ounce) cans Italian-style tomatoes with juice
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound penne, cooked according to package directions
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Additional grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Cooking Directions:
1 - Melt butter with oil in large cooking pot over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and sauté 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer asparagus to bowl.
2 - Add onions to pot and sauté until lightly golden in color, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juices, basil, oregano, red pepper, salt and ground black pepper. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, breaking up tomatoes and stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
3 - Return asparagus to sauce. Cook until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add cooked penne and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Toss to combine. Season with additional salt and ground black pepper, if needed. Transfer pasta to large serving bowl. Serve, passing additional cheese separately.

Makes 4 servings.
https://www.cooksrecipes.com/mless/penne-with%20asparagus-recipe.html

Banquet Homestyle Bakes – Pasta and Meatballs in Marinara Sauce w/ Baked French Bread

Dinner Tonight: Banquet Homestyle Bakes –  Pasta and Meatballs in Marinara Sauce w/ Baked French Bread





For Breakfast I prepared a packet of Quaker Oats Butter Instant Grits along with a al fresco Apple

Maple Chicken Sausage Breakfast Pattie and toasted a slice of Healthy Life Whole Grain Bread (lightly buttered with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter). Also, as always, my morning cup of Bigelow Decaf Green Tea. Outside another nice day, 86 degrees, mostly sunny, but a bit more humid. A high school friend that I'm still in contact with came over and helped me change the batteries in my Hoveround. Afterwards we went over to a new Wings and Rings that opened up for a late lunch. First time I had a Chicken Wing from Wings and Rings in 10 years or more, they were good! Back home did some cleaning outside got the leaf blower out and cleaned the deck and driveway areas. For Dinner tonight tried a new dish, I prepared a Banquet Homestyle Bakes –  Pasta and Meatballs in Marinara Sauce w/ Baked French Bread.

 
I love these Banquet Homestyle Bakes and for Dinner tonight I'm trying the Banquet Homestyle

Bakes –  Pasta and Meatballs in Marinara Sauce. I've tried a couple of the Banquet Homestyle Bakes and both are family favorites, and now we have a third favorite, Pasta and Meatballs in Marinara Sauce. As it says, it’s a Complete Meal Kit. I added 1 1/4 cups of Water, a little Sea Salt for taste, 1 small can of Pennsylvania Dutchman Mushrooms Stems and Pieces (drained), Kraft Reduced Fat Grated Parmesan Cheese, and Sargento Shredded Mozzarella. To prepare it is very easy.  




To prepare it you can bake it in the oven or cook it in a skillet on the stove top. I’m baking mine. Start

Ready for the oven...

by preheating the oven to 425 degrees F. Stir together both cans of sauce, Mushrooms, and 1 1/4 cups water in 8″ x 8″ baking dish. Stir in the pasta until well coated.  Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes, until pasta is tender. Before you cover it with foil I always lightly spray the underside of the foil with Pam Cooking Spray, that way the Sauce won't stick to it. When done carefully uncover. Let stand 5 minutes; sauce will thicken. When ready top it with the Grated Parm and Shredded Mozzarella and serve!

Came out hot and delicious. Again nothing fancy, just a good and hearty Dinner. The Pasta and

...and done!

Meatballs are delicious and the added Mushrooms and Mozzarella top it off just right. As always the sauce is so good, I think the Banquet sauces that come in their Dinners is some of the best. I also baked a loaf of Pillsbury French Bread. For Dessert later a Dole No sugar Added Diced Peaches Cup.













Banquet Home-style Bakes Pasta & Meatballs in Marinara Sauce

For Over 50 Years Banquet has been bringing American families a variety of good hearty food. And all Homestyle Bakes meals come complete with everything you need. So you can spend less time thinking about your meal and more time enjoying it.

* Contains five (5) 1-cup servings BANQUET Homestyle Bakes Pasta & Meatballs in Marinara Sauce
* Marinara Sauce flavored with Meatballs Made with Pork, Chicken, and Beef & Penne Pasta
* Complete meal kit - just add water
* 0 grams trans fat per serving
* Perfect to serve for dinner tonight
* Inspected for wholesomeness by U.S. Department of Agriculture

Directions:
Instructions: Inside This Box:2 cans Marinara Sauce flavored with Meatballs1 pouch Penne PastaAll You Need to Add:1 cups water.Oven preparation1 Preheat oven to 425 F. Stir together both cans of sauce and 1 cups water in 8 x 8 baking dish.2 Stir in pasta until well coated.3 Cover with foil. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until pasta is tender.4 Carefully Uncover. Stir until well blended. Let stand 5 minutes; sauce will thicken. Inside This Box:2 cans Marinara Sauce flavored with Meatballs1 pouch Penne Pasta All You Need to Add:1 cups water.Stove Top preparation1 Stir together both cans of sauce and 1 cups water in 10-inch skillet.2 Stir in pasta until well coated. Heat to boiling.3 Reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 25 minutes, or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.4 Stir until well blended. Let stand 5 minutes; sauce will thicken.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size Package (207g) Makes 1 Cup Prepared
Servings Per Container5.0
Amount Per Serving
Calories290 Calories
Calories From Fat70 Calories
% Daily Value
Total Fat8.0 g12.0
Saturated Fat4.50 g23%
Trans Fat0 g
Cholesterol15 mg5%
Sodium940 mg39%
Total Carbohydrate43.0 g14.0
Dietary Fiber5 g20%
Sugars7 g
Protein11.0 g