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Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Cooking Thursday


For quite a while I have been participating in Sandra's Slow Cooking Thursday meme. She has decided to change it as people were running out of slow cooker recipes, and it will now be for any recipe. I'm excited to be able to share some new recipes with all of you!


Today I am sharing one of my favorite soup recipes with you. This is a copycat recipe from Olive Garden and I think it tastes just like theirs! I've made this quite a few times and it always turns out great.

Pasta E Fagioli

3 teaspoons oil
2 lbs ground beef
14 ounces carrots, slivered
12 ounces onions, chopped
14 ounces celery, diced
48 ounces diced canned tomatoes
2 cups red kidney beans
2 cups white kidney beans
88 ounces beef stock
3 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 1/2 teaspoons pepper
5 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
48 ounces spaghetti sauce
8 ounces dry pasta shell macaroni, cooked as directed

Sauté beef in oil in large 10 quart pot until beef starts to brown.
Add onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Drain and rinse beans and add to pot. Also add beef stock, oregano, rosemary, garlic, pepper, Tabasco and spaghetti sauce.
Simmer until celery and carrots are tender, about 45 minutes.
Add pasta about 10 minutes before serving.
Grate fresh Romano or Parmesan cheese onto soup before serving.

This recipe makes 9 quarts! You could half the ingredients and still have enough for a family, but it freezes very well, so I always freeze half of it.

For more recipes, visit Sandra at Diary of a SAHM.

21 comments:

Andrea said...

This soup sounds yummy and it is so cold here, that is about all we want to eat. We are enjoying soups almost everyday.
Blessings, andrea

Kayren said...

That would definitely be good for a big group. Maybe we could do it as our 'appetizer' when we have small group next month. Goodness knows it will probably still be cold.

Sandra said...

I think I'll have to try this one for sure.

Unknown said...

Oh wow, I'm drooling! It looks delicious! Thank you for the recipe.

Pat said...

Perfect recipe for me. I could eat soup every day all winter and be happy. This will definately be on my list of "to makes".

Brooke said...

olive garden is the best. and i love to freeze soups and chilis for lunches, so this will be a good one to try.

Heather C said...

Sounds scrumptious! I think I've found dinner! :)

Kim said...

I love Olive Garden soups! My fav is the zuppa toscano but any soup from there is always so yummy. Will have to try this!

Penny said...

I might be drooling...just a little...

Hootin Anni said...

....and this is such a GOOD day for a hot bowl/cup of soup!!! It's drizzling rain here right now, and the temps are gonna drop below freezing by mid-afternoon! Heck, we may get some snow out of this front yet....boo, hiss!!

I'm gonna go make some soup for dinner to be sure. You inspired me.

Susanne said...

I am absolutely going to try this tomorrow. Sounds like the perfect soup for the cold days we've been having.

Heart2Heart said...

Mari,

Thanks for passing this one along. Since it is my families favorite when we go to Olive Garden, you know I have to give it a try.

Love and Hugs ~ Kat

Aspiemom said...

I love your recipe! I have passed it out in the past, but haven't made it this winter season yet. Now that I've looked at the picture I will have to rectify that!

Holly said...

Looks WONDERFUL, Mari! I'll have to get it on the menu this month.

Blessings on you!
Holly

Shell in your Pocket said...

Oh..that looks good! I just came in from the snow!

sandy toe

Connie said...

I/m trying this for sure but I have to eat out of my freezer for now.

Love Being A Nonny said...

This looks great! Thanks for sharing. I am going to try it!

Karen Hossink said...

I have such a fun story about this dish. *grin*
The way my mom tells it, whenever her dad would get upset about something he would stomp around the house saying, "Pasta Fagioli!"
And she and her sisters would cower.
Years later she was in an Italian restaurant and heard the waiter suggest Pasta Fagioli. At which point she blurted out laughing, "All those years, my dad was stomping around yelling, 'SOUP!'"
She loves to repeat the whole story now.

Mary said...

Mari,

Your recipe sounds scrumptous. Thanks for sharing.

About Washington...considering we got into all the attractions free, except the National Aquarium, which was $7 each, Washington is a great place to go. The entire vacation didn't cost much at all. It's far more reasonable than going to Florida, where you pay almost $100 for four people to get into any of the attractions.

Hope you're staying warm.

Blessings,
Mary

Renee said...

Oh yum! This sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing.

Jen said...

This is one of my hubby's favorite soups. I have never made it for him....until now. Thank you for this easy recipe. Have a great day.