Olive Garden's Bruschetta al Pomodoro

I really liked this, although I would have cut the fresh basil back a bit.  I am just not used to that fresh taste.  The kids weren't as excited about this, but they still liked it enough to eat it.

Here is the recipe (straight from the Olive Garden website)

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serving Size: 8

Ingredients
2 lbs Roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 garlic cloves, cut in half
Black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
20 medium fresh basil leaves, chopped
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
16 slices crusty Italian bread
Extra virgin olive oil (to drizzle)

COMBINE diced tomatoes and chopped garlic in a mixing bowl. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Add half of chopped basil and 4 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.

DRIZZLE both sides of bread slices with extra virgin olive oil. Grill bread lightly on both sides.

RUB grilled bread with cut half of garlic clove to infuse with flavor. Top each slice with tomato mixture.

GARNISH with remaining chopped basil and serve immediately.

Creamy Italian Pasta

I was desperate for a meal tonight because we got home so late and have to be somewhere later.  I threw a few things together and it really wasn't that bad.

Ingredients:
Penne Pasta
4 oz Cream Cheese
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup italian dressing
1/2 cup milk
1 sm. pkg frozen carrots and peas

Directions:
Cook pasta and carrots and peas per package instructions.  Meanwhile, mix together the soup, dressing, and  milk.  Cut the cream cheese into pieces and put in the bowl.  Pour hot, cooked pasta over it and stir until cream cheese is melted.  Add remaining ingredients and stir.  If I would have had more time, I would have added chicken, but I didn't have time for that.

Instant Black Bean Soup

So, about 2 years ago my family discovered black beans. I always thought they looked nasty and never wanted to try them. Then I went to a pampered chef party and had a salad with them and fell in love with them. I figured I would try the recipe on my family so I made it the next week.

I sat amazed that my children picked out the black beans and ate them first. Since then, we have added black beans to many different recipes. Just the other day I found this recipe and decided to try it, and boy am I glad we did. It is just what we needed on this cold fall night. Everyone loved it!


I didn't add onions and cilantro because my kids really don't eat them well. Let me know if you try this recipe and if you add those other two ingredients. I would love to know if you like it.

Instant Black Bean Soup
Preparation time: 3 minutes

Ingredients
· 4 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added black beans, undrained
· 1 cup bottled salsa
· 2 tablespoon chili powder
· 2 (16-ounce) cans chicken broth
· 1 cup (2 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
· Sour cream
· Green onions
· Chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:

Place beans and liquid in a medium saucepan; partially mash beans with a potato masher. Place over high heat; stir in salsa, chili powder, and broth. Bring to a boil. Ladle soup into bowls; top with cheese, sour cream, onions, and cilantro. Serve with tortillas.