Italian vegetable noodle soup is one of my all time favorite soups. I’m one of the strange people who love soup all year round. Scott only likes it in cold weather and I was glad that the nights are finally getting cooler so I could make up a big pot of goodness.
Most soups require an all day simmer and lots of salt. Luckily, this soup is very easy and super flavorful. In fact, you can add your own favorite ingredients and it would be just as good. It’s also really easy to prepare on a boat, with only two pots.
This soup would also pair great with our Antipasto Chicken Salad recipe for a heartier meal.
Enjoy!
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Italian Vegetable & Noodle Soup
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This hearty comfort food soup is very easy to make on a boat and is a definite crowd pleaser!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped Checkout my chopper recommendation on our Boat Gear & Gadgets page
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 5 oz European bacon or pancetta, chopped You can find European bacon in the butcher section, or you can use thick bacon
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 12 oz can diced tomatoes with garlic & olive oil
- 1/2 tsp thyme, dried
- 1/2 tsp summer savory, dried
- 1/2 tsp oregano, dried
- 4 cups kale, no stems chopped I buy bags of chopped kale, but be sure to pick through it and remove stems
- 1 12oz can white kidney beans, drained (cannellini beans)
- 5-6 cups chicken broth this varies depending on how liquid you want your soup to be
- 8 oz ditalini pasta, cooked
- 1/4 cup shreeded parmesan cheese
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped Checkout my chopper recommendation on our Boat Gear & Gadgets page
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 5 oz European bacon or pancetta, chopped You can find European bacon in the butcher section, or you can use thick bacon
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 12 oz can diced tomatoes with garlic & olive oil
- 1/2 tsp thyme, dried
- 1/2 tsp summer savory, dried
- 1/2 tsp oregano, dried
- 4 cups kale, no stems chopped I buy bags of chopped kale, but be sure to pick through it and remove stems
- 1 12oz can white kidney beans, drained (cannellini beans)
- 5-6 cups chicken broth this varies depending on how liquid you want your soup to be
- 8 oz ditalini pasta, cooked
- 1/4 cup shreeded parmesan cheese
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Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large stock pot and add onion, carrot and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until tender. See my note below about my vegetable chopper.
Chop the European bacon and add to the pot. Again, you can find European bacon in the butcher section - it's a bit more smokey than regular bacon. If you can't find that, you can use pancetta or bacon, just make sure they are thick sliced. Cook bacon for about 5-7 minutes until slightly crispy. Season with salt and pepper.
Add diced tomatoes, thyme, summer savory, oregano and kale. I buy bags of chopped kale, but be sure to pick through the kale and remove any stems. Cook for about 3-5 minutes.
Add kidney beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 35 minutes. Add cooked ditalini pasta and simmer for 2 minutes. Top with shredded parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread.
This smoked salmon pasta is probably the top favorite recipe I have been making over the past five years. It all started when I owned our wine shop, The Wine Alley and we started carrying a local smoked salmon. Steve’s Hot Smoked Salmon, is made locally in Buckley. It’s unlike any other smoked salmon you will try. It’s extremely moist and super flavorful! You can get this at The Wine Alley or at some local grocery stores.
Don’t try and serve this simply as an appetizer by itself, unless you have more than one filet. It will disappear in literally five minutes as I learned the hard way.
How the Smoked Salmon Pasta came to life
Back to the smoked salmon pasta dish! Scott and I were working late one night and I didn’t have time to go to the grocery store, but I knew I had some salmon in the fridge at the wine shop. I decided to whip up a simple pasta dish and when I say simple, that’s exactly what this is! It only has a handful of ingredients and it is elegant enough to serve at a dinner party. It also would be super easy to make on a boat! Enjoy!
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Smoked Salmon Pasta
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This is an all time favorite dish that I make for friends and family who rave over it. It is rich and hearty and super easy to make.
Instructions
Make pasta according to the directions.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil and saute' onions until tender, about 3 minutes. Season with garlic salt, ground pepper and parsley. Add whipping cream, stirring frequently. To thicken, mix corn starch with water and gradually pour into cream mixture. If it gets too thick, then add some pasta water until you get the consistency you like. Add smoked salmon, breaking it up into bite size pieces. Stir in capers and cooked pasta. Stir in parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
Pasta with Chicken, Kale & Mushrooms
Pasta, chicken, kale, mushrooms and whatever else is in the fridge. The other day I found a recipe for chicken soup with mushrooms. It sounded delicious and I was planning on making it. However, Scott only eats soup on a cold blustery day (yes, this is true!) and it happened to be a nice sunny day.
