Let's Do Lunch PIZZA SOUP...Eat Until Full

[Charlotte C.]

Ok Little Mary I am going to try your pizza one day this week. I sure hope I like it as much as everyone else does. I already had the Tamale Pie. It was great.
                  Charlotte

[LINDA RN]

I made my all-time favorite Taco Soup today. Grandkids love it.

[Charlotte C.]

I meant to say pizza soup Little Mary.
                                      Charlotte

[Charlotte C.]

Little Mary I made your pizza soup today, will have it tomorrow because I already had lunch today. I cant wait it SMEELS SO GOOD. Been on LDL for 18 days now.
                      Charlotte

[Charlotte C.]

Little Mary the Pizza Soup was just as I expected 
                                                                    Thanks a bunch
                                                                          Charlotte

[LINDA RN]

Charlotte,
For variety, I saute sliced zucchini, onions, mushrooms & peppers to add to the Pizza soup.
I also brown lean hamburger meat to add if I am eating it for lunch.
It is sooo good and very filling!

[Charlotte C.]

Sounds good to me to Linda. I made mine with venison. Just let me say that I have truly loved these message boards.They are so helpful, everybody here is so nice. Everyone here has really been a blessing to me.
                                                                                      Charlotte

[mylifeforhim]

Linda, boiling the whole squash in a big pot of water is the only way I've ever fixed spaghetti squash. It's so easy to do that way!!

Ollie

Ollie, how long does it take to boil?  I have such difficulty cutting in half when I bake it, which makes me not make it very often.

[mylifeforhim]

Charlotte,
For variety, I saute sliced zucchini, onions, mushrooms & peppers to add to the Pizza soup.
I also brown lean hamburger meat to add if I am eating it for lunch.
It is sooo good and very filling!

Linda, if I haven't mentioned it lately, I sure do appreciate you taking the time to help with LDL food ideas.   

[barrypaxton]

Mlfh, I do a really hard boil for about 45 minutes. I penetrate it with a fork to test for doneness.

Ollie

[mylifeforhim]

Thanks, Ollie!  I can't wait to try it this way.  I have so many ways to add toppings, LDL approved of course, but haven't found an easy way to do this.

[LINDA RN]

Boiling it is definitely easier. Thanks Ollie for giving a time frame. I was just guessing at it. Fortunately it turned out OK.
Will try timing it next time and hopefully fix it more often. Love the taste of it.

[MsHeirloom]

Pizza soup update.  I made a batch of pizza soup yesterday and tried leaving the pinto beans whole.  We liked it even better as we got to bite into and chew the beans.  It made the soup feel even more substantial!  This is such a great and versatile recipe.  Add whatever ingredients you love (LDL appropriate of course) to make it your own!  Pam

[LINDA RN]

I considered that also Pam, but guess I just could not imagine Italian Pinto's.
So I added mushrooms and sauteed zucchini for substanence!
One of these days, Italian Pintos!
I can learn!

[SweetRose]

Don't forget , there are Italian beans!

The good ol' internet provided me with the following information:


Popular Italian Beans
The region of Tuscany is famous for its bean production; cannellini, white kidney beans, is perhaps its most popular bean and these are simply referred to as fagioli. Other popular Tuscan white beans include soranini, toscanello, corona and schiaccioni. While many cooks will substitute one white bean for another, each strain provides its own individual shape and tecture to a given dish. Of course, white beans are cultivated in other areas of the country, but Tuscany seems to be their rightful home.


Borlotti at Italian Market
Borlotti is a beloved bean of northern Italy. Borlotti is also considered to be the healthiest due to its high iron concentration. This bean in particular is a popular meat substitute. These red, tan and brown speckled beans turn a dark brown on the outside and a yellow on the inside when cooked. They add a delightful creamy consistency to any recipe.

Fresh or dried fava beans are a staple of Abruzzo, Puglia, Campania as well as Sicily. A staple of southern Italian cuisine, fava beans are hardy and widely available. Purchasing beans that are already skinned and split is the preferred method for ease of preparation. Buying whole beans in their protective skins means calls for hours of soaking as well as a tinge of bitterness when they are cooked.

Lentils, or lenticchie, are eaten all across Italy. With their nutty taste, lentils are ideally small and brown. The most select lentils are grown in Umbria, Abruzzo and Sicily. Although lentils do not demand soaking previous to cooking, they are best when soaked for about an hour. With all beans, keep in mind that the fresher the bean, the better it will taste when used in your favorite recipes.

SweetRose

[MsHeirloom]

The lentils sound great and the fagioli...  Thanks!

[LINDA RN]

Interesting, SweetRose, thanks for sharing.
I actually had the canellini beans in the Ruby Tuesday's White Chicken Chili.
I like the canellini beans better than any other white bean.

[nana thomas]

I have not tried this soup yet..but it sounds very yummy...going to next week.. I have already got my menu this week....