Blog - Proud Italian Cook

Pineapple Party Dip for Super Bowl and Beyond

January 30, 2018 by Marie 2 Comments

This pineapple dip is perfect for game day this Sunday, actually it’s fun to serve at any party, so keep it in mind down the road.

The presentation is fun and it really stands out on your buffet table plus it tastes really delicious. Cream cheese with fresh pineapple chunks and other savory ingredients get molded into the shape of a pineapple then studded with whole pecans, when finished it will take on the look of a whole pineapple, you can swipe it on crackers, raw veggies, fruit, chips, whatever you like.

The process is simple, buy one pineapple, cut the crown off then split the crown in half lengthwise so it can lay flat on your serving platter.

Your cream cheese mixture can be whipped up the day before so all the flavors meld together nicely, you can even pre-shape it into the pineapple barrel shape beforehand, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it the night before.

You’ll be using raw, unsalted pecans halves for your pineapple dip, once I counted and it took 70 to cover the cheese mixture which came from an 8 oz. bag, this time I bought a container full and I had extras, which is a good thing.

Just remember whatever kind of platter you’re going to serve it on to make sure you position the barrel of cream cheese with enough room for the crown piece to be placed back on top.

You can start from the top and work your self down placing the pecans on making sure to overlap them and cover the sides and bottom as well, you can also place them from the bottom up, trying your best to cover as much surface as you can.

When completed with the pecans, just place the crown back in position then scatter your crackers and veggies all around.

You still have time to gather up the ingredients to make this party pineapple dip for Sunday game day, it’s a show stopper and your guests will love it!

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5.0 from 1 reviews

Pineapple Party Dip for Super Bowl and Beyond

Recipe adapted from The Healthy Foodie Blog

Author: Marie

Ingredients

1 fresh, ripe pineapple
1 cup or so of pineapple, finely chopped and drained or squeezed of juice if overly juicy
2 - 8 oz bricks of cream cheese, softened
at least an 8 oz. bag of raw unsalted pecan halves, a little more just in case some are cracked. You'll need 70 or so to cover your cream cheese barrel
1 tablespoon, grainy mustard
¼ each of a red, orange and yellow pepper, small dice
⅓ cup of black olives, canned, drained, sliced and chopped ( optional)
2 or 3 green onions, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped pecans
2 heaping tablespoons, fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cut the crown off of your pineapple, slice the half lengthwise so it lays flat and save. Pick a pineapple crown that's not so big, otherwise it won't look in proportion.
Chop up a cup of so of the pineapple flesh.
In a medium bowl add the softened cream cheese and grainy mustard, beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
Now fold in with a spatula the reserved pineapple, colored peppers, chopped pecans, olives, onions and parsley, making sure everything gets incorporated.
It's important to taste at this point, you might want to add more of something to your liking.
Now you can either refrigerate the mixture overnight in the bowl covered with plastic wrap, or on plastic wrap shape the mixture into the barrel shaped pineapple, covered completely with plastic wrap and refrigerate that overnight.
When ready to serve place cream cheese mixture onto your serving platter, remember the crown is going to be placed on top so make sure you allow for that on your platter when positioning the cream cheese.
Place the pecan halves from top to bottom or bottom to top covering the sides as best you can, overlapping the pecans to cover most of the cheese mixture.
Position the crown in place and scatter all your dipping veggies, crackers and chips all around.

2 Comments Filed Under: Appetizers, Fruit, Party Foods Tagged: party dip, pineapple, Super Bowl foods

Italian Specialty Sausage and Beans

January 24, 2018 by Marie 10 Comments

Here’s a quick mid week meal that comes together really fast, it has just a few ingredients, uses only one pot, and you don’t even have to turn on your oven.

What makes this recipe stand out a little more than the traditional sausage and beans was the fact that this time I used a specialty sausage, you know the ones behind the case that the butchers stuff with unique combinations.

The base was a standard pork Italian sausage that was stuffed and filled with hot giardiniera and provolone cheese, don’t get me wrong you can certainly use your favorite Italian sausage, with or without a specialty filling, but why not change it up a bit and try something a little different, there are so many different varieties of sausages.

You’ll use canned beans in this dish which is the reason the cooking process is so speedy and of course the beans of choice are cannellini.

Browning the sausage is your first step, that process will leave you with nice brown bits that will form at the bottom of the pan, perfect to saute the garlic and tomatoes in and eventually creating a delicious sauce.

Canned beans go into the pot along with the browned sausage, then all you have to do is let all the flavors simmer and meld together.

