Citrus Vanilla Biscotti With Pistachio

April 19, 2022 by 2 Comments

spring biscotti

These citrus and vanilla biscotti have just the right amount of sweetness with lots of crunch, a nice treat when you want a little something with your coffee or tea.

They’re light and satisfying, a nice seasonal change with the citrus and you can eat them plain, drizzle with a lemon glaze ( which is really good) or if you want to fancy them up, dip the ends in white chocolate and add some sprinkles for a nice colorful spring treat.

sliced up biscotti

You can also switch up the nuts that you use, I chose pistachios but slivered almonds would work as well, or just eliminate them if you’re not a nut lover.

cut biscotti

If you’re a dunker leave them plain like this and dunk away! I on the other hand am not a dunker, I prefer some crunch and frills.

decorated biscotti

Biscotti are sturdy, they pack well and stay fresh for a long time so they’re also great for gift giving too.

platted biscotti

Who wouldn’t enjoy this for an afternoon treat?

citrus vanilla biscotti

Get the coffee going!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Citrus Vanilla Biscotti With Pistachio
 
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Spring and summer Citrus vanilla biscotti, you'll want to keep a stash of these!
Author:
Ingredients
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 eggs
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 6 Tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter
  • 1½ teaspoons of baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon each of lemon, orange and vanilla extract
  • zest of.1 orange and 1 lemon
  • ⅓ cup of pistachios or slivered almonds (optional)
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 350º Line a baking sheet with parchment.
  2. In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar, add the eggs, extracts and zest.
  3. In a small bowl whisk the flour, salt and baking powder, then incorporate that to the wet ingredients.
  4. Fold in the nuts if using.
  5. Form two logs right on the parchment around 3x12 then pat them down to ¾ of an inch thick.
  6. Place into the oven for 25 minutes, then remove and let them cool completely.
  7. Turn oven down to 325 degrees.
  8. Then make slices with a serrated knife and stand them straight up on the baking sheet.
  9. Bake an additional 30 - 35 minutes according to your liking.
  10. You can eat them plain like that, or dip the ends in melted white chocolate, adding sprinkles, or finish them with a drizzle of lemon glaze made with 1 cup of powdered sugar and the juice of fresh lemons to reach the right consistency.

 

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2 Comments Filed Under: Cookies, Desserts, Spring Tagged: , ,

Baked White Fish With Vegetable Salsa

April 4, 2022 by 1 Comment

veggie salsa on baked fish

Here’s a quick, easy, go-to meal you can make mid week or anytime. Baked white fish topped with a delicious and super flavorful vegetable salsa.

After you’ve chopped up your veggies for the salsa you’ll have dinner on the table in minutes!

flounder filets

I used flounder in this recipe because I came across some nice fresh filets, flounder is a delicate fish with tender flakes, but honestly any white fish will do.

Cod is a wonderful substitution as well as grouper, halibut and sole to name a few.  If the fish is more thick and dense your going to have to adjust the cooking time a little, but other than that the delicious results will be the same.

vegetable salsa

The vegetable salsa is the shining star of this dish, the bright colors and vibrant flavors make whatever fish you use really shine.

uncooked fish

fish ready for the oven

Just generously cover the uncooked filets all over with the salsa and then let the oven do it’s magic.

baked fish

The flavors will all meld together in great harmony.

baked whitefish

Such a light, healthy, colorful and good for you meal, enjoy!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Baked White Fish With Vegetable Salsa
 
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A quick, colorful and intensely flavorful fish dish.
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Ingredients
  • 1½ lbs. white fish filets of your choice such as cod, flounder, sole, grouper
  • FOR THE VEGETABLE SALSA
  • 1 small zucchini, diced small
  • ½ red onion, diced small
  • ½ each of a yellow and orange pepper, diced small
  • a good handful of pitted mixed olives, slightly chopped
  • a good handful of sliced grape or cherry tomatoes
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • a handful chopped parsley
  • olive oil
  • paprika
  • lemon wedges
Instructions
  1. Place all your chopped vegetables into a bowl, add the parsley, garlic, everything for the salsa, then drizzle in enough olive oil to make it a loose consistency, salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Place your filets into a glass baking dish that has been drizzled with olive oil.
  3. Salt and pepper the filets and give them a light sprinkle of paprika.
  4. Generously top the filets with the vegetable salsa, covering the fish all over, add in a few lemon wedges.
  5. Place into a 400 degree pre-heated oven for 15-18 minutes.
  6. NOTE: I used flounder which is more delicate and less dense, but if using a thicker fish adjust the time accordingly.

 

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Shrimp Oreganata With Homemade Breadcrumbs

March 14, 2022 by 3 Comments

stuffed shrimp

Shrimp Oreganata is a super flavorful, Italian American baked seafood dish. What’s nice about this dish is that it can be prepared ahead of time and it only takes a few minutes to bake. It’s perfect for a party, midweek meal or just a great seafood option when you need one.

Shrimp oreganata can be the ultimate appetizer or served as a main along with a salad or vegetables of your choice or just pair it with some pasta, you can’t go wrong.

breadcrumbs

What I feel takes this recipe to another level is making your own breadcrumbs by using up leftover chunks of bread you might have around.  In my house it most certainly is a baguette, crusty Italian bread, ciabatta, or I’ve even used sourdough, good bread really makes a difference here it’s so much better than store bought which is too finely ground with no flavor.

It’s a simple procedure to make your own, take your chunks of bread and whirl it in a food processor into small chunks, then spread it onto a baking sheet single layer, bake til light golden at 350 degrees F. tossing and checking them and making sure they’ve also dried out.

After they’ve cooled down you can either place them back into the food processor and whirl to your desired crumb size, or put them into a zip lock bag and tap the bag a little with a rolling pin to get your desired size, that’s what I did.

breadcrumb mix

The breadcrumbs are then seasoned well and drizzled with olive oil which will eventually create a delicious golden and crunchy crust on top of the shrimp.

butterflied shrimp

Speaking of shrimp, don’t waste your time using small shrimp, only large or jumbo will do. I used the large size for this and I prefer buying deveined with the easy peel so I can leave the tail on. Side note: I usually buy mine at Whole Foods.

It’s also important to butterfly the shrimp because as you can see above it leaves you with a nice flat area to pack on your seasoned oreganata breadcrumbs.

To butterfly shrimp, make sure they’re cleaned and deveined, take off the shell up to the tail but leave the tails on. Use a knife and slice along the back curve starting from the head area but don’t cut all the way through, then open it up like a book.

stuffed butterflied shrimp

Bake them on a foil or parchment lined sheet pan drizzled with olive oil, then drizzle a little more on each stuffed shrimp before placing them into a pre-heated 425 degrees F. oven for maybe 10 minutes or so depending on the size of the shrimp.

platter of shrimpshrimp oreganato

Serve immediately and enjoy every bite!

Shrimp Oreganata With Homemade Breadcrumbs
 
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Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 dozen large or jumbo shrimp, in the shell
  • 2 cups homemade breadcrumbs (as stated in post)
  • 2 Tablespoons of very soft, room temp unsalted butter
  • ½ cup, chopped parsley, (more for garnish)
  • 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons, grated cheese
  • pinch of red pepper flakes, (optional)
  • oregano or Italian seasonings
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • lemon wedges and parsley for garnish
Instructions
  1. Peel, devein and butterfly the shrimp leaving the tails on, then pat them down of any moisture, (directions are in the post).
  2. Drizzle a little olive oil on the shrimp along with a small sprinkling of salt and pepper.
  3. In a small bowl add the bread crumbs, butter, garlic, zest, parsley, red pepper flakes and grated cheese, mix well.
  4. Drizzle olive oil into the mixture until you see a wet sand look, then taste for seasoning to your liking.
  5. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees F. then line a sheet pan with foil or parchment, drizzle lightly with olive oil.
  6. Top each shrimp with a good amount of the seasoned breadcrumbs.
  7. Place shrimp on sheet pan, drizzle them with a little olive oil and bake around ten minutes or so more or less according to your oven and size of shrimp.
  8. Don't overcook them, place on a platter garnished with lemon wedges and parsley and serve immediately.

 

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3 Comments Filed Under: Breads, Party Foods, Seafood Tagged: , ,

Neapolitan Semolina And Ricotta Cake

March 1, 2022 by 7 Comments

semolina and ricotta cake

I’ve been wanting to do a post on this recipe for years, now that I know the proper name, Migliaccio I knew it was time. This recipe has been handed down in my family from my mother and aunt who would make it together, it’s a special cake made with semolina and ricotta along with flavors of citrus, vanilla and rum soaked raisins.

In my family it was always called “mul-yach” and I knew that couldn’t be the proper name because every time I mentioned it to anyone they had no idea what I was talking about.

It wasn’t until about a year ago when I posted a picture of it on Instagram and asked if anyone knew the proper name of this recipe and that’s when I got my answer.

Migliaccio di Carnevale, it’s a traditional sweet dish that comes from Naples and it’s served at Carnival.

cooking semolina

What’s unique about this cake is that it uses cooked semolina as an ingredient along with ricotta which results in a semi firm texture and holds up well to the flavors and any additions added. This cake is crustless and pudding like.

cooked semolina

The first thing you want to do is cook the semolina until it’s nice and thick where it clumps up and you can see the bottom of the pan, then you have to cool it down before you add it to the other ingredients.

semolina ingredients

There are many variations to this recipe with little tweaks here and there, if you do a Google search you’ll see what I mean. You can also bake this cake in a rectangle dish like I always make mine or you’ll see many using a spring form pan as well, it’s totally up to you.

semolina cake

I have to tell you, in my opinion the rum soaked golden raisins are key to this, if you don’t like rum try Grand Marnier, or just plump them up with hot water. If you don’t want raisins you can just add some of the flavorings, make it your own.

migliaccio cake

Here is my tried and true recipe, enjoy!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Neapolitan Semolina And Ricotta Cake
 
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A traditional Neopolitan sweet cake made with semolina and ricotta known as Migliaccio
Author:
Ingredients
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • ¾ cups semolina flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 8 oz. ricotta, drained if full of liquid
  • ¾ cups sugar
  • 5 whole eggs
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 1½ teaspoons, vanilla
  • ¾ cups of golden raisins
  • rum, enough to cover the raisins
  • powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Butter a 9x6 rectangle casserole dish or use an 8 or 9 inch spring form pan.
  2. In a medium pot add the milk and bring it to almost a boil then add the. semolina and whisk until it thickens in a clump and pulls away from the pan, 5 minutes or so, then take it off the heat and let it cool.
  3. Put the raisins into a small bowl and cover them with the rum, place into a microwave for 2-3 minutes, set them aside for 15 minutes, when ready to incorporate drain them of the existing rum.
  4. In a large bowl using an electric mixer add the sugar and ricotta beat together then incorporate the eggs one at a time til nice and creamy.
  5. Add in the cooked and cooled semolina along with the zest and vanilla, beat slowly until nice and smooth.
  6. Lastly add in the raisins and incorporate.
  7. Pour the mixture into baking dish and place in a 400F. pre-heated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.
  8. Let it cool down then sprinkle with powdered sugar right before cutting into it.
  9. Store in fridge.

 

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Cod Fish Cacciatore Style

February 22, 2022 by 24 Comments

cod stew

With Lent soon approaching fish dishes will become front and center and although there are multiple ways to cook fish, this is one of my favorites, cod fish made cacciatore style.

Cacciatore means hunter in Italian and it refers to a meal prepared hunter-style, usually in a pan with tomatoes, vegetables, herbs, wine and other things.

wild caught cod

There are numerous chicken cacciatore recipes if you search for them, I even have one here on my blog, but this recipe is changed up by using fish, fresh wild caught cod.

Actually you can use any firm white fish, I just like using cod because it’s readily available in my area and also reasonably priced and super delicious.

cod cacciatore

The cod poaches in a full-bodied sauce and the fish takes on all that delicious flavor in every bite.

cod Italian style

Crusty bread is a must for sopping up those juices but you might also want to serve this with pasta, rice or potatoes as well.

plated cod dinner

I opted for some roasted asparagus to keep it on the lighter side but believe me I’ve had it with angel hair pasta and it’s amazing!

5.0 from 10 reviews
Cod Fish Cacciatore Style
 
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A healthy fish option loaded with flavor!
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Ingredients
  • 1½ lbs. of fresh wild caught cod, or other firm white fish cut into 3 inch chunks and patted dry
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 4 cloves chopped. garlic
  • 6 or 7 campari tomatoes ( they're the size of a golf ball, if you can't find them use grape tomatoes to match equivalent size. You just want to use fresh tomatoes and have enough so that the fish can nestle in among the veggies and when it cooks down creates a sauce, large chop the tomatoes
  • tomato paste, a good 2 or 3 tablespoons
  • red pepper paste for heat, (optional) according to your heat level or some a pinch of red pepper flakes
  • olives, kalamata or castelvetrano your desired amount
  • 2 tablespoons, capers
  • dry white wine, a good splash
  • broth, to even out sauce
  • fresh chopped basil, parsley and thyme
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a heavy bottomed pan drizzled with olive oil, add the peppers, onions, garlic, sauté til softened.
  2. Add a good squeeze of tomato paste and optional red pepper paste or pepper flakes onto the veggies.
  3. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Splash in the white wine and incorporate it with the veggies and let it cook down for a minute.
  5. Add the tomatoes, capers, olives, herbs and a little broth, and let it simmer til tomatoes break down and thicken up, taste for seasoning adding more of what you like, if too thick, add some broth, or too thin add more tomatoes.
  6. When sauce has thickened up and pretty much finished cooking add the fish and nestle it all around spooning some of the sauce on each piece.
  7. Simmer and slightly cover the pan, fish cooks quickly, when it looks opaque it's done.
  8. Sprinkle with more of the herbs for garnish.
  9. Serve alone with crusty bread, green veggie, pasta, rice or potatoes.

 

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Savory Baked Ricotta Cheese Dip

February 11, 2022 by 10 Comments

dip and crackers

If you’re looking for a warm dip that’s perfect for game day, a special occasion or just a snack at anytime, look no further, my savory baked ricotta cheese dip is the one for you!

