The soup also has two eggs in it which, along with the chicken broth, adds a wonderful flavor.

It makes for a comforting, soothing ... [read more]]]>

The soup also has two eggs in it which, along with the chicken broth, adds a wonderful flavor.

It makes for a comforting, soothing meal, and it tastes so good! Give it a try sometime; I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Italian Bread Soup with Veggies and Lentils

Recipe Inspired by and Adpated from: eat, live, run’s “Springtime Minestrone” and About.com’s “Simple Italian Bread Soup Recipe – Zuppa di Pan Cotto

Ingredients:

• 55 oz. chicken broth
• 1/2 lb. sugar snap peas
• 2 ears yellow corn-on-the-cob
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1/4 of a bunch of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 large, stale buttermilk biscuits
• 1/4 onion, diced
• 8 garlic cloves, diced
• 2 packets Sazon Goya seasoning
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 2 tsp. basil
• Vegeta to taste
• black pepper to taste

Instructions:

• In a large pot, mix together the chicken broth, 2 packets of Sazon Goya seasoning, and lentils.
• Add the 2 ears of yellow corn-on-the-cob.
• Bring the broth to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium.
• While the lentils are cooking, wash and finely chop the parsley, including the stems; stir it into the chicken broth with the lentils and ears of corn.
• Peel and dice the onion and garlic cloves, then fry it in 2 tbps. of olive oil until it gets soft.
• Add the onion, garlic, and olive oil to the pot with the lentils and corn, stirring occasionally.
• When the corn is almost soft, use a pair of tongs to remove them from the soup, placing them on a plate to let them cool.
• While the corn is cooling, wash the sugar snap peas, cut them in half, cut the ends off them, and then add them to the soup pot.
• After the corn has cooled enough for you to handle, cut the corn off the cobs and add the corn back to soup, discarding the cobs.
• Beat the eggs, and then mix it into the soup.
• Crumble the 2 stale buttermilk biscuits, and then add the crumbled bread to the pot.
• Stir in the oregano, basil, black pepper, and Vegeta.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

I also like dipping my broccoli in some warm marinara sauce, but I didn’t have any on-hand tonight unfortunately.

I know you must be thinking that’s a LOT of cheese on my ... [read more]]]>

I also like dipping my broccoli in some warm marinara sauce, but I didn’t have any on-hand tonight unfortunately.

I know you must be thinking that’s a LOT of cheese on my broccoli and you’re right…but oh…it tastes so wonderful like that!

My grandmother’s recipe calls for lemon juice to be squeezed on the broccoli, but surprisingly, I had absolutely no lemon juice in the house. I did, however, have some lemon pepper seasoning, so I used that instead. While it tasted good like that, I still prefer my broccoli with a good bit of lemon juice and olive oil on it.

This broccoli makes a wonderful accompaniment to a meat dish. If also goes great with spaghetti too!

Nana’s Italian Style Broccoli

Recipe Source: This is my grandmother’s recipe

Ingredients:

• Broccoli crowns (I had about 1/2 lb.)
• garlic, chopped (I used powdered garlic instead)
• olive oil (I used about 1 tsp.)
• lemon juice (I used lemon pepper seasoning instead)
• salt
• pepper
• Optional: freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

• Wash the broccoli.
• Pour about 1/2 qt. water in the bottom of your steamer.
• Place the broccoli in the steamer basket.
• Cook on high until the water comes to a boil.
• Then reduce the heat to medium high, cooking until the broccoli is done to your liking.
• When the broccoli is done, toss it in a little olive oil.
• Sprinkle with garlic powder, lemon pepper seasoning (or lemon juice), salt, and black pepper.
• If you like, grate a little Parmesan cheese and scatter it on top of the broccoli.
• Serve warm.

I love pasta so much.

I could eat it every day!

It’s not my fault…

I’m half Italian and it’s just my way.

It’s in my blood to love pasta…

and to wear garlic as a perfume.

It’s in my genes to cook