​My dad makes the best beef soup, like the best beef soup!  Before he moved down South to get away from the snow we used to go to his house for dinner 2 or 3 times a week.  He had his standard meals he would cook us.  We either had sauce, doctored up from Michaels, a local restaurant, or it was his famous breaded fried pork chops (delicious) always with frozen cauliflower, boiled and buttered, and then the beef soup. Did I mention it is the BEST beef soup.  

​Now mind you, he was in his late 70’s at the time and did all his own cooking, and at ripe young age of 84, he is still cooking all his own meals, well except for the occasional times that my niece brings him Jumboth (Giambotta).

Here is his recipe, it is simple and delicious.  I make a very large pot so there are left overs for the freezer.  I hope you enjoy it!

​Ingredients
3 lb Chuck roast
8 carrots
1 med bunch celery
1 large onion
~8 oz canned whole tomatoes, smooshed
Your favorite soup macaroni (orzo, anci de pepi, small bowties, broken up thin spaghetti)
Salt and pepper
 
In a large stock pot, place the whole roast (don’t cut it up) and add almost 2 gallons of water.  I never measure my water.  I just know how much to add by the pot I always use, but because I wanted to be able to write this recipe, I measured.  It was 28 cups of water, exactly. Place it on the stove and bring to a boil.
 
While the pot is coming to a boil, prep the vegetables.  I like my vegetables big so I cut mine into 2" pieces.  Wash and cut the celery, leaves and all. For the carrots, it is your choice if you want to peel the carrots or scrub them with a vegetable brush, cut into 2’ pieces. The onion I peel and cut in half.  If you prefer, you can cut the celery and carrots into ½" pieces for your soup and chop the onion. 
 
Once the pot comes to a boil, skim the scum off the top. You will see what I mean by "scum" when your pot starts to boil and a foamy substance appears on top.  I use a small strainer but a slotted spoon will work also.  After you get all the scum off and the water is boiling, add all the vegetables.  Give it a stir.  Then add your smooshed tomatoes.  I like Cento canned whole tomatoes.  They only come in a 28 oz. can so I use a little less than ½ the can.  Smoosh them with your hand, remove the hard stem piece.  Then pour about ½  the juice from the can into the pot.  Now add a generous amount of salt and pepper.
 
Bring it back to a boil then lower the heat so it remains at a soft boil.  Medium low heat should keep it there.  Make sure it is not covered as you want the steam to escape.  Now walk away.  Your soup needs to cook for at least 4 ½ hours.  It should go down about 3 inches in the pot (see picture above).  When it is done, the meat will just fall apart.  If your soup tastes blah at this point, let it remain at a soft boil longer.  The more it goes down in the pan, the richer the flavor.
 
Cook the macaroni separately.  Drain the macaroni about 2 minutes less than being done.  Return the macaroni to the pan you cooked it in and add soup from the pot to finish the cooking time.  When the macaroni is done add more broth and some of the meat and veggies and serve piping hot!  Okay, so my dad hated hot soup.  Truth be told, he put his soup on a plate and ate it.  Yes, a plate.  But preferable, serve your soup in a big bowl, you want to be sure you have plenty of broth.  I serve with a little grated cheese on top and some parsley leaves!
 
You will be able to freeze your leftover soup from the soup pan without the macaroni in it and make fresh macaroni so it does not get too mushy in the soup.  I freeze mine in Ziploc Freezer bags.  Eat Delicious! 

Growing up my parents and grandparents served all the meat and vegetables on a separate plate.  Then you would add it to your bowl of soup.  Sometimes when I am feeling nostalgic and have the kids over for dinner, I will do this :)

​This is the time of year that you want to eat healthier; salads, fruits, veggies, or the occasional smoothie because the holiday season is over and we all indulged, just a little, but . . . it's cold here in Buffalo, really cold.  

