Low Carb Version of Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana Recipe

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground Italian sausage

1½ tsp crushed red peppers

1 large diced white onion

4 Tbsp bacon pieces

2 tsp garlic puree

10 cups water

5 cubes of chicken bouillon

1 cup heavy cream

1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes

¼ of a bunch of kale

1. Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
3. Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.
4. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.
6. Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve.

Olive Garden Salad Recipe

Olive Garden Salad Dressing:

½ c. mayonnaise

1/3 c. white vinegar

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 Tb. corn syrup

2 Tb. Parmesan cheese

2 Tb. Romano cheese

¼ tsp garlic salt – or one clove garlic, minced

½ tsp Italian seasoning

½ tsp parsley flakes

1 Tb. lemon juice

Salad:

1 large head romaine lettuce

slices red onion

black olives

2-4 banana peppers

2 small tomatoes, quartered

½ c. croutons

freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Homemade Croutons:

4 slices sandwich bread

1 clove garlic, minced

3 Tb. butter

salt and pepper

dried parsley flakes

For the salad:

Chill one salad bowl in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Put lettuce in bowl. Place on top of lettuce red onions, black olives, banana peppers, tomatoes, and croutons. Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you like, and add plenty of Olive Garden Salad Dressing on top.|

For the salad dressing:

Mix all dressing ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little too tart for your own personal tastes, add a little extra sugar.

For the homemade croutons:

Cut off crusts of sandwich bread, and cut bread into cubes. Melt butter in small saucepan and add minced garlic. Toss sandwich cubes in the butter and spread out in a pan. Sprinkle salt and pepper and parsley flakes to taste. Bake for 15 minutes at 350°, turning half way through baking.

After Thanksgiving Turkey Salad Sandwich

• 2 cups cooked turkey meat, chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 3 tablespoons fresh dill
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoons pepper
• 2 pieces of toast
• 
  
• Directions

1. In a bowl, mix the turkey meat, celery, Dill, Celery Salt, Parsley, and mayonnaise. Chill in the refrigerator until serving.
2. Toast bread
3. Garnish with iceberg lettuce

Mashed Potato Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered length-wise

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 Tbsp heavy cream

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp milk

Salt and Pepper

A potato masher

Directions:

1 Put potatoes into a saucepan. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add water until potatoes are covered. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes, or until done - a fork can easily be poked through them.

2 Warm cream and melt butter, together, either in microwave or in a pan on the stove. Drain water from potatoes. Put hot potatoes into a bowl. Add cream and melted butter. Use potato masher to mash potatoes until well mashed. Use a strong spoon to beat further, adding milk to achieve the consistency you desire. (Do not over-beat or your potatoes will get gluey.) Salt and pepper to taste.

Green Beans with Bacon Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 to 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 pounds fresh green beans
• 2 quarts chicken stock or water
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat a heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, bacon, and onions and cook until the onion is soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the green beans and chicken stock; season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, and cook the green beans until they are soft but not mushy, about 30 to 45 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Making a Brined Turkey for a Temecula Thanksgiving

Ingredients

• 1 gallon vegetable broth
• 1 cup sea salt
• 1 tablespoon crushed dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon dried sage
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried savory
• 1 gallon ice water

Directions

1. In a large stock pot, combine the vegetable broth, sea salt, rosemary, sage, thyme, and savory. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to be sure salt is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature.
2. When the broth mixture is cool, pour it into a clean 5 gallon bucket. Stir in the ice water.
3. Wash and dry your turkey. Make sure you have removed the innards. Place the turkey, breast down, into the brine. Make sure that the cavity gets filled. Place the bucket in the refrigerator overnight.
4. Remove the turkey carefully draining off the excess brine and pat dry. Discard excess brine.
5. Cook the turkey as desired reserving the drippings for gravy. Keep in mind that brined turkeys cook 20 to 30 minutes faster so watch the temperature gauge.

Pumpkin Pancakes

• 2 1/2 Cup Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake Mix
• 3 TBS brown sugar
• to taste pumpkin pie spice
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cup milk
• 2 TBS vegetable oil
• 1 cup LIBBY’S® Easy Pumpkin Pie Mix

• In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg,and oil. Combine the Pancake Mix, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice  in a separate bowl. Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

• Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. We like to make them pumpkin shaped. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
• Don’t forget the Whipped Cream!

Red Skinned Potato & Bacon Salad

One of the items we will be bringing to Crystal Cove for our beach hurrah!

2 pounds clean, scrubbed new red potatoes

1 pound bacon

1 onion, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

2 cups mayonnaise

salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and set in the refrigerator to cool.

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.

Chop the cooled potatoes, leaving skin on. Add to a large bowl, along with the  bacon, onion and celery. Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste. Chill for an hour before serving.

Moana Sands Recipe

Our favorite hotel in Hawaii is the Moana Surfrider on Waikiki. It is amazing and they make an amazing drink called the Moana Sands. My favorite part is the amazing tropical taste and purple orchid they put on each drink. 

2 oz Chambord raspberry liqueur

6 oz peach schnapps

coconut syrup

orange juice

Pour chambord and peach schnapps over crushed ice in a collins glass. Fill up to half with coconut syrup, fill the other half with orange juice, and stir. Garnish with a paper umbrella through a marachino cherry and orange wedge. 

After a few minutes the juice and syrup should separate from the alcohol giving it a sand-like look. (But it tastes much better.)

Recipe for my Raspberry Mojito.

4 raspberries
6 mint leaves
1 1/2 oz. white rum
3/4 oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice
3/4 oz. simple syrup
2 oz. 7Up

Directions

1. Muddle raspberries first, then mint.
2. Add rum, lime juice, simple syrup, and ice.
3. Shake vigorously.
4. Strain into a chilled glass filled with ice.
5. Top it with 7Up.

My husband is currently enjoying his 1st Raspberry Mojito. I think it is a hit.