It’s warm and creamy, filled with cheese and herbs, a touch of garlic and a bit of cherry tomatoes for extra added flavor. It’s a recipe I guarantee you’ll want to double or triple.

ricotta dip

Decorate the top like an Italian hummus with more herbs, olive oil, red pepper flakes to enhance every scoop. You can serve it with toasted baguette slices, fresh veggies or your favorite crackers, it’s all good.

baked ricotta

A nice shallow baking dish works well for this because it gives you a nice surface to spread the cheese onto and to put on your toppings.

Whip up this savory baked ricotta cheese dip for a special treat!

Savory Baked Ricotta Cheese Dip
 
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Game day, special occasion or just a delicious snack, this dip is the one for you, you'll definitely want. to double or triple the recipe!
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups. of ricotta, if too liquidy drain in a strainer over a bowl for a couple of hours or overnight in the fridge
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup of grated romano or parmesan cheese
  • 5 or 6 sliced cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon each chopped basil and parsley
  • zest of half a lemon
  • 1 grated galic clove
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • OPTIONAL, you can add some sliced olives if you like, extra chopped herbs for the top, red pepper flakes, more parmesan or romano and olive oil of course
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 375F. then. oil a shallow baking dish.
  2. In a bowl hand whip til smooth and incorporated the ricotta, egg, grated cheese, basil, parsley, garlic, zest then fold in the sliced cherry tomatoes.
  3. Bake for 20 minutes or until set.
  4. I like to finish it under the broiler for a minute or two to get it nice and golden.
  5. Decorate the top with more herbs, red pepper flakes, (optional) a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of grated cheese.
  6. Serve warm with crostini toasts, crackers or fresh veggies.
  7. I highly recommend doubling or tripling this recipe!

 

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Lemony Sweet Whipped Ricotta with Fresh Berries

February 2, 2022 by 1 Comment

berries and ricotta

If. you’re looking for a quick, no bake very impressive dessert, this is the one for you. Sweet whipped ricotta with fresh berries. When ricotta is whipped, by means of a food processor it becomes very creamy and velvety and takes on a whole new life and then layered with fresh berries it becomes the perfect dessert.

You can sweeten it up with different sugars, zests, extracts and juices and even a little liquor if you like.

triple berries

A light and healthy dessert using fresh berries of your choice, it’s low in carbs and so quick to make.

processing ricotta

You’ll want to use good quality whole milk ricotta and if you get it from a deli it’s usually holding on to some liquid and if that’s the case you’ll want to drain it overnight in the fridge with some cheesecloth or a fine strainer over a bowl, at least for a couple of hours then you’ll be good to go.

I used a little limoncello and lemon zest for mine but lemon extract or juice plus zest is wonderful as well.

whipped ricotta

Don’t be afraid to give it a good processing, up to five minutes because you want that creamy, velvety texture.

lemon whipped ricotta

You can make your sweet whipped ricotta a few hours ahead and store it in the fridge until dessert time

berries and ricotta

You can serve it parfait style with multiple layers or simply the way I did, I highly suggest adding some nuts to top it off. Enjoy this simple, elegant light dessert!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Lemony Sweet Whipped Ricotta with Fresh Berries
 
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Transform ricotta into a super velvety texture by whipping it in a food processor.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. whole milk ricotta, drained of liquid if "wet" by using a cheese cloth or fine strainer overnight in the fridge
  • ⅓ cup of sugar, either powdered or regular
  • Zest of a lemon
  • Additional flavors ( at this point taste for sweetness and lemon flavor, you can add some lemon juice or a little lemon extract,( start out small) or even limoncello liquor, start with a small amount and taste to your liking.
  • Assorted mixed fresh berries
  • nuts for garnish
Instructions
  1. Add the drained ricotta into the bowl of a food processor and process till velvety smooth, could be up to 5 minutes.
  2. Add the sugar, zest, and any flavorings, then taste to your liking. Feel free to sub in orange zest and juice if you prefer that over lemon.
  3. Process until all the flavors are all mixed together.
  4. Layer with fresh berries and nuts.
  5. You can make this a few hours in advance and keep in the fridge until dessert time.

 

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Savory Vegetable Ricotta Tart

January 20, 2022 by 3 Comments

veg tart

A savory vegetable tart that features creamy ricotta studded with fresh spinach, roasted butternut squash and red onions that are packed into a crispy phyllo crust.

First of all don’t let phyllo pastry scare you, it’s so forgiving, you could accidentally rip or tear it and no one would know the difference, it hides imperfections beautifully. I use to be afraid of it, in fact I did a post about it here. That being said there’s always a box sitting in my freezer now for sweet and savory dishes.

creamy ricotta

Besides phyllo dough the other important element to this tart is a good quality ricotta. I always buy mine in the deli section of my Italian grocer and it usually has  some watery liquid that clings to it when they scoop it out for you. You’ll want to drain the ricotta for a couple of hours or even overnight, you’d be surprised how much liquid comes out, this should be done to ensure your ricotta tart doesn’t bake up soggy.

savory tart

Honestly you can top your tart with any roasted vegetables of your choice, I chose butternut squash because it’s perfect this time of year. You can also tailor this tart to what veggies are in season and what goes together well, like I did here with spring vegetables.

ricotta veggie tart

The creamy ricotta compliments the crunch factor of the phyllo crust with every single bite. You’ll love this tart for lunch, brunch or dinner with a green salad on the side, enjoy!

Savory Vegetable Ricotta Tart
 
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Creamy vegetable ricotta filled tart with a crunchy phyllo crust
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Ingredients
  • 4 cups good quality ricotta, drained of any excess liquid
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 a nice handful of fresh chopped spinach
  • 3 small garlic cloves grated
  • ½ cup grated pecorino or parmigiano
  • 1 generous cup of shredded provolone or shredded mozzarella
  • 1 medium butternut squash, diced and 2 red onions sliced
  • 8 sheets of. phyllo pastry, defrost according to package directions
  • olive oil
  • fresh thyme
  • olive oil spray for ease of coating the phyllo
  • tart pan with removable bottom, I used a rectangle pan 11-1/2 x 7 -1/2
Instructions
  1. Peel, dice and roast the squash at 400F til slightly golden and tender on a baking sheet drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper and a little fresh thyme ( you'll definitely have extra leftover). Slice your onions leaving root in tact so they stay together when roasting.
  2. In a large bowl add the ricotta, eggs, spinach, garlic, pecorino and shredded provolone and mix it all up very well to a smooth consistency, add salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Spray or oil your tart pan, then one by one add a sheet of phyllo, spraying or brushing oil on each one as you go, layer by layer into your tart pan, at the same time being careful to cover the remaining sheets with a damp cloth so they don't dry out.
  4. When all the layers of phyllo are completed and oiled and into the tart pan, spread the ricotta mixture all over evenly.
  5. Top the ricotta with your roasted vegetables evenly spacing it all over. (I'm sure you'll have some extra squash leftover.)
  6. Tuck the ends of the phyllo all around the ricotta and tart pan.
  7. Spray or oil the crust all around.
  8. Add some fresh thyme, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of pecorino all around.
  9. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and roast at 400F for around 30 or so minutes until ricotta is set and the crust is deep golden.
  10. Let it cool down before cutting into it.

 

 

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Hearty Rainbow Veggie Salad and Beyond

January 6, 2022 by 4 Comments

veggie salad

It’s January, the holidays are over and if you’re like me there’s a need for a little detoxing, more veggies, less sugar. Although I enjoyed every carb ladened dish I had I’m now craving veggies and greens.

Chopping and prepping hearty vegetables in season is the perfect and ready to go stash for creating heathy meals that you can use in salads, soups and frittatas  during the week.

rainbow colored vegetables

Grab any of your favorite veggies, I used some I recently bought and some that needed to be revived in my fridge, you’d be surprised the amount you get when you slice a single pepper or a small head of broccoli.

roasted squash

I also roasted a butternut and acorn squash, two things I buy often during the fall and winter.

winter salad ingredients

This is definitely a substantial meal in itself with the addition of the roasted squash and some avocado resting on a bed of kale.

hearty winter salad

What kind of dressing would you use? I chose a hearty tahini dressing which really stood up to all the vegetables, bright lemon, garlic and creamy tahini, a recipe I slightly adapted from the What’s Gaby Cooking website.

tahini

Make sure to make enough it’s pretty amazing!

minestrone

You can always make a big pot of minestrone loaded with sautéed vegetables, simmered with broth, water and some spices. I like to add some beans and always a parmigiano cheese rind, it’s healthy, warms you up and it just screams detox!

veggie frittata

And finally you can never go wrong with a frittata. So many ways you can use up those veggies and it’s such a delicious and satisfying meal, here’s some ideas. 

 

Lighten up this January by adding more colorful veggies to your meals.

Hearty Rainbow Veggie Salad and Beyond
 
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This Tahini recipe is adapted from What's Gaby Cooking
Author:
Ingredients
  • ½ cup of organic tahini
  • 1 Tablespoon, olive oil
  • 2 small garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 or more tablespoons, fresh lemon juice
  • enough water to make a creamy consistency
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a bowl whisk everything together, tasting for enough lemon juice, salt and pepper.
  2. Slowly add some water little by little to reach a nice creamy consistency.
  3. Place into a jar and keep refrigerated.
  4. If it thickens up add a tiny bit more water to loosen it.

 

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Party Size Lasagna

December 24, 2021 by 10 Comments

full pan lasagna

Lasagna is the perfect party dish when serving a crowd, almost everyone loves it and the best part is you can assemble it the day before so all the dirty work is done and you can enjoy your guests the day of the party.

There’s nothing like the comforting smell of lasagna cooking in the oven. Who can resist layers of a rich meat sauce, creamy ricotta, melted cheese and pasta sheets that meld together and become one.

cooked lasagna

This is an Italian-American version of lasagna, sometimes known as Christmas lasagna in many households. An authentic Italian recipe is made with a Bolognese sauce and bechamel, both versions are delicious in their own special ways.

There’s also hundreds of variations using fresh pasta sheets, dry pasta, no boil and boil pasta. I’m using dry pasta that I pre-boiled just until it starts to get limp. I never got into the no-boil trend, although I’ve tried several times I always go back to my “old school ” ways.

lasagna pan

Since this recipe is all about feeding a large party size crowd I recommend using a large roasting pan, about the size 15 x 11 x 4 inches deep or close to those dimensions, I’ve seen 16 x 12 inch roasting/baking pans on Amazon, even the blue speckled kind that I have.

One of the benefits of using this type of pan is that the filling is contained so well with no drip overs or spillage, plus you can make it several layers deep and it’s easy to cut.

lasagna ingredients

I would advise making your meat sauce one or two days ahead of assembly day so it’s done and you’re ready to go!

pasta layer

Make sure the pasta completely covers the whole bottom of the pan.

pasta layers

Spread your meat sauce and ricotta, you don’t need to completely cover each layer, with six layers deep it all gets covered in the end.

cheese layer

Mozzarella and pecorino cheese a must.

party size lasagna

Almost to the top!

prepped lasagna

Six layers deep all prepped for the next day.

deep layered lasagna

At this point just top it with foil and stick it into the fridge.

cooked lasagna

Baked to perfection the next day.

lasagna layers

A real crowd pleaser! Serve it as a main with a big green salad on the side along with some crusty bread.

sliced lasagna

The secret ingredient is love ❤️

Party Size Lasagna
 
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There's nothing like a big lasagna to get the party going!
Author:
Ingredients
  • MEAT SAUCE
  • 1 lb. mild Italian sausage
  • 1 lb. ground chuck
  • 4 - 28 oz. cans of whole San Marzano tomatoes
  • 8 cloves of garlic, minced
  • fresh basil
  • 3- 1 lb. boxes of curly edge long lasagna noodles
  • RICOTTA FILLING
  • 3 lbs. good ricotta from an Italian deli which should be drained overnight so liquid is released
  • I heaping cup of grated Pecorino, plus extra for each layer
  • 3 eggs, whisked
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • ¼ cup chopped basil,
  • or ½ cup chopped frozen spinach that has been squeezed of all liquid
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • heaping ½ cup of shredded mozzarella, (dry, not fresh) plus an additional pound or so for the layers.( depending how cheesy you want it, I tend to go lighter).
  • olive oil
  • NOTE; YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE SO EXACT, THIS IS JUST AN APPROXIMATE AMOUNT.
Instructions
  1. Make your meat sauce ahead of time 2 or 3 days before assembling the lasagna.
  2. In a large heavy bottomed pan, brown your two meats together, breaking up any large chunks with a wooden spoon.
  3. When meat is brown, remove onto a paper towel to soak up any grease and wipe out any excess grease from pan.
  4. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan along with the chopped garlic, when golden add in all your tomatoes with a teaspoon of salt per can, use an immersion blender to make it smooth or squish them down.
  5. Add the meat back in along with some fresh basil and let it simmer for an hour or so.
  6. ********
  7. The day of assembly add your drained ricotta into a large bowl along with the grated Pecorino, ½ cup of shredded mozzarella, parsley, basil or chopped spinach. (at this point taste it for seasoning
  8. before you add the raw eggs, maybe you like more salt and pepper or more grated cheese, do it to your liking). Mix the. eggs and everything together well.
  9. Prep the noodles 1 lb. at a time, unless you have a huge pan, cooking them in salted water and a short drizzle of olive oil in the pot to prevent sticking, boil until the noodles are limp then pull them out one by one with tongs and place onto an oiled rimmed baking sheet to cool down.
  10. Repeat. Add more water to the pot if need be and get it to boil again before adding more pasta.
  11. *****For Assembly***
  12. Have your noodles, meat sauce, ricotta mixture, shredded mozzarella and additional Pecorino assembled in front of your roasting pan.
  13. Oil the pan on sides and bottom.
  14. Add sauce enough to cover the bottom of the whole pan.
  15. Add pasta noodles.
  16. Top with sauce then ricotta mixture, sporadically placed.
  17. Spread the shredded mozzarella and pecorino all over on top.
  18. Repeat up to six layers.
  19. Top layer will be sauce and pecorino.
  20. At this point, cover with foil and refrigerate.
  21. *****
  22. When ready to bake remove from fridge an hour before to take the chill out.
  23. Loosen the foil and place in a pre-heated oven at 375F.
  24. After 30 minutes remove the foil and top it with shredded mozzarella, as much to your liking and bake in for another 20- 30 minutes, then check it.
  25. The middle needs to be hot so check with a thermometer, temp should be at least 165 internal in the center and all around,
  26. Cook more if needed.
  27. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes or so, you want. nice cuts.
  28. Garnish with basil and more pecorino.
  29. Serve with extra warmed sauce on the side.
  30. Servings depend on how big you cut them, 15ish or so.
  31. You might have extra pasta sheets left over but you definitely need more than 2 boxes.
  32. NOTE: You can also make this with a marinara sauce as well and eliminate the meat. (I have a recipe on my website.)

