This recipe for spicy chicken soup is one of my favorite chicken noodle soup recipes. I need to be honest and admit to you that it takes a little bit of time to prep because there are so many vegetables in it but it's well worth it.

This spicy chicken noodle soup brings back so many memories! First of all, I love ordering Mama Mandola’s Sicilian chicken soup at Carrabba's Italian Grill.

I have made this Carrabba's chicken soup recipe for years. I have a funny story about it below. But I did stop making it for a few years. Last December, something reminded me about this recipe so I made it again. I ended up eating it for days after we had to put our beloved dog, Charley, to sleep. I can't even tell you how much it brought me comfort.

I didn't have to cook dinner, I would just defrost the container from the freezer and just eat it. It had starch, protein and vegetables and while I was in the thickest part of my grieving, I was well nourished.

Years ago, when I made this chicken noodle soup for dinner, Curtis, my husband, refused to eat it. I probably shouldn't even tell you this story but we laugh about it now. After I finished making it, I put a lot of it away in the refrigerator and left just enough for the both of us to eat in the soup pot.

If you see other recipes online for this Sicilian chicken soup, they will tell you to cook the soup with the whole chicken in the pot for two hours+. The whole chicken falls apart and that's exactly what happened. Curtis went to make himself a bowl for dinner and in the ladle was a neck bone.

He freaked out and said, I'm not eating this! I was so upset, I had worked so hard on making this dinner. I packed it all up and brought all of the soup into work the next day. Everyone LOVED this chicken noodle soup.

One of my co-workers asked, “can Curtis refuse to eat more of your food so we can get more of your cooking, Julie?” LOL Take it from 18 of my former co-workers, this Sicilian chicken soup tastes good!

By the way, I'll show you how to make this spicy chicken noodle soup and you don't have to cook the entire soup for 2+ hours.

Why chicken noodle soup is the best

Chicken noodle soup is the best because it's pure comfort food. You can't go wrong with chicken noodle soup. Doesn't it bring back childhood memories for you? I love a good bowl of spicy chicken noodle soup any day of the year!

How chicken soup is made

Chicken noodle soup is usually made with a whole chicken. Most chicken soup recipes use a whole chicken and a few different vegetables. You'll want to add the chicken and vegetables to a large soup pot with water. Bring the soup to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. I let it simmer for 1.5 hours.

Can chicken soup be frozen?

Yes, I freeze the leftovers and when I'm craving some comfort food like chicken noodle soup, I defrost it in the microwave and then heat it up, add Parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!

When I freeze soup, I put one or two portions in each container so I only defrost what I need. Be sure to put the name of the recipe and the date (with the year!) on a label on all of your containers so you can easily identify each container. It usually keeps just fine in the freezer for a few months!

Which pasta for chicken soup?

You can use any pasta you like for chicken soup! I love curly egg noodles and even bow ties. For this spicy chicken soup recipe, I love to use the small tube shaped pasta also known as ditalini pasta.

How to make spicy chicken soup at home

How to make spicy chicken noodle soup

First, you do some prep work cutting up vegetables. The vegetables are:  onion, celery, carrots, bell peppers and potatoes. Take the whole chicken and remove the giblets. Add the chicken, vegetables and water to a soup pot. Bring the pot to a boil and then skim the foam from the soup. I use a spoon to do that.

Add the parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to the soup. Then, reduce the heat and simmer for 1.5 hours. You'll want to remove the whole chicken from the spicy chicken noodle soup, I use turkey lifters to remove the chicken easily.

Allow the chicken to cool and then cut it up with a knife. While the soup is cooking, you'll want to use another pot to boil your favorite pasta noodles for the soup.

I'll share the instructions on how to make this Sicilian chicken soup again below with step by step photos:

Chop the onion.

Dice the celery.

Dice the carrots.

Dice the bell peppers. You can totally use red bell peppers if you like them better.

Chop the potatoes into cubes.

Chop the parsley and garlic.

Remove the giblets from the chicken and pat dry with a clean paper towel. Place the whole chicken into a large soup pot.

Add the chopped vegetables: onion, celery, carrots and bell peppers.

Next, the potatoes.

Add the canned tomatoes along with the juices.

Add water to the pot (about 6 to 7 cups) to cover the chicken and vegetables.

Bring the soup pot to a boil on high. Using a spoon, skim off any foam that rises to surface (you’ll need to do this every so often while the soup is cooking).

