This easy sausage pasta soup is hearty and tasty. I created this recipe for a Ragu contest but then missed the cut off to enter it this year. So I want to share it with you. Starts with basic soup but you can always add any veggies to this soup. Sure to satisfy your entire family.
Easy Sausage Pasta Soup
24 oz Jar Tomato Pasta Sauce Ragu
1.5 pounds of spicy sausage
3 medium carrots peeled diced
1 medium onion diced
2 celery stalks
3 14 oz can chicken broth
24 oz of water
8 oz dried Ditalini pasta
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 bay leaves
1 cup of arugula
8oz of goat cheese
In a large pot brown sausage, removing casing, and drain grease place on paper towel to remove excess grease set off to side
In same pot add onion carrots and celery brown till carrots are tender
Add to pot jar of Ragu Sauce, 3 cans chicken broth, 24 oz of water (use the Ragu jar rinse out any left over Ragu)
Add back into pot drained sausage
Add Spices (thyme, salt,oregano, pepper, bay leaves) to soup
16 Must have Food Items for $38 to make different 25 meals. I found that having staples in your pantry / fridge you can make many meals that are healthy and your family will enjoy. Here is my list:
Onions 2.99
eggs 3.49
Rice 1.99
Oil/butter 2.99
bread 2.00
chicken legs 3.99
can tomatoes 1.00
Italian Dressing 1.50
lettuce 1.89
cheese 2.49
potatoes 3.50
pasta .99
milk 4.00
Chicken Broth / Chicken stock 1.99
Carrots 1.50
Flour 1.99
Here are 25 Meal Ideas:
Breakfast:
French toast
Eggs
Cheese omelet
Hash browns
quiche
Lunch
Grill cheese
Salad with lettuce , carrots, onions, cheese, hard boiled eggs, Italian dressing
pasta salad, tomatoes drained, onions, cheese,Italian dressing
egg salad, make your own mayo (egg yoke, oil, splash of Italian dressing)
Chicken salad (used pulled chicken)
Dinner
Chicken and rice bake
Baked Chicken with baked potatoes, carrots
Fried chicken, french fries, and Glazed carrots
Pulled chicken (removed skin, brown chicken place in crock pot with Italian dressing and one cup of water, and choped onions cooks low 4 hours), serve over rice and
Chicken noodle or rice soup use pulled chicken for broth and chicken add carrots and more onions
Fritta eggs milk tomato, carrots onions, cheese
Spaghetti with homemade sauce
Potato soup, onions, carrots, milk, chicken broth
Homemade Pizza Sandwiches
Creamy chicken and rice soup
Mac and Cheese
Egg Drop soup
Fried Rice with chicken carrots onions
chicken pot pies
Home Biscuits and gravy
Noodle bake
Baked ziti
Loaded baked potatoes
Chicken Pasties
You will need to stock up on chicken but you can make any meal listed above. Jusr keep the pantry and fridge stocked and you will always have a go to.
Meal Planning:
Monday : Pulled Pork
Tuesday:Easy Baked Chicken roasted bake potatoes and roasted carrots
Wednesday: Quiche
Thursday: Pizza ( I am headed to the Martha Stewart Book Signing)
This weeks is crazy summer busy, with my non stop super exhausting schedule during the summer. I need dinners that are easy and get my kid to the next.. swim meet, volleyball practice, or playdate. I really love making meals that I can make extra food and use it for the next meal simplify my life. Sides are my favorite, Rice that becomes fried rice. Mash potatoes that become the top of my Sheppard pie.
Monday :Traditional Polish Golabki Recipe (cabbage Rolls) I always make 2 trays of this recipe because it takes some time to make them .
Every night I am always looking for a new Fresh Take on dinner that is healthy and a crowd pleaser for my family. When #CollectiveBias asked me to try Kraft Fresh Take Meal Kit and create a family meal that we would enjoy. I was excited create a Chicken Taco Salad with creamy Avocado Dressing using Kraft Fresh Take Southwest Three Cheese. This meal was a favorite with my whole tribe, great tasting chicken with veggies and homemade baked tortilla chips. I was pleased dinner took a 1/2 hour from start to finish to make. Another plus is the kids could build the salad themselves, so were little chefs also. All left satisfied and happy.
Chicken Taco Salad with Avocado Dressing
1 package of Kraft Southwest Three Cheese
1 1/2 lb of chicken(4-5) breasts thawed or fresh
1 head lettuce or your choice of mixed greens in a bag
1 can of sliced olives drained
1 can of corn drained
1 can black beans drain and rinsed
1 pepper (green, yellow, orange or red the color of your choice)
2 cups of cooked rice optional
4 tortilla (or a bag of chips)
oil
Open the package of Fresh Takes, the breadcrumb side and cheese sides are separated so they stay fresh. When you open and pull apart the bag separator then blending the 2 sides.
Take your chicken moisten (with water or egg) and place in bag, seal shake to coat.
Place on baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Cook as directed on package. Discard leftover coating.
While the Fresh Take Southwest Chicken is cooking, Make the taco chips. Cut the tortilla chips into strips.
Brush with oil, season with salt and pepper, bake in oven for 10 minutes. To make the avocado dressing
Avocado Dressing
1/4 cup of mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
1 ripe avocado peeled
2 tablespoons of lime or lemon juice
salt / pepper
Milk 1/2 cup of more depending on how thin you want your dressing
Blend in a food processor until smooth .. or mush the avocado into the other ingredients.
Now it is time to build your salad with the amazing Fresh Take Southwest Three Cheese Chicken.
Stack the tortillas, lettuce, rice, black beans, olives, corn, tomatoes, peppers, and chicken.
Add dressing and enjoy.
The Result: The chicken is a little spicy, the dressing added a cooling and dipping factor. My children loved the build your own aspect of this dinner. My daughter version on the chicken taco salad .. a taco man .. then he had a brother, she ate 2 helpings. I consider that a winning meal, thanks Kraft Fresh Takes Meal kit.
Kraft Fresh takes was very easy to use and all the instruction were located right on the package. You can also use the #FreshTake with other proteins like pork or fish. The Kraft Fresh Take was so easy to find at my local Walmart it was located in with the shredded cheese in the dairy area. Want a Deal ? Also Kraft and Walmart are offering a coupon so you could save and try $1 off the purchase of fresh chicken and Fresh Take at WalmartHave a great week.