 

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10 Comments Filed Under: Party Foods, Pasta Tagged: , , ,

Linguine with White Clam Sauce

December 6, 2021 by 4 Comments

pasta with clams

Linguine and clams or as Italians call it, Pasta Alle Vongole is the kind of dish that can make a midweek meal feel special as well as a date night dinner or a fabulous dinner for entertaining and the holidays.

Speaking of holidays, Christmas is a couple of weeks away and The Feast Of The Seven Fishes will be celebrated on Christmas Eve, and this is the perfect dish to feature as one.

ingredients for vongole and pasta

My white sauce version consists of good olive oil, lots of garlic, white wine and fresh clams. It’s so easy to make, very affordable and down right delicious!

In my version I like to use a mix of Little Neck clams in the shell and some raw chopped sea clams that I discovered over at Whole Foods from my fish monger. They’re freshly shucked and then frozen.schucked clams

If you can get your hands on these frozen chopped clams I highly recommend, very tender and delicious clam meat that tastes really fresh, but. remember they don’t have any clam juice with them, they’re just fresh shucked clams that are frozen, so you’ll need. bottled clam juice.

If you can’t find them you can replace it with 2 jars of shelled baby clams,  use the liquid but I still prefer the bottled clam juice.

I like going heavy on the clams, the more the merrier!

little neck clams

Although it’s not mandatory to add clams in the shell to this dish, I personally love the presentation and the mix of them both together.

opened clams

This dish comes together in less than 30 minutes, just get the water going for the pasta and start to make the sauce.

The longest part in making this dish may be the cleaning of the whole clams, I think I do a little over kill of that because one time, very long ago I left sand inside and ruined the whole meal, so I tend to rinse and rinse and rinse, so you’ll want to do that ahead of time.

Linguine and clams

It’s all so worth it in the end when you have this sweet and meaty clam and pasta dish filled with wine and garlicky goodness sitting in front of you!

Linguine With White Clam Sauce
 
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A special weeknight, date night, entertaining and holiday dish, linguine and white clam sauce will never disappoint.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 pound linguine or spaghetti
  • 1 lb. fresh shucked clams, previously frozen which I buy at Whole Foods, or ask your fish monger if they carry them, defrosted in fridge
  • (NOTE:) You can replace the frozen shucked clams with 2 7 oz. bottles of whole shelled. baby clams, use the juice it comes with or drain them and buy bottled clam juice.
  • 1 dozen whole fresh clams in the shell like Little necks or steamers. ( I always get a few more in case some don't open.)
  • 1 bottle of clam juice
  • 6 garlic cloves chopped
  • ⅓ to ½ cup of dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio, Chardonay or Savignon Blanc
  • ¼ cup and more of olive oil
  • chili flakes enough to your liking
  • a big punch of fresh chopped parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • a squeeze of lemon, not too much, just a little
Instructions
  1. You can store your fresh clams in a bowl with ice cubes on top a day ahead, do not submeergee in water.
  2. When ready to use the clams, scrub them first on the shell then place them into a bowl with cold water and a small handful of cornmeal, the cornmeal is said to draw out the sand, so I always do it. Let it sit for 10 minutes and scoop them out and discard the sandy water.
  3. Do the rinsing several times until you don't see any sand at the bottom of the bowl.
  4. In a big pot start your water boiling for the pasta, don't forget to add a nice handful of salt to the water.
  5. In a deep large skillet add the olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes, saute til lightly golden.
  6. Add the Little neck clams and the wine and let it reduce a little.
  7. Pour in ¾ of the bottled clam juice, (depending on juicy you want it you can decide to toss in the rest) the fresh shucked and defrosted clams or the 2 drained jars of clams plus a squeeze of lemon, put a lid on top and cook and steam til the whole clams open up and everything melds together, it doesn’t take very long.
  8. Discard any unopened clam shells or broken shells as well.
  9. Cook your pasta til al dente and toss into the clam sauce mix.
  10. Add the parsley, maybe more red pepper flakes and a good drizzle of olive oil all over.
  11. Enjoy!

 

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4 Comments Filed Under: Pasta, Seafood Tagged: , , , , , ,

Deep Dish Apple Galette

November 28, 2021 by 2 Comments

deep dish apple

Are you looking for a showstopper dessert that’s easy to make with warm flavors of cinnamon and apples? If so, this deep dish apple galette is the one for you.

I’ve always liked making fruit galettes, they’re rustic and freeform but always look amazing when finished, but I have to admit this deep dish galette is a step above all the others!

instructions for deep dish

The deepness comes from using a 9-inch spring form pan. I first saw this concept from a recipe Alison Roman created and I thought it was such a brilliant idea.

The deep sides of the pan allow you to really pack in the apple slices which makes for a beautiful and delicious presentation in every slice. I adapted her recipe by subbing in my way of making an old fashioned apple pie/galette. Alison’s is a little more elaborate for me by adding honey and sesame seeds.

cool down pie

Galettes are usually flat, no pan needed, no crimping or fancy adornments on top. Same concept here only the pan will allow you to stack those apples nice and high.

You’ll also be using more pie crust dough than a typical one crust for most galettes, you’ll need it to fit in the pan and also have enough dough to hang down the sides so after filling it with the apples you can drape the crust 1-1/2 to 2 inches over the apples.

I used a good quality store bought pie crust and ended up using 1 whole crust and half of the other so it was nice and easy, but feel free to whip up your own crust if you like just make enough.

top galette

The worse part will be waiting for it to cool down so you can eat it!

deep dish galette

I would’ve shown you a nicely cut slice but it completely vanished in an instant when I served it, but trust me the slices come out big and bold.

Deep Dish Apple Galette
 
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A twist on the typical galette, this one is stacked high with apples.
Author:
Ingredients
  • Pie crust, store bought using 1 whole crust and half of another, or homemade pie crust enough to fill a 9 inch spring form pan with excess to drape half way down the sides of the pan
  • 8 heaping cups of thinly sliced apples of your choice
  • 1 cup granulated sugar plus more to sprinkle on dough before baking
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons of cinnamon ( at this point taste for sweetness and if you want more or less cinnamon)
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • butter to dot on top
  • 1 egg whisked for brushing on dough
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 375F
  2. Lightly grease a 9-inch spring form pan then place pan on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet to prevent any drips.
  3. Roll pie dough out big enough to fit into pan and hang half way down the side of the pan, then place the rolled out dough into the pan.
  4. In a large bowl add the sliced apples, sugar, lemon juice, desired cinnamon, salt and flour, mix well.
  5. Place apple mixture into the prepared pan with the pie dough making sure it reaches the top
  6. Fold and drape remaining dough on the sides up and over the edge of the apples, no more than a 1½ to 2 inch border all around, so if you have excess just cut it.
  7. Brush border with egg mixture then sprinkle sugar over it.
  8. Dot some butter over the top.
  9. Place pan into the oven and bake til deep golden and you see the apple juices start to bubble.
  10. ( Note: mine took 1½ hours but ovens do vary so keep checking.)
  11. When finished baking let it cool for 2 hours and then release the spring gently on the pan.
  12. Make sure it's really cooled down before you cut into it, I used a serrated knife and slowly sliced each piece.
  13. Serve with ice cream!

 

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Brussels Sprouts Holiday Salad

November 10, 2021 by Leave a Comment

sprout salad

The holidays are fast approaching and menu planning is on the way. Brussels spouts have long been a tradition on holiday tables. Some people have a fondness for them and some do not, but brussels sprouts have come a long way since I was a kid.

This salad uses raw, shaved sprouts, you may think they would taste bitter raw but actually they taste mild compared to the old way of boiling or over cooking them.

shredded brussel sprouts salad

With all the rich heavy foods that are served up during the holidays it’s nice to have something fresh, green and lighter on the table as well as a festive presentation.

Another reason I like serving this salad is because it holds up really well at room temperature, so you don’t have to worry about it wilting as it sits out.

holiday salad

Fresh grapes, dried golden raisins, decadent marcona almonds with lots of shredded parmigiano make up this fresh take on a brussels sprouts salad.

I hope you give it a try, even the leftovers are good the next day!

brussels and sausage

If you’re looking for cooked brussels sprouts here are two of my favorites, this delicious combination of roasted sprouts with Italian sausage and balsamic glaze, and you can even have some fun with the presentation using the glaze.

smashed sprouts

And finally these addicting smashed sprouts with parmesan and lemon aioli, they’re made similar to the popular smashed potatoes but on the healthier side. They’re crispy and caramelized on the outside and tender on the inside, another perfect side dish to your holiday table and they’re gluten free!

Brussels Sprouts Holiday Salad
 
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Shaved brussels sprouts with fresh and dried fruits and nuts makes up a colorful and festive holiday salad.
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Ingredients
  • 4 heaping cups shaved brussels sprouts, prepare them by cutting off the stems and tearing off any brown leaves and thinly shaving them by hand with a knife, mandoline or food processor
  • ½ cup plus more, for finishing the salad of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
  • 1 cup fresh red grapes, sliced in half
  • ½ generous cup of plump golden raisins
  • ½ cup marcona almonds
  • handful of mixed greens or arugula
  • DRESSING
  • 1 part fresh lemon juice to 3 parts olive oil
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1 small garlic clove grated
  • a dollop of djon mustard
  • a teaspoon of honey
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Whisk up or shake in a jar all the dressing ingredients, taste to your liking by adding more or less of the ingredients.
  2. Place all the salad ingredients into a large bowl, tossing everything together then spoon in the dressing ( you don't want it soggy, add a little at a time).
  3. Taste for seasoning then either mound it high in a pretty bowl or serve it spread out on a pretty platter.
  4. Shower the top with additional grated parmigiano reggiano.
  5. Enjoy

 

 

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Pumpkin Tiramisu the Ultimate Fall Dessert

October 26, 2021 by Leave a Comment

tiramisu

Yes it’s October and we’re deep into all things pumpkin. This pumpkin tiramisu that I’m featuring is perfect for any fall gathering that you might be having. It’s very quick to make, no baking involved, easy for the upcoming holidays and it doesn’t include any raw eggs in the ingredients like the classic tiramisu does.

Espresso soaked layers of store bought lady fingers with just a hint of your favorite liquor, slathered with a pumpkin mascarpone cream mingled with whipped cream and warm spices.

pumpkin dessert

I like making my tiramisu freeform without a pan just layered onto a platter similar to my pistachio tiramisu. If you’re making a larger amount, maybe doubling the recipe it would be best to use a glass pan like a 9×12.

cake presentation

This is such an easy dessert to pull together and fun to make with your kids and grandchildren. You can omit the liquor and decorate the top however you wish.

pumpkin tiramisu loaf

So this fall and the upcoming holiday season you might want to add this twist on the classic tiramisu as a delicious alternative to pumpkin pie!

Pumpkin Tiramisu the Ultimate Fall Dessert
 
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A twist on the classic tiramisu and perfect for the fall season.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 package of savoiardi lady fingers or 18 total
  • 8 oz, mascarpone cheese, room temperature
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree, (not pumpkin pie mix)
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1-1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar, 1 for the espresso and 1 for the whipped cream
  • 1- ½ cups brewed espresso, cooled down
  • 2 Tablespoons liquor of choice like amaretto, spiced rum, kahlua or you can just leave it out or use less.
  • nuts to garnish the top or a dusting of chocolate
Instructions
  1. Brew your espresso, when cooled pour into a flat bottomed bowl and add the liquor which is optional and 1 tablespoon of the white sugar, mix well to disolve.
  2. TIP: If you open your canned pumpkin puree and you notice a lot of moisture and it's watery I like to briefly cook it on the stove in a pot or a skillet on medium low with constant stirring so it doesn’t stick or burn. Don't overcook it, just let it release some of the liquid and then let it completely cool down making sure you yield ½ cup puree.
  3. In a large bowl add the room temp mascarpone cheese, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and the pumpkin puree, with a hand mixer just mix till blended, don't over mix, mascarpone can curdle.
  4. In a small bowl add the heavy cream and the 1 remaining tablespoon of white sugar, beat til you reach medium peaks.
  5. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone pumpkin mixture until well incorporated.
  6. Have your flat bottomed platter ready for plating and one by one quickly dip the lady fingers into the espresso, don't let them get soggy just a quick dip will do.
  7. When you have 6 in a straight row smear on a generous layer of the pumpkin cream, then repeat with next layer of dipped ladyfingers on top of the others, more pumpkin cream on top of that then one last layer.
  8. All together you should have three layers using 18 lady fingers in total.
  9. Make sure the top layer is nicely covered with the pumpkin. cream and then garnish with chopped nuts or a dusting of chocolate or a sprinkling of pumpkin spice.
  10. Then into the fridge it goes so the flavors can meld together either overnight or at least for four hours.
  11. Serve in slices.
  12. You can get 6 to 8 slices depending how big you cut them.

 

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Spaghetti Squash with Browned Butter, Parmesan and Crispy Sage

October 8, 2021 by 1 Comment

parm squash

Autumn is here and squash season has arrived and I could honestly say I haven’t met a squash that I didn’t like. There’s a huge variety of squash to choose from, all packed with vitamins and minerals which makes them a healthy food option as well as being low in carbs and gluten free.

One of my favorite types of squash is spaghetti squash, it can become a hearty entree for lunch or dinner or the perfect side dish which I’m featuring here.