Add parsley, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper to the soup pot.

Reduce heat to medium low. Allow the soup to cook at a simmer for about 1.5 hours, partially covered with a lid, until the chicken is cooked through. (I usually flip the chicken over in the pot halfway through using big tongs.)

In a separate smaller pot, bring water to a boil and cook the ditalini pasta according to the package instructions.

Drain and set aside.

Remove chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. Allow for it to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the pot of soup simmering and add more water (about 2-3 cups), if you want.

Remove the skin from the chicken. Separate meat from the bones. Cut up the chicken using a knife. Set aside.

Using a potato masher, mash some potatoes in pot, this will thicken the broth slightly. Serve the soup with chicken, pasta and parmesan cheese.

I can't even say enough…how luxuriously comforting this soup is. I love the spiciness from the black pepper and the crushed red pepper. (If you have little ones, you can totally omit the crushed red pepper and use less black pepper.) The cut up chicken stays intact and the pasta al dente when I keep the chicken and the pasta separate from the soup if I'm storing the leftovers in the refrigerator.

You have to make this soup!

And I have to mention, today, Curtis eats this soup!

Now tell me, have you made chicken noodle soup before? Are you going to make this recipe for spicy chicken soup?

Print

Sicilian-Style Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 large yellow onion chopped
• 3 celery diced
• 3 carrots peeled and diced
• 2 green bell peppers cored and diced
• 3 medium baking potatoes such as russet, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, including the juice
• 1 whole chicken about 4 to 4.5 pounds, giblets removed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 8 garlic cloves chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper optional
• 8 ounces ditalini pasta
• Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

• Prep the vegetables: the onion, celery, carrots, bell peppers and potatoes.
• Remove the giblets from the chicken and pat dry with a clean paper towel. Place the whole chicken into a large soup pot.
• Add the chopped vegetables to the soup pot.
• Add water to the pot (about 6 to 7 cups) to cover the chicken and vegetables.
• Bring the soup pot to a boil on high. Using a spoon, skim off any foam that rises to surface (you’ll need to do this every so often while the soup is cooking).
• Add parsley, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper to the soup pot.
• Reduce heat to medium low. Allow the soup to cook at a simmer for about 1.5 hours, partially covered with a lid, until the chicken is cooked through.
• In a separate smaller pot, bring water to a boil and cook the ditalini pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• Remove chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. Allow for it to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the pot of soup simmering and add more water (about 2-3 cups), if you want.
• Remove the skin from the chicken. Separate meat from the bones. Cut up the chicken using a knife. Set aside.
• Using a potato masher, mash some potatoes in pot, this will thicken the broth slightly.
• Serve the soup with chicken, pasta and parmesan cheese.

Notes

If you’re storing your leftovers in the fridge, I like to save the soup separate from the chicken and the pasta and when I go to reheat it, I add the chicken and pasta to the bowl.

If you’re storing your leftovers in the freezer, add the chicken and the pasta to the soup and then portion into containers. Label the containers with the date and the recipe name. I use the defrost function on my microwave and then heat on 100% power. (Sometimes after defrosting, I will add additional water to the soup before heating on 100%.) Add parmesan cheese and enjoy when you’re craving soup!

Other Chicken Soup Recipes

Homemade Chicken and Noodles 
Chicken Tortilla Soup

Other Soup Recipes

Panera Garden Vegetable Soup
Pork and Shrimp Wonton Soup

Other Whole Chicken Recipes

Crockpot Whole Chicken
Homemade Chicken Stock
Crispy Roasted Garlic Chicken

The post Sicilian-Style Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This post is sponsored by Bertolli®.

When I think about easy lasagna recipes, I think of this recipe for lasagna rolls. For Sunday Supper and even weeknight meals, this lasagna recipe will make your family so happy!

I'm excited to be working with Bertolli® to spread the news about their Rustic Cut sauces. Rustic Cut sauces have thick cuts of hearty vegetables and no artificial colors, no artificial flavors and no added sugar. Your family will love that it's delicious and that it's Tuscan-inspired! We love lasagna in our house and it's the perfect dish to enjoy for Sunday Supper. This is just another spin on how to make lasagna!

There's just something about Sunday Supper in our house, I love being able to make a wonderfully comforting meal that will start our week out nicely. We love to have family and friends over, or even if it's just us, we prep our meals together. With Bertolli Rustic Cut sauce, I know that I can make a delicious dinner full of vegetables without spending hours in the kitchen.

