Pasta Fagioli or Spaghetti O's

So my friend Christy makes up this great looking pasta fagioli to feed her large family all the time. I had watched her make it a few times and without a recipe to guide me I wound up creating something totally different. My pasta fagioli came out looking like "grown up or really good spaghetti o's" according to John (my six year old). While mine tasted good, it definitely was not pasta fagioli. So here is my recipe and Christy's, decide if you want some really good spaghetti o's or if you want to try the real thing. Hope you enjoy....

Christy's Pasta Fagioli -

11 cups beef stock

2lb ground beef
3 tsp oregano
1 ½ cups chopped onions
2 ½ tsp pepper
1 ¾ cup shredded carrots
5 tsp parsley
1 cup chopped celery
1 ½ tsp tobacco
3 - 15oz.cans stewed tomatoes
6 cups spaghetti sauce
1 – 15oz can red kidney beans
1 – 15oz can white beans
1 tbsp Italian seasons
1 ½ cups fagioli pasta

Brown ground beef, and onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes. Simmer about 10 min.
Put all other ingredients in, except pasta. Simmer until veggies are tender.
Add Pasta cook until done. Enjoy!

Kirsten's Really Good Spaghetti O's

1 pound of ground beef
28 oz of canned diced tomatoes
1/2 onion diced
24 oz of marinara sauce
32 oz of beef broth
4 tablespoons of Italian seasonings
1 box of ditalini
1 can of great northern beans

Brown meat and onion together in a large pot, season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, cook until browned. Add rest of ingredients and cook on low until pasta is done. Serve and enjoy.

Chicken Stew/Cassoulet

I love the flavors that go into the traditional french cassoulet, but I never have all the pork products needed to make it, so instead I play around and today is no exception. Chicken and prosciutto are the meats today, and while I have no served it up yet, the smell in the house is wonderful to all expect the almost six year old.



Chicken Cassoulet



1 3 lb package of boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 large can of diced tomatoes

1/2 lb of prosciutto, browned

2 small onions, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 tablespoons of diced celery leaves

8 sprigs of thyme

3 cloves of garlic, smashed

1 box of chicken broth

1 can of great northern beans, rinsed and drained



Take all ingredients and place in a crock pot, cook on low for about 6 hours or until chicken is falling apart. Serve in a bowl with crusty bread and a nice white wine, enjoy.