 

spaghetti squash

One thing I’ve learned from experience is not to over cook my squash in the oven, if you over cook it you won’t have those nice distinct strands that are so characteristic of spaghetti squash, so I like to cook mine a little al dente otherwise it can become one big pile of soft mush.

You’ll be cooking the strands a little more anyway, sometimes in the oven or like I did in this case on top of the stove.

cooked squash

It looks just like spaghetti doesn’t it?

brown butter and sage

You’ll need just a few ingredients, unsalted butter, garlic, fresh sage, freshly grated parmesan or even Granna Padano and your favorite toasted nuts, I like using hazelnuts for this.

toasted sage and hazelnuts

Browned butter has a nutty, deep caramelized flavor which enhances any dish something that regular butter just can’t do.

squash and parmesan

I’ve made this many times as a side to a light protein and it always gets rave reviews.

Or you can just grab a fork and eat it as is!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Spaghetti Squash with Browned Butter, Parmesan and Crispy Sage
 
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Take advantage of squash season with this side dish or entree of creamy and flavorful spaghetti squash
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 large spaghetti squash
  • 1 stick of unsalted butter
  • 1 large handful of fresh sage
  • 3 finely crushed or grated garlic cloves
  • a showering of grated parmesan as much as you like
  • toasted hazelnuts split in half
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds best you can, you'll also be able to remove them after it's roasted.
  2. Drizzle the cut squash with some olive oil, salt and pepper.
  3. Add parchment paper to a rimmed sheet pan and place the squash cut side down.
  4. Roast at 375 til the tip of a knife goes in easily, usually around 40 minutes but it really depends on the size of the squash. ( I once went a little over an hour and the squash was limp and mushy and the strands clumped together.) You're looking for an al dente feel.
  5. When squash is done cooking flip over to cut side up and let the 2 halves cool down.
  6. When squash is cool, take a fork and rake the squash to get all the strands making sure you get all the bottom and sides, then set aside the "spaghetti".
  7. FOR THE BROWNED BUTTER SAUCE
  8. On medium heat place the butter in a shallow fry pan, once the butter starts to foam add the garlic and sage, once it turns dark tan and smells nutty it's finished and the sage should be somewhat crispy, then add in the toasted nuts.
  9. You can remove the garlic if it gets too dark (optional).
  10. Toss in your spaghetti squash strands adding little bits of the crispy sage and preserving some for the garnish.
  11. Place the tossed squash onto your pretty serving bowl and GENEROUSLY shower it with grated fluffy parmesan cheese.
  12. Top with a few crispy sage leaves for garnish.

 

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Pork Chop Vesuvio For Two

September 25, 2021 by 2 Comments

one pan pork chops

There’s a popular dish here in Chicago called chicken Vesuvio. An Italian-American dish which is hearty and perfect for this time of year when the weather is starting to turn cooler. It has a luscious sauce that consists of olive oil, butter, white wine, lots of garlic, lemon and oregano, it’s so delicious you’ll be tempted to drink it on its own! The best version of chicken Vesuvio ( in my opinion and many others) uses bone-in chicken, although you can find it made with boneless chicken breasts as well.

This same technique of cooking the meat and making the sauce can also be applied to bone-in pork chops like I’ve done here.

pork potatoes and peas

Another distinctive feature of Vesuvio dishes is the addition of potato wedges and peas which take on all the amazing flavors from the sauce.

pork and savory sauce

Although this recipe for pork chops is for two you can easily double or triple it, and of course the same technique can be used for bone- in chicken. When making it with chicken you’ll  just need to make sure you have enough sauce depending on how many chicken pieces you use.

For this recipe I used two nice sized Frenched bone-in, center cut pork loin chops, this could definitely be a date night meal or a slow Sunday dinner.

pork chops Italian

All you need to serve along side this is maybe a salad or another green vegetable, and that will do it!

Enjoy!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Pork Chop Vesuvio For Two
 
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A special technique in the cooking process ( Vesuvio) creates this specialty dish very popular in Chicago at many Italian American restaurants.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 2 bone in Frenched, center cut pork loin pork chops
  • 2 russet potatoes, medium size scrubbed clean with skin on then cut into quarter wedges
  • 1 heaping cup of peas
  • ¾ cup chicken broth
  • ¾ cup dry white wine
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 6 garlic cloves, 3 whole and 3 thinly sliced
  • 1 to 2 Tablespoons of dry oregano
  • 3 tablespoons butter lightly rolled in flour (which helps gives the sauce a very light thickening)
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges
  • parsley for garnish
  • salt and pepper
  • olive oil
Instructions
  1. On a sheet pan drizzle the potato wedges with olive oil, salt and pepper then roast them at 400F til golden brown, then set aside.
  2. In an oven proof skillet drizzled with olive oil season the chops with salt and pepper and brown on both sides until almost done cooking, remove and set aside.
  3. In the same oven proof skillet add a drizzle of olive oil then add all the garlic and saute until lightly golden and starts to smell.
  4. Pour in the broth, then the wine, turn up the flame and let it reduce a bit.
  5. Add the lemon juice and oregano then whisk in the butter to make it glossy and thickened, if you need a little more butter go ahead.
  6. Place the chops into the sauce along with the meat juices, spooning that sauce all around.
  7. Arrange the potato wedges in the pan as well as the peas and lemon wedges.
  8. Simmer everything together making sure pork chops are done with a meat thermometer.
  9. I like to finish mine off under the broiler to give the whole dish a nice golden finishing color.
  10. Garnish with the chopped parsley.

 

 

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2 Comments Filed Under: Chicago, Meats, Sauces Tagged: , , , , ,

Making Marinara From Scratch

September 7, 2021 by 5 Comments

making marinara

Marinara is often called The Mother of Italian Red Sauces and I can see why. Marinara can be the base for so many dishes, think lasagna, stuffed shells, manicotti, meatballs, eggplant and chicken parmigiana, eggs in purgatory, dipping sauce for fried veggies, pizza, seafood stews, I can go on and on.

Marinara can be slightly altered to create other sauces such as arrabiatta, roasted red pepper and vodka just to name a few. Needless to say marinara is an important staple in any kitchen.

If you’ve never made your own now is the time to start. There are so many ways to make marinara and each family has their own special way, this is mine. You won’t find any butter and onions in mine, no wine, meat or tomato paste but you’ll always find fresh basil and garlic.

saute garlic

Over the years I’ve used many different brands of tomatoes, some have come and gone but the thing that is consistent is that I always use the San Marzano variety, specifically the cans that are stamped with the D.O.P. ( Protected designation of origin ).

D.O.P. Certification guarantees that a tomato is of the San Marzano variety, and the taste in my opinion is far superior than other canned tomatoes. Smooth with no acidity, pronounced flavor, dense with fewer seeds and slightly sweet, you’ll never need to add any sugar to your sauce.

When you use quality ingredients all your dishes will be superior tasting with little effort, and you just can’t get that from a jar. In my opinion they are well worth the higher price tag.

whole tomatoes

Look how thick and dense those tomatoes are!

immersion blender

Making your own marinara really takes no time at all, it’s quick and easy to make and you definitely won’t find that fresh taste in any store bought jar. You can make it ahead of time, it’s freezer friendly and you can double or  even triple the recipe if need be.

simmering sauce

There’s nothing like the smell of homemade marinara simmering on the stove.

large canned tomatoes

If you’re making a large amount look for those big cans which are around six pounds, I find they’re usually a pretty good price and perfect for making big amounts before the holidays and special occasions.

large pot of sauce

Just make sure you have a big enough pot!

cooking with kidsfreezer ready

Quart containers that you can purchase that are  food safe and freezer friendly are perfect for storing your surplus of sauce if you’re making a lot.

empty pot

Good to the last drop!

pasta girl

Making your own marinara is great to have on hand for a quick dinner, when unexpected company stops by or when your grandchild has a taste for some pasta with YOUR sauce. It’s like money in the bank!

Making Marinara From Scratch
 
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There are many different versions of homemade marinara, this is my family favorite.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 3 - 28 oz. cans of San Marzano whole tomatoes with the D.O.P. stamp on the can
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 large fresh cloves of garlic per can ( 9) crushed ( please don't use bottled garlic!)
  • 1 teaspoon of salt per can (3)
  • pepper to taste
  • a generous handful of fresh basil, plus extra
Instructions
  1. Add your oil to a heavy bottomed pot.
  2. Toss in the. crushed garlic and cook on medium until you start to smell it and it's very lightly golden, if it burns start over.
  3. Pour in the whole tomatoes.
  4. Take an immersion blender and mix until smooth, the immersion blender will infuse all the garlic pieces into the sauce that were crushed.
  5. Toss in the generous bunch of basil and submerge it into the sauce.
  6. Simmer low for 1 to 1½ hours.
  7. NOTE;
  8. If you want your sauce a little thicker I sometimes add half a bottle of passata which is a strained tomato puree, readily available in most stores. Never use paste for this.
  9. When sauce is finished, remove basil bunch inside and discard.
  10. To finish add in some torn fresh basil leaves.
  11. NOTE:
  12. You can double, triple this recipe and you can freeze your marinara for up to 2 months. It freezes well.
  13. This recipe makes 3-4 quarts depending if you use a bottle of passata.

 

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Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder

August 22, 2021 by 2 Comments

corn chowder

Take all that fresh produce which is at it’s peak right now and make this one pot summer corn and zucchini chowder. Soup in late August you might ask? why yes, why not!

It’s filled with chunks of potato, corn and zucchini and for a smokey element some bacon, it’s a bounty of summer vegetables!

making chowder

It’s a hearty soup perfect for a light lunch on it’s own or for dinner with an additional salad or some crusty bread, either way I promise you will be completely satisfied with this delicious chowder.

I like to toss in the corn cobs after I cut the kernels off so they can release all their milky goodness right into the broth.

pot of chowder

As thick as this chowder looks you’ll be surprised to know that there isn’t any flour of any kind used or a roux to thicken it up. It’s mostly thickened with an immersion blender which I quickly zapped on one side of the pot and then finished off with a touch of cream, and don’t forget there’s potatoes in there too so that helps to thicken it as well.

chowder bowl

This is the perfect summertime soup, it was a hit in my house and I’m sure it will be a hit in yours, enjoy!

4.0 from 1 reviews
Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder
 
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Author:
Ingredients
  • 2 medium zucchini, medium diced
  • 3 or 4 ears of corn, shucked raw ( save the cobs for stock)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 lb. baby red potatoes, cut in quarters
  • 1 carrot, diced ( I didn't have one and it was fine
  • 3 slices bacon, chopped in pieces
  • 1 qt. box, chicken or veggie stock
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • smoked paprika, cayenne (optional)dried thyme, fresh parsley and basil, salt and pepper to taste
  • butter and olive oil
Instructions
  1. Have all the veggies cut and set aside
  2. In a large heavy bottomed pot cook up the bacon until the fat renders, but not crispy.
  3. Remove bacon, if too greasy wipe out with paper towel.
  4. Drizzle a little olive oil and add a teaspoon of butter then add back the bacon.
  5. Add in the onions, garlic, celery, carrot, along with a pinch of dried thyme, smoked paprika, optional cayenne, stir until veggies get softened.
  6. Add the potatoes and almost all of the stock, reserve the rest.
  7. Add in the scraped off corn cobs, you can break them in half.
  8. Simmer on low until the potatoes start to get tender.
  9. Remove the corn cobs.
  10. Toss in the corn and zucchini and cook for a few minutes, don't let them get mushy.
  11. Take an immersion blender and quickly whiz just on one side of the pot, making sure not to blitz a large amount, you want all that chunky goodness.
  12. If you don't have an immersion blender you can remove a couple of cups of the chunky broth and whiz it in a blender, then return it to the pot.
  13. Lastly add in the heavy cream and stir til it's thick enough.
  14. taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper, chopped parsley and basil for garnish.
  15. Ladle into bowls with a sprinkling of smoked paprika.
  16. NOTE: If chowder gets too thick you can always add the rest of the stock or water to thin it out.

 

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Melrose Pepper Salad With Heirloom Tomatoes

August 9, 2021 by 1 Comment

tomatoes and peppers

If you’re from the Chicagoland area chances are you know all about Melrose peppers, the much loved and coveted heirloom peppers that are thinned skinned and extra sweet.

Each year in August they start to appear and word spreads quickly as to where they are. I’ve featured them several times over the years here on my blog, sometimes simply sautéed and sometimes stuffed but this will be my first time featuring them in a salad.

It’s the perfect time to make this salad with the summer abundance of perfectly ripe tomatoes and farm fresh Melrose peppers, it’s a match made in heaven!

farm fresh peppers

I realize not many people are familiar with Melrose peppers so let me give you a little background.

They came to be called Melrose peppers because as the story goes, many years ago a family from Calabria Italy eventually settled into a suburb of Chicago called Melrose Pk. They brought with them the seeds of this very special, thinned skinned sweet pepper. They quickly became popular among gardeners in the Italian community and then soon after that they started appearing in all the fruit and vegetable stands, and the rest is history. I was recently told that these peppers go by the name, peperoni di Senise.

If you can get your hands on them you’re in for a real treat!

If you’re unable to find them you can still make this recipe using those colored, mini sweet peppers, the ones you usually find in a bag.

pepper salad

This salad ticks all the flavor senses with layers of vine ripened heirloom tomatoes topped out with roasted Melrose peppers, briny olives, sharp cheese and sweet red onions, all you’ll need is a hunk of bread!

melrose pepper salad

I hope you recreate this Melrose pepper salad in your own home  this summer and become a devoted fan like me!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Melrose Pepper Salad With Heirloom Tomatoes
 
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Quantities are loosely stated which gives you the freedom to add more or less of what you like.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 2 large, ripe heirloom tomatoes, preferably different varieties.
  • 7 or 8 roasted Melrose peppers ( or mini sweet colored peppers if using them)
  • 8 oz. of asiago, fontinella or provolone cheese, small chop
  • ½ red onion, small dice
  • 2 handfuls each of kalamata and castelvetrano olives, sliced
  • fresh chopped basil
  • olive oil
Instructions
  1. Rinse, dry and remove the stems and seeds from the peppers.
  2. Roast the peppers at 375F drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast them til tender and slightly golden, then cool them down.
  3. Slice the tomatoes and arrange them single layer on a nice platter and sprinkle with salt.
  4. Place the cooled down roasted peppers on top of the tomato slices.
  5. Scatter the sliced olives, onions and cheese all over and around.
  6. Add the chopped basil.
  7. Finish the salad off with a generous drizzle of good olive oil all over.
  8. Enjoy!

