Category: Family & Holiday Favorites

Incredibly Delicious Gemelli Pasta with Tuscan Chicken

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Incredibly Delicious Gemelli Pasta with Tuscan Chicken

Gemelli pasta with Tuscan Chicken & Sundried Tomatoes is incredibly rich in flavor but not a heavy sauce.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 514kcal
Author: Twiins in the Kitchen®

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet
  • 1 Large plate
  • 1 baking pan at least 2" high, large enough to hold all 6 chicken breasts without crowding the pan so there is enough room for all the delicious sauce.
  • instant-read thermometer

Ingredients 

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 3 Large Chicken Breasts , slice in half lengthwise
  • 4-6 large garlic cloves , minced
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes ,1/2 tsp if less spice desired
  • 1 ½ cup chicken bone broth , or chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 8.5 oz jar sundried tomatoes , chopped (we use California Sun Dry Sun-dried Tomatoes Julienne cut)
  • 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano
  • Fresh Basil for garnish
  • 1 lb. Gemelli pasta , cook according to package directions

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large oven-safe skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat.
  • Season chicken breasts lightly with salt & pepper. Sear until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a plate.
  • Heat the same skillet to medium heat. Add garlic. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the thyme, red pepper flakes, chicken broth, and heavy cream. Cook for 5 minutes stirring often.
  • Stir in the sundried tomatoes and Pecorino Romano grated cheese.
  • Place the seared chicken in the baking pan, then baste the chicken breasts with the sauce. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (about 12-18 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken breast). Garnish with basil or parsley and additional grated cheese (optional).
  • Serve over your favorite pasta or rice.

Notes

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 514kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 244mg | Potassium: 244mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 765IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 231mg | Iron: 2mg

Please note: Although the Nutritional Facts are provided, we are not nutritionists and therefore cannot verify the accuracy of these calculations. Please verify any data you see here with your favorite nutrition calculator.

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Creamy Bow Tie Pasta with Salmon, Sundried Tomatoes, Capers & Peas

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While still living and working on Long Island, one of my favorite restaurants near the office was a renowned Italian restaurant…Mamma Lombardi’s.  My office went there frequently to celebrate special occasions. My friend & co-worker Sue Mercurio and I always ordered their Bow Tie Pasta with Fresh Salmon…our favorite dish.  That dish was always a special treat for us and we savored every bite! Through the years I experimented with recreating this loved meal. So, whenever I make salmon for dinner I usually buy more than I need knowing the leftovers will be used to make a delicious creamy pasta meal. Farfalle is the name you usually find in the pasta section of your grocery store. It’s a medium size pasta in the shape of a bow tie.

I use leftover steamed salmon instead of fresh because it is a time saver; however, you can certainly cook it fresh and still be perfectly delicious.

Barbara and I welcomed in 2023 on New Year’s Day with our husbands & nephew. A special meal for a special day!

Farfalle or Bow Tie Pasta

 

Creamy Bow Tie Pasta with Salmon, Peas, Sundried Tomatoes, & Capers

Deliciously steamed salmon in a creamy, light pink sauce with capers & peas.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 897kcal
Author: Twiins in the Kitchen®

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet
  • 1 small bowl
  • 1 8-qt pot for pasta

Ingredients 

  • 1½ lbs Steamed Salmon leftover
  • 1 lb Bow Tie Pasta (Farfalle), Use Gluten-free pasta if gluten is a concern
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsps butter
  • ½ cup onion sliced very thin or chopped
  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 1 oz lemon juice
  • 1½ - 2 tsp lemon zest
  • 3 - 4 tsps frozen garlic, thawed
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 10 oz sundried tomatoes, packed in oil, use a fork to remove them from the jar
  • 1 pint whipping cream
  • ½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated, about 3 handfuls
  • 2 - 3 tbsp capers
  • 2 cups frozen peas thawed
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Instructions