My body is craving warm, savory comfort food.  Enter this delicious, easy to prepare, baked dinner.  It will satisfy your craving and leave you feeling happy and full!

Ingredients: 
​2 Eggplant
3 Links Italian Sausage (I used cheese and parsley, but you can use mild also)
1 small onion
1 small bulb of fennel
1 ¼ c tomato sauce
12 grape/cherry tomatoes halved
3 tbsp parsley
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
½ c chicken broth
½ c milk
½ c Parmesan, grated
⅛ tsp pepper
olive oil
pinch of nutmeg
 
Preheat oven to 375°
 
Stripe the eggplant and slice into ½ slices.  Spray a cookie sheet (or wipe with olive oil), then place the eggplant on the cookie sheet.  It will overlap, that is fine as we are just softening it.  Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
 
Thinly slice the fennel and the onion and chop the parsley then set aside. 
 
Preheat a frying pan with enough olive oil just to cover the bottom.  Remove the sausage from the casing and break it up into the pan.  Using a spatula, keep breaking up the sausage in the pan until it is in small pieces.  When the sausage starts to brown add the fennel and onions to the pan.  Cover and saute about 8 minutes until the onions are translucent.  Next stir in the tomato sauce and the parsley.  Heat through and turn heat to low, keep covered.
 
In a separate pan, melt the butter.  And the flour to the melted butter and whisk until combined.  Next whisk in the chicken broth and the milk with the heat on medium high.  Keep whisking until it thickens, it should be fairly thick. Turn the heat off and add the Parmesan, nutmeg and salt and pepper. You have just made a doctored up béchamel sauce :)
 
Ready to put together!  In a 9 x 9 square pan, I use a Corelle baking dish with a cover,  spread a small amount of the béchamel on the bottom.  Then put in a layer of eggplant, the sausage mixture, the halved tomatoes, and top with eggplant.  (If your eggplant were big, you can adjust and make two layers of the sausage and eggplant.  I have made it both ways depending on the size of my eggplant.). Then spoon the remaining béchamel sauce over the top. 
 
Cover the pan either with the lid or with tin foil depending on what pan you are using.  Place in oven and bake 45 minutes or until the eggplant is soft.

​If you like spicy dishes, you can substitute hot Italian sausage for the mild, and saute some hot peppers with the onion and fennel.  Either way you make it, I think you will be adding this to your regular dinner rotation.  It is Mangialicious!

​This creamy Dijon mustard chicken is a delicious comfort food that is easy to prepare and will be a crowd pleaser!  The sharp strong flavor of the mustard mellowed by the cream and white wine makes the most fantastic combination. 
 
This is best served with some butter noodles or delicious brown rice.  But you can skip the carbs and serve it with a healthy portion of steamed vegetables. 

​Ingredients
4 bone in, skin on, chicken thighs
1/4 c. plus 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp oil
1 1/2 c. chicken stock
1 1/2 c. white wine
1 c. heavy cream
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. chopped fresh herbs (basil, parsley, thyme)
salt and black pepper
 
Directions
In a large frying pan add the butter and oil and heat to medium high.  In a large zip lock baggie or large bowl with cover, add the 1/4 c flour and salt and pepper.  Toss the chicken thighs in the flour and lightly shake off excess.
 
Place in heated frying pan, skin side down and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.  Flip chicken and cook another 10 minutes, until browned.
 
Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.  Pour out any left over butter/oil and wipe the pan with a paper towel.  Place the pan back on the heat and add the chicken stock, wine, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon flour, and chopped herb ( I used parsley).  Whisk in the flour and bring to boil, lower the heat and add the chicken, plus and juices, back to the pan. Cook, partially covered, turning occasionally until cooked through, 20 to 22 minutes.

​If you would like to make this with skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts just reduce the cooking time for browning and sauteing.  The total cooking time should be a around 30 minutes.  I bet this would even be delicious with pork chops!!
 
Any way you serve it, I am sure your family will think it is Mangialicious :)