Proud Italian Cook

Oh Baby!!

August 2, 2009 by Marie 54 Comments

I wanted to share with you some of the food I had the privilege of making this past weekend for a baby shower we had that was held in honor of my son and daughter-in-law. Their request was to have it very casual, in their home, with finger foods and appetizers. I had so much fun doing it and I can’t wait for the arrival of my new Granddaughter!

The menu was:

Caprese Skewers
White Bean Dip w/ Rosemary and Olive Oil Pita Chips
Artichoke Crostini
Grilled Eggplant Rolled w/ Roasted Red Pepper and Creamy Feta and Herb Cheese
Proscuitto Wrapped… Rosemary and Lemon… and Pesto Marinated Chicken Skewers, served with a Romesco Sauce and a three Citrus Aioli for Dipping
Mini Italian Meatballs
Grilled Shrimp and Orzo Pasta Salad Greek Style w/ Fresh Lemon and Olive oil Dressing
Bow Tie Pasta Salad w/ Spinach, Sundried Tomatoes, Pinenuts, Feta and Olives

The only thing I did not make was the fruit salad, those adorable cookies that you see, (which by the way were homemade) and of course the cake, which happened to be a huge cannoli cake that we ordered from a great Italian bakery!

Four weeks more to go and we’ll be able to meet our new little family member, I’ll be sure to announce her arrival!

Have a great week, and Buon Appetito!

54 Comments Filed Under: Appetizers, Party Foods Tagged: Appetizers, baby shower food

Parmesan Cones with White Bean Mousse

July 27, 2009 by Marie 36 Comments

For the last few weeks I’ve been on the hunt for appetizers unlike the usual ones I normally make, scouring through different cookbooks trying to find something different and elegant looking. Well I found what I was looking for, not only do these look good they taste even better!

Savory cones made of coarsely grated fresh Parmesan cheese that is specked with black pepper and filled with a mousse made of white bean, basil pesto, fresh lemon juice and olive oil.

I was going to make these for my son and DIL’s upcoming baby shower but opted not to, because they’re a little too time consuming for a large crowd, but for a smaller and more intimate dinner party these would be fantastic! Just remember to fill them right before eating so the cone stays nice and crispy.

Heres what you do:

Make a paper cone out of a 3 1/2″ circle, sturdy paper, tape it and set aside.
Heat oven to 375F and on parchment paper trace 3 1/2″ circles 3″ apart. Have 2 baking sheets ready to go.
Grate about 3/4 cup of cheese on a metal grater, please do not use powdery fake cheese, it won’t work!
Combine cheese and pepper together and spread a heaping tablespoon of cheese onto each circle, bake for about 5 minutes till melted and golden.
Remove from oven and after 1 minute gently remove with a thin metal spatula and shape it over your paper cone. Let them cool before removing. Repeat process. This recipe makes 10 cones.

White Bean Mousse

1 can of rinsed and drained white beans.
Basil pesto, (a couple of teaspoons). Taste it for flavor but be careful not to use too much you might turn the white bean color green.
A good squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Put this all in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy by drizzling in some good olive oil.
Spoon mousse into a ziplock bag and snip off a corner and pipe right into the cone, garnish with basil and serve immediately. Cones can be made ahead. Place in a tin with wax paper until ready to fill.

Happy Entertaining!

36 Comments Filed Under: Appetizers Tagged: Parmesan cones, party appetizers, white bean mousse

Grilled Pizza and a Garden Salad

July 21, 2009 by Marie 34 Comments

Making pizza on the grill has become a summertime favorite for us. The dough cooks up in a matter of minutes, and it always creates a nice crisp crust. Whether you have a good source for buying fresh pizza dough or you make your own, if you haven’t tried this yet put it high on your list!

I like to roll my dough out a little, but when you put it on the grill it changes it’s shape, but that’s the beauty of it! Make sure your grill is nice and hot. Brush the top with olive oil and put that side down on your hot grill. Brush the raw side with olive oil and then flip the dough when you see grill marks underneath.

Have all your ingredients ready because now you will be adding them to the first cooked side, it grills up very fast so have things precooked, mostly light and fresh ingredients work best. I have tried so many combinations, as you know when making pizza the possibilities are endless!

For this pizza I tried something different. Pancetta with caramelized red onions, creamy bocconcini, fresh tomatoes and roasted artichoke hearts, a great combination that I would do again. Here’s a couple of my other favorites.

This is great for a leisurely weekend dinner while you’re sitting outside enjoying the weather, pour yourself some wine, make a salad, and you have a great meal!

Speaking of salad! This all came from my garden, doesn’t it look so nice and fresh? I can’t wait to dress it up with my best olive oil and favorite vinegar.