Butternut Squash Soup

Even though it is summer, I still really enjoy having soup for dinner.  I have been making a lot of soups lately with mostly the same recipe but I just change up the veggies that I use.  What is great about the recipe it is creamy without needing cream :)  I freeze the left overs for another day!  Carrot would be great to add as well but I was out.

Ingredients

2 boxes of chicken broth
1 diced onion
Half can of white kidney beans (you can use navy beans)
One butternut squash peeled and diced
Handful of diced cauliflower
3 stalks of diced celery
2 diced potato
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a pot with EVOO.  Add onion and celery and sauteed.  Add all the other ingredients and cover with broth.  Add salt and pepper to your taste.  Bring to a boil.  Once at boil, turn down to a simmer.  Simmer on med-low for about 30 minutes.  Check the veggies to see if they are soft.  Once soft, turn off stove and let soup cool.  Once cooled, blend together with hand blender. 

I like to top my soup with cheese and bacon bites.

Other versions:

Asparagus with cauliflower and navy beans (omit the celery)
Cauliflower and broccoli

Pasta with Sausage

I had some sausage in the freezer and I was craving some pasta.  I threw together this random recipe and for once it worked.  I have not tested this out as a freezer meal but I do not see any reason why it wouldn't turn out.  This is toddler approved.  My little guy in the middle of dinner said to me "good Mommy". 

Ingredients

One diced onion
Some minced garlic
One can of tomato sauce
One small can of diced tomato
Penne (I used 4 handfuls)
Fresh basil
Sausage with case removed
Handful of cut up spinach
Shredded cheese (I use mozza about a cup)
Parmesan cheese
Bread crumbs

Heat oven to 400.

Heat some EVOO.  Add onion and garlic.  Once cooked, add sausage and brown. 

While browning the sausage, boil water and cook pasta.

Once sausage is broken up and cooked, add tomato sauce, diced tomato, fresh basil and spinach.  Mix all together and heat up till spinach is wilted.

Drain pasta from water and combine with meat and tomato mixture.  Mix everything together.  Once mixed put into baking dish.  Top with mozza cheese, parm cheese and bread crumbs.  Bake for about 20 minutes until topping is golden brown.