Beef Stroganoff is a dish that Leah and I both love. It’s not David’s favorite, but he tolerates it for us. If you aren’t familiar with the dish, it’s chunks of tender beef in a rich, creamy sauce, usually served over egg noodles. You’ll also usually find mushrooms in Beef Stroganoff, though I happen to live with a couple of mushroom haters. As you’ll see, I found a way around that.

There are a lot of ways to make Beef Stroganoff, I imagine. I have made this on the stove top before, simmering the sauce long enough to get the meat nice and tender, but it lends itself very well to slow-cooking, and that’s my preferred method. That’s how I cooked it for dinner tonight. (In my new slow-cooker, I might add).

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff
Serves 4

• 1.5 to 2 pounds lean stew beef or trimmed round steak, cut into 1.5 inch pieces.
• 1 15 oz. can Beef Gravy (I use Campbell’s–two smaller cans are fine if you can’t find the larger one)
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 preparation sauteed mushrooms, recipe to follow
• 1 package of egg noodles
• 1 cup of sour cream

1. Preheat about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the beef, garlic, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the beef shows some carmelization. Stir in the can of beef gravy and red wine.

2. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

3. When the beef sauce is finished, prepare egg noodles according to directions on package. Right before serving, stir in sour cream. Sauce should be relatively thick; if it seems too thin, feel free to thicken with 2 tablespoons of flour whisked into a small amount of cold water. Serve over egg noodles. Garnish with extra sour cream, if desired.

Note: Mushrooms and Stroganoff belong together. If you’re cooking for mushroom eaters, you can take the easy way out, and add a large can (or two small cans) to the beef mixture as it goes into the crockpot. Or, you can take the more delicious way out, and toss in my sauteed mushrooms, outlined below. If, like me, you live with people who will not tolerate the fungi, just saute the mushrooms for yourself and add them to your portion. These fresh sauteed mushrooms have enough rich flavor on their own–they don’t need to stew with the beef all day to be tasty like the canned version.

Sauteed Mushrooms
My own creation

• 1 cup of sliced mushrooms (I used plain white button mushrooms, but feel free to be creative)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons of heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon of sour cream

1. Add extra virgin olive oil to a skillet and place over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (the surface will shimmer) add the mushrooms in one layer. Cook just until the edges begin to brown.

2. Once the mushrooms start to brown, add salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add Parmesan cheese, cook for 1 more minute, and then sprinkle with flour.

3. Once the flour is golden brown, add the cream and sour cream and stir together. Remove from heat. The mushrooms should have a buttery aroma and a thick texture.

4. Enjoy! These will melt right into your Stroganoff sauce, but they’re also very tasty on their own.

The mushrooms should be bound together with the flour and cream mixture–it tastes like cream of mushroom, but much, much thicker. Also, the parmesan cheese forms a delicious crunchy crust at the edges of each bite–yum!

Tonight, for dinner, I made Chicken Fried Rice with Broccoli. Now if you know me, I know you’re probably thinking:

“Broccoli! Again?”

What can I say? I’m trying to like it. And I’m getting pretty good it. This dish, another from Cooking Light, was easy to make, tasty, and healthy on top of it. As usual, I made some changes to the original, but I was happy with how it turned out. We had potstickers along with the fried rice, for a whole take-out at home scene–but much healthier.

One of the nicest things about this recipe is that it’s designed to use up leftover chicken. Gotta love those shortcuts!

Broccoli & Chicken Stir-Fried Rice
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine; Makes 4 Servings

Note: This was very good, I’m sure we’ll make this again. It basically turned out to be a cross between Chicken & Broccoli in Garlic Sauce and Chicken Fried Rice. As usual, I used Alton Brown’s Baked Brown Rice for the rice in this dish. As I said above, this recipe is great for using up leftover chicken, but I didn’t have any of that, so I used a storebought asian marinade on boneless skinless chicken breasts.

Do you guys watch Top Chef? If my blog interests you, then you probably should. It’s good TV. Yes, it’s a reality show, but it’s so much better than the average reality mess these days. It’s built on the model of Project Runway, and basically brings together a whole group of up-and-coming chefs to compete in a series of competitions. You’ll find it on Bravo on Wednesday nights. If you do watch Top Chef and haven’t watched this week’s episode, be warned. I’m going to spoil it.

At the season’s midpoint, the chefs are really beginning to stand out and show their true skills (or lack thereof), though I’ve yet to pick my favorite.