You know me, I love taking shortcuts when I can and cooking with Bertolli sauces actually doesn't feel like it. I love cooking with olive oil and the sauce is cooked lightly with olive oil so the flavor to me is perfect!

I love seeing and tasting vegetables in my pasta sauce and that's one of my favorite things about using using the Bertolli® Rustic Cut Roasted Garlic Marinara with Garden Vegetables. It's a gourmet addition to our cooking for Sunday Supper!

Now to prep the lasagna roll ups!

Most good lasagnas to me need to have good ricotta cheese and an amazing sauce.

I mix the ricotta cheese with salt, pepper, chopped Italian parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Then, add in the mozzarella cheese and mix just until it's combined.

Add the Bertolli Rustic Cut Roasted Garlic Marinara with Garden Vegetables to the bottom of the baking dish…this is to make sure the lasagna pasta doesn't stick to the bottom.

I love the chunks of garlic in this marinara sauce!

This is how I make this dish fast. Spread out four lasagna noodles at a time and spread the ricotta cheese mixture on all four noodles.

Roll them up and place in the baking dish seam side down.

It only takes a few minutes to put this lasagna recipe together!

Pour the Bertolli Rustic Cut Roasted Garlic Marinara with Garden Vegetables on top of the lasagna roll ups.

This is where I fell in love with this pasta sauce. Can you see the thick cut vegetables?

Can you see them even better in this photo?

I added a little water to the jar so I can be sure to get all of the sauce out. None of it goes to waste! Make sure all of the lasagna pasta noodles are covered.

Top your lasagna rolls with more mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and then bake another 10 to 15 minutes.

It comes out looking beautiful just like this! The Rustic Cut sauce is perfect too! I wish you could join us for Sunday Supper!

So so good. The simplicity of the prep of this dish along with the Bertolli Rustic Cut Roasted Garlic Marinara with Garden Vegetables, makes this dish so irresistible!

It's an easy lasagna recipe and perfect for your next Sunday Supper. Your family and friends will be so impressed!

Even though you didn't have to spend so much time on dinner, they will enjoy it and you'll get to spend more quality time and get to savor the moments during dinner.

I can't wait for you to make this lasagna recipe…please make sure you comment below and let me know how it turns out when you do!

And be sure to check out this Sunday Supper Video series as well as for more recipes, visit:  Bertolli.com!!

Print

Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 10 lasagna rolls

Ingredients

• 10 lasagna noodles
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• salt & pepper
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg beaten
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• Bertolli® Rustic Cut Roasted Garlic Marinara Garden Vegetables Sauce

Cheese for topping

• 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Bring a salted pot of water to a boil and prepare lasagna noodles according to the instructions on the package. Drain the water and set aside.
• While the water is boiling, heat oven to 425 degrees F and prep the rest of the dish.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to the ricotta cheese in a medium sized bowl. Mix in parsley and Parmesan cheese. Add beaten egg and mix thoroughly. Add mozzarella cheese and mix until combined.
• Take an oven safe baking dish and add 1/3 cup of Bertolli Rustic Cut Roast Garlic Marinara Garden Vegetables Pasta Sauce to the bottom of the baking dish and smooth out to cover.
• Prep 4 lasagna noodles at a time on a large plate. Add 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese filling to each noodle and spread out with a spoon. Roll it up and place into the baking dish with the seam side down.
• Repeat until you have done 10 noodles. Pour the remaining sauce into the baking dish. Add about 1/4 cup of water to the jar to make sure you get every last bit out of the jar and pour over the lasagna rolls. Make sure the lasagna noodles are covered in sauce.
• Sprinkle 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese on top and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Notes

Notes:  This dish reheats nicely! Store in sealed containers in the refrigerator and you have a great option for a week day lunch or dinner!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Bertolli®. I always share with you my own opinions and I only work with brands that I love.

The post Lasagna Roll Ups appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This post is a part of a yearlong partnership with The National Shrimp Council.

Let's be honest, I'm always excited to share recipes with you. When I develop a recipe and it turns out amazing, I'm so energized and thrilled and then get so out of control excited to share it with you, it's kind of annoying.

The second time I made this recipe and it came together, I was jumping up and down. This dish combines three of my major loves: shrimp, gnocchi and Alfredo sauce. And it's easy to make.

