Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Tortellini Soup

OK, this soup is the BEST I've tasted in a very long time. It is quickly becoming my favorite go to soup, and it's super easy to make. Plus it's good for you too.



1 (14.5oz) can Fat-Free Chicken Broth: reduced sodium
1 tsp minced garlic
1 c. Cheese tortellini (the whole wheat version is a tasty way to add some fiber)
1 (14.5oz) can crushed tomato**
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Combine broth and garlic in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add tortellini; reduce heat and simmer for 6 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and oregano. Simmer 5 minutes or until tortellini is tender. Ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkles with Parmesan cheese before serving.

Makes 4 servings

** you can substitute an equivalent ounces of tomato sauce instead of the crushed tomato for a smoother soup.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Pancit Guisado

Jessica found this recipe in a magazine and sent it to me. I'd had Canton at a few places so was good to have a list to follow. It's a very popular dish here.

Pancit Guisado
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion sliced thinly
1/2 c. chicken breast in bite sized pieces
1/2 c. peeled shrimp (optional! Add another 1/2 chicken if no shrimp)
1/2 head of cabbage, sliced into thin strips
2 carrots, sliced thinly
1 stalk celery, sliced thinly
handful of julienned fresh green beans
soy sauce
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1 package Canton noodles (available in the Asian section, 4 person serving size)
lemon or lime sliced (we use calamansi because we're true Filipinos)
salt and pepper to taste

In large wok or frying pan, saute garlic and onion. Add chicken and shrimp. Cook til done. (Doesn't take long.) Add cabbage, carrots, celery and beans. Pour in half of the
chicken broth and then simmer until the vegetables are crisp. Add 1/4 c. (or less) soy sauce to give color. Take out about 1/2 of the veggie/meat mixture and set aside. Mix the
dry noodles with the remaining broth and veggies. Cook about 10 minutes on low heat. (These noodles are alot like Raman noodles and cook quickly.) Now, you can mix the
veggies back into the noodle mixture or spread the noodle mixture on a large platter and then top with the additional veggies. Arrange slices of lemon or lime on platter. Add
salt and pepper to taste. We squeeze calamansi juice on ours. To make more elaborate, you can add slices of ham, pork, sausage, hot dogs or tofu.. You can also add
other items, such as mango, sprouts, cauliflower, or bokchoy. Just remember to increase the broth and noodles if you increase the other ingredients.
This makes 4 very generous servings.