Split Pea Soup with Ham Hock

Split Pea Soup with Ham Hock

Ingredients: 

• 16 oz bag of dried split peas
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove or more if you like more garlic, use 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 8 cups fat-free chicken broth
• 2 tsp of olive oil
• 2 large carrots - chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 ham hock

Directions:

Wash peas and drain them. In a pot, saute onions and garlic in about 2 tsp of oil.

Add peas, carrots, ham hock and your chicken stock, then cover the pot and let it come to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Once it boils you can reduce heat and cook for about two hours (beans should be very soft by then). Make sure to check the water and consistency. You may need to add hot water if it becomes too thick.

Remove ham hock and serve or spoon part of soup into blender to make for a thicker soup.  (I typically blend 1/2 - 3/4 of teh soup b/c we like it thick)


* This soup freezes very well.

Vegetable Lasagna

Vegetable Lasagna 

Ingredients

7 oz lowfat goat cheese
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp minced garlic
4 cups prepared pasta sauce
1 lb lasagna
Freshly ground black pepper
2 small zucchini, diced
2 small summer squash, diced
3/4 cup bottled roasted red pepper, diced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Preparation

Heat oven to 375°F. Mix goat cheese, olives, thyme, basil, oregano, and garlic in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Spread 1 cup pasta sauce on the bottom of an 8" x 11" baking dish. Add one layer of lasagna and season with black pepper. Add a layer of zucchini, squash, and red pepper. Dollop spoonfuls of goat cheese mixture over vegetables and spread to cover. Repeat layers, finishing with pasta and sauce. Sprinkle Parmesan on top, cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes or until top browns. Let stand 10 minutes; serve.


suggestions

butternut squash
add mushrooms
add eggplant
increase goat cheese by a few ounces for more cheesey lasagna
and add ricotta
prep then freeze before cooking.  remove from freezer and defrost on counter or cook frozen (increase time by 30 mins).

Australia inspired party

Dessert Table

We had a few Aussie inspired desserts... Lamingtons, Anzac biscuits, &, Tim Tams.  We also had vanilla cupcakes w chocolate frosting and vanilla frosting, black and white cookies, macaroons, dark chocolate peanut butter cups, chocolate covered espresso beans, carmel popcorn, and eclairs.

 Cheese Tray

 No one, not a single person, liked the Vegemite

 Australian wine

 Aussie beer bar.

guests rated their favorites

Dinner table.

We served bolognes, chicken marsala, vegetable lasagna, ceasar salad, mixed green salad, & rolls.  We also passed chicken Parmesan bites, stuffed mushrooms, and Australia meat pies.