Don't forget to check out my other recipes that include shrimp including these Spicy Shrimp Spring Rolls and this Red Pepper and Garlic Shrimp Pasta!

Prep your ingredients…it makes your life much easier when you go to cook everything.

Let's look at the gnocchi!

I'm a huge fan of DeLallo products…including this mini potato gnocchi!

Add salt and pepper to season the shrimp after patting it dry.

Add butter to a skillet.

The mushrooms and a couple splashes of soy sauce. (My favorite way of sauteeing mushrooms, btw!)

After the mushrooms are cooked, remove them and clean the pan.

After the mushrooms are cooked, now's the time to add the gnocchi to the pot of boiling water.

Add more butter and cook the shrimp and garlic…looks sooo good!! Cook for just a couple of minutes and then remove from the skillet.

Add the remaining butter…

and half of the green onions.

Then, add heavy cream. Cook for a couple of minutes to reduce the cream.

When the gnocchi is cooked, drain the water and set aside.

Add it along with the zucchini to the skillet…

Look how creamy it looks!

Add the shrimp and mushrooms and mix well.

It's a light Alfredo sauce and with the shrimp and using gnocchi…this dish is the perfect weeknight meal. It takes only 30 minutes to make!

We will be making this recipe over and over again, you can count on it!

or more great recipes, be sure to visit the Eat Shrimp facebook page!

Print

Shrimp Alfredo Gnocchi Recipe

Prep Time 18 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons butter divided
• 4 ounces mushrooms sliced
• soy sauce
• 3/4 pound shrimp if frozen
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 pound package of DeLallo Mini Potato Gnocchi
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 zucchini diced
• 1 green onion sliced

Instructions

• Bring a pot of water (with a generous amount of salt) to a boil.
• Add 1 Tablespoon of butter to a skillet and turn the heat to medium high. Melt the butter and add sliced mushrooms and a couple splashes of soy sauce. Cook the mushrooms for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until the liquid is cooked away and the mushrooms are cooked and browned. Remove the cooked mushrooms and set aside. Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel (if using stainless steel cookware, rinse with warm water being careful as you do it and then wipe dry).
• Add the gnocchi to the pot of boiling water and set a timer (use the directions on the package) to ensure you don't overcook the gnoochi.
• Prep the shrimp, pat dry with paper towels and season the shrimp with salt and pepper.
• Add 2 Tablespoons of butter to the skillet and turn the heat to medium. Melt the butter and add the seasoned shrimp and garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, be sure to flip the shrimp too. Remove the shrimp and set aside.
• Add the remaining butter and half of the green onions. Add heavy cream and cook for 2 minutes. Add cheese and the diced zucchini. Cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and add gnocchi and mix thoroughly. Add back the shrimp and the mushrooms. Mix again and serve with additional Parmesan cheese and green onions on top.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The National Shrimp Council. DeLallo did provide product for the purpose of this post. I always share with you my own opinions and only work with brands that I love. Thank you for supporting the brands that I work with so I can continue to share with you recipes like these!

The post Shrimp Alfredo Gnocchi appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This slow cooker lasagna soup is so wonderful and perfect for fall and winter, as the weather is getting cooler, I will be making this recipe a bunch of times!

My friend, Gina's new cookbook was recently released called Skinnytaste Fast and Slow: Knockout Quick-Fix and Slow Cooker Recipes.

It's gorgeous!! It's a great resource: Gina shares 140 recipes that are quick and easy to make as well as slow cooker meals. I love slow cooker meals!

She has tons of tips on how to stock your pantry for fast and slow cooking as well as secrets for using your slow cooker!

Recipes in the Skinnytaste Fast and Slow cookbook that I want to make: Avocado Toast: 5 Ways, Pasta E Fagiloi, Cold Peanut-Sesame Chicken & Sprialized Cucumber Noodle Salad, Egg Roll Bowls (an egg roll in a bowl!), Pizza-Stuffed Chicken Roll-Ups, Perfect Medium-Rare Roast Beef in the Slow Cooker, Baked Fish and Chips, Banana Pudding Cups and Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Shooters. (Yes, this list is huge!)

Cook the chicken sausage along with onion and garlic.

Add the chicken, broth, water, marinara (I used store bought so I could make prep super easy), parsley, bay leaves and pepper.

Mix up ricotta and parmesan cheeses and the fresh parsley.

Refrigerate and this will be the topping for your soup!