  • Bring an 8-qt pot of water to a boil. Salt well
  • In a small bowl combine the defrosted garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, Italian seasoning & Dijon mustard. Set aside.
  • In a large skillet on medium heat, add butter & olive oil. Saute onion until soft & translucent.
  • Meanwhile, add pasta to the boiling water & cook according to the package directions. (About 12-13 minutes) Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water & set aside
  • Add tomato paste, sundried tomatoes, and garlic mixture to the skillet then cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add cream to skillet and simmer until thickened.
  • Add the grated Pecorino Romano & stir until combined.
  • Add the thawed peas & capers Cook until heated through.
  • Add the salmon pieces & cook until heated through.
  • Drain the pasta. remember to reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water
  • Add a few tbsps of reserved pasta water to the sauce to prevent sauce from getting too thick.
  • Place pasta in dishes & top with salmon and sauce.
  • Garnish with parsley & grated cheese. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 897kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 160mg | Sodium: 535mg | Potassium: 2747mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 2151IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 243mg | Iron: 7mg

Please note: Although the Nutritional Facts are provided, we are not nutritionists and therefore cannot verify the accuracy of these calculations. Please verify any data you see here with your favorite nutrition calculator.

Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @twiins_in_the_kitchen or tag #twiinsinthekitchen
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Our Family Thanksgiving Menu – November 24, 2022

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For us, Thanksgiving is a special time when we reflect on past traditions, family, friends, and how our lives may have changed throughout the year. We are thankful for our health, wonderful husbands, all of our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, friends & followers.

Our family Thanksgiving menu hasn’t changed much from years past served by our Mother and Grandmother.  Penne Alla Vodka replaced our traditional lasagna or baked ziti to start things off followed by the roasted turkey with sausage stuffing. My family loves the stuffing with chopped apples but Teresa’s family prefers it without…what do they know?🤣

Being of Italian heritage, Thanksgiving wasn’t just about the turkey; the meal also had to have a pasta dish! I always made baked ziti on Thanksgiving and one year Gary picked up the ricotta & mozzarella for me the day before. I didn’t look at the brands because he knew which to buy so when I took out the ingredients to start making the ziti I was shocked as both main ingredients were the right brands but were fat-free instead of whole milk! There was nothing I could do so I went about making the baked ziti with the fat-free ingredients. When we all sat down for dinner, my nephew Joseph said, “Aunt Barb, this isn’t your baked ziti!” The rest of the family agreed with him.  To this day everyone remembers how disappointed they were when the texture they loved was noticeably different. They’re a tough crowd! It was a disaster except for Gary…he ate it with no complaints.

Our family holidays were filled with aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, friends, and FOOD! We hope you will try some of our favorites to add to your holiday menu and create wonderful memories with your families & friends.

  HAPPY THANKSGIVING  🦃 

 

Penne Alla Vodka

 

 

Sausage & Herb Stuffing, Cranberry Orange Relish

 

 

 

Candied Sweet Potatoes


 

 

Broccoli/Spinach Pies

 

 

 

 

Asparagus Patties

 

 

 

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Pumpkin Roll

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Springtime Asparagus & Cheese Tart

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This Easter we tried a new twist on our asparagus side dish and we loved it! We adapted this recipe from Food Network Kitchen making just a few tweaks. The whole family really enjoyed this new dish and requested we make it often. Whether you make it for a side dish,  appetizer, or for brunch it will  definitely be a hit! Enjoy 😋

Springtime Asparagus & Cheese Tart

A bed of puff pastry, fontina & gruyere cheese, and asparagus makes this a refreshing change to plain old veggies.
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Total Time: 48 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 340kcal
Author: Twiins in the Kitchen®

Equipment

  • 1 large bowl for ice bath
  • 1 11" x 15" rimmed baking sheet inside measurement
  • parchment paper
  • 1 large skillet

Ingredients 

  • 1 bunch asparagus , trimmed approximately 1-1.5" only.
  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry , thawed
  • all-purpose flour , for dusting
  • 1 cup fontina cheese , grated
  • 1 cup gruyere cheese , grated
  • 2 Tablespoon minced shallot , may substitue with minced onion
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 3 Tablespoons whole milk
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • Kosher salt
  • fresh ground pepper
  • 2 tsp EVOO
  • 1 tsp lemon zest

