Cooking Lessons for Dad

Cooking Lessons for Beginners

Pasta, Bean and Vegetable Soup

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Pasta, Bean and Vegetable Soup

Pasta, Bean and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound (about 1 cup) blackeye peas, dried
  • 8 cups water (plus water for soaking)
  • 8 teaspoons chicken broth/seasoning, powdered (vegan or regular)
  • 3 cups onion, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
  • 1 cup celery, chopped
  • 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
  • 14.5 ounce can tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cup pasta, tiny shapes
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon Kosher salt (to taste)
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon ground pepper (to taste)

Instructions

    1: Sort and rinse the beans. Remove any rocks or debris. Soak the beans overnight (6 - 8 hours) in about 6 cups of cold water.
    2: Drain and rinse the soaked beans.
    3: To a large pot add 8 cups water, chicken seasoning and the soaked beans. Bring to a boil.
    4: Add the onion, garlic, celery, and red bell pepper. Return to a boil.
    5: Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 60 minutes or until the beans are a soft as you like them.
    6: Stir in the tomatoes, pasta, salt and pepper.
    7: Simmer the soup uncovered until the pasta is cooked to desired tenderness (see pasta package for cooking time). Stir occasionally while it is simmering.

Notes

You can use 8 cups liquid chicken broth in place of the powdered /broth/seasoning and water. I prefer using a vegan chicken broth seasoning and water for this recipe. It does not have any added preservatives or unhealthy ingredients. You can also adjust the amount of seasoning and/or water separately to your taste.
I often use Ditalini pasta for this soup. Ditalini is a very small type of tube shaped pasta. You can use any small sized pasta for this recipe.
Adjust the ingredients to your taste.

© Karen Breyer

Try this delicious Pasta, Bean and Vegetable Soup! This is an easy, healthy soup recipe that everyone will love. It is filled with tasty, healthy ingredients that will really satisfy you. It is perfect for a main or side dish. Serve it with garlic toast and you will feel like you are eating in a fancy restaurant (without the high cost)!

In this cooking video Karen Breyer will show you step-by-step how to make this Pasta, Bean and Vegetable Soup. Watch this cooking video and serve this tasty Pasta, Bean and Vegetable Soup recipe for dinner tonight!

Quinoa

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Learn how to cook Quinoa! In this video Karen Breyer will show you step-by-step how to make Quinoa. Quinoa is very easy to make and takes half the time of regular rice. Quinoa can be used in place of rice in most recipes. It can be part of a main dish, side dish or in soups, salads and even puddings.

Quinoa is a tiny, bead-shaped grain that cooks like rice. It is actually a grain-like seed that contains more protein than any other grain. It is a complete protein (contains all eight essential amino acids). Quinoa has a light flavor similar to couscous. Watch this cooking video and try this easy Quinoa recipe today!

Yield: About 4 cups

Quinoa

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cups water

Instructions

  1. Rinse and drain quinoa in cold water.
  2. Add quinoa and water to medium sauce pan.
  3. Bring to a boil.
  4. Reduce to a simmer.
  5. Cover and cook until all water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Notes

When the quinoa is done it will appear soft and translucent. The germ ring will be visible along the outside edge of the grain.

Season quinoa as desired or use in another recipe.

You can cook quinoa in the rice cooker. Add 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa. I sometimes make half brown rice and half quinoa (or any ratio).

See a cooking demonstration of this Quinoa recipe on the Cooking Lessons for Dad YouTube channel.

© Karen Breyer

 

Pasta and Chickpea Soup

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Try this delicious Pasta and Chickpea Soup! In this video Karen Breyer will show you step-by-step how to make this easy, healthy Pasta and Chickpea Soup. If you are looking for new dinner ideas, I think you will be very happy with this really good pasta and chickpea dinner recipe. This is a very healthy recipe that both both kids and adults will love!

This healthy, delicious soup is so easy to make it is a perfect recipe for beginners. This simple, yummy meal will impress even the most picky eaters. You can even serve this Pasta and Chickpea Soup to important dinner guests! It can be served as a main dish or side dish. For a main dish I suggest serving it with a salad, and garlic or other crusty bread. This Pasta and Chickpea Soup is a healthy, vegetarian recipe that everyone will love. Watch this cooking video and try this easy Pasta and Chickpea Soup recipe today!

Yield: 6 - 8 servings

Pasta and Chickpea Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 - 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
  • 1 cup onion, diced
  • 1 - 15 ounce can tomatoes, diced (with juice)
  • 2 - 15 ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 6 teaspoons chicken broth/seasoning, instant
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon basil, dried
  • 1 teaspoon marjoram, dried
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon rosemary
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup pasta, small (like shells)
  • 6 cups baby spinach, fresh
  • 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) salt
  • 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  2. When the pan is hot add the garlic and onions. Sauté until the onions are soft.
  3. Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, chicken broth/seasoning, water, basil, marjoram, rosemary, cayenne pepper. Stir and simmer 15 - 20 minutes.
  4. Add the pasta and spinach and simmer about 5-7 minutes or until the pasta is cooked.
  5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Adjust the seasonings as desired.

You can use 6 cups of chicken broth in place of the chicken seasoning and water.

You may want to top this Pasta and Chickpea Soup with Parmesan cheese.

You can double this recipe. If you do it will take longer to come to a simmer.

If you add a larger pasta wait a few minutes before adding the spinach so the spinach does not get overcooked.

See a cooking demonstration of this Pasta and Chickpea Soup recipe on the Cooking Lessons for Dad YouTube channel.

© Karen Breyer

 

Garlic Egg Pasta

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I hope you are having fun learning how to cook! Please share with me your favorite easy recipe that you have tried this year. So far my favorite easy recipe is Easy Garlic Egg Pasta. It has only a few ingredients and tastes so good! I would suggest using a Teflon pot to make clean-up easier. I think Easy Garlic Egg Pasta may become one of your favorite recipes too. Below is the cooking video for this recipe in case you want to try it. Happy Cooking!

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