Welcome Soup Season With A New Copycat Recipe

 How has your September been going? It's been so busy around here, the month kind of flashed before my eyes. We celebrated an 18th birthday, our first school-related illness resulting in the little guy missing two days, attended our homecoming football game, took Max's very first field trip to an apple orchard (which Bubbie took the day off school to join us), I went to my first PTL (think PTA) meeting, and more I can't even remember right now. You can understand why I blinked and now it's almost October. 

When does soup season begin in your house? For us, the minute Labor Day was over, I started putting more soups on our weekly menu. Even though we had some summer-like hot days, it was time! Now that the temps have indeed fallen to more autumn like highs, and October knocking on the door, I'm sure more families are ready to celebrate all things soup, chowder and stew. 

I'm sure this will be the first of many new soup recipes over the next several months, as we enter into even colder weather, but I wanted this to be the debut because it has quickly become one of our favorites.

A copycat of an Olive Garden classic, this Chicken Gnocchi Soup can be on your table in about 30 minutes! Perfect during the crazy busy week when you're exhausted and just need to eat before heading out the door again. 

Let's stop here for a minute and talk about the chicken in this soup. I can't believe the price of fresh chicken these days at the store, so I decided to use canned instead. Leftover rotisserie or roasted would be great too, but I didn't have any on hand, and didn't want to spend the $$$ on a package of boneless breasts. Sure, canned chicken won't work in certain recipes that call for cooked chicken, but I have found that in many soups, it's perfect and much easier on the budget. 

This creamy, hearty soup will fill you up and thaw you out at the same time. It is filled with so much flavor, it tastes like it cooked all day, and not quickly on the stove top. Add a big bowl of copycat Olive Garden Salad and you have a complete meal; and don't forget some crusty bread too! 

However you decide to welcome fall, and with it, soup season, I hope you're finding ways to put some fun into your busy days and yummy things to come home to after!

 

Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

2 (12 oz.) cans chicken, drained and broken up

1 (16 oz.) package gnocchi

1 TBS olive oil

1/4 cup butter

1 quart half-and-half

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup flour

1 cup matchstick carrots, rough chopped

2 stalks celery, diced

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 heaping cup spinach, rough chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp dried thyme

Salt and pepper  

In a large pot, melt butter with olive oil over medium high heat. Sauté onion, celery and garlic for 5 minutes until soft. Sprinkle with flour and cook 1-2 minutes more. Whisk in half-and-half and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Whisk in chicken broth and simmer 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add carrots, chicken, thyme, parsley, and gnocchi. Simmer until gnocchi float to the top. Season with salt and pepper. Add spinach and cook 5-10 minutes to heat through. Serve immediately. 

 

Copycat For Lent

 We are smack dab in the middle of Lent...so have you run out of meat-free ideas on Friday yet? You've done cheese pizza, tuna sandwiches, fish sticks...what's next? How about a delicious copycat of a favorite restaurant pasta, that can be done faster than it takes the Doordash driver to deliver it?

We love Olive Garden (well, let's be honest, we love pasta, period) but with the rising cost of everything it isn't a place that is on our regular restaurant rotation. Don't get me wrong, we love to eat out, but we have our places that we know we can feed all 4 of us without breaking the bank; and Olive Garden is more of a "special occasion" place, like for my birthday last month! 

Nobody can get enough of those fresh baked bread sticks and unlimited salad (Oh, I have a great copycat recipe for that famous salad too! Click here to see it!) but their pasta is definitely what keeps everyone coming back over and over. Let's not forget their amazing soups too! I have a terrific slow cooker version of their Zuppa Toscana which is my favorite they serve. 

My husband's favorite Olive Garden pasta is their Fettuccine Alfredo, so that was the next copycat recipe I needed to conquer. I have been making a homemade alfredo for years, but theirs definitely tastes different. But just like mine, it is super easy and can be done while the pasta cooks! That's right, you can have this delicious homemade pasta supper on the table in about 30 minutes! 

If Olive Garden is one of our favorite restaurants too, but reserved for extra special days, now you can satisfy that craving any time you want! Plus, if you need some extra dinners for the next few Lent Fridays, problem solved!

Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo

1 lb. fettuccine pasta, cooked to package directions

6 TBS butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups milk

1 TBS minced garlic

2 TBS flour

1 cup grated Parmesan Romano cheese

Parsley, for garnish

Salt and Pepper

While pasta cooks, melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Cook garlic for 1 minute until fragrant. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the cream and milk a little at a time, whisking the entire time, until well combined. Bring to a gentle bubble and then reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese, in a figure 8 pattern, until thick and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. When pasta is cooked, drain well and add to skillet with sauce. Using tongs, gently toss to coat. Garnish with parsley and serve.

 

Shared at Weekend Potluck