Cooking for Me

Warm You Up Winter Lunch

Italian Sausage Soup- Corn Muffins – Quick Fruit Cobbler

Italian Sausage Soup

1-pound Italian turkey sausage link, casing removed

1 large onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped                                                                   STEP #1 In a Dutch oven (or heavy soup pot) coated with

2 cartons (32 oz. each) chicken broth                                                    cooking spray, cook the sausage, onion, carrot, and

1 can (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes-don’t drain!                                             And celery until the meat is no longer pink: drain

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 garlic clove, minced                                                                  STEP#2 Add the broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic,

1 teaspoon dried oregano                                                                         seasonings, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.

1 / 2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1 /2 teaspoon dried basil                                                           STEP #3 Stir in orzo; cook, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or

1 / 4 teaspoon dried thyme                                                                      until pasta is tender. Discard the bay leaf. Serve bowls

1 /4 teaspoon fennel seed crushed                                                        of soup and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese as desired.

1 bay leaf

3 /4 cup uncooked orzo pasta

Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Quick Fruit Cobbler-This cobbler can be made with fresh or

canned fruit, or pie filling. Cherry, Apple, Peach-all would be great.

STEP#1 Spread 1 can cherry pie filling (or any flavor) in the bottom of a 1 ½ quart casserole dish. Place it in a cold oven. Now turn on the heat to 400°; let the dish heat for 10 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven.

STEP#2 While the filling is heating in the oven mix together 1 cup Bisquick, ¼ cup milk,  

         1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon very soft butter. Mix into a soft dough.

STEP#3 Drop the dough on top of the hot pie filling by 6 spoonsful. Sprinkle with additional sugar if desired. Bake in a 400° oven for 18-20 minutes until the top is golden brown. Enjoy

Cast Iron Baked Moist Jiffy Cornbread

STEP#1 Put 7 tablespoon of butter in a 10” cast iron skillet and melt it

on a very low heat on the stove top OR in a 350° oven. Set aside

STEP#2 Using a large bowl, pour in two boxes of Jiffy Corn Bread Mix, break up the lumps, then add 4 tablespoons sugar-mix together-set aside.

STEP#3 In another bowl, break 3 eggs and whisk them well. Add 1 ¼ cups buttermilk*. Whisk again. Make a hole in the bowl of dry ingredients and pour in the milk & egg mixture, mix well.

STEP#4 Now pour in most of the melted butter. Some of the butter will stay in the cast iron skillet to coat it and make a nice crisp edge when the cornbread bakes. Mix everything well and pour the batter into the skillet.

STEP#5 Bake in a 350° oven for 40-45 minutes*

*To make buttermilk with vinegar, a tried-and-true method, use 1 tablespoon white vinegar, plus enough milk to measure 1 cup. Stir, then let stand for 5 minutes. It will get lumpy and that’s good.

How to measure a casserole dish. If you don’t know how large a casserole dish is, measure 8 oz. cups of water into the dish. If it holds 4 cups it is a 1-quart dish. If it holds 6 cups it is a 1 ½ quart dish. Also look at the bottom of the dish. Sometimes the volume is printed there.

Quick Fact… there are 4 cups in one quart

*How to check baked goods for doneness. When baking corn bread insert a toothpick into the center. When it comes out dry the cornbread is done. If it comes out covered with gooey batter, give it a few more minutes to cook. MAKE SURE TO USE A TIMER!! Sometimes you can also press your fingers gently down into the center of the cornbread or cake and see if it springs back. If it springs back, it is probably done. Overbaking foods will make them dry.