Sausage and Greens Soup

 

Its not often we get cool rainy days here in S.E Texas, but when we do I'm loaded with an arsenal of rib sticking soups.   This is a new(ish) one loaded up with baby greens that you need a fork to practically get through it.  Man is is hearty.

Thank goodness for supermarkets wising up and prepackaging greens along with the usual suspects of a "salad bar".  In this case I used Kroger's baby green mix...spinach and kale in their tender young form.  Just add to a soup and you'e done.  In terms of the kale, thats a labor savor using baby version as you don't neet to destem and chop them before adding.  Makes for stupid easy cookery.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs mild smoked sausage such as kielbasa
• 1 large sweet onion
• 48 oz chicken broth
• 1 lb  mixed baby greens (kale and spinach)
• 2 T finely chopped basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T flour

Method

Thinly slice saudage (approx 1/4'').  Heat large stock pot over medium heat, add olive oil then sausage.

Stir occassionally.  Coarse chop the onion and add to browning sausage.   Cook 5-8 minutes until sausage is browned and the onions ar translucent.  Add flour and cook 1 minute.

Stir in stock.  Simmer 10 minutes until lightly thickened.  Slowly add greens by handfuls in batchs slowly stirring in and allowing to wilt before adding next batch. Test for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed to taste.  Add basil.

Simmer 10 minutes to fully wilt kale.  Serve hot with additional basil and maybe a sprinkle of parmesan.

Stupid Easy Shrimp Scampi

 

Whew its been a few crazy weeks.  First mty oldest daughter's wedding then a shoulder surgery and we are nearly on the eve of Thanksgiving.  Both kept me out of the kitchen for a while.  

This is the simplest dinner ever and is it ever tasty.  Shrimp Scampi, lemony tart made in minutes with simple on hand staple ingredients.  I use Buitoni 

Ingredients

• 1 pkg Buitoni linguini or 9 oz dry linguine
• 1 stick salted butter
• 1/4 c chopped Italian parsley
• 2 t chopped garlic
• 1/4 t red pepper flakes
• salt to taste
• zest of one lemon
• juice of 2 lemons
• 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp

Method

Bring salted pasta water to a boil. 

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  When the butter just starts top sizzle add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook 1 minute.

Add fresh pasta* to boiling water.  Cook 2-3 minutes.

At same time you added fresh pasta to the water,  add shrimp to the butter mixture.  Cook and stir often until bright pink and opaque (about 2-3 minuites depending on shrimp size).  Add cooked pasta and toss to coat with butter mixture.  Add zest, lemon juice and parsley, toss to distribute.  Add 1/4 to 1/2 c pasta water as needed to thin if needed.  

Serve hot with crusty ciabatta rolls and a nice Tuscan white like Villa Antinori.

*If using dry pasta start cooking it about 6 minutes before you start to melt the butter.  Dry pasta takes about 11 minutes to cook and timing like this will ensure the pasta is cooked and ready to add to shrimp mixture when shrimp are cooked.