Before the holiday break, a Christmas special had the Chefs assigned themes from “The 12 Days of Christmas” to cater a gala event, and ultimately, the judges were so unimpressed with everyone that they decided not to send anyone home. When everyone is bad, it’s hard to pick the worst.

This week opened with a “Diet Dr. Pepper” Quickfire Challenge. (We have long been amused at the both the amount of and obviousness of product placement on Top Chef). The remaining Chefs were challenged to create a dessert without using sugar of any kind. We’re always surprised at this point in the history of the show that the Chefs don’t come prepared to make some sort of dessert, but right away, the typical moaning about how they don’t work with pastry and they aren’t a pastry chef started. Excuses, excuses. In the end, Radhika won immunity from the challenge ahead.

The Elimination Challenge was, quite simply, to make great food. The genius twist is that the Chefs were a part of the judging, and were able to taste each other’s food. They were harsh, but no where near as harsh as the new judge, Toby Young. He was fabulously snarky, but I feel like that may have been to the detriment of actually judging the food. We’ll see how that goes as the season goes on.

The best moment of the episode was when Fabio called out Jamie’s overuse of the scallop. “This is Top Chef! It’s not Top Scallop!” We actually laughed out loud. I do agree that Jamie makes scallops a lot, but I don’t really think it’s a problem. These chefs have personalities, favorite dishes, favorite ingredients, favorite styles. Marcel used foam, Richard souis-vide everything, Ilan cooked Spanish food, Radhika cooks Indian food…so what if Jamie likes scallops? As long as she’s cooking them well and impressing the judges, who cares? Speaking of impressing the judges, Jamie’s Seared Sea Scallops with Fennel won the whole thing. Good for her. I so hope she stops complaining about how she’s the best one there but never wins, though.

And then it comes down to elimination. Things were better overall this week, but there were some low points, notably Carla’s messy Bitter-Garlic Risotto, Eugene’s WTF Fish and Daikon “Pasta,” and Melissa’s Gross Fish Tacos. To counter the generous gift during the Christmas episode, two people went home this week, Eugene and Melissa. I think they got it right. Melissa seems to end up in the bottom more often than not, and when she’s not at the bottom, she’s solidly in the middle. And Eugene just seems to be out of his depth. Ultimately, it came down to too much creativity and too little. I think Carla was the right choice to stay–she’s got a few more weeks in her, but I don’t see her going all the way to the end. There are stronger players out there.

We had chicken and dumplings for dinner tonight. Not the doughy-ball kind of dumpling, but the flat kind that my Grandma makes. It’s actually one of her most requested dishes, I think.

I  can remember that chicken and dumplings was one of the first things I really cooked; I think I was in 4th grade. I made it once at my Grandma’s house, and then Dad and I recreated it at home for some sort of pot-luck dinner at school. Somewhere around the same time, I earned a Brownie Try-It for learning to make tacos, so maybe that was the first thing I learned to cook. Chicken & Dumplings was one of the first, anyway.

Now, I don’t have a recipe, because I just kind of throw things together. So I guess, if it looks good to you, you’ll have to come over and watch me make it. (Maybe with less salt this time).

If you (like just about everyone I work with) are working on your New Year’s Resolution to eat healthier, you probably have not been aided much by this blog. There have been some seriously unhealthy things around here lately, but I swear, that’s not all we eat! To prove it, here’s a recipe for last night’s dinner, a stir fry dish adapted from Cooking Light magazine.

If you’re looking for healthy recipes and enjoy cooking, you really can’t go wrong with Cooking Light. I get their “Dinner Tonight” emails daily, which is actually where the inspiration for this meal came from.

Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry with Cashew Rice
Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

• 1 batch Alton Brown’s Baked Brown Rice, recipe follows
• 1/3  cup  chopped green onions
• 1/4  cup  dry-roasted cashews, salted and coarsely chopped
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 2/3  cup chicken stock
• 2  tablespoons  cornstarch, divided
• 3  tablespoons  soy sauce, divided
• 2  tablespoons  honey
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1  tablespoon  canola oil, divided
• 1  tablespoon  grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  cups  sugar snap peas, trimmed (about 6 ounces)
• 1  cup  chopped red bell pepper (about 1)
• 1 can sliced water chestnuts

Note: This recipe is flexible; almost a method, rather than a recipe. The original called for pork, onions, and mushrooms, but I made the swaps as you see above–and it was just as good. Broccoli would also be at home here, or maybe those baby corns, bamboo shoots, some carrots, cabbage, or bok choy. It could be spiced up with red pepper flakes, if that’s more to your liking. I’d add about 1/4th of a teaspoon to the remainder of the sauce, if you want a spicier dish.

