French Onion Soup (Soupe à l'oignon)

This particular soup isn't the most filling of all meals - unless of course you eat it with some crusty bread and enjoy it in its full glory. Nonetheless, it is a soup full of great flavor that always looks much more impressive than it actually it is when you serve it to friends. SO, in its simplicity, you can find a great meal. Enjoy and Mangia Bene!

Ingredients:4 Large Yellow Sweet Onions, peeled and sliced into half moon slices
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1 Tbsp of Unsalted Butter
1 Tbsp of Sugar
1 Tbsp of Fresh Thyme, chopped
½ cup of Sherry
4 cups of Beef Stock
1 cup of Grated Sharp Cheddar or Grated Swiss
4 Slices of Crusty Bread, cut into bite size chunks and toasted
Salt and pepper to taste

Process:

1) Preheat a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter, let the butter melt and add in the onions, sugar and salt and pepper. Cook for about 25 to 30 minutes stirring frequently or until the onions develop a beautiful deep caramelized brown color.

2) Add the sherry and thyme and cook for about 1 minute, turn the heat to medium high, add the beef broth and season with salt and pepper. Le it come to a boil then reduce the heat to medium and let it cook for about 15 to 20 minutes.

3) Preheat your broiler to high.

4) Ladle the soup in some oven safe bowls and top them with the bread and cheese, pop them under the broiler for just a couple minutes or until the cheese melts and its all bubbly and golden brown. Enjoy!

This Dish is On Fire, Literally! Bananas Foster!

Tonight's dessert will be the quick and easy, Bananas Foster. I absolutely love when dishes are incredibly simple and easy, and I love them even more so when they are PACKED with flavor. Ladies and Gentlemen, if you have the ingredients and had a bad day, make yourself a little happier - make the dish. And if you had a good day, well, make the dish. Mangia Bene!

Ingredients:3 Bananas, peeled and quartered
¼ cup of Unsalted Butter
½ cup of Brown Sugar
½ tsp of Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp of Vanilla Extract
3 Tbsp of Rum (Or Frangelico, Or Bourbon, Or Whisky)
Vanilla Ice Cream to serve

Process:

1) In a large skillet, cook together the butter, sugar and cinnamon over medium high until the sugar has dissolved. Add the bananas, and vanilla extract and cook them for a few minutes or until the bananas start to soften. 

2) Add the rum and using a large lighter, flambé it and cook for a bout 30 seconds. Serve over vanilla ice cream. 

Minestra Maritata - Italian Wedding Soup!

Italian Wedding Soup (Minestra Maritata) is one of my mom's favorite soups and since their anniversary is on Friday, I decided to make it ahead of time and freeze it until then. My parents will be married 32 years, so major congratulations are in order - I choose to celebrate the occasion with great food that will demand that we all spend it together.  So enjoy this great delicious and healthy soup! Don't forget to bring it with you to lunch - you will surely be the envy of your co-workers and/or friends! Mangia Bene!

Ingredients:For the soup base:
1 Small Onion, chopped
2 Medium Carrots, diced
2 Stalks of Celery, diced
1 Clove of Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp of Olive Oil
6 cups of Chicken Stock
5 ounces of Fresh Baby Spinach, washed and dried
¼ tsp of Fresh Lemon Zest
Fresh Chopped Parsley
Salt and Pepper, to taste
3/4 Cup of Small Pasta

For the meatballs:
¾ lb Ground Chicken 
1 tsp of Grated Onion
1 Clove of Garlic, grated or finely minced
¼ tsp of Fresh grated Lemon Zest
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp of Fresh chopped Parsley
2 Tbsp of Bread Crumbs
1 Egg
1 Tbsp of Milk
3 Tbsp of fresh grated Parmiggiano Reggiano

Process:

1) In a large bowl, combine together all of the meatballs ingredients, mix well and form little tiny meatballs. Set aside.

2) In a large pot over medium high heat, cook together the chopped onion, carrots, celery and garlic in the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.

3) Add the meatballs and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the pasta and cook according to packaged direction. 2 minutes before the pasta is cooked, add the spinach and cook for a couple minutes.

4) Season with salt and pepper to taste and turn the heat off. Right before it’s served, add the ½ tsp of grated lemon zest and fresh chopped parsley.

Ladle up and enjoy!