I’m not one to waste ingredients, so I wondered, what else could I make? I’ve been trying to use up tons of my veggies in the fridge and so I decided to whip up a quick pasta! This is so easy and filling. You can easily make it on the boat for a crowd! Enjoy!
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Pasta with Chicken, Kale & Mushrooms
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There is a lot more in this pasta than chicken, kale and mushrooms. In fact, you could add any of your favorite veggies too! This is a very rich and hearty dish, perfect for cold boating season.
Instructions
Cook pasta according to the directions, drain and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil and add onions and mushrooms. Saute' until tender, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic, bacon and kale. Season with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Add chicken stock and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add whipping cream and chicken and blend well. Cook for another 5 minutes until thickened. To make the sauce thicker, in a small bowl, whisk corn starch with 2 tbsp. of water and add to skillet. Add cooked pasta to the mixture and mix in parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Chicken Chili for those tailgating nights!
White chili, also known as Chicken Chili is a favorite in our house. Now that Fall & Winter is arriving, who doesn’t love chili especially when watching your favorite football team? Chili is actually very easy to make on a boat in a small galley and it keeps for a few days for great leftovers.
While I love traditional chili, there’s something about Chicken Chili that is just as tasty and makes me feel like I’m eating healthier! Happy cooking!
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Chicken Chili
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This medium spicy chili is easy to make and a definite crowd pleaser. Even my husband, who only likes traditional chili loves this recipe!
Instructions
In a large pot, heat canola oil and add onion & jalapeno. Cook until tender under medium high heat. Add diced garlic and all of the spices and cook for about 2 minutes (do not let the garlic burn). Add 1/2 of the white kidney beans and smash them in the pot. Add chicken broth, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add corn, chicken, remaining white kidney beans and pinto beans. Simmer for about 25 minutes. If you want it thicker, add 1 tbsp. of water to the corn starch and mix thoroughly. Add to the chili, stirring to keep it from clumping.
Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, diced avocado, sour cream, chopped cilantro & crushed tortilla chips.
Recipe Notes
Since I don't like chopping onions & other veggies, especially on a boat, I use my Onion Chopper by Müeller
 . It works great, collects the onion in the bin (no mess and no tears) and the clean up is easy!
This post may contain affiliate links for products I mention.
Butternut Squash is a Fall Favorite Dish
It has been so hot and dry this summer in Seattle that everyone is just waiting for the changing of seasons. Finally it got into the 50’s yesterday and I was ready to make a Fall dish. I grow lots of sage, so I decided it was time for my roasted butternut squash ravioli.
Normally, this isn’t a recipe you would prepare on a boat. You could though, since you only need two burners, so I decided to share it with everyone. At home, we have a Cuisinart SmartPower Duet Blender
& Processor which is much smaller than a regular food processor. It would work great on a boat, based on it’s size. I also don’t make the raviolis from scratch, I use won ton wrappers. They are much easier and lighter than traditional pasta dough.
I like to pair this with my super greens roasted beet, walnut & blue cheese salad for a elegant meal.
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Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce
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This ravioli dish is rich and elegant for any dinner party. The butternut squash has a light sweetness to it and topped with the brown butter sauce this is a great comfort food dish.
Instructions
Roasted Butternut Squash
Pre-heat oven to 375º. Spread squash evenly on a foiled cooking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place 3 garlic cloves (peel on) on the same cookie sheet. Bake for about 35 minutes until tender.
Ravioli
Place roasted squash & garlic cloves with remaining filling ingredients (except won ton wrappers) in food processor and puree until smooth. You may have to do this step in two batches, depending on the size of your food processor. Line a cookie sheet with non-stick foil. Place one won ton wrapper on a non stick surface. Brush edges with water and place a heaping teaspoon of puree in the center. Take another wrapper, brush the edges with water and place carefully on top of the wrapper with the puree. Seal edges tightly using your fingers and then crimp edges with a fork.
Line a cookie sheet with non-stick foil. Place prepared raviolis and repeat until you make 16 or more raviolis. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a subtle boil. Boil raviolis for about 4-5 minutes on medium. (You want the raviolis to boil gently so they do not break open). Carefully drain by removing the individual raviolis with a strainer onto serving plates (do not dump into a colander).
Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Once raviolis begin to boil, begin making the butter sauce. Place the stick of butter in the center of a 12" saute' pan and melt on medium high. Once the butter starts to get frothy, stir in sage leaves (they will fry in the butter), nutmeg, salt and pepper. Continue cooking for about 1-2 minutes until it is caramel in color and nutty. Pour sauce over raviolis, sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and serve immediately.
Black Bean Salad with Corn
This black bean salad is a great summer side dish for any grilled dinner or party. It’s easy to make ahead and tastes delicious! It reminds me of the Caribbean and we make it with our Jerk Pork Chops.
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Black Bean Salad
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This summer salad is easy to make ahead of time and is perfect for any bbq. It is a crowd pleaser!
Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk all of the lime dressing ingredients and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients and pour in dressing. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Sausage & Potato Foil Pack – Great Meals on a Boat!
A very easy meal to prepare on a boat is a foil pack. These are so versatile with a variety of ingredients & easy cleanup. One of our favorite combinations is sausage, potato and beans. You can either cook the packs on your grill or if your boat has an oven, they are great baked as well.
Check out our recipe below!
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Sausage & Potato Foil Packs
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This combination of sausage, potatoes, onions and beans are the perfect all in one meal!
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine olive oil with spices. Make four foil packs with heavy duty foil, double thickness about 12" x 12".
In a large bowl, toss all ingredients with olive oil mixture to blend well. Divide sliced sausage and chopped vegetables equally and place in the center of each foil pack. Seal each pack tightly. Grill on med high to high for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Recipe Notes
If baking the foil packs, bake at 425º for about 20 minutes.
Grilled Tenderloin Steaks – the perfect dinner!
We love grilled tenderloin steaks. Recently, I have been buying O Organic grass fed steaks at Safeway. Besides the fact that they are grass fed, I love the fact that they are the perfect size for a meal. Ever notice when you go to buy a steak it could feed three people?
These steaks are obviously more expensive per pound, but typically I can buy a package of two steaks for less than $12. In addition, they are easy to pack for a weekend on the boat since they are sealed tight.
Our Magma grill on the boat does not have a large surface space. Grilling smaller steaks allows for other food items to be grilled too. We also use a lava stone from Island Grillstone. These come in 6″ x 12″ or 12″x12″ and we use the smaller one on the boat. See below.
Pair these steaks with red potatoes & spinach for a complete meal! Enjoy!
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Grilled Tenderloin Steak
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Instructions
Pre-heat grill. Combine all of the spices & garlic in a small bowl. Rinse and pat dry tenderloin steaks. Brush olive oil on all sides of the steaks and rub spices in evenly. Allow steaks to come to room temperature*.
Grill steaks to desired likeness. Medium rare = internal temperature of 120º. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
*Keep in mind, when you are on a boat in hot weather, do not leave any food items in hot sun.
A great summer time meal for boaters
Grilled salmon is one of our favorite meals. Since we are moored so close to the Wild Salmon Seafood Market at Fisherman’s Terminal, we love to pick up the catch of the day and grill it on the boat.
Recently, we were in Gig Harbor and we stopped by a spice shop called “For the Love of Spice“. They specialize in handmade spices and we bought “The Catch of the Day” spice for fish. Pair your fish with grilled summer vegetables and you have the perfect meal!
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Grilled Salmon with Summer Vegetables
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This is the perfect summer meal and it is easy to prepare!
Ingredients
Grilled Summer Vegetables
Ingredients
Grilled Summer Vegetables
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Instructions
Rinse and pat dry salmon. Rub 1 tbsp of olive oil on flesh side and rub in seafood spice all over. Set aside.
Combine 1 tbsp of olive oil with crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Toss olive oil mixture with chopped vegetables.
Light grill to high heat. Place veggie grilling basket on grill to heat up. Once pre-heated, grill the salmon to your liking. Put veggies in grilling basket and grill until tender. Serve salmon with lemon wedges and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Be sure you know if the water in your boat's holding tank is clean and safe for food prep. If not, use bottled water to rinse your seafood and vegetables. See my blog post about potable water.
We use a grilling stone made out of lava both at home and on the boat.) On the boat, we have a Magma Grill, which we love.
& Processor which is much smaller than a regular food processor. It would work great on a boat, based on it’s size. I also don’t make the raviolis from scratch, I use won ton wrappers. They are much easier and lighter than traditional pasta dough.
