Jolene's Recipe Journal

T is for Tomato and Tortellini! When it comes to comfort food, few things are as satisfying as a bowl of soup. This Tomato Tortellini Soup is hearty, flavorful, and comes together in less than 30 minutes.

P is for Peas, Peppers, Parsley and Pasta!  We’re up to the letter P in the Alphabet Challenge, and I knew right away that this Peas and Pepper Pasta Salad was the perfect pick! It’s light, colorful, and packed with fresh flavor—just the way I like to eat this time of year.

O is for Orzo! For the letter O in the alphabet challenge, I made Orzo with Parmesan and Basil, a cheesy, buttery side dish that comes together fast.  

A is for Aglio e Olio Pasta This year I'm participating in a bi-weekly challenge with some blogging friends to post recipes using all of the letters in the alphabet.  It  can feature a food that begins with the letter of the week or the recipe name can contain the week's letter.

Z is for Ziti! This year I'm participating in a bi-weekly challenge with some blogging friends to post recipes using all of the letters in the alphabet.  It  can feature a food that begins with the letter of the week or the recipe name can contain the week's letter.

“There are five elements: earth, air, fire, water and garlic.”  Louis Diat April is #NationalGarlicMonth and today I'm getting together with some foodie friends to celebrate the delightful Alium.  Being Italian, garlic is a staple item in most of my favorite dishes and I always have some on hand.

Welcome to #BrunchWeek! We've been shifting our weekend schedules more in the last year and that's pushed our first meal of the day sort of out of the breakfast time period and more into a brunch one. I've been testing out some recipes and one of my favorites is this Chicken Pesto Pasta.

Pesto Pasta & Potatoes is an easy side dish made with tender potatoes, pasta, green beans, and pesto tossed together for a simple, satisfying combination. It can be served warm or chilled and is great for make-ahead meals or gatherings.

Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup is a hearty pasta soup with Italian sausage, fresh vegetables, and a savory broth. It freezes well for easy weeknight meals. 

Welcome to Farmer's Market Week!  I'm so fortunate to live within 20 minutes of several farms and orchards, and I try to get to one at least weekly.  Nothing beats produce that has just been harvested that day!

  In my younger days, I thought I'd like to visit New Orleans during Mardi Gras.  Now that I'm firmly in my adult years, I think that while I'd still like to visit, my goals would be centered much more around food than partying.

I'm Italian, so this month's Improv Cooking Challenge should have been a no-brainer for me.  The first required ingredient was Italian Seasoning, which I buy in bulk because I go through it so fast.  The second, wine, was a little trickier.  I don't drink it, but I do keep a bottle of red and a bottle of white on hand for when recipes require it.

January is a time when many people make the decision to eat healthier.  I personally made that decision in October 2017, and I've lost 50lbs!  Now if you are a follower of the blog, you know I'm not eating all healthy 100% of the time, I'm a big believer in enjoying everything in moderation.

Welcome to Farmer's Market Week! This week the Festive Foodies and I will be sharing lots of great recipes featuring products that you can get at your local farmer's market.  I am so fortunate that we're I live in New Hampshire, we are surrounded by farms and orchards.  I'm a happy girl when I can finally say goodbye to winter and the farms start opening up.

It's #NationalPeanutButter Day! Up until 2013, we were a peanut and tree nut free household.  My husband and son both are allergic to tree nuts, and my son was allergic to peanuts.  It was easier to eliminate all nuts from the house than it was to avoid cross contamination.  I was never a huge fan of peanut butter, so I didn't really miss it.

Even if you're not a sports fan, here's something you can cheer for- Toasted Mexican Ravioli! I've made breaded raviolis before, and they are always a hit there.   This fun spin on them is perfect to snack on while watching your favorite team.  

Meal planning used to be a no brainer for me.   Lately, changes to our schedules, weather, and general lack of inspiration have all been affecting my ability to plan.   My usual MO is to check out what I've got pinned or in my "On-Deck" folder, then I think about what I've got on hand, or if a trip to the store is needed.    Sometimes, I get my kick in the pants based on the "Food Holidays" calendar.

This easy-to-follow Copycat Olive Garden Fried Lasagna recipe recreates the crispy, cheesy goodness with perfectly golden bundles served with rich marinara and creamy Alfredo sauces. On a recent trip to Olive Garden, I tried the Lasagna Fritta, a deep fried lasagna dish with gooey cheese and two fantastic sauces.    Few chain restaurant dishes stick with me, but I had a hard time getting this one out of my mind.   I decided I wanted to recreate it at home, but instead of an appetizer portion, I wanted dinner size.   

The cold New England weather has me searching for comfort food recipes.  I ran across this recipe from the Betty Crocker site in my to-try file, but I had no heavy cream.  

I've been making variations on these lasagna rolls for a while.   I change up the ingredients based on what I have on hand.   Measurements are estimated, I rarely measure shredded cheeses or sauce.  I used about 1/2 of a 26 oz jar.