Alton Brown’s Baked Brown Rice

This is by far the easiest and best brown rice recipe I’ve come across. It’s literally fool-proof, and after you taste the chewy, nutty texture, you’ll never go back to Minute Rice again.

• 1 1/2 cups brown rice, medium or short grain
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place the rice into an 8-inch square glass baking dish.
• Bring the water, butter, and salt just to a boil in a kettle or covered saucepan. Once the water boils, pour it over the rice, stir to combine, and cover the dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour.
• After 1 hour, remove cover and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve immediately.

One of my absolute favorite Christmas gifts was the ice cream maker attachment for my Kitchenaid mixer. I am not a person that needs (or can afford) a super-fancy restaurant machine, and my parents have a basic Cuisinart model that works the same way, but I figured why keep a whole separate machine around when my mixer is totally capable of being an ice cream maker?

Basically, the attachment is a bowl that you freeze for 15-24 hours. The materials inside the lining of the bowl freeze the ice cream base as the mixer stirs it around. It works on any model of Kitchenaid mixer–you just need a plastic piece that holds the ice cream paddle, and depending on your Kitchenaid, a plastic cap that allows you to screw the bowl into the base of the mixer.

Another of my fantastic Christmas gifts was the Ben & Jerry Ice Cream & Dessert Cookbook. It appears to have been published in 1987 or something, but it’s still awesome. It has 3 different ice cream bases, recommended for different applications, plus a number of fun flavors. I’ve worked with the Mint Oreo Ice Cream recipe twice now.

First, being out of Oreos, but having plenty of Andes mints, I made a mint chocolate chip ice cream. It was tasty, but not perfect. You could taste the ice crystals, like a cheaper or lower-fat ice cream than my ingredients would suggest. Still, it wasn’t bad at all.

Then David went to the grocery store and bought Oreos. *hint, hint*

With one batch’s worth of practice under my belt, I tweaked my technique this time around, and ended up with an amazing Cookies & Cream ice cream.

My testers couldn’t wait for the ice cream to harden, and set about licking bowl and the paddle as soon as I was out of the way!

Oreos & Cream Ice Cream
Adapted from Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book

• 12-15 coursely chopped Oreo cookies
• 2 large or extra large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups of heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Pour in the cream and milk and whisk to blend. Add the vanilla extract and blend again.

2. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker. Add while the mixer is on the low setting, then turn it up to high.

3. Once the ice cream has stiffened (about 2-3 minutes before it is done) add the chopped cookies and continue freezing until the ice cream is ready.

When it’s done in the ice cream machine, the ice cream will be the consistency of soft-serve. Freeze for at least two hours for a solid, scoopable ice cream.

Note: One thing that really worked well with the second batch was that I whipped the eggs in a Pyrex bowl that I froze for several hours beforehand–this kept the base nice and cold while I got everything together. I think it may have added to the creaminess.

P.S. If Oreo Mint is more your thing, just substitute peppermint extract for the vanilla. Ta-da! just don’t expect that odd green color unless you add your own food coloring; this ice cream comes out white.

My name is Teri, and I don’t like broccoli. At all.

Occasionally, I will tolerate broccoli flavored things. Like cheesy rice. Or cheesy casserole. Or cheesy sauce on a baked potato. Or cheesy soup. You might have noticed a trend, and it’s got very little to do with broccoli.

Still, the Barefoot Contessa cookbook has proven itself again and again, and this glowing review at the Amateur Gourmet gave me the courage to try it (incidentally, I was pleased to see that someone else likes the Back to Basics cookbook as much as I do). But as far as the broccoli goes–guess what? I liked it!

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics

• 4 to 5 pounds of broccoli (I’m not that crazy! I used about a pound and a half for the three of us)
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced (I just minced mine)
• Good olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

2. Spread the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until crisp tender, and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

3. Remove the broccoli from the oven and toss with 1 1/2 tablesppoons of olive oil, the lemon zest, the lemon juice, the pine nuts, Parmesan, and Basil. Serve while hot.