Finish it off with some fresh torn basil and a side of crusty bread and this meal is complete!

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Italian Specialty Sausage and Beans

This recipe was inspired by an episode I watched on Extra Virgin

Author: Marie

Ingredients

4-6 Italian sausage links, either traditional or to try something different using the specialty, gourmet kind that the butcher stuffs with various combinations of ingredients.
1 lb. of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
2 15 oz. cans of cannellini beans that have been drained and rinsed
4 large garlic cloves, shaved
basil leaves
olive oil

Instructions

Heat a heavy bottom high sided saute pan, cast iron pan or a smaller size dutch oven, drizzle the bottom with olive oil.
Place the sausage links into the hot pan and brown both sides, then remove and set aside.
Add the shaved garlic, moving it around until it's nice and golden.
Toss in the sliced cherry tomatoes along with the shaved garlic, toss to coat the tomatoes.
Now add the drained beans to the pot, stirring to make sure they get coated with the garlic and tomatoes.
Drizzle some olive oil on top, a little salt and pepper.
Add back the sausage and nestle them into the pot.
Throw some torn basil leaves in.
Simmer with a lid on until the sausage is all cooked through and the tomatoes break down and thicken.
Add fresh torn basil leaves for garnish and added flavor.
Enjoy with some crusty bread!

10 Comments Filed Under: Beans, Meats, Winter Tagged: cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, comfort food, gourmet sausage, Italian sausage, sausage and beans, specialty sausage

Baked Eggs Florentine with Pecorino Crema

January 15, 2018 by Marie 6 Comments

Eggs Florentine is the perfect weekend breakfast or brunch, it’s elegant, so delicious, simple to make with just a few ingredients. If you do a search you’ll find many different variations of this dish, I even put a little Italian spin on mine.

One thing that’s certain about Eggs Florentine is that spinach is the star ingredient, in fact the term Florentine will always indicate that the dish uses spinach.

I had a one pound bag of baby spinach and a container of spreadable Crema di Pecorino Romano that a friend gave me to try, she was curious about it and thought I’d like to try it, which I did.

I’ve actually seen it before at my Italian market in the cheese department but never picked one up. It has the consistency of a softened cream cheese flavored with Pecorino Romano.

Since Eggs Florentine generally has a cream sauce that’s mixed in with the spinach, I thought this crema would be perfect, but you could also achieve the same flavors and texture by reducing some cream and adding grated Pecorino, or parmesan cheese for that matter, either would work well.

The eggs lay on a base of homemade marinara which is already flavored with garlic, onions and herbs, you can also substitute a good store bought brand just as long as it’s flavored nicely, so because of that you really don’t have to do anything to flavor the spinach other than wilting it down with a knob of butter and then tossing it into the creamy Pecorino to get it nicely coated.

I like to use a rectangle baking dish when making this because you’ll be able to cut out a perfect square portion per person.

Add a little crusty bread on the side if you like and you’re good to go. Make this for breakfast or brunch on your next slow weekend, you’ll love every bite!

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5.0 from 1 reviews

Baked Eggs Florentine with Pecorino Crema

Author: Marie

Ingredients

1 lb. bag of baby spinach
butter
5 oz. container of Crema di Pecorino, warmed and melted down with a splash of cream to loosen it, or make your own by reducing some heavy cream or half and half with a couple tablespoons of grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese until it thickens up, ending up with 5 ounces.
Marinara, homemade or store bought, flavored with garlic and herbs, just enough to coat the bottom of the baking dish.
6 large eggs

Instructions

I used a 8x11 rectangle baking dish which perfectly fit 6 eggs and all of the spinach that was wilted down.
Spoon marinara onto the bottom of the baking dish.
Start wilting down your spinach, I did it in 3 batches for that amount, placing a knob of butter in a large skillet and tossing it until it wilts, which only takes a few minutes, then set aside.
Drain the spinach in a fine strainer if alot of moisture forms.
Create your cheese sauce either way then toss your wilted spinach into it, saving a little of the sauce to spoon on top when finished.
Spread the creamed spinach on top of the marinara in the baking dish, making 6 indentions for the eggs.
Crack each egg one by one into a separate bowl and let it fall into each spinach indention.
Season with pepper, no need to add salt because the Pecorino is salty enough.
Bake in a 350F oven at least 20 minutes or more or until the white of the egg firms up and is not jiggly.
Remove and let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting it, if you have some leftover crema, you can spoon some on top of each portion.
Enjoy!