This year I planted what I thought was an eggplant and only saw these small round green vegetables growing. I kept waiting for them to turn purple like any respectable eggplant does, but they never did. The other day I researched these adorable green balls and discovered they are Thai Eggplants. The write up said they are very sweet and delicious so I whipped up this quick stir fry and served it over rice. I am totally in love with this vegetable and wanted to share it with you. Of course, preparation is minimal and the resulting dish is high in vitamins, low in calories and great of flavor. If you make the dish and customize it to suit your tastes, be sure to share your variation. The moral of this story is “don’t be afraid to pick up and experiment with a new vegetable you discover at the farmer’s market, at your grocery store, or even in your own garden.”
This is not the minestrone you may have had before. This is a thick, rich soup with a pureed bean base. The secret is in processing the beans into a paste which is built upon with chicken or vegetable broth and a collection of vegetables and spices. Our families can't get enough of this soup. It becomes a meal when meat and pasta are added. Your children will be eating vegetables you never thought they would eat when you serve them this soup! This recipe is one of the amazing soup recipes in La Cucina Marinello cookbook which you can purchase on our website at www.twofriendsinakitchen.com.
As soon as Fall arrives, we know it's time for our East Indian Chicken Curry Soup. If you love curry, you will love this recipe. The flavors merge in such a magical way, it's hard to isolate exactly what the key ingredients are. With this recipe, we reveal our secret to another easy-to-make, hearty, flavorful soup you just can't get enough of. This soup is delicious with homemade (or store bought) Naan or crusty bread. The recipe makes a good size batch, so feel free to freeze your leftovers or just eat this great soup throughout the week - you won't grow tired of it! It just keeps getting better.
This soup is one that Joan (Linda's sister) learned from her friend Jeannie Carr, another fantastic cook in her own right. Jeannie invited Joan over for lunch one afternoon and served this soap with a simple green salad and crusty bread. Joan was hooked and has been making it on a regular basis every since. The soup is much like Grandma’s Meatball Soup but differs with the addition of tomatoes, making this a tomato based soup. It is perfect for a meal by itself or a starter. This soup is also great leftover. Joan usually makes a big batch and uses it all week long.
This creamy soup is not only delicious and nutritious. Our Cauliflower Cheese Soup is a great main course for your family served with crusty garlic bread or grilled cheese sandwich and salad. Although we are making this soup vegetarian style, feel free to add some browned sausage or bacon to boost the protein factor!
I loved to make these soft doughy pastas with my mom. We made hundreds of them at a time rolling each individually off a floured fork. Sometimes she used a gnocchi machine to make them but I always preferred creating each pasta bundle one at a time. Try making these tasty morsels with your kids or friends and watch them fly off the platter covered with your favorite sauce!
While visiting Tuscany two years ago, a wonderful Italian cook taught me this easy way to make a luscious Italian Marinara from tomatoes right from the garden. I buy my overripe tomatoes from local farmer's markets for $1.00 a pound or pick them from my garden. Buon Appetito!
Crispy on the outside and soft and tangy on the inside, these chicken thighs smothered in a bed of leeks and green olives will melt in your mouth. This is a meal you can whip up in 30 minutes and put in the oven to bake while you set the table and dress the salad. Serve with salad and rice or potatoes. We use chicken thighs with skin on but you can use boneless/skinless thighs or chicken breasts as well.
A hot spicy chili is the sign of autumn in our family. This is the dish of Halloween when a crowd of happy goblins arrive at your door with their proud parents just prior to trick-or-treat to break bread together. The rich, red, aromatic, chunky scoops of chili on top of a bed of white or brown rice gives instant energy to the trick-or-treaters about to scope out the best house for candy and treats. This recipe can be made ahead and stored for up to a week in the refridgerator or packaged airtight and frozen for up to 6 months. It tastes better the next day so make a lot to share!