I couldn’t believe how tasty this was—it was more like fresh pesto than anything else. The broccoli wasn’t bitter at all, but instead had a dark, nutty flavor. The dressing, with the lemon, oil, and basil really brightened everything up. And of course, what isn’t better with cheese? You know the drill–no green cans. Freshly grated. I’m pretty sure I’ll make this again, especially since we bought a giant bag of broccoli at Costco, and I’m going to have to use that up somehow.

I live in a house without mushrooms.

I don’t like a dish to be overwhelmed by mushrooms, but I like to eat them from time to time. My husband and our roommate, on the other hand, have absolutely no interest in mushrooms of any kind. That, plus the fact that Perigord black truffles are approximately $700 a pound (frozen!) means that my take on Dave Martin’s Truffle and  Cognac Cream Macaroni & Cheese had to be made sans truffles.

I didn’t miss them.

Top Chef fans will probably remember Dave “I’m not your bitch, bitch!” Martin and this Macaroni and Cheese dish from Season 1. This was the dish that took Lee Ann Wong out of the running, the dish that allowed Dave to scrape on by to the next round. It looked amazing on television, and it pleased every one of an impressive group of judges. Top Chef is full of moments when every fan wishes they could be on scene, tasting each dish. Dave Martin’s macaroni and cheese was one of those moments for me. Imagine my excitement, then, when I found the recipe in my Top Chef cookbook. I was pleased to find, when I sat down to figure out dinner last night, that (aside from the truffles) I had everything I needed to make Dave Martin’s famous macaroni & cheese dish.

Cognac Cream Macaroni & Cheese
Adapted from the Top Chef Cookbook

• butter for baking dish
• 1 cup cognac (I used brandy)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 6 roasted garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon sherry (I used a dry white wine)
• 4 cups heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano (I used dried oregano, about a teaspoon)
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 6 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 2 cups)
• 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound penne or other pasta, cooked al dente
• 8 ounces Fontina cheese, finely grated (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 2 cups seasoned sourdough crouton crumbs (I made my own, recipe follows)

A note on the cheeses: We did not have enough Parmesan cheese, so I used a combination of Parmesan, Fontina, and smoked Gouda, for a total of 14 ounces.

1. Generously butter the bottom & sides of a large,  deep baking dish. Set aside.

2. Place the cognac in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until they are softened, but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add the sherry and stir until evaporated. Add the cream, reduced cognac, oragano and thyme.

4. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced by half and the flavors are infused, about 20 minutes. Watch the pot carefully so that the cream does not boil over. Add the Tabasco sauce, and salt and pepper to taste, followed by the cooked pasta and cheeses. (Reserve a small amount of cheese to sprinkle over the top of the dish). Set aside.

5. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the crouton crumbs and remaining cheese. Bake for about 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees or until bubbly and browned on top.

Homemade Seasoned Crouton Crumbs
My Own Recipe

• 6 slices of rustic Italian or sourdough bread, cubed (I used about half of a roasted garlic Italian loaf we had leftover)
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spread cubed bread in a single layer on a baking sheet.

3. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the cubed bread pieces.

4. Sprinkle the remaining ingredients over the cubed bread pieces and toss to coat.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until browned and crisp.

6. When cool, drop into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarse crumbs, about 5 times.

Note: This recipe did not disappoint. Rich, creamy, decadent. The cognac cream adds to the richness, the fontina and gouda melted beautifully into a wonderful smooth texture. The top of the dish was crunchy and buttery. I served this macaroni and cheese as a side dish with some baked chicken breasts, and even though we rarely skip the proteins around here, this dish really could have stood on its own as an entree. It was that good.

Ina Garten’s latest cookbook is titled Barefoot Contessa, Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients, and that subtitle really says it all. I recently read a comment that Ina Garten’s recipes are incredibly simple to follow–anyone can do it–but you end up with extraordinary food, and that’s been my experience. These recipes are elegant, but foolproof.

The book opens with reflections on The Barefoot Contessa philosophy, basically that food can be simple and fabulous, that entertaining should be easy, elegant, and fun. Each chapter begins with a list of tips from Ina, such as “10 no-cook things to serve with drinks” or “cook like a pro.” These lists inspire a home cook to aspire to be the perfect host or hostess, all while making it sound  and look effortless.

