Ok, hold on to your whisks fabulous foodies… I’m giving away three cookbooks! I’m so excited! Once again I feel like that dark-haired little gal in Despicable Me. You know, the one that squeezes the stuffing out of the fluffy toy animal and exclaims “he’s so flufffffffyyyyyyyy! 🙂 Well, I’m so exxccccciiiitttteeeddd!
I love cookbooks, mostly old cookbooks or cleverly written, beautiful pictures cookbooks. Or cookbooks about a specific country’s cuisine and culture. But this particular little soup book caught my eye and after browsing the recipes, I just had to have another giveaway.
I’m giving away three of these soup books. Just leave me a comment telling me what type of “weeknight recipes” you’d most like to see on Karista’s Kitchen. I’ll choose three random comments to win the books. The giveaway ends next Wednesday, October 26th. Best of luck everyone!
And just because I love soup, I’m posting one of my family’s fave’s, Italian Sausage Soup. This isn’t in the soup book, just a little something I whip up for the Bennett Crew on cool fall and winter evenings. Ranger Craig doesn’t usually think soup qualifies as a main dish. But he makes an exception for this full flavored hearty soup. Along with freshly baked Italian bread and possibly some bruschetta for nibbling. 🙂
Italian Sausage Soup
Serves 4 – 6
1 lb mild or spicy (I like spicy) Italian sausage (or substitute with Italian chicken sausage)
1-2 tablespoons veggie oil or grapeseed oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes (I like Muir Glen)
4 cups beef broth
1 15 ounce can organic small white beans
1 cup frozen organic baby peas (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (or use 1/2 tsp dried oregano)
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped fresh Italian parsley for garnish
Shredded fresh parmesan for garnish
Directions
In a soup pot over medium high heat, add a tablespoon or two of oil. Lightly brown the sausage and then add the onion.
Cook the onion until wilted and then add in the garlic. Cook for another minute.
Stir in the tomatoes, beef broth, beans, frozen peas and dried herbs. Bring the soup to a lively simmer for about 10 minutes.
Take the soup off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with fresh Italian parsley and shredded parmesan. Serve with crusty Italian bread for dipping!
As a new culinary arts student, I am in my third week in the kitchen and serendipitously, we are working on soups! I also think this is a perfect time of year for you to be offering yummy sounding receipes like the Italian Sausage Soup you posted today, what with the cheery liquid sunshine that poured all day. 🙂 I would love to see some weekend recipes for risotto (with some of your island market finds incorporated), something autumn-oriented with some kind of squash, and maybe some more fun sauces like the chimichurri (did I spell that anywhere near right?) you made awhile back.
Andrea… well stated!! And congrats on culinary school!!! Whoo Hoo! You go girl!
Anything quick and easy that tastes like you spent hours on it. Is there such a thing?
LOL! Sue, I think we can handle that request. I hear this often and I’m definitely working on it. Thanks for the comment!
I love soups, but many take a long time to make unless you have homemade broth on hand. I’d love to see some quick soup recipes that aren’t lacking in depth of flavor that are possible to make fairly quickly on a weeknight. They can cook for awhile unattended, but not need too much prep time to get in the pot or finish.
More soups is a great idea! The Bennett Crew loves soup almost year round! Great comment!! Thanks for chiming in!!
Weeknight recipes I prefer can be prepared earlier in the day (and possibly cooked) so they can be reheated for dinner, especially when dinner is in shifts! Read “in between driving busy teenagers to their activities.” Love your blog! A faithful follower in the other Washington.
Thanks Carol for the great comment!! So glad you love the blog! 🙂
Anything hearty and quick! We are so busy on weeknights, but eating at home is important!
You’re so right Brenda! Eating at home is so important… for many reasons. Good for you! I know it’s not easy with everyone busy and going in different directions. Working on some fun and tasty, quick and hearty recipes for fall and winter. To be posted soon. 🙂
This sounds delicious! I would love to see recipes that are delicious and healthy and maybe can go along with the weight watchers point plus system.
Yay! Congrats! Soup is my favorite thing on these colder drizzly days.
I love soup! And I am completely in love with this cookbook which is why I’m giving three away. Good luck to ya!
I wish I could give everyone a cookbook! Thanks so much everyone for chiming in! Stay tuned because I’ll be giving away another cookbook in November. Our three winners are… Brenda Hill, Carol Schaengold and Sue Hansen. Thanks Ladies! And loads of love to you all!