“Lasagna Soup” And My "5th" Year Blogiversary! Bring A Spoon!

“The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works, is family”  Lee Iacocca

Welcome to “Soupy Tuesday!” Today is a special day for me as well as being Soupy Tuesday…. can you guess why? I’m celebrating “5” years of blogging. It’s my Blogiversary! I am amazed and blessed everyday at the amount of my readers that have visited. I have 161 countries and over 90,000 people who come back to visit and read my story as well as my recipes each week. Wow, that is impressive! My heart overflows with thanks for reading, subscribing, commenting, and liking what I write.

I had no idea how this blog would impact so many people, including myself. Since I have started this blog every one of you has made me feel that I have something important to say and share. My passion for writing, my family traditions, recipes, and new experiences have given me confidence and motivation. Blogging has given me the opportunity to share my personal stories, create friendships, and give me support. I am looking forward to new experiences, with new recipes to share. I hope that you will continue to come back as my journey of year “5” continues! There is so much more to be accomplished! So let’s celebrate!

Wow, times flies when you are busy baking and cooking. So glad that you are coming along for the ride on this journey of mine. As I have stated many times in  previous posts, this blog was for me to share my memories of my Italian family with all of you. That still holds true but it is also for you as well to share your memories and food thoughts along the way. “5” years going strong, and looking forward to doing better as a blogger within 2016. Along the way I have met amazing bloggers, friends, and an incredible online community from all parts of the world. I have also been introduced to many new cuisines. I hope that my recipes and stories have inspired you to create your own memories. 

Not everyone will understand why you blog, but it is okay. People you never would have expected will turn out to be your biggest supporters; unfortunately, the opposite is also true. But at the same time, the blogging world can also be like high school at times, very judgmental. It’s okay to only post when I really have something to say. But at the same time, you can’t take yourself too seriously. The most important thing — which I think about with every post — is to genuinely be myself. People have told me that I write as if I were talking to my girlfriends. I hope that’s how it comes across. 

It is time to move forward, and I promise I will be giving my best whenever possible. If you would like to see something different or have an idea, please comment below and let me know what I can do to make your stay more enjoyable. 

Today sounds like a day for comfort food. Comfort food is what we all need once in a while to bring back those warm days of being home with family. The kitchen was and still is the heart of our home. Our family did everything in the kitchen. It was a small room compared to the kitchens of today, but that made it even better as it was our gathering place. We would talk at the kitchen table; we did our homework there, and many other family projects. It always seemed that as my mother was cooking or baking we gravitated to that room. 

Maybe because it was a happy place to be with everyone while we were waiting for dinner. Sometimes my mom and dad would take out a deck of cards and play Kings Corners with us, remember at that time there weren't any of the electronic games or computers that we have today. Not even cell phones. We had one phone in the house with an extension that would go into my parent’s room. But the main phone was in the kitchen. So cards and board games were always at hand. I remember the kitchen windows would be foggy with steam from the warmth of the kitchen, as we tried to look out to see when my dad would be coming home from work.

As we had our dinner we would talk about the days events, and God forbid that the phone would ring and it was one of our friends, that was a no-no. Dinner time was for family and nothing could come between that. Now dinner was always a hearty and comforting meal, especially on cold days. Winter time meant meat loaf, stews, and hearty soups, were on the menu for those days. Soups were so good back then and good for you. My mom would always use fresh ingredients and the best meats as possible. So you can see that food and the kitchen were pure comfort to us when we were growing up and it was those times that meant something so special to all of us.

What better way to celebrate my blog’s anniversary is with some comfort food like hot “Soup?” January just happens to be, “National Soup Month.” It is like a warm blanket comforting you as you sip the soup from a cup or scoop it up with a spoon. With the winter weather upon us, January is the perfect month to celebrate and enjoy soup of all kinds. This soup that I am sharing with you today is one that really proves you can eat your Lasagna even in a soup. So get your fork or better a spoon you want to get every drop and let’s “mangia tutto!”---(eat together)

                                                               “Lasagna Soup”
   
All the traditional flavors of lasagna come together in this heartwarming meal in a bowl.

Yield: 8 servings (2-3/4 quarts)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14-1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, un-drained
2 cans (14-1/2 oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
2-1/2 cups uncooked cut up lasagna pasta
1/2 cup Grated Pecorino Romano cheese

*****Optional: 8 oz of Ricotta Cheese. You can take 1 oz of cheese and dollop a spoonful on top of the soup. I just makes it creamier and also tastes more like Lasagna. Also instead of Pecorino Romano you can use Mozzarella cheese sprinkled on top and even place in bowl in broiler to get it melted….yummy!

Directions:
Place olive oil in pot; heat in a large saucepan, cook beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Breaking up beef into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in tomatoes, broth, tomato sauce, peas, tomato paste, Italian seasoning plus season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Stir in cut up lasagna. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 10-12 minutes or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and cheese at the end before serving.



Till Next Time……………………………….....................

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