Instructions

  • Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
  • In a large skillet bring 1" of water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook for 2-5 minutes until bright green, crisp tender depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Drain and transfer to the ice bath to stop cooking; drain & pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • On a lightly floured clean surface, roll out thawed puff pastry into an 11" x 15" rectangle (to fit your pan). Line your baking sheet with parchment paper then transfer the rolled-out pastry into the pan. Prick all over with a fork.
  • Bake until light golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan.
  • While cooling the puff pastry, mix the fontina, gruyere, shallot or onion, egg yolks, milk, nutmeg, salt & pepper in a bowl until combined.
  • Once puff pastry is cooled, spread the cheese mixture evenly over the puffed pastry, leaving a 1" border on all sides.
  • Toss the asparagus with EVOO, 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper to taste. Arrange asparagus onto the tart and bake until the cheese mixture is slightly puffy, 15-20 minutes. Garnish with lemon zest.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 332mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 803IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 288mg | Iron: 2mg

Please note: Although the Nutritional Facts are provided, we are not nutritionists and therefore cannot verify the accuracy of these calculations. Please verify any data you see here with your favorite nutrition calculator.

Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @twiins_in_the_kitchen or tag #twiinsinthekitchen
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Easter Breakfast the Whole Family Will Enjoy

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With Easter, only a week away, start getting those ingredients together to make our tasty and fun Italian Easter Egg Breakfast Baskets (Pupa Cu L’ova)

Watch the video on YouTube

A delicious & fun way to enjoy a special Easter breakfast.

Traditional Italian Christmas Cookies – Twiins Style

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It’s hard to believe we are at the end of the first week in December! Time to start baking our family’s traditional Christmas cookies to have ready to mail out to family members on the West Coast & beyond.

If you’ve never tried these recipes before, this is the time to start. Nothing says it’s the beginning of the holiday season like baking our Italian bakery-style cookies. They are delicious! My 8-year-old grandson is visiting from NY and he said the Rainbow Cookies are “Amazing”…music to our ears!

Make sure you have plenty of all-purpose flour, butter, almond paste, chopped pistachios, pignolias (pine nuts), chopped dates, and bittersweet chocolate chips on hand because these cookies fly off the plates.

Merry Christmas and enjoy!

Italian Rainbow Cookies

Zeppole

Pignoli Cookies

Replace pignoli with sliced almonds topped with a candied cherry or chopped pistachios

The Best Gluten-Free New York Style Black & White Cookies

Date Nut Bread

(not a cookie but a long-time Christmas Morning tradition)

Lobster Rolls – Twiins Style

Published on by Twiins in the Kitchen2 Comments

Goodby summer…There’s no  better way to celebrate the end of summer than with an  indulgent lobster roll! Whether it’s served as a Labor Day celebration lunch or dinner your family and guests will love them. Our family not only loves them but said “they are better than ‘ Joe’s’ “.  This recipe is our version of the classic Connecticut style lobster roll using only butter…NO Mayo.  These lobster rolls are so easy to make using pre-cooked lobster meat. We hope you’ll give it a try and let us know.

Happy Labor Day, Stay safe

Lobster Rolls - Twiins Style

Twiins serve.their take on Connecticut style lobster rolls (no mayo)!
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Calories:
Author: Twiins in the Kitchen®

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Large rimmed baking sheet
  • aluminum foil

Ingredients 

  • 3 lbs Lobster meat (cooked)
  • 2-3 stalks celery (diced)
  • ¼ cup parsely, fresh coursely chopped
  • 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice, fresh
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 3 sticks salted butter (melted right before serving)
  • 3-4 Tbsp softened butter to spread on rolls prior to broiling
  • 8-10 buns top split hot dog buns

Instructions

  • Place the pre-cooked lobster meat in a large bowl (large chunky pieces)
  • Add diced celery, chopped parsely, salt & pepper, juice of half a large lemon. Mix well and set aside.
  • Turn oven to broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place opened buns on baking sheet then smear both halves of each bun with softened butter. Place on bottom rack of oven until they start to turn golden. Remove immediately.
  • Melt 3 sticks of salted butter then pour into lobster mixture. Combine well and fill each bun. Drizzle each lobster roll with the melted butter that pooled at the bottom of the mixing bowl and enjoy!