 

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1 Comment Filed Under: Appetizers, Chicago, Salads Tagged: , ,

Pistachio Tiramisu No Eggs Required

July 29, 2021 by 6 Comments

Pistachio dessert

Tiramisu is a beloved Italian dessert. It’s elegant and rich with luscious creamy layers and coffee soaked ladyfingers, usually spiked with a little liqueur. It’s surprisingly easy to make because there’s no baking involved. This recipe replaces the raw eggs with whipped cream which sometimes makes people leary of eating it and making it, myself included.

I can assure you it tastes just as decadent as the classic.

 

Pistachio cream

There are so many versions of tiramisu but pistachio is on the top of my list! I recently bought this jar of cream of pistachio ( not sponsored) and have been saving it to make a tiramisu and it was worth the wait, just look how dreamy it is!

On a side note there are many recipes on the internet that shows you how to make your own pistachio butter. I might give that a try next time if I get energetic. Keep in mind jarred pistachio cream can be quite pricey but in my opinion it’s still worth it in the convenience factor and the exceptional taste.

Besides, this is a special dessert, not something you make every day but for special occasions, so go ahead and splurge!

tiramisu mixture

Cream of pistachio swirled into mascarpone cheese along with fluffy whipped cream is beyond heavenly!

making espresso

To add to the amazing flavors of this tiramisu a robust espresso spiked with a fancy pistachio liqueur ( not sponsored) that I love and adore, brings the taste to another level!

If you don’t have pistachio liqueur you can use some coffee or amaretto liqueur or even a sweet marsala, but if you want to splurge a little go for the pistachio.

lady fingers

Savoriardi ladyfingers are a sweet and fairly dry finger shaped sponge cake, perfect for dipping into the spiked espresso mix.

ladyfingers dippedtiramisu

You can free form your tiramisu right onto a platter using two layers like I did above or assemble them into individual glasses, you can place and layer your tiramisu into oval dishes, square, rectangle, even gratin dishes like I did below.

individual tiramisu

Sometimes for fun I like to make just one layer of the soaked savoiardi and smear the creamy mixture right on top. Which ever way you assemble it you’ll never go wrong!

Pistachio Tiramisu No Eggs Required
 
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Present this special tiramisu into individual glasses, freeform style, small serving dishes, oval, square or rectangle 9x9 serving dishes.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 7 or 8 ounce jar of cream of pistachio ( if making your own you'll need to add a little sweetener otherwise the jarred cream is sweetened enough.)
  • 1 cup of heavy whip cream, whipped to medium
  • 1 8 oz ounce container of mascarpone cream, room temp
  • 1 7 oz. package of savoiardi biscuits/ ladyfingers
  • 2 cups brewed espresso
  • 3 tablespoons of pistachio liqueur or one of your favorites like amaretto, coffee or sweet marsala
  • Chopped pistachios for garnish
Instructions
  1. Brew the espresso, when it cools down pour it into a shallow bowl and add the liqueur, set aside.
  2. Combine the mascarpone with the cream of pistachio, mix well. NOTE: Sometimes if purchased in a jar the pistachio cream may be really thick, you can let the jar sit in warm water for 15 minutes or so or add a little milk to it to make it looser, don't let it seize up. The mascarpone and the pistachio cream should blend well together.
  3. In another bowl whip up the heavy cream until medium peaks.
  4. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone cream mixture until well combined.
  5. TO ASSEMBLE:
  6. One by one dip lady fingers into coffee mixture quickly then place onto the bottom of your serving dish, suggestions are stated in my post and above in my summary.
  7. Cover with a layer of the pistachio cream mixture, then repeat.
  8. Let your tiramisu chill for at least a few hours or even overnight for maximum flavor.
  9. For a lighter version just do one layer of dipped savoiardi and spread the cream mixture on top.
  10. Enjoy!

 

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Fried Green Tomatoes with Prosciutto and Lemon Aioli

July 12, 2021 by 2 Comments

fried green tomatoes

We recently returned from a trip we took to Georgia and Florida and it got me thinking about fried green tomatoes. You see them everywhere on restaurant menu’s, it’s definitely a summer southern tradition.

Although I didn’t have any while on vacation I knew I wanted to try making some I was totally inspired when I got home. My sister-in-law who lives a mile from me has a big garden so I called her up and asked her for some green tomatoes so I could make them.

green tomatoes

You’re looking for firm unripened green tomatoes which you’ll cut about a quarter inch thick with a serrated knife. They won’t be juicy like a ripe red tomato so after a quick blotting on top with a paper towel, the breading should stick very well.

fried tomatoes

I’ve made fried red tomatoes in a past post and I gave them a little Italian twist and I did the same with this version as well

crispy tomatoes

A crunchy exterior made from flour, polenta and a bit of grated pecorino cheese which gets crispy and golden, the middle is tangy and soft. You can eat them like this, just grab and go, or as an appetizer, a light lunch or dinner which is the way I served them.

platter of fried tomatoes

Lemony greens at the base topped with the fried green tomatoes, a slice of prosciutto on top of each and a nice drizzle of lemon aioli to finish it off, we had this for lunch and enjoyed every bite!

tomato appetizer

Southern charm with a little Italian fusion!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Fried Green Tomatoes with Prosciutto and Lemon Aioli
 
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Fried green tomatoes with a little Italian fusion
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Ingredients
  • 4 green tomatoes sliced ¼ inch thick
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup polenta
  • ¼ cup of grated pecorino romano
  • a pinch of cayenne ( optional)
  • 2 eggs whisked with a little milk
  • olive oil for frying
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 slice of proscuitto to top each fried green tomato
  • arugula for base of "salad" mixed lightly with olive oil and lemon juice
  • LEMON AIOLI
  • Whisk Together;
  • ¾ cup of mayo, full fat
  • lemon juice, enough to thin it out
  • 1small garlic clove, grated
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Have your pan ready to go with olive oil drizzled on the bottom for a shallow frying.
  2. Set up a wire rack to place the cooked tomatoes on so they don't get soggy on the bottom.
  3. Place your whisked eggs in one dish, then add your flour, polenta, grated pecorino and optional cayenne in a separate dish.
  4. Dip each slice into the flour mixture first, then into the egg then back into the flour mixture.
  5. Then into the frying pan on medium high heat until both sides are deep golden.
  6. Place each slice onto a wire rack and sprinkle with salt.
  7. When tomatoes cool down a little assemble the platter with the arugula greens first, then place the tomatoes all around, topping each slice with prosciutto.
  8. Heavily drizzle the lemon aioli all around on top.

 

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Garden Inspired Herb Butter

June 18, 2021 by 1 Comment

compound butters

I look forward to summer and using all my fresh garden herbs, I’m constantly thinking of ways to incorporate them into my dishes. One of my favorite ways is to make herb butter, also known as compound butter.

When making herb butter the sky’s the limit. You can choose your favorite combinations with additions of garlic, shallots, citrus, edible flowers, mustards and even some spicy heat, it’s really fun to make it your own so whatever you use you can’t go wrong.

herb garden

For my compound butter I used a combination of rosemary, lemon and English thyme, parsley, basil, oregano and chives, I picked some lavender but at the end decided not to use it in this batch.

fresh herbs

I also added some of my hot pepper chili’s to spice it up a bit.  Herbed butters can be used with seafood and fish of all kinds, grilled meats, potatoes, rice, all different veggies and breads, croutons, pasta, eggs and omelets, there are endless ways to use them.

 

herb butter

Herb butters keep in the fridge for around a week but they freeze very well for up to three months, so keep that in mind when you’re making  a batch if you want to keep a stash in your freezer like I do or if you want to give some away as a delicious hostess gift.

 

herbed buttered corn

Infused herb butter that’s melted into a hot steamy ear of corn is a game changer!

buttered corn

Ready to make some?

Garden Inspired Herb Butter
 
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You'll want to make extra so that you'll have a stash tucked away in your freezer.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, very room temperature and soft
  • 2 Tablespoons of finely chopped herbs, like thyme, basil, oregano, chives, parsley, remove all stems
  • 1garlic clove, chopped finely
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • a small pinch of red pepper or a small portion of a chopped red chili ( optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Place the softened butter into a bowl and with a spatula fold in all the other ingredients then add the salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Place the whole bowl into the fridge so the butter mixture can harden up a bit so you can easily form it into a log.
  3. Take a piece of plastic wrap and lay it on the counter and spoon it on top then roll it into a log and twist the ends.
  4. Stick the log into the fridge and let it completely harden up before slicing and using it.
  5. Stays well in the fridge for a week and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

 

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Seafood Pizza On The Grill

June 12, 2021 by 1 Comment

grilled seafood

Father’s Day is right around the corner, time to celebrate all the dad’s in our lives and what better way than heating up the grill and making something special.  Grilling pizza is a fun and casual way of entertaining but if you want to kick it up a notch and make it special, top the pizza with grilled seafood.

It’s a beautiful presentation, taking the ordinary pizza to the extraordinary!

marinating fish

It’s quite simple to make if you plan and prep ahead. Keep in mind, you can use any mix of seafood you like. I used calamari, shrimp, scallops, with a small lobster tail and a few clams in the shell to get a few extra WOW’s!

Marinating and flavoring the seafood beforehand is key, every bite will taste scrumptious. Grilling the dough produces a light and crispy crust which goes oh so well with it all.

I loaded the top of my pizza with seafood, but you can go lighter by using maybe just shrimp and scallops or shrimp and calamari, the possibilities and combos are endless, use what you like.

 

grilled calamari

After marinating your seafood get it on the grill to get that lightly charred flavor, if using calamari keep in mind it takes only about five minutes to cook.

 

mixed grilled seafood

The same thing goes with scallops and shrimp, they cook up very quickly, the lobster will take the longest. You can tell when the lobster is cooked through when the meat is firm to the touch and it’s opaque looking.

If using clams you can steam them inside until they open or stick them on the grill, they’ll open up there as well.

 

pizza with fish

You can go against the seafood and cheese police and add some shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan on the crust like I did, it anchors the seafood and tastes delicious, be sure to go light if using cheese, remember the seafood is the star here. I added some nice sliced tomatoes which went really well together with the cheese.

You can also just swipe the crust with fresh pesto sauce, creme fraiche, a light red sauce, roasted red pepper sauce, the list goes on and on, make it your own.

grilled seafood on pizza

Serve this grilled seafood pizza to someone special in your life!

Seafood Pizza On The Grill
 
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Add a little elegance to your pizza with a mix of seafood.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. prepared pizza dough, store bought or homemade, room temp
  • 1 lb. shrimp, medium size, peeled and deveined
  • ½ lb.sea scallops
  • 2 lbs. calamari cut into rings with tentacles
  • 1 small lobster tail, trimmed up with the back cut open
  • 3 or 4 littleneck clams in shell, washed and scrubbed of no sand
  • 2 medium sliced tomatoes or you can use cherry tomatoes
  • shredded mozzarella and a sprinkle of parmesan, enough to lightly cover the bottom of the crust ( refer to post for non cheese options)
  • olive oil, parsley and basil for garnish
  • TO MARINATE FISH
  • olive oil, fresh chopped garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, lemon zest and a little juice
Instructions
  1. Make sure to get that dough at room temp early in the day so it's easy to roll out.
  2. Marinate all the fish no longer than an hour, drain well before grilling, if using clams no need to marinate.
  3. To make it easy on yourself grill all the fish on a disposable grill pan beforehand and set aside.
  4. TO PREP THE DOUGH:
  5. On medium heat brush your clean grill with olive oil.
  6. Stretch out the dough as big as you can.
  7. Lay the dough on the grill.
  8. Cook til the top bubbles, around 3 minutes.
  9. Remove it from the grill with tongs and place the cooked side up on a cutting board.
  10. Top the cooked side with cheese and place all the grilled seafood ( put the lobster tail right in the middle) all around.
  11. You can slice the scallops in half as well as the shrimp if you prefer.
  12. Place your sliced tomatoes all around the seafood, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
  13. Place the loaded pizza back on the grill ( that will be the uncooked side face down) with the top on the grill down until the cheese melts and fish heats up, around 5 minutes.Watch for hot spots so crust doesn’t burn.
  14. Make a nice salad on the side, slice and enjoy!
  15. Remove and sprinkle with chopped basil and parsley.

 

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Mustard Garlic Herb Paste – For Summer Grilling

May 25, 2021 by 7 Comments

grilled kabobs

Summer grilling is here and life is opening up again, it’s time for gathering together with friends and family, having backyard BBQ’s and enjoying special occasions which we all missed so much!

Memorial Day is just around the corner and so is Father’s Day and if you’re planning on doing any cookouts, I hope you add this intensely flavored mustard, garlic herb paste to just about whatever you’re planning on grilling.

herb paste

Fresh herbs are the key to this delicious herb paste which can be made in a jiffy using a food processor, and don’t be afraid to double or triple this recipe, I promise it will amp up your grilling game!

herb box

I used a mix of basil, parsley, thyme and rosemary. Each herb carries it’s own intense flavor which pairs nicely with grilled foods, but feel free to create your own combo that you might prefer.

cut herbs

marinated chicken

Smother the herb paste all over whatever your grilling and then let it sit for a while to intensify.

marinated kabobs

Brush it all over veggies, chicken, beef, pork and even fish, the more the better!

grilled chicken

I’ve been using this herb paste since way back, here’s a post I did nine years ago, time sure does fly!

grilled herb paste kabobs

Snip off some herbs and make this mustard, garlic, herb paste the next time you turn on the grill, enjoy!