Once the soup is mostly cooked up, you're going to add the spinach and the broken up lasagna noodles.

Let it cook for another 30 minutes.

Top with the cheese topping, more mozzarella cheese and freshly chopped basil!

This soup is soooo good! You will love it. It's so easy to make and the flavor, it's loaded. One of my new favorite soups, you guys!!!

Print

Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup

Servings 6

Ingredients

Topping

• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 3 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Soup

• Cooking spray or oil mister
• 14 ounces sweet Italian chicken sausage casings removed
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups marinara sauce homemade (see Skinny Scoop) or store-bought
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups baby spinach chopped
• 6 ounces lasagna noodles broken into small pieces
• 6 Tablespoons shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

For the topping:

• In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, and parsley. Refrigerate until the soup is ready.

For the Soup:

• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. Add the sausage and cook, using a wooden spoon to bread the meat into small pieces as it browns, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a slow cooker and add the broth, 2 1/4 cups water, the marinara sauce, parsley, bay leaves, and pepper to taste.
• Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
• About 30 minutes before the soup is ready, remove the bay leaves and add the spinach and broken pasta. Cover and cook on high until the pasta is cooked, about 30 minutes.
• Divide the soup among 6 bowls and top each with 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture, and sprinkle with the mozzarella, basil, and pepper to taste.

Notes

 Time-Saving Tip: Using a mini chopper or food processor saves time in the kitchen. I keep mine on my counter to slice and dice all my vegetables.

 

 

from Skinnytaste Fast and Slow: Knockout Quick-Fix and Slow Cooker Recipes by Gina Homolka with Heather K. Jones, R.D.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the cookbook from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The post Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

I'm excited to be partnering with Tuttorosso Tomatoes to bring you this post and recipe.

Oooey gooey cheese and the sauce…that's what makes a good pizza, right? When I came up with the idea for this recipe…I didn't know if it was going to call it. It doesn't taste like a pizza…

But it looks like one right? Disclaimer: No it doesn't taste like pizza but it's ooey gooey cheesiness, the sauce is amazing and the pepperonis so I'm allowed to call it pizza-baked right?

Recently, I returned to Atlanta (one of my favorite cities and I mean that!) to attend a tasting event at Empire State South in midtown Atlanta sponsored by Tuttorosso Tomatoes.

I can't get enough of this place. The food is always amazing and Chef Hugh Acheson is always hilarious!

I feel very fortunate that I get to do what I love, friends. You all make it possible. Thank you for your support!

We tasted tomatoes…have you tasted them from the can before? You should do it sometime, it will be eye-opening for you!

These baked eggs with crushed tomatoes were amazing, this is on my list to try to make at home!

Chef Hugh demoed this recipe for us…Tomato, Potato and Leek Gratin…it was so good! I made it once at home already!

And this recipe…it's sheer genius…a braised salmon in a Tuttorosso tomato sauce miso and roasted vegetables. The miso added another dimension to the tomatoes…I'm totally going to experiment with these flavors more!

And now to the baked gnocchi! First cook the garlic in olive oil for a few minutes.

Add the Tuttorosso crushed tomatoes with basil. You can use the regular ones or the no salt tomatoes. I made this recipe with both!

Add the dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.

Cook the sauce for 8 minutes.

Cook the gnocchi while the sauce is going. You can also use pasta if you don't have any gnocchi available.

Grate the cheese and get ready!

Once the sauce is all done.

Spread 1/2 cup at the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. I love this baking dish so much…I use it so much!

Add 2 tablespoons each of the swiss and the parmesan cheese.

Then, add half of the gnocchi…spread evenly across the dish.

And then add half of the remaining sauce.

Then, add 1/4 cup of both of the swiss and parmesan cheeses and half of the mozzarella cheese…I love layering the cheeses. This is how we get the ooey gooey cheese!

And then the rest of the gnocchi.

And then the rest of that gorgeous sauce!

And the rest of the cheese.

Top with 16 mini pepperonis…

I even tested this recipe with 16 ounces of pasta twists.

Layer the cheese and sauce the same way. Curtis loved the pasta!

I can't get him to try gnocchi. You know how it is sometimes, you don't fight a losing battle. But at least he loved the pasta version of this dish!

I can't even begin to tell you how much I love this dish. In fact, the sauce gets richer the next day…so if you can make the sauce a day ahead of time, you'll thank me. I know it!