Please note: Although the Nutritional Facts are provided, we are not nutritionists and therefore cannot verify the accuracy of these calculations. Please verify any data you see here with your favorite nutrition calculator.

Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @twiins_in_the_kitchen or tag #twiinsinthekitchen
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Add parsely, celery, salt & pepper, & lemon juice
Melt the butter right before serving
Pour melted butter over mixture
Serve with potato salad, Cole slaw or your favorite side

Twiins Family Favorite Sunday Pasta & Meat Sauce Dinner

Published on by Twiins in the Kitchen2 Comments

As children, we knew it was Sunday just by waking to the aromas permeating throughout the house! The onions & garlic sauteing, the browning of the sausages, pork pieces, braciole, and meatballs. On the counter were the cans of tomatoes waiting to be added to bring together our family’s Sunday meat sauce…brings back the best childhood memories of our family’s ritual of making the Sunday sauce or gravy as our Neopolitan Mom and Grandma Florence called it.

It was a time for the whole family to sit down together, enjoy delicious food while catching up with everyone’s life, and we always laughed a lot. With some of us moving to different parts of the country we miss that weekly gathering. To this day, we still make our sauce the very same way. Like any family favorites, we think ours is the Best! So when family members come to visit we recreate those special Sunday dinners and we all just love being together again.

Twiins Family Favorite Sunday Meat Sauce & Pasta Dinner

Homemade Tomato Sauce with Italian Sausages, Pork Country Ribs & Meatballs with Pasta
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Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 4 hours
Servings: 8
Calories:
Author: Twiins in the Kitchen®

Equipment

  • 8-qt stockpot, or larger
  • 12" frying pan for meatballs, or larger
  • large bowl to mix meatball mixture
  • small bowl to soak bread for meatballs
  • Large platter to serve meat
  • Large Pasta Bowl

Ingredients 

  • 3 (28 oz cans) San Marzano Whole Tomatoes
  • 1 (24.5 oz jar) Mutti Tomato Puree
  • 2 (6 oz cans) Hunt's Tomato Paste with basil, garlic & oregano
  • 2 Tablespoons EVOO
  • 1 large Onion, diced
  • 12 large Garlic cloves, minced the more the better
  • 1 lb. Italian Hot Sausage links about 5 links
  • 1 lb. Italian Sweet Sausage links about 5 links
  • 4 Country Ribs
  • ½ tsp Dried Oregano
  • 4-5 Fresh Basil Leaves
  • 36 Meatballs see The Best Napoletana Meatballs recipe
  • 1 loaf Italian Bread warmed
  • Pecorino Romano Cheese optional
  • Whole Milk Ricotta optional
  • Fresh Basil Leaves chopped or ribbons for garnish, optional