4.5 from 2 reviews
Mustard Garlic Herb Paste - SFor Summer Grilling
 
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Consider double or tripling this recipe, it's that good!
Author:
Ingredients
  • 2 cups of herbs like parsley, basil, thyme and rosemary, but feel free to use your favorite combination
  • 3 large garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
  • zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a food processor add the herbs and garlic and process, then add zest and lemon juice and finish with the olive oil to the consistency of a loose paste, easy to spread.
  2. Make sure to let it sit on your protein or veggie of choice for at least an hour before grilling.
  3. ENJOY

 

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7 Comments Filed Under: Grilled Foods, Party Foods, Sauces, Summer Tagged: , , ,

Cauliflower Antipasto Two Ways

May 6, 2021 by 3 Comments

antipasto

If you’re searching for a salad that pleases a crowd, one that you can serve at any get together you might have, this cauliflower antipasto salad is the one for you.

This salad has all the mix of a traditional antipasto, it includes cheese, meat, marinated veggies, olives and other goodies. Quite a few antipasto salads include a pasta of some sort, but in this salad the star ingredient is cauliflower!

antipasto platter

This salad can be served cold or at room temp, it’s easy to pull together, it can be made ahead of time  and there’s no cooking of any kind.  Each bite is filled with hearty and zippy ingredients that have a nice crunchy texture.

Fioretto cauliflower

The cauliflower that I used in this recipe was a variety called Fioretto, it means little flower in Italian. It has a dense head with flowering tiny buds along with a pale green stem, it’s delicate and fluffy like a pretty bouquet.

Fioretto is a hybrid of broccoli and cauliflower, it is not GMO, it’s a hybrid. Of course you don’t have to use this variety to make this salad a regular head of cauliflower will be just as good, I was just lucky enough to come across this big beautiful head and couldn’t wait to use. it.

raw cauliflower

If you don’t see it in your grocery stores ask the produce manager if they can get it for you, you’ll love the sweet and tender florets it produces.

cauliflower antipasto

I blanched the cauliflower for 1 minute then ran some cold water on it to cool down, it was the perfect texture for this salad and you would do exactly the same with a regular head of cauliflower, there’s no difference.

What I like about cauliflower in general is that you can prepare it so many ways, you can steam it, stir fry, grill, saute and roast it as I did in the recipe below.

Italian roasted cauliflower

Here’s another way to prepare a nice, hearty antipasto dish. Roasted cauliflower with pecorino and parmesan which is served with a lemon aioli dipping sauce.

roasted cauliflower

Again you can use your favorite variety of cauliflower to make this, here’s how you do it.

Break up the florets from a head of  cauliflower and place them on a rimmed baking sheet drizzled with olive oil. Heat oven to 425.

In a bowl mix together 1/2 cup of bread crumbs and 1/2 cup mix of pecorino and parmesan.

Drizzle the tops of the cauliflower all over with olive oil, then sprinkle the crumb and cheese mixture covering each floret. Sprinkle with granulated garlic and a good handful of chopped parsley and black pepper.

Place sheet pan into the oven and roast the florets until tender and the cheese mixture is deep golden brown, tossing in between roasting to coat each side.

I like to serve this with an easy lemon aioli that I make by mixing mayo with lemon juice to thin it out, 1 small grated garlic clove, salt and pepper, that’s it!

roasted Fioretto

Two fun ways to serve up and eat a beautiful head of cauliflower, such a yummy and versatile vegetable!

4.7 from 3 reviews
Cauliflower Antipasto Two Ways
 
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Ingredient amounts can vary to your liking, this is a rough estimate, feel free to add more or less to your salad.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 head of cauliflower, broken into florets I used the Fioretto variety but any variety will due.
  • a mix of green and black olives, 1 cup
  • ½ cup chopped red onion
  • ½ cup of sundried tomatoes in oil, sliced
  • a small jar of drained artichoke hearts in oil
  • 1 cup of sliced salami, pepperoni, or spicy sopressata, medium chunks
  • ¾ cup of sharp provolone, medium chunks
  • ½ of a red and yellow pepper diced into medium chunks
  • ½ can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • ½ cup of sliced pepperoncini strips
  • a hearty handful of chopped fresh parsley
  • DRESSING
  • 1 part fresh lemon juice
  • 3 parts olive oil
  • 1 small grated garlic clove
  • 1 dollop of Dijon
  • salt and pepper
  • whisk together
Instructions
  1. Blanch the cauliflower first into boiling water for 1 minute, then remove it and cool it down under cold water, let it drain and pat dry.
  2. In a large bowl place all the ingredients, including the cauliflower together, tossing very gently until all is incorporated.
  3. Drizzle some of the dressing on and taste as you go for the amount you want to use, adding salt and pepper as needed.
  4. Place onto a pretty platter if serving right away, or tuck it into a container overnight.
  5. This can be served cold or at room temperature.

 

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Italian Style Beef Stuffed Peppers with Cauliflower Rice

April 24, 2021 by Leave a Comment

stuffed peppers

Stuffed peppers will never go out of style, they’re a special kind of comfort food, but not in the sense of the heavy, stick to your ribs kind. These beef stuffed peppers are a whole meal contained in a colorful pepper vessel with Italian flavors throughout each bite.

They can be served for lunch or dinner with a nice green salad on the side to complete the meal.

bell peppers

I often find the colorful, sweet bell peppers on sale and when I do I always grab a bunch.

raw bell peppers

In preparing this dish you can either cut each pepper in half or keep them whole as I did here, it’s amazing how much stuffing you can fit into each one.

ground beef stuffing

For this recipe I used a good quality, lean ground beef, 90 percent lean, 10 percent fat. In the past I’ve used Italian sausage featured in this post.

That’s what I like about stuffed peppers, they’re so versatile. You can use a favorite meat of your choice or even no meat at all. You can use a variety of different cheese and vegetable combinations as well as beans.

Also you can use cooked rice, white, brown, wild and even quinoa but I’m loving the lightness that riced cauliflower gives to the peppers, so that’s what I chose for this, plus it’s great if you’re watching carbs or on a keto diet.

prepped peppers

Of course my beef stuffed peppers are made with Italian flavors both in and out, they can be prepared ahead of time, which is a good thing and if you happen to have leftovers they’re just as delicious heated up the next day!

cooked peppers

I promise these will be a hit with your family, I stuck some artichoke hearts in mine, if you’re an artichoke lover put them in, if not you can even sub in some mushrooms, that would be delicious as well.

stuffed bell pepper

If someone you know needs a meal cooked for them, something they could easily heat up, this is the one to make and give to them.

cut open pepper

Next time you see those sweet, colorful peppers displayed in the grocery store, grab a few and make this!

Italian Style Beef Stuffed Peppers with Cauliflower Rice
 
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Author:
Ingredients
  • 8 colored bell peppers, left whole, tops cut off with seeds and membranes removed inside. Dice up some of the tops to place into the filling as well for added color and taste
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef, 90% lean 10% fat
  • 1 -12oz. bag of frozen cauliflower rice, defrosted
  • 1 -12 oz. bag frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted
  • 1 -28 oz. can of whole San Marzano tomatoes, squished by hand leaving nice size chunks, 1 cup goes into the filling and the rest will be for the bottom of the baking dish, no need to cook it ahead of time
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 large garlic cloves, diced small
  • a handful of both parsley and basil
  • 1 cup of pecorino romano
  • 2 cups of shredded mozzarella, 1½ cups to go inside filling and reserving the ½ to sprinkle on the tops
  • olive oil
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 375F.
  2. Reserve a cup of the squished tomatoes for the filling and put the rest onto the bottom of a 9x12 baking dish that has been sprayed with olive oil.
  3. Place the 8 raw, cleaned peppers into the baking dish.
  4. Brown the beef in a large skillet until you no longer see pink, then remove and drain on paper towel if need be.
  5. Wipe out the pan and drizzle with olive oil and cook up the cauliflower rice until dry with no liquid in the "rice" doing the same with the artichoke hearts, doing one at a time if need be, set aside to cool.
  6. Quickly saute the onion and garlic and chopped pepper tops as well.
  7. When cool, transfer all the precooked ingredients into a large bowl, the beef, onions, garlic, chopped pepper tops, cauliflower rice and artichoke hearts ( chop the artichoke hearts up before adding).
  8. Now add in your basil, parsley, romano cheeese and a 1- ½ cups of shredded mozzarella and also a cup of the squished san marzano tomatoes.
  9. Gently mix everything together and add salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Fill each raw pepper with the filling, packing it in.
  11. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
  12. Remove pan and foil, they should be nice and steamy.
  13. Sprinkle remaining shredded mozzarella on each pepper, a little romano and some of the tomato juice from the bottom of the pan and a drizzle of olive oil on each one.
  14. Bake into the oven for another 30 minutes or until the tip of a knife goes easily through the sides.
  15. Enjoy!

 

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Colorful Shrimp Pasta Salad

April 12, 2021 by 1 Comment

shrimp salad

This shrimp pasta salad has all the components of spring, it has bright colors and it’s light and fresh. This salad can be a stand alone lunch, a light dinner or the perfect side dish to have for spring and summer cookouts.

Colorful spring vegetables are incorporated into this salad and finished off with a creamy lemon dressing that clings to every bite.

farfalle pasta

This pasta salad looks pretty made with rainbow colored pasta, there are so many shapes and sizes available today and the different colors add to the vibrancy of the dish. You definitely want to choose ones that are healthy, the ones that are actually colored with natural foods, things like carrot, beet root, tumeric and spinach  which will also enhance the flavor as well.

I would encourage you to seek them out, I found this cute farfalle shape but again there are so many more!

 

grilled shrimp

You can poach the shrimp, roast the shrimp or grill it, either way will work, just have it done ahead of time.

spring pasta salad

Now that winter is behind us it’s time to tuck those comfort foods away and to brighten things up and this pasta salad is just the thing!

Colorful Shrimp Pasta Salad
 
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Ingredients
  • ½. lb. cooked shrimp, roasted, grilled or poached, cooled down
  • ½ lb. colored pasta, cooked, drained and rinsed cold. Pat dry so no wetness sticks to the pasta
  • 1 lb of fresh asparagus, cut in half and blanched for 2 minutes in boiling water then plunged into ice water, then patted dry of water.
  • ½ cup of peas, if fresh pre-cook, if frozen, defrost
  • ½ of a red pepper and ½ yellow pepper, diced
  • ¼ red onion, small dice
  • 3 radishes, sliced thin
  • ½ of english cucumber, sliced thin
  • hand full or arugula or chopped romaine lettuce
  • tablespoon each of chopped parsley and chopped basil
  • LEMON CREAM DRESSING
  • 1 part fresh lemon juice
  • 3 parts olive oil
  • 1 small dollop of Dijon
  • 2 or 3 small chopped garlic cloves
  • 2 Tablespoons of full fat mayo
Instructions
  1. Add all the dressing components into a jar and whisk it up together. ( You'll have extra) set aside.
  2. Take all your components, the cooked pasta, shrimp, asparagus, peas, chopped peppers, onions, radishes, parsley, basil, arugula or romaine and place them into a nice big bowl.
  3. Toss gently together, evenly dispersed, then spoon in your lemon dressing, taste as you go adding salt and pepper, more herbs if you like.
  4. Be careful not to overload the dressing so as not to make it soggy.
  5. Place pasta salad into a nice platter and serve!

 

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Citrus Infused Ricotta Pie for Easter and Beyond

March 25, 2021 by 5 Comments

ricotta pie

Bright citrus flavors of lemon and orange infuse this sweet and creamy ricotta pie. Ricotta pie is a traditional Easter dessert which has so many variations according to individual family recipes. But if I’m to be honest it really isn’t just for Easter, this pie is welcomed any time of the year when you’re wanting a special dessert to serve.

citrus pie

I have another variation of ricotta pie that I make in my own family as well, it’s filled with mini chocolate chips, citron, zest and a hint of cinnamon with flavors like the inside of a cannoli.

pie

But this dreamy version lets the sweetened ricotta shine with hints of vanilla, lemon and orange. This pie is also topped with a lattice crust which reminds me of an Easter basket, and besides the more crust the better in my book!

coffee and pie

With Easter right around the corner this pie would be a perfect addition to your dessert table, Happy Easter!

Citrus Infused Ricotta Pie for Easter and Beyond
 
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Ingredients
  • Use a 9 inch deep dish pie pan
  • Pastry for a double crusted pie, either homemade or a good quality store bought one.
  • 2¾ cups of whole milk ricotta*** IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure you drain your ricotta really good, excess moisture will affect the cooking time and texture. You can drain it overnight in the fridge if it's the deli kind sitting in some water. Or you can look for a full fat supermarket version.
  • ¾ c. sugar
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
  • zest of 1 large orange
  • zest of 1 large lemon or 2 small
  • reserve a pinch of each to sprinkle on top
  • small pastel colored chocolate eggs for garnish presentation
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat the drained ricotta with the sugar until very smooth.
  3. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
  4. Beat in the vanilla and lemon extract
  5. Fold in the lemon and orange zest to well combined.
  6. Place 1 half of your double pie crust into your pie plate, unbaked
  7. Pour all the filling into the pie shell.
  8. Place the whole plate onto a rimmed cookie sheet for easy in and out of the oven.
  9. Take the other piece of dough, roll it out and make 6 or 8 strips of dough and place them over the filling in a criss cross design.
  10. I usually brush some cream over the top of the crust to make a golden crust, you can do an egg wash as well, then sprinkle the pinch of zest you set aside all over the top.
  11. Bake the pie for around 45 minutes or until ricotta is set and a toothpick comes out clean and crust golden.
  12. Let it cool down then refrigerate before eating
  13. Garnish with a handful of pastel colored, small size chocolate eggs on top for presentation.

 

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Stuffed Cabbage, Italian Style

March 5, 2021 by 5 Comments

cooked cabbage

It’s March, and you’re going to see lots of cabbage in the supermarkets. I encourage you to pick up a large head and try my twist on stuffed cabbage Italian style. This is not to say that the traditional version isn’t any good, this is just my Italian take on it.

The concept is simple, the cabbage is wilted and wrapped around all the makings of your favorite Italian meatball and the sauce is a delicious marinara.

fresh cabbage

The cabbage I used here was your typical green cabbage, I chose a big head with lots of leaves. Savoy cabbage is another perfect variety to use if you can find one that is on the larger size.

