WHITE BEAN AND SWISS CHARD SOUP

It's that time of year where I start to crave hearty soups.  This soup is really easy to make and very healthy.  Please try to make it!

WHITE BEAN AND SWISS CHARD SOUP

Serves 8

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 carrots, cut in half length wise and sliced

2 celery , but in half lengthwise and sliced

1 shallot, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

½ cup white wine

2 cans navy beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups veggie or chicken broth, more if needed

1 cup chopped tomatoes (I like Pomi box)

3-4 leaves swiss chard, cut stem away, chop

3 fresh thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Optional:  freshly grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large soup pot.

Add carrots, celery, shallots – sauté until golden approximately 5 minutes.

Add garlic sauté another 1-2 minutes.

Add white wine and cook until reduced a bit – approximately 5 minutes.

Add beans, broth, tomatoes, swiss chard, thyme, bay leaf, sherry, and some fresh pepper– bring to gentle boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15 – 20 minutes.

Remove thyme and bay leaf.

Add more broth if necessary.

Taste for seasoning – if it needs salt add but sometimes broth is salty.  Add pepper to taste.

Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RAVIOLI IN BUTTER AND FRESH SAGE

A nice Sunday lunch while watching football.  Our local Italian delicatessen had fresh butternut squash ravioli so I decided to make with a super simple butter sauce and fresh sage leaves.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil then gently slip your ravioli into the pot.
Lower heat a little and cook ravioli for approximately 10 minutes until cooked but not too soft.
Meanwhile sauté 1/2 stick of salted butter in a sauté pan with fresh sage leaves (I use one per ravioli).
When ravioli are done gently slide them into the butter sauce and cook for another 5 minutes.
That is it!  Serve with freshly grated parmesan reggiano cheese.

MOLASSES COOKIES

Makes 2 ½ dozen

I love the smell of my kitchen when I am baking these cookies.  Once the Fall comes I’m driven to baking them.  My 3 sons took an art class when they were toddlers and part of the class included baking cookies.  This was a recipe that the teacher shared with us.  It’s a classic Molasses Cookie that has a soft chewy center.  Some people call them ginger snaps but I prefer to call these Molasses as they come out a dark brown color. 

350 degree oven

Lightly butter cookie sheets

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon each ginger, ground cloves, cinnamon*

1 ½ sticks of sweet unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar  (plus extra for rolling)

1 beaten egg

In one bowl add your flour, baking soda, spices.  (Put them through a sifter).

In a larger bowl cream your sugar and butter.  Add molasses and beaten egg.

Add your dry ingredients to your butter mixture.

Roll into small balls, about a large tablespoon full at a time.

Shake the balls into a zip lock bag with granulated sugar.

Place 2” apart on lightly buttered cookie sheets.

Bake 8-10 minutes.

*If you really like the taste of ginger – just add a little more.  Make these the way your family likes them.  Some kids like more cinnamon and less ginger.  Experiment!