Five Items To Help You Survive Winter

Being an island girl has taught me that, well, winter is not jam.  Over the years, I've found what are must-haves come this time of year.  Here I share my top five affordable items that, often overlooked, will make any bundled-up city girl a winter warrior.

The Busy Girl's Italian Wedding Soup

Yep, it's getting cold out.  Fall is back.

This week we had the first rumblings of fall: pleasant days with chilly nights.  On Tuesday, as the sun went down, all I could think about was getting home and making myself a hearty soup. The problem was: I really didn't have much stocked up.  However, if there is one thing I am good at, it's making decedent meals out of leftovers I have lying around in my kitchen. I've experiment. A lot.

I got the urge for Italian Wedding Soup.  I raided the pantry and fridge and found great, non-traditional, ingredients to make a wonderful version that not only warmed me up but depleted those leftovers I oh-so desperately wanted to get rid off.

Faux Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

42 oz. chicken broth (ideally)
1 1/2 c. sausage, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
Frozen spinach or kale
1/2 c. of small pasta (DIY accepted)
2 eggs
2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
olive oil
salt + pepper to taste

  

Meatballs are time consuming. So, instead I cut up some turkey sausage.  I love Trois Cochon.  The one I had in my freezer were stuffed with shitake and cognac which I though was perfect for this. Instead of spinach I used frozen kale, which worked perfectly.

The most creative part was the "chicken stock".  I didn't even have this *sigh*, so I mixed vegetable stock with a bit of beef stock and water...yep.  Believe it.  It was still delicious.

A good Italian Wedding Soup has pastina (or little pasta).  Some of these options include orzo, ditalini, anellini, mini shells or mini macaroni.   But, of course, I didn't have this either.  So what did I do? I hammered out two lasagna sheets. 

Add the pasta after the soup has simmered for 15 mins.  The pasta will be cooked fairly fast.  Check it while it cooks.

This is the final step.  Turn the heat off.  Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the soup, stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands.

I didn't add ANY salt as the sausage and stock had enough.  Taste the broth as you go so that you don't over do it.

 There it is.  A busy New Yorker's version of Italian Wedding Soup, and it is delicious. Happy Fall.

P.S. I want to thank the Iowa Girl Eats for appearing in my searches and teaching me the steps (what goes first, what goes after, etc.)