The hardest thing about making stuffed cabbage is blanching the leaves off and to do this you’ll need a big pot of boiling water going. Core the end of the cabbage and submerge the whole thing into the boiling pot and place a cover on top.

After a few minutes remove the cover and peel off as many leaves as you can and drain on paper towels. Repeat the whole process until you have the number of leaves you want. The bigger the cabbage, the more leaves you’ll have.

After the leaves cool down place one at a time on a cutting board, pat dry and just cut out that center core so it’s easier to fold them. Then form the shape of a meatball using about 1/2  cup of meat mixture tucking the cabbage all around the sides of the meatball creating a round shape instead of the traditional log shape.

ground beef mixture

Here’s where you can really get creative! You can use your own family favorite meatball recipe or do a little improvising like I did with the ingredients above. I used 2 pounds of ground beef for this recipe, it was an 80/20 mix but ground sirloin works great as well as ground pork and turkey. Because of my large head of cabbage I was able to yield 14 rolls in total.

This post is meant to inspire you with the ingredients I used, or if you like, change things up with some of your favorites. For instance, using small chunks of mozzarella instead of the provolone cheese, or eliminate the cooked rice for breadcrumbs or even riced cauliflower. I always like to add a generous amount of grated pecorino, a couple of tablespoons of marinara, a good handful of fresh parsley and enough garlic so you can really taste it, you get the picture, flavor it up good!

cabbage rolls

Tuck your wilted cabbage all around your meatball and then place them seam side down in a pool of marinara.

sauced cabbage rolls

Spoon additional marinara ( homemade or a good quality store bought) on top of each roll, sprinkle pecorino on top and a nice drizzle of olive oil all over.

Cover your baking dish completely with foil and place into a pre-heated 360 degree oven for around 40 minutes. Uncover and test to see if a tip of a knife goes though easily.

Italian style cabbage

When finished cooking let it rest for a few minutes then garnish with parsley or basil and enjoy!

cabbage rolls

I hope you’ve been inspired to make my Italian style version of stuffed cabbage!

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Winter Panzanella Salad With Roasted Vegetables

February 20, 2021 by 9 Comments

veggie panzanella

A panzanella salad traditionally is made in summertime with fresh tomatoes and bread, but today I’m featuring a winter version of a panzanella salad. I promise you will love it and you’ll be surprised just how easy it is to make.

Go take a look inside your fridge and see what veggies you have in there, any combination would work, this is truly a freeform type of recipe.

Below is exactly what I had in my fridge.

uncooked veggies

I had a mix of broccoli, carrots, onion, peppers, brussel sprouts, sugar snap peas and cauliflower. If I had squash I would have added that, whatever you have will work.

Don’t be afraid to fill a whole sheet pan full of your favorite veggies like I did. Then drizzle them all over with olive oil, add salt and pepper and roast at 400 degrees until golden, with still a little bite. Make sure you don’t over cook them, you don’t want mushy vegetables here.

homemade croutons

Another important component to this salad is homemade croutons. I can’t stress enough how important it is to make your own, store bought ones do not compare.

I used a stale hunk of ciabatta for mine but any crusty bread would do. Just chunk it up, place on a baking sheet, drizzle and toss them with a generous amount of olive oil, pepper and I had a rosemary salt that I added.

You’re going to put those bread cubes into a 400 degree oven until they get golden and crispy, they don’t take too long so keep watching and tossing them.

vinagrette

Then the final important elements are a homemade vinaigrette and fresh bocconcini, ( fresh mozzarella). Again I stress homemade is best, so please don’t use a bottled dressing of any kind, making your own vinaigrette is easy to do and makes a world of difference to the taste and over all deliciousness of this salad.

I will add my vinaigrette recipe below at the end of the post.

roasted veggies

After the veggies have been roasted and cooled down and the croutons and vinaigrette is made, it’s time to put this winter panzanella together.

winter panzanella

Grab a pretty bowl, add the roasted veggies, torn basil and chopped fresh parsley. Toss in your croutons and bocconcini, use as much as you want and add in a few sliced cherry tomatoes for freshness. roasted veggies

All that’s left is to spoon that vinaigrette over the top and dig in! This could serve as a lunch, side dish or if you just feel like eating a bowl of goodness!

I hope you try this winter version of a panzanella salad.

5.0 from 2 reviews
Homemade Vinaigrette
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 part white balsamic vinegar
  • 3 parts olive oil
  • a dollop of dijon mustard
  • 1 small garlic clove, grated
  • a pinch of salt and pepper
  • a pinch of dried oregano
Instructions
  1. Place all the ingredients into a jar that has a lid.
  2. Shake well until it all emulsifies together.
  3. Store in the fridge when not using.

 

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9 Comments Filed Under: Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetables, Winter Tagged: , , ,

Dark Chocolate Amaretto Tart with Amaretti Cookie Crust

February 11, 2021 by 1 Comment

chocolate tart

Calling all chocolate lovers! Here’s an easy dessert to make for upcoming Valentines Day, a special occasion or if you just have a wild craving for dark chocolate!

The best part about this dark chocolate tart with the almond flavor of Amaretto is that the only thing you’ll have to bake is the crust!

Speaking of the crust, it’s made with crushed amaretti cookies and butter, just like you would make a graham cracker crust but only better.

chopped chocolate

The filling is basically a mousse made of melted dark chocolate that’s folded into whipped cream and flavored with amaretto liquor. The liquor gives it a rich deep flavor, but if you want to substitute that with almond extract go ahead, you need to have that almond flavor.

amaretti cookie crust

As soon as you open up the bag of amaretti cookies that almond smell hits you right away, I promise you it will make the tart so much more amazing by using them for the crust.

dark chocolate

Grab some good quality dark chocolate to melt down and when it cools you’re going to fold it into some heavy whipped cream to create a wonderful silky mousse.

chocolate moussetart filling

Then it’s onto your baked amaretti crust and into the fridge for chilling, but the wait is worth it!

chocolate mousse tart

When chilled, garnish the top with some of the crushed amaretti cookies and toasted sliced almonds and then share a piece with someone you love!

chocolate tart slice

Enjoy!

5.0 from 1 reviews
Dark Chocolate and Amaretto Tart with Amaretti Cookie Crust
 
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Satisfy your chocolate craving with this easy to make chocolate Amaretto tart.
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Ingredients
  • Tart Crust
  • 1-7oz. package of amaretti cookies
  • 5 Tablespoons melted butter
  • Mousse Filling
  • 1¾ cup heavy cream
  • 2 Tablespoons Amaretto liquor or ½ to 1 teaspoon of almond extract
  • 5 oz. chopped dark chocolate, good quality
  • 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
  • toasted sliced almonds for garnish
Instructions
  1. Pre heat the oven to 325F
  2. Melt butter then set aside.
  3. Pour 90% of the cookies into a food processor and process until fine crumbs, leaving the rest to crush by hand later for garnish.
  4. Pour the butter through the tube of processor until the crumbs look like wet sand.
  5. Press the crumbs into a 9" fluted tart pan.
  6. Bake the crust at 325F for 20 minutes until set, then cool completely.
  7. In a small saucepan add ¾ cup of heavy cream, when it starts to slightly simmer remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and Amaretto. Stir til the chocolate is silky smooth, then let it cool to room temperature.
  8. In a medium size bowl add the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream and powdered sugar, whip til you get stiff peaks.
  9. Gently fold in the cooled down chocolate and mix until fully incorporated.
  10. Pour filling into cooled crust and refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.
  11. Right before serving garnish with toasted almonds and some of the remaining crushed amaretti cookies.
  12. ***Recipe adapted from Everyday Food***

 

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Seafood Freeform Lasagna with Lemon Cream Sauce

February 5, 2021 by 6 Comments

seafood lasagna

If you’re looking for a special date night dinner, something a little fancy but not so hard to make try this seafood freeform lasagna, what makes it even more special is the subtle lemon cream sauce that’s spooned all over.

This is the perfect dinner to have on Valentines Day which is coming up soon and I’m quite sure many of us will be dining at home. This is meant for two people but you can certainly double the recipe for more to enjoy if need be.

I used a mix of scallops and shrimp in this easy freeform lasagna, which is highlighted with a touch of Limoncello for a smack of bright lemon flavor!

chopped shrimp and scallops

The prep work is all done in advance so when it’s time to eat all you have to do is pop your dish into the oven, warm it up and get that golden top.

You’ll be spending all your time with your date instead of cooking and cleaning in the kitchen all night, and that’s a good thing!

filling ramekins

The lemon sauce is very light, you can use half lemon juice and half Limoncello or just all lemon juice. I wouldn’t do all Limoncello because that would  be too sweet tasting and overpower the seafood.

If lemon is not your thing, you can make a nice white sauce to top it off like a béchamel, that would be equally as delicious and creamy to top it off.

Cut your lasagna noodles to fit into individual ramekins if using or if you end up using a bigger dish,  it doesn’t have to fit perfect.

seafood filled ramekins

Then you’re going to layer all that amazing seafood on top. It’s a delicious mix of chopped scallops, shrimp, garlic, shallots with a little ricotta and mascarpone for creaminess and to help bind it all.

shrimp and scallop lasagna

Save some whole shrimp for garnish it makes a striking presentation. This can be served along side a beautiful salad or if you really want to go all out, a steak for some surf and turf!

5.0 from 3 reviews
Seafood Freeform Lasagna with Lemon Cream Sauce
 
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A date night or Valentines Day dinner for you and your special someone.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. seafood, I used a combo of ½ lb. shrimp and ½ lb. scallops, you can also use all shrimp or any combo of your choice, peeled and deveined leaving a couple of whole shrimp or scallops for garnish
  • 6 lasagna sheets, pre-boiled
  • SEAFOOD MIXTURE INGREDIENTS
  • drizzle of olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, small dice
  • 2 large garlic, minced
  • 2 heaping tablespoons chopped parsley, extra for garnish
  • ¼ cup of ricotta
  • 1 heaping tablespoon mascarpone cream
  • 1 tablespoon, limoncello in the seafood mix or use 1 tablespoon, lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • FOR THE LEMON CREAM SAUCE
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter and extra to butter your ramekins
  • 2 Tablespoons, Limoncello ( or use all lemon juice to make up the 4 Tablespoons)
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
  1. Pre boil your lasagne noodles, according to the time directions on the box, cool them down and set aside.
  2. Chop up your seafood into bite size pieces, making sure to clean your shrimp beforehand, and setting aside 1 or 2 for garnish.
  3. For the whole shrimp garnish, season them and stick into a 420F oven until cooked through, then set aside.
  4. Butter 2 -6 inch" ramekins or 1- 12 inch"
  5. Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of a sauté pan, add the shallot and garlic til soft then toss in the chopped seafood, tossing gently till cooked. Don't over cook!
  6. Add 1 Tablespoon of Limoncello to the mix or lemon juice as well as the parsley.
  7. Let the mixture cool down then add the ricotta and mascarpone, folding it in and mixing it til incorporated.
  8. Make your lemon cream sauce by placing both Limoncello, ( 2 tablespoons) and lemon juice( 2 tablespoons) in a small sauce pan together ( or use all lemon juice( 4 tablespoons).
  9. Once warm whisk in your butter.
  10. When the butter melts in add the heavy cream gently stirring on low heat until the cream thickens.
  11. NOW FOR ASSEMBLY
  12. Line the bottom of your ramekins with a few cooked lasagna noodles, cutting them if need be to fit.
  13. Spread a little of the lemon cream sauce on the noodles.
  14. Divide your seafood mix between the two ramekins and spread on top of the pasta.
  15. Use the remaining lasagna noodles to fit over the top of the seafood mixture.
  16. Spoon some of the lemon sauce all around.
  17. This all can be prepped ahead of time.
  18. When you’re ready to serve you can place the ramekins under your broiler to warm it up and get some golden color on top, but if you do you can't walk away!
  19. Stay near the oven broiler and keep checking to make sure it doesn’t burn,.
  20. You can also heat them in the oven at 375 just til heated through, ovens vary so keep checking, it won't take too long, and remember everything is cooked already.
  21. If you want a little more golden on top, stick it under the broiler for that, but again do not walk away!
  22. Spoon some of the lemon cream on top to finish, garnish with chopped parsley and top it off with the whole cooked shrimp.
  23. Enjoy!

 

 

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Chicken Parm Meatballs, A Twist On The Classic

January 21, 2021 by 9 Comments

meatballs

Who doesn’t love a good meatball? They’re a favorite of many with endless ways to make them! This version is everything you love about classic chicken parm but formed into a meatball.

The outside is crispy, similar to the way you would fry up your chicken cutlet. They’re topped with a nice marinara sauce, some melted cheese, basil with a surprise center.

When you bite into them they still hold on to that crunch because they’re not simmered in sauce as you would traditional Italian meatballs.

 

frying meatballs

After the balls are formed you’re going to bread them as you would when making chicken cutlets, first a light dusting of flour, then egg, then into breadcrumbs. You’ll brown them first until that crispy coating sets, then they’re finished off in the oven.

meatball parmesan

Depending on the size you make you can serve them as a main with a nice green vegetable or salad on the side, place them on top of pasta or you might simply want to stuff them into a crunchy baguette for a delicious sandwich.

sauced meatballs

Your family will love the fact that you turned the classic chicken parm into a meatball, how can they resist! Crispy on the outside with melted mozzarella oozing on the inside, every bite is amazing!

 

stuffed meatball

I hope you make this fun spin on the classic chicken parm!