There are seven sections of recipes in Back to Basics:

1. Cocktail Hour (Parmesan & Thyme Crackers, Campari Orange Spritzer, Gravlax with Mustard Sauce, Juice of a Few Flowers, Roasted Shrimp Cocktail, Pomegranate Cosmopolitans, Savory Palmiers, Mango Banana Daiquiris, Bruschetta with Peppers and Gorgonzola)
2. Soup (Lobster Corn Chowder, Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup, Homemade Chicken Stock, Roasted Potato Leek Soup, Chilled Cucumber Soup, Pappa al Pomodoro, Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Italian Wedding Soup)
3. Lunch (Cape Cod Chopped Salad, Old-Fashioned Carrot Salad, White Pizzas with Arugula, Creamy Cucumber Salad, Warm Goat Cheese in Phyllo, Roasted Butternut Squash Salad, Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad, Tomato & Goat Cheese Tarts, Truffled Filet of Beef Sandwiches, Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese, Mache with Warm Brie)
4. Dinner (Tuscan Lemon Chicken, Roasted Turkey Roulade, Chicken Bouillabaisse, Coq au Vin, Company Pot Roast, Niman Ranch Burgers, French Bistro Steaks, Parker’s Beef Stew, Herb-Marinated Loin of Pork, Baked Shrimp Scampi, Easy Sole Meuniere, Bay Scallop Gratins, Indonesian Grilled Swordfish, Mustard-Roasted Fish, Soft-Shell Crab Sandwiches, Proscuitto Roasted Bass, Pasta with Pecorino & Pepper, Wild Mushroom Risotto, Spring Green Risotto, Dinner Spanakopitas, Tagliarelle with Truffle Butter)
5. Vegetables (Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash, Confetti Corn, Creamy Cheddar Grits, Orange Pecan Wild Rice, Baked Potatoes with Yogurt, Celery Root & Apple Puree, Oven-Roasted Vegetables, Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli, Chive Risotto Cakes, Pan-Roasted Root Vegetables, Roasted Parsnips & Carrots, Baked Sweet Potato “Fries,” Roasted Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic Ciabatta Bread)
6. Dessert (French Apple Tart, Fresh Lemon Mousse, Apple Dried Cherry Turnovers, Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries, French Chocolate Bark, Old-Fashioned Gingerbread, Plum Crunch, Honey Vanilla Fromage Blanc, Honey Vanilla Pound Cake, Fresh Raspberry Gratins, Pumpkin Roulade, Raisin-Pecan Oatmeal Cookies, Affogato Sundaes, Brownie Pudding)
7. Breakfast (Sunrise Smoothies, Country French Omelet, Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits, Baked Blintzes, Homemade Muesli, Tri-Berry Oven Pancakes, Whitefish Salad, Easy Sticky Buns, Homemade Granola Bars, Blueberry Streusel Muffins, Date Nut Spice Bread, Fruit Salad with Limoncello, Easy Strawberry Jam)

The book concludes with sections for FAQ’s, sources, credits, and menu suggestions for throwing your own brunch or dinner party.

I love this cookbook. In addition to the amazing recipes, and fun tips, the pages of the book are glossy and the recipes are each illustrated beautifully. Everytime I flip through the pages of this cookbook, I find something else I want to make.  This was my first Barefoot Contessa cookbook, but I am anxious to collect each of her others.

Throughout my tenure as a server at the Olive Garden, I had what seems like millions of breadsticks and at least 100,000 bowls of soup. This soup at the OG is a lot like chili, but with an Italian twist. This recipe recreates it pretty well, with a few punched up ingredients.

Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli
Serves 8

• 1 lb. 93% lean ground beef
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks (about 1 cup)  (I buy pre-shredded carrots)
• 3 ribs celery, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 14.5-oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained (I used San Marzanos this time, and they were amazing)
• 15-oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 ½ cups vegetable juice (I used V8)
• 15-oz. can red kidney beans, undrained
• 15-oz. can great northern beans, undrained
• 1 Tbsp. white vinegar
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• ½ tsp. dried thyme
• 4 oz. (1 cup) uncooked ditalini pasta (I used small shells)
• freshly grated parmesan and croutons or garlic toast for garnish

Brown the ground beef, in a stock pot, stirring to break it up until no longer pink and cooked through; drain off any drippings.

Add garlic, onion, carrot and celery to the pot; cook, stirring, 5 to 6 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Add remaining ingredients (except pasta); reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. When there are just 10 minutes of cooking time left, prepare the pasta as package directs for al dente noodles; drain.

Add pasta to soup and simmer for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.