SOUPS

I made this soup last night for dinner and we think it is a keeper. I did cut the recipe in half. Of course I added a few more items;
1 tsp. of Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp of the chicken bouillon in the jar, be careful it is salty
4 'Adells' Italian style sausage
1/4 cup of orzo

Winter Ribollita

Serves 10-12

This Tuscan-style soup is a full meal, loaded with vegetables, leafy greens, beans and hearty bread. The bread is added as a last step, so if you're going to freeze the soup, do so before adding any bread. When ready to eat, warm it back up on the stove and incorporate the bread right before serving. Though the ingredient list is long, it's worth the effort - the soup will last in the freezer for a long time, and a little goes a long way.

4 ounces pancetta, diced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling over the soup
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 to 3 ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch slices
4 cloves garlic, minced
-- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 28-ounce can chopped or diced whole tomatoes, with juice
3 cans cannellini beans (1 can pureed with liquid, I omitted this step, 2 cans drained and rinsed)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
2 ounce Parmesan rind
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups packed chopped savoy cabbage
3 cups packed chopped chard leaves
1/2 pound stale Italian bread, crusts removed, bread cut into 2-inch chunks
-- Parmesan cheese, for grating
Instructions: In a large, heavy bottomed stock pot, cook pancetta over medium heat until slightly crisped and the fat has rendered, about 4 minutes. Add the olive oil, then add the onion, carrots and celery. Saute until vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.

Add garlic, and season vegetables with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add tomato paste and stir well to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes more.

Add chopped tomatoes and their juices, cannellini puree and whole beans, dried oregano, bay leaves, red pepper flakes and parmesan rind. Stir well until everything is combined. Cover with 4 cups chicken broth and add one cup of water to the pot.

Bring to a boil, stir in the cabbage and chard leaves, and simmer soup for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When ready to serve, divide stale bread between bowls. (I omitted this step.) Use as much as desired, keeping in mind that the longer the soup sits, the more the bread will soak up the broth. You want to see a little bit of liquid in the bowl but you should have plenty of bread. Pour the soup over the bread, stir to combine and grate fresh Parmesan cheese over the top. Finish with a drizzle of good quality olive oil.

Per serving: 242 calories, 10 g protein, 33 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat (2 g saturated), 8 mg cholesterol, 669 mg sodium, 7 g fiber.


From- http://www.sfgate.com