5.0 from 3 reviews
Chicken Parm Meatballs, A Twist On The Classic
 
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Ingredients
  • FOR THE MEATBALL MIXTURE
  • 2 lbs. ground chicken
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ medium onion, small dice
  • 2 heaping tablespoons each, parsley and basil
  • ¾ cup of grated parmesan cheese
  • ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • FOR THE BREADING MIX
  • 2 large beaten eggs
  • flour for dredging
  • panko breadcrumbs enough to coat your meatballs
  • *****
  • ½ lb. of dry mozzarella in a block so you can cut into ½ inch cubes
  • ½ lb. of fresh mozzarella, just so you can top each cooked meatball, you'll probably have some leftover
  • marinara sauce, enough for a dollop on each meatball and some warmed up to serve on your plate.
  • additional basil for garnish as well as extra marinara
  • Note: you do not simmer these meatballs in a pot of sauce like traditional ones, you want to keep them crispy
Instructions
  1. Mix up the meatballs with ingredients listed.
  2. Form them into size the meatballs you like then push the cubed mozzarella into each one, making sure the meat covers the cheese.
  3. I got 10 meatballs with the 2lbs.
  4. Have your breading station set up with the flour, egg and panko.
  5. Lightly dredge each meatball into the flour dusting off excess, then into the egg, then finally the panko, making sure to coat the whole meatball all around.
  6. In a nonstick heated fry pan drizzle in some olive oil, fry the meatballs making sure to get all sides golden and crispy.
  7. Transfer them to a casserole dish and into a 400 degree oven for around 10 minutes, then pull them out, top with a dollop of marinara on each as well as a piece of the fresh mozzarella, then back into the oven for an additional 5 or so minutes so they can finish cooking on the inside and the cheese melts on top.
  8. Garnish with chopped basil.
  9. Serve with some warm marinara on the side.

 

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Cannellini Beans from Scratch is Well Worth The Effort

January 15, 2021 by 3 Comments

stewed beans

Making beans from scratch might take you a little longer but there is absolutely no comparison to the taste, texture and flavor that results. If you’re like most people you have a pantry stocked with canned beans, I do myself, it often allows you to pull together a quick meal during the week, but when you want to slow it down and create an epic meal, dried beans is where it’s at!

The cannellini beans above were slow simmered, infused with aromatics then stewed together with a garlic, tomato and sage sauce. This is a meal in itself, it’s rustic with so much flavor and perfect texture, and the star of this dish are the beans that were made from scratch with some of the dreamy broth it produces as a bonus!

soaking beans

Make it easy on yourself, soak the beans overnight, all you have to do is give them a good rinse, fill a pot with cold water with enough to cover them, pop a lid on and go to bed.

There is a quick soak method out there where you boil the beans for a couple of minutes first, then remove them from the heat, cover and let them sit for an hour. then cook. I’ve tried that method, it didn’t go so well for me, but I much prefer the end result from soaking them overnight.

overnight beans

When you wake up you’ll see how much they puffed up, then you’ll want to drain them and give them a good rinse.

drained beanssimmered beans

Then the fun begins, place the rinsed beans into the pot with fresh water that covers them again. You’ll want to infuse those beans with aromatics, I used a half a bulb of garlic, a handful of fresh sage and my favorite ingredient, a Parmigiano Reggiano cheese rind.

Let’s talk about the cheese rind for a second, you need to have this ingredient for this recipe! You might have your own stash of rinds tucked away in your freezer from cheese you’ve used, if not you can ask your cheesemonger if they would sell you some. I can easily get them from my local Whole Foods, they sell 3 or 4 in a bundle and I’m always impressed how much of a chunk of the cheese they leave on each rind, and that’s what you want, a rind that has some of the cheese still attached.

cooked beans finished

Bring those beans to a boil then reduce the heat to a slow simmer with a lid on top. Mine took almost 2 hours for a pound of cannellini beans but the best way to test them is to taste after about an hour, if they’re still tough continue cooking. Make sure not to rush them or overcook them, you don’t want mushy beans, they should be slightly Al dente.

cannellini beans cooked

The end result should have a slight bite with a soft creamy center.

Now it’s time to remove the cheese rind, sage and just the peels of the garlic because all the cloves will have fallen inside and melted in and produced the most dreamy tasting broth!

cooked beans

This bean dish was such a hit, I can’t imagine it being made with canned beans, it just wouldn’t be the same. The aromatics along with the cheese rind infuses the beans with so much flavor!

toast and beans

Eat them as a side dish or my favorite way is to scatter them on top of toasted crusty bread, each bite is out of this world good!

jarred beans

The other benefit of making beans from scratch is that you’ll probably have some left over, I got around 6 cups of cooked beans from a little over a pound of dried beans. You can tuck them away in your freezer and use them later in a multitude of other dishes, or if you’re like me you’ll make this rustic stewed tomato and bean dish again and again!

4.0 from 1 reviews
Cannellini Beans from Scratch
 
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The bean preparation was my own but the actual stewed bean and tomato dish was adapted from the blog "How To Feed A Loon" I tweaked some amounts and additions.
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Ingredients
  • FOR THE BEANS
  • 1 lb. bag of dried cannellini beans
  • a small handful of sage
  • ½ whole garlic bulb
  • 1 Parmigiano Reggiano cheese rind with some cheese still attached
  • FOR THE STEWED BEANS WITH TOMATOES, GARLIC AND SAGE
  • 4 heaping cups of the cooked dried beans
  • ⅓ cup of olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • ⅓ cup of the bean broth
  • 6 sage leaves, chopped fine
  • 1 28 oz.of whole San Marzano tomatoes, drained of all liquid and crushed by hand
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • olive oil drizzle
Instructions
  1. Soak the beans overnight.
  2. Drain the beans in the morning then refill the pot with cold water covering the beans.
  3. Infuse the water with your aromatics of sage, garlic and 1 cheese rind.
  4. Bring the beans to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer.
  5. Times vary but you’re looking for a creamy soft inside with a slight bite on the outside. ( mine took almost 2 hours, so keep checking).
  6. When beans are done remove the aromatics, they did their job and keep all that luscious broth as well it's liquid gold!
  7. FOR THE STEWED BEAN DISH
  8. In a large skillet add the olive oil, then add the garlic and chopped sage, cook til golden.
  9. Add the wine and let it evaporate.
  10. Scoop in the beans, along with the flavored broth.
  11. Squeeze in the drained tomatoes.
  12. Season with salt and pepper.
  13. Toss in 3 whole sage leaves and let it simmer until the sauce thickens up a bit and reduces, you don't want a soupy consistency.
  14. When finished drizzle with olive oil.
  15. Serve as a side or on toasty bread.
  16. If you have extra beans you can freeze them or use for another dish, or make this again!

 

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Healthy Fresh Salmon Cakes

January 7, 2021 by 10 Comments

salmon cakes

January is the month that everyone wants to do a reset in the eating department, we’ve enjoyed all our goodies during the holidays and now it’s time for some healthier eating.

If  eating salmon is on your regular meal rotation I encourage you to change things up and make these salmon cakes instead of the usual filets.

salmon patties

If you’re a salmon lover these cakes will soon win you over. Tender, juicy chunks of salmon on the inside, lightly crunchy on the outside with no heavy fillers that mask the actual salmon taste and oh so flavorful, they are amazing!

chopped up salmon

The reason these salmon cakes are so scrumptious is that they’re made with fresh salmon, not canned, it really makes a big difference in taste and over all texture. If you check out some recipes on the Internet you’ll find that many salmon cakes are made with cooked, fresh salmon. I prefer forming them in the raw state, like you would a burger, I feel they retain their juiciness that way.

salmon cake ingredients

The added ingredients which are vegetables are diced small, sautéed then mixed into the fresh chopped salmon. You can do this all ahead of time getting your prep work done because they take no time at all to cook.

Stick with wild caught salmon rather than farmed, I can always find it available here. I once discussed this topic with my fish monger at Whole Foods because they do sell farm raised there, but he went into deep length saying that their farm raised salmon is sustainable and ethical and raised the right way so that might be another option for you.

mixed ingredients

After the sautéed veggies cool down they get gently mixed into the salmon along with some added spice and binding agents with no need for eggs.

formed salmon cake

A key tip is to form all the salmon cakes then refrigerate them for at least 2 hours, even overnight if you wish. This firms them up and they’re able to keep their shape when cooked. I would not recommend forming them and cooking immediately, they won’t be sturdy enough.

tray of salmon cakes

I like to use a three inch biscuit cutter that I have to form the salmon cakes. I place the form on the pan I’m going to stick in the fridge, spoon the mixture inside filling to an inch deep, press it compact then I lift the biscuit cutter right off and a perfect shape is formed.

formed salmon patties

After they’re chilled they lift off easily with a spatula.

cooked salmon patties

I like to crisp up the top and bottom on the stove top first, then finish them off in the oven.

plated salmon cake

All you need is the a little tartar sauce, a squeeze of lemon and a nice salad on the side and you’re on your way to a healthier and very tasty January!

5.0 from 2 reviews
Healthy Fresh Salmon Cakes
 
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Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 lbs. fresh salmon or 4 filets, skin removed. hand chopped into small chunks ( I was able to make 7 cakes with that amount)
  • 1 celery stalk, small dice
  • ¼ onion, small dice
  • 2 green onions, sliced small
  • 2 small mini red peppers or half of a large red pepper, small dice
  • 1 yellow mini pepper or ¼ of a large, small dice
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
  • a pinch of cayenne
  • ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 large garlic clove, chopped fine
  • 1 heaping tablespoon chopped parsley
  • ⅓ cup full fat mayo
  • ⅓ cup panko bread crumbs and a little extra to coat the top and bottom of the cakes
  • 1 heaping tablespoon of Djon mustard
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Drizzle the bottom of a small sauté pan with olive oil and toss in all the diced veggies, onions, peppers, celery and garlic, cooking until translucent. Turn off heat and let them cool down completely.
  2. Into a bowl add the chopped salmon, the cooled down veggies, the mayo, zest, breadcrumbs and Djon and a little salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Gently toss well to incorporate ingredients.
  4. Form your salmon cakes into 3x1 inch deep patties. Note: I use a biscuit cutter to form mine as stated in the post.
  5. Refrigerate the salmon cakes for at least 2 or more hours for best results, I would not form and then cook them right away.
  6. When it's time to cook, heat the oven up to 450F.
  7. Drizzle the bottom of an oven proof skillet with olive oil.
  8. Pour some panko breadcrumbs on a flat plate and press the bottom and top of each salmon cake into it then into the heated skillet.
  9. When each cake is lightly golden on each side place the oven proof skillet into the oven and finish it off, anywhere to around 6 or 8 additional minutes, oven vary so you be the judge.
  10. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and tartar sauce, or an aioli of your choice.
  11. NOTE; I had some leftover and the next day I heated them at 350 just until warm and they were still great.

 

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Creamy Feta Dip with Toasted Pita Chips

December 29, 2020 by 6 Comments

feta and pita

Everyone needs a go-to dip to have for a special occasion, one that requires little work but tastes like a million bucks! NYE is a couple of days away and then game day will be right around the corner, so I thought it would be the perfect time to introduce this creamy feta dip with toasted pita chips.

dip

This dip is so creamy and full of flavor, a little swipe goes a long way. Feta cheese is the shining star along with Greek yogurt and some cream cheese, it’s the perfect blend for a nice smooth dip.

The feta dip itself can be served with an array of fresh sliced veggies, for a healthier version or with my favorite dipper, these toasted pita chips.

cutting pita

I was introduced to this way of preparing the pita chips by a friend of mine years ago, she made it for a girls lunch and we just couldn’t tear ourselves away from them. The chips are thin and crispy but yet sturdy enough to hold up well when dipping.

I’ve made them many times since and they’re always a hit!

One bag of pita yields so many chips! You’re going to cut the pita into 6 or 8 strips with scissors, then snip the tops and end off so you can open it up.

separate. pita

One strip will give you 2 thin pieces. So for 1 whole pita you can get 12 to 16 chips out of it, so if you do a whole bag that’s quite a few chips!

brushed olive oil

Then place the inside rougher side up on a baking sheet and brush each strip with oregano infused olive oil.

pita crackers

I think what makes these so special is definitely the shape and the thinness, as opposed to the thicker triangle shaped ones, and of course the olive oil flavor coming through. I can’t say enough about these dippers, they’re amazing!

They’re the perfect accompaniment to the creamy feta dip. But don’t get me wrong, honestly they go well with any dip! Think crab, shrimp, hummus, white bean, onion, spinach artichoke, I could go on and on.

feta dip

I garnished the top of my dip with olive oil, parsley, red pepper flakes, pistachios and olives but be creative and do what you like.

can of pita

I would encourage you to take the time and make these chips, you won’t be disappointed, it’s the ultimate combo along with the creamy feta dip.

They can be made well in advance and they stay perfect for up to 3 weeks, that is if they last that long! Once you put them out you’ll see them disappear!

I like to store them in a tin can layered between wax paper.

Enjoy!

Creamy Feta Dip with Toasted Pita Chips
 
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This dip recipe can be doubled because it stays very well in the fridge, and the dipper chips can be made well in advance.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 8 oz. feta, good quality Greek in brine, patted dry
  • 4 oz. full fat cream cheese, room temp
  • ¼ cup full fat plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons of oregano infused olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 small garlic clove, grated
  • FOR THE TOASTED PITA CHIPS
  • 1 bag of fresh, Greek pita
  • ¾ cup of olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
  • a light sprinkling of kosher salt to top the chips before toasting
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl add the oil and oregano together and let it sit for 15 minutes to infuse.
  2. Then in food processor first add the feta to break it down, then add in the cream cheese, yogurt, lemon juice and garlic.
  3. Give it all a whirl until it's nice and creamy.
  4. Remove from processor and place into a serving bowl and garnish with a little of the olive oil, parsley, lemon zest, olives or whatever you like.
  5. If making the pita chips, take 1 pita at a time, with a scissor cut 6 to 8 strips then snip the top and bottom off of each strip so you can gently open up the pita and have 2 pieces. (See blog post for example)
  6. Continue cutting the pita into chips then brush each one on the inner rough side with the oregano infused olive oil.( see blog post for visual)
  7. Place onto a rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle them all lightly with a little kosher salt, then into a 400 degree oven for 7 or 8 minutes until golden. Ovens vary so watch closely, you want them golden not burnt, they cook fast.
  8. Remove chips and place on a rack to cool.
  9. Chips can be stored in a tin can layered between wax paper for up to 3 weeks.

 

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6 Comments Filed Under: Appetizers, Party Foods Tagged: , ,