Instructions

  • Add a drizzle of EVOO to 8 qt stock pot and brown all sausages & ribs (it may take 2 batches to complete).
  • Once browned, remove meat and place in a deep bowl. Set aside.
  • Add 2 Tablespoons EVOO to the already hot remaining oil & fond in the stockpot (fond is all the wonderful browned pieces of meat that stick to the bottom of the pot). Once the EVOO is hot enough, add diced onion & saute on medium-low heat until they start to carmelize.
  • Add the minced garlic, fresh basil leaves, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, and stir. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add the 2 cans of Hunt's tomato paste. Mix well and cook for about 1 minute. Add the San Marzano Whole Tomatoes. Break up the tomatoes with a fork. The tomatoes will cook down after 4 hours. Add the bottle of Mutti tomato puree then combine well.
  • Add the sausages and country ribs to the sauce and stir well. Continue cooking sauce on a low simmer for 3-4 hours until ribs and sausages are very tender or start to fall apart.
  • Prepare the meatball mixture (The Best Napoletana Meatballs recipe). Shape mixture into 1 ½-inch round meatballs (or whatever size you prefer). In a large frying pan pour in enough canola oil to a depth of 1/2-inch. Heat the oil until hot. Add the meatballs and brown on both sides on medium heat. Remove and place in a bowl until 20 minutes before the sauce is done. Don't worry if there are too many meatballs for one dinner. They can be cooked and frozen for another meal or make some delicious meatball parm heroes the next day.
  • 20 minutes before the sauce is done, add the meatballs and stir gently. Continue on a low simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Once you add the meatballs to the sauce, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a good amount of salt to the boiling water, then add the pasta and cook according to package directions.
  • In the meantime, remove all the meat from the saucepot once the meatballs have simmered for 20 minutes in the sauce. Place in a large bowl or platter. After cooking the sauce for 4 hours (or more) the whole tomatoes break down however you can use an immersion blender to smooth it out if you don't like tiny pieces of tomato in your sauce.
  • Drain the pasta and pour a ladle or two of the sauce on top. Place pasta in a large, deep bowl. Portion out the pasta on individual plates with a meatball, sausage, or piece of rib meat (or all three!)
  • In our family, we top each plate with a dollop of whole milk ricotta, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and some chopped fresh basil leaves.  Serve with warmed crusty sesame seed Italian bread & butter.

Notes

Brown sausages & country ribs
Caramelize onions, add minced garlic, dried oregano, saute then add tomato paste & blend well
Add fresh basil leaves
Simmer for 4 hours
Fry meatballs and add to the sauce for the last 20 minutes of simmering
The last 20 minutes of simmering with the meatballs
Remove meat to large bowl or platter
Enjoy!

Please note: Although the Nutritional Facts are provided, we are not nutritionists and therefore cannot verify the accuracy of these calculations. Please verify any data you see here with your favorite nutrition calculator.

Brown sausages & country ribs
Caramelize onions, add minced garlic, dried oregano, saute then add tomato paste & blend well
Add fresh basil leaves
Simmer for 4 hours
Fry meatballs and add to the sauce for the last 20 minutes of simmering
The last 20 minutes of simmering with the meatballs
Remove meat to large bowl or platter
Enjoy!
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Gluten-Free Tuscan Bean Soup – Twiins Style 🌻 🌻

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Gluten-Free Tuscan Bean Soup - Twiins Style

  • Servings: 6-8
  • Difficulty: Easy

With the first spoonful of our savory Tuscan Bean Soup you will be swept away to Tuscany admiring the sunflowers. This is the same recipe as our regular Tuscan Bean Soup using gluten-free pasta & broth in place of regular. It’s chock full of vegetables, delicious flavor & of course love! Serve as a main meal for either lunch or dinner and don't forget the toasted crusty bread to soak up every last drop. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 1 (28-oz) can San Marzano tomatoes, crush with clean hands
  • 1/4 cup EVOO
  • 3 (15.5 oz) cans cannellini beans with liquid (divided into 3/4 and 1/4)
  • 1 rounded tsp Hunt’s tomato paste with garlic & basil
  • 1 leek, chopped (both white & green parts)
  • 2 yellow onions, diced ( I was out of yellow onions so I substituted with red)
  • 2 cups large celery stalks, large dice (about 3-4 ribs)
  • 2 cups large carrots, large dice (about 5-6 peeled carrots)
  • 8-10 garlic cloves, smashed then chopped (Add more or less to suit your taste.)
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 2 large bay leaves
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • pinch red pepper flakes
  • 3-4 handfuls baby spinach, torn by hand (escarole or kale may be substituted)
  • 4 cups chicken broth (gluten-free)
  • 4 cups beef broth (gluten-free)
  • 1 small piece of rind from a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 3 ounces gluten-free Ditalini pasta (any small GF pasta may be substituted.)
  • Pecorino Romano, freshly grated cheese (Locatelli), or Parmigiano-Reggiano (not the stuff in the green container, please!)

