Lasagna Soup (Our Best Bites)

2 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. Italian sausage (could use turkey sausage)
3 c. chopped onion
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp. dried oregano
optional: 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 T tomato paste
28 oz. can diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken broth
8 oz. fusilli or mafalda pasta (or other pasta of your choice)
1/2 c. chopped fresh basil, or a heaping T. dried basil

8 oz. ricotta cheese
1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
pepper to taste

Heat oil, add sausage & brown.  Add onions and cook until softened.  Add garlic, oregano, & red pepper flakes.  If you're using dried basil, add at this point. Cook about a minute.  Add tomato paste and stir.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock.  Stir to combine. Bring to boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 30 min.  You can add the dry pasta to the soup in the last 8-ish minutes of cooking, or as I prefer, and cook the pasta separately and add to individual bowls.  Right before serving, stir in fresh basil and then season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a bowl combine ricotta, parmesan, salt and pepper

To serve, place a generous dollop of the ricotta mixture in each bowl, add pasta if you cooked it separately, and ladle the hot soup over the cheese. 

Nana Sue's Famous Rolls

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup margarine
2 1/2 cup warm water
2 TBS yeast
2 tsp salt
2 eggs
7 1/2 cup flour

Mix sugar and margarine together. Dissolve yeast in water. Add eggs and yeast to sugar mixture. Add flour and salt. Cover bowl with towel or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

***This bread dough can be used to make any kind of rolls {a.k.a. the bread rolls Nana makes every Thanksgiving, cinnamon rolls, sausage rolls etc.}

For refrigerator rolls:

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to a circle. Cut like a pizza. Roll up each triangle large end first. Bake 375* until golden brown.

For cinnamon rolls:

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to a 10"x20" rectangle. Spread on butter, cinnamon and sugar. Roll to shape a log. Cut in 1 1/2" pieces. Place in greased 13"x9" pan. Either bake or let dough rise again. Bake 375* until golden brown on top.

For sausage rolls:

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to a 10"x20" rectangle. Spread pesto, mozzarella cheese, hot Italian sausage, and sun-dried tomatoes {optional}.  Roll to shape a log. Cut in 1 1/2" pieces. Place in greased 13"x9" pan. Either bake or let dough rise again. Bake 375* until golden brown on top.
Nana usually then tops this with homemade Alfredo sauce and grilled vegetables.