Mix and match the recipes below according to your taste. These meals can easily come together, if you have pizza dough in the freezer or pick it up from your supermarket. Keep vegetables in the freezer for a quick put together soup recipe. Supermarkets, today, carry diced onion, celery and peppers that make it easy to make soup in a short amount of time. Mushrooms are also available pre-sliced. Fresh refrigerated pasta is great for soup and cooks very quickly. It is easy to make substitutions, if you don’t have the exact ingredients listed in the recipes below.
MUSHROOM SOUP
6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup diced onions
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 (8-ounce) package sliced cremini mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 (14-ounce) cans beef broth
- 1/3 cup sherry
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup water
Directions
Heat a large soup pan on high heat and add the oil, onions and garlic; cover and cook 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms; cover and cook 5 minutes.
Combine in a large bowl, onion powder, seasoned salt, pepper and thyme, Whisking continuously, add beef broth, sherry and milk to the spice mixture.
Slowly whisk broth mixture into the mushroom mixture in the soup pan. Simmer uncovered 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Mix flour and water in a small bowl to form a creamy paste. Add 3/4 cup of hot broth from the soup pot in 1/4-cup increments, stirring after each addition, to make a thin paste.
Add to the soup, slowly while whisking continuously. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve.
SAUSAGE AND PEPPER PIZZA
Ingredients
- 1 lb homemade or store-bought pizza dough
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage, casing removed
- 1 small green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- 1 small sweet onion, coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup homemade or store-bought pizza sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Remove dough from the refrigerator and let stand one hour.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Heat a large sauté pan on medium-high and add oil and sausage. Brown 5–6 minutes, stirring to crumble sausage, or until no pink remains. Let stand 2–3 minutes to cool.
Prepare crust. Flour hands lightly and pat dough evenly into lightly greased pizza pan. (Or turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll to desired thinness.)
Top crust with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, peppers, onions and sausage. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake 18–25 minutes (depending on thickness of pizza) or until crust is golden, cheese is melted and toppings are thoroughly heated. Let stand 5 minutes. Slice and serve.
TOMATO GNOCCHI FLORENTINE SOUP
Ingredients
4 large tomatoes
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (4 oz)
- 2 ½ cups canned crushed Italian tomatoes
- 1 (14-oz) can vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 (16-oz) package gnocchi pasta
Directions
Cut tomatoes in half; remove seeds and chop coarsely.
Chop spinach coarsely; set aside.
Combine crushed tomatoes, broth and butter in large saucepan; bring to a boil on medium-high. Stir in fresh chopped tomatoes, dill weed, salt and pepper; return to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium; cook and stir 12-15 minutes or until tomatoes are softened.
Puree soup using a stick blender. Stir in gnocchi and spinach; cook 3 more minutes or until spinach wilts. Serve.
CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI PIZZA
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets, (or frozen florets, defrosted)
- 2 cups roasted chicken (10 oz)
- 1 lb homemade or store-bought pizza dough
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- Olive oil cooking spray for the pan
Directions
Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand one hour.
Place oven rack in the center of oven and preheat to 425ºF.
Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces.
Prepare crust. Flour hands lightly and pat dough evenly into lightly greased pizza pan. (Or turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll to desired thinness.)
Mix the ricotta with the basil, oregano and garlic salt and spread it evenly over the crust to within 1/2 inch of edge.
Evenly distribute the chicken and broccoli over the ricotta.
Sprinkle both cheeses evenly over pizza;
Bake 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Slice and serve.
POTATO EDAMAME SOUP
Ingredients
- 1 (16-oz) bag frozen shelled edamame
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 large baking potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (32-oz) box reduced-sodium chicken broth
Directions
Thaw edamame in a colander under cool running water just until the beans separate.
Melt butter in large saucepan on medium-high. Add onions, potatoes and garlic; cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until onions begin to soften.
Stir in Italian seasoning, salt and chicken broth, then cover; cook, stirring occasionally 10 minutes.
