December’s Crumb Connection is Ruth (aka Rufus) from Rufus for Real! I have been a huge fan of Ruth for what feels like forever on Instagram! I adore her straight forward “talk to the camera” style! It’s so nostalgic of classic cooking shows; and of course it helps that she’s hilarious. Ruth’s blog, rufusforreal.com is gorgeous. Here content and photography is so beautiful, and the whole place is just a wonderland of great recipes! I’m so excited to share her blog with the world here in the ATC community for December, check her out!
Crumb Connections is a monthly feature on A Toasted Crumb where I showcase a fellow blogger, creator, and member of the foodie community. To connect and discuss being featured on Crumb Connections, contact me at amber@atoastedcrumb.com!
“Hey, guys! My name is Rufus aka Ruth. If you’re wondering, and I’m sure you are, Rufus is a childhood nickname that stuck…hard. So, I roll with it! A big mess maker in the kitchen and a true garden pirate, I am married to my best friend, Blake. Together we have two beautiful little girls, Auden and Isla, who keep us on our toes 24/7. We make our life in a small town in West Texas along with our Schnauzer, Iggy.
Life is crazy, but life is so good. A little chaos sprinkled into a lot of love and laughs is how we thrive. I created this space as a way to connect to anyone who shares the love of simple, whole food cooking and easy, healthy recipes. Around here, it’s real food that’s real good. And that’s how we like it!”
-Ruth (aka “Rufus), RufusforReal.com
I asked Ruth if she’d be willing to submit a recipe for this month’s Crumb Connections feature; she agreed and sent over her recipe for her White Lasagna Soup recipe! Thanks Ruth!
For Ruth’s recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Cooked Chicken – This recipe is perfect for a rotisserie chicken!
- Bacon – I love using the bacon renderings to cook my veggies in.
- Mushrooms – For this recipe, I love using Baby Bellas. They have more flavor!
- Onions – I don’t know how to cook without onions.
- Garlic – for, garlic.
- Sun Dried Tomatoes – For a tangy bite and color.
- Kale – For added nutrition, color, and to get more veggies into my kids. Spinach would be a great substitute.
- Italian Seasoning – Use your favorite for easy, added Italian flavor.
- Chicken Broth – For the soup base. I use my bone broth.
- Heavy Cream – To make the soup rich and creamy.
- Parmesan Cheese – For that awesome, salty bite that makes parm the king of cheeses.
- Ricotta Cheese – A creamy base for the surprise dollop at the end.
- Mozzarella Cheese – To add to the dollop for ooey, gooey-ness.
- Fresh Herbs – An easy way to add a ton of flavor to the ricotta dollop. Use dried herbs if you would like.
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper – Because you need it. That’s why.
To make White Lasagna Soup, Ruth recommends the following equipment:
- dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot
- chef’s knife
- cutting board
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
How to Prepare Ruth’s White Lasagna Soup:
The Process
- Render the bacon in a large, heavy bottomed pot on medium-high heat. After the fat is rendered, remove the bacon. Reserve the cooked bacon for topping at the end.
- Add the onions. Sauté those for just a few minutes and then add the mushrooms and garlic. After 2-3 minutes, toss in the kale, sun dried tomatoes, and Italian seasoning, cooking those until the kale begins to wilt.
- Add the chicken broth. Let that and the veggies come up to a simmer.
- While the soup comes up to heat, in a separate pot, boil the water for the pasta. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
- Once the soup comes up to a simmer, simply stir in the chicken and heavy cream.
RICOTTA DOLLOP
- Mix all of the ingredients for the ricotta dollop together in a separate bowl. Taste for salt and pepper. Add to your liking.
SERVING
- Add the cooked pasta to the White Lasagna Soup. Add a healthy dollop/scoop of he ricotta mixture and stir it through. Top with the crumbled bacon.
- Enjoy!
Check out more of Ruth’s recipes and follow @rufusforreal on all of her socials!
- Instagram: @rufusforreal
- Facebook: @rufusforreal
- TikTok: @rufusforreal