    Directions

    1. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add the EVOO.  When EVOO is hot enough add the leeks, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and salt & pepper. Sauté on medium heat about 5 minutes.
    2. Add garlic, spinach, cheese rind, and 3/4 of the canned beans. Cook for another 3 minutes on medium-low flame until fragrant. Using an immersion blender, blend the remaining 1/4 beans then add to the pot and stir.
    3. Add the tomato paste and stir well.
    4. Add the hand crushed tomatoes, both broths & stir well. Add 3 oz of GF ditalini to the soup. (If you’re making more than 3 oz of GF pasta, we recommend you cook it separately & add right before serving.)
    5. Bring to a slow boil. Once it begins to boil, lower the heat to a simmer and simmer about 40-45 minutes or until vegetable are done.
    6. While the soup is simmering, prepare the GF ditalini pasta following package directions.
    7. Ladle soup into bowls & add the pasta. Sprinkle with grated Locatelli cheese (Pecorino Romano). Enjoy!

    Note: Please make sure all your canned ingredients are gluten-free.

    You can double this recipe for a big batch to freeze for later use. Just don’t add the pasta before freezing.

    , …

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    Tuscan Bean Soup – Twiins Style 🌻 🌻

    Published on by Twiins in the Kitchen5 Comments

    Tuscan Bean Soup - Twiins Style

    • Servings: 6-8
    • Difficulty: Easy

    With the first spoonful of our savory Tuscan Bean Soup you will be swept away to Tuscany admiring the sunflowers. It’s chock full of vegetables, delicious flavor & of course love! Serve as a main meal for either lunch or dinner and don't forget the toasted crusty bread to soak up every last drop. Enjoy!

    Ingredients

    • 1 (28-oz) can San Marzano tomatoes San Marzano tomatoes, crush with clean hands
    • 1/4 cup EVOO
    • 3 (15.5 oz) cans cannellini beans with liquid (divided into 3/4 and 1/4)
    • 1 rounded tsp Hunt’s tomato paste with garlic & basil
    • 1 leek, chopped (both white & green parts)
    • 2 yellow onions, diced ( I was out of yellow onions so I substituted with red)
    • 2 cups large celery stalks, large dice (about 3-4 ribs)
    • 2 cups large carrots, large dice (about 5-6 peeled carrots)
    • 8-10 garlic cloves, smashed then chopped (Add more or less to suit your taste.)
    • 2 tsp dried oregano
    • 1 tsp dried thyme
    • 1 tsp dried basil
    • 1 tsp dried rosemary
    • 2 large bay leaves
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 2 tsp Kosher salt
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • pinch red pepper flakes
    • 3-4 handfuls baby spinach, torn by hand (escarole or kale may be substituted)
    • 4 cups chicken broth
    • 4 cups beef broth
    • 1 small piece of rind from a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
    • 3 ounces Ditalini pasta (any small pasta may be substituted.)
    • Pecorino Romano, freshly grated cheese (Locatelli), or Parmigiano-Reggiano (not the stuff in the green container, please!)

      Directions

      1. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add the EVOO.  When EVOO is hot enough add the leeks, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and salt & pepper. Sauté on medium heat about 5 minutes.
      2. Add garlic, spinach, cheese rind, and 3/4 of the canned beans. Cook for another 3 minutes on medium-low flame until fragrant. Using an immersion blender, blend the remaining 1/4 beans then add to the pot and stir.
      3. Add the tomato paste and stir well.
      4. Add the hand-crushed tomatoes, both broths & stir well. Add 3 oz of ditalini to the soup. (If you’re making more than 3 oz of pasta, we recommend you cook it separately & add it right before serving.)
      5. Bring to a slow boil. Once it begins to boil, lower the heat to a simmer and simmer for about 40-45 minutes or until vegetables are done.
      6. While the soup is simmering, prepare the ditalini pasta following package directions.
      7. Ladle soup into bowls & add the pasta. Sprinkle with grated Locatelli cheese (Pecorino Romano). Enjoy!

      Note: You can double this recipe for a big batch to freeze for later use. Just don’t add the pasta before freezing.

      To make this soup gluten-free, use GF broth & GF pasta.

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