This recipe makes great leftovers too…I enjoyed it for lunch for a few days after I shot these photos. I can't wait to make this again soon!

Print

Pepperoni Pizza-Baked Gnocchi Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 28-ounce can Tuttorosso® Crushed Tomatoes with basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt and pepper
• pinch of crushed red pepper
• 2 16-ounce containers of gnocchi, uncooked (or if using pasta, you'll need just 16 ounces)
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella sliced and then cubed
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons grated swiss cheese
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 16 pieces of mini pepperoni

Instructions

• Add olive oil and garlic to a medium sized pot and turn heat to medium high. Once olive oil is heated, cook garlic for 1 to 2 minutes (be careful not to burn the garlic). Add Tuttorosso® Crushed Tomatoes with basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt and pepper to taste and crushed red pepper. Cook sauce for 8 minutes.
• While cooking the sauce, heat oven to 375 degrees F. Cook gnocchi according to package instructions.
• In an 8-inch square baking dish, add 1/2 cup of sauce at the bottom of the dish. Add 2 Tablespoons swiss cheese and 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese. Add 1/2 of the gnocchi.
• Spread 1/2 of the remaining sauce on top the gnocchi and top with 1/4 cup of swiss cheese, 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese and half of the fresh mozzarella.
• Repeat the last step and then top with the pepperonis.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes and then turn on the broiler and broil the top for 4 minutes. Let the dish sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Tuttorosso. I only share with you brands and products that I love and always only share with you my own opinions.

The post Pepperoni Pizza-Baked Gnocchi appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

So I started seeing a new primary care doctor recently and she thinks I'm lactose intolerant to a certain degree. I'm honestly not surprised about this revelation because like 90% of Asians are lactose intolerant. My older sister actually developed an intolerance to lactose in her 30s as well. I'm not going to bother getting tested, I researched that, I don't want to spend hours at the doctor's office.

Anyways, she kind of freaked me out when she said you should probably stay away from mac & cheese. I gave her a face. But I love mac & cheese. And then, I got a little bit clever…when it came time to bounce around ideas for my continued partnership with Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Almondmilk, I thought why not make a mac & cheese recipe with almond milk…it can be done, right? I have been trying my hand at baking with and cooking with almond milk so this was exciting for me to try.

It took a couple of tries and tweaks to get it right but I can yes, it can be done! It's so creamy and cheesy, I love it!

We're big fans of buying blocks of cheese and grating it when we need it. I chose swiss gruyere, parmesan and sharp cheddar for my three cheese macaroni and cheese.

Melt the butter and add the salt and spices.

Then, add flour and create a roux. You want to cook it so the flour gets cooked.

Then, slowly whisk in the Almond Breeze almondmilk, for this recipe, I used the original flavor. Then mix in the cheese.

There you go!

Add the macaroni pasta and mix really well.

And you have cheesy goodness. Enough said. I'm so happy about this…you don't even know! I know some of you are going to ask but I don't really have a problem with most cheeses like cheddars because they don't have a lot of lactose or they are lactose free.

And PS, even Curtis is excited about this recipe! I'm out of town and he texted me a picture of his dinner plate complete with leftover mac & cheese on that plate! Yay!

Print

Three Cheese Macaroni & Cheese Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6 to 8 as a side dish

Ingredients

• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• a dash of ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 cups Almond Breeze Almondmilk Original
• 1 1/4 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup freshly grated swiss gruyere cheese
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Bring a pot of water with salt added to a boil. Cook pasta according to directions on the package.
• While the water is boiling, melt butter in another pot on medium heat. Add ground mustard, salt, pepper and ground nutmeg and mix in flour. Constantly stir and mix the flour mixture in the pot for about 3 to 4 minutes, creating a roux and cooking the flour.
• Slowly whisk in Almond Breeze Almondmilk, mixing it into the flour mixture carefully. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, while whisking the mixture. Add cheese and mix, turn the heat off. Add the drained pasta to the pot with the cheese sauce. Mix together to coat the pasta and serve immediately.

Notes:

• You can store the leftovers in the refrigerator but when you microwave it, it's not the same consistency as when you first make it and eat it out of the pot. You can also bake it in a baking dish. Curtis loved baking the leftovers in the oven.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Almondmilk. I only work with brands that I love and always share with you my own and honest opinions.

The post Three Cheese Mac & Cheese Recipe (made with almond milk!) appeared first on The Little Kitchen.