Stir in edamame, then cover; cook 10-15 more minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
Mash lightly to thicken the soup a little. Serve.
BURGER PIZZA
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 8 large slices Swiss cheese, broken into large pieces
- 12 oz sliced white mushrooms
- 1 large sweet onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 lb fresh pizza dough
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 packet dry beef bouillon
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup water
Directions
Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand one hour Preheat oven to 400°F.
Heat a large sauté pan on medium-high and place 1 tablespoon oil in the pan. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes or until tender. Remove mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
Place remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the saute pan and add the onions; cook and stir 5-6 minutes or until soft and golden. Add meat to the pan; brown 4-5 minutes, stirring to crumble the meat until no pink remains. Add the bouillon, Worcestershire and 1/2 cup water; simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cooked mushrooms.
Flour hands lightly and pat dough evenly into a lightly greased pizza pan. (Or turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll to desired thinness.)
Spread ricotta evenly over the dough and spread the meat/mushroom mixture over the ricotta. Place pieces of cheese evenly on top of the meat mixture. Bake 18-25 minutes (depending on thickness of pizza) or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 5 minutes; slice and serve.
CORN CHEDDAR CHOWDER
Ingredients
- 5 slices bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup of each: diced onions, diced red/green peppers and diced celery
- 2 1/2 teaspoons seafood seasoning blend
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (16-ounce) bag of frozen corn
- 2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, defrosted
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 (14-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus extra for serving
Directions
Heat a large saucepan on high and place bacon in the saucepan. Cook until crisp, stirring frequently.
Add onions, peppers and celery and cook until softened. Add seafood seasoning and black pepper.
Stir corn and hash brown potatoes into the bacon vegetable mixture.. Cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Whisk flour, water, milk and broth in a bowl or large measuring cup until smooth.
Add flour mixture slowly to the chowder, whisking continuously. Reduce heat to low and cover; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cheese, stir until melted and serve with additional cheese, if desired.
SEAFOOD PIZZA
Ingredients
- 1 lb pizza dough at room temperature
- 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 tablespoon basil pesto sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, divided
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Italian Fontina or Mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup roasted red peppers
- 6 ounces crab meat
- 8 ounces cooked shrimp
- 1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
- 6 fresh basil leaves
Directions
Preheat oven 450°F. Spread pizza dough on a greased pizza pan.
Combine ricotta and pesto in a small bowl until blended and spread evenly over the dough. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning and 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese.
Dice roasted red peppers. Cut crab meat into bite-size pieces.
Arrange shrimp, crab, peppers and mushrooms evenly over pizza. Top with remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese and 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
Bake 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.
Slice basil leaves into very thin strips. Sprinkle over pizza and let stand 5 minutes before cutting.
TORTELLINI SOUP
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 (14-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
- 14 ounces water (1 can)
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced Italian tomatoes
- 1/3 cup each of diced onions, carrots and celery
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
- 1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated three-cheese tortellini
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Directions
Heat a large saucepan and add sausage and garlic. Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until brown and no pink remains. Add diced vegetables, italian seasoning and cook until softened.
Stir in chicken broth, water, tomatoes and chili. Cover and bring to boil. Once soup boils, reduce heat to low. Simmer 7-10 minutes. Increase heat to high and add tortellini to boiling soup; cover and cook 5 minutes. Serve with grated cheese.
PIZZA BAGUETTE
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh spinach (loosely packed)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 8 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced thinly
- 1 Italian baguette
- Olive oil
- 4 teaspoons pesto sauce
- 2 tablespoons sliced black olives, drained
- 2 tablespoons roasted red peppers, drained and sliced thinly
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 8 teaspoons feta cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Add spinach and water to a microwave-safe bowl; cover and microwave on high for 2 minutes.
Cut bread in half lengthwise, then into fourths and brush lightly with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet.
Spread each with 1 teaspoon pesto sauce.
Top each piece of bread with ¼ of the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, red pepper slices and olives.
Sprinkle each with seasoned salt and Italian seasoning.
Place in the oven and bake for 9-10 minutes.