The Bomb Homemade Spaghetti Ohs!

Finally sharing this one after a few tweaks...

32 oz Chicken Broth (I use Progresso b/c it doesn't have loads of crap like some of the other store bought chicken broths)
1 c. water
6 oz Tomato Paste
1 T. dried minced onion
1 T. garlic salt
1 T. sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
8 oz. (2 cups) Anelleti (spaghetti circles)

Bring the chicken broth to boil.

Drop tomato paste, onion, garlic salt, sugar, butter and parm in the blender pitcher (I know they're outrageously expensive, but I think ever kitchen should have a Vitamix blender. After killing 4 or 5 blenders, some mine, some not, making Pina Coladas and other various and sundry concoctions, John finally bought me a Vitamix BarBoss and it's the greatest! We use it for smoothies, milk shakes, mixed frozen drinks and Spaghetti Ohs just to begin with.)

After the broth comes to a boil add 2 cups to the blender and puree.

Add one cup water to the remaining 2 cups broth and return to a boil.

Add 2 cups Anelleti to boiling broth mixture and cook until pasta is tender and broth is mostly absorbed.

Add tomato sauce mixture to pasta and return to warm burner, mixing to thicken slightly.

Serve immediately with an additional dusting of Parm is you like.

So delicious, and so much better for little growing bodies than the canned garbage.

Legumes for Breakfast?

Lentils are so delicious and considered one of the healthiest foods in the world (along with olive oil, yogurt, soy and kimchi)! We grew up on Past'e Lenticchie (especially Fridays in Lent), which is a soup of lentils, parsley, tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil--Heavenly! After I got my grain mill I started grinding everything I could think of, and lentils eventually topped the list of favorites. We cook this up mostly for breakfast, but it could be done for dinner, too. It's great for babies, expectant (and pre-expectant) mothers, due to its high iron and folate content, and is perhaps the most economical source of protein on the market. If you don't have a grain mill, it grinds up very nicely in the blender on "grate."

For Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Lentils:

2 cups ground lentils
8 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and cook on low until thick and creamy. Serve into bowls and top with another drizzle of olive oil, diced tomatoes, fresh parsley, minced onion or anything that strikes your fancy! The whole meal can feed a family of 8 for about $1! My oldest daughter likes to add ground split peas and cracked buckwheat to this recipe, which is always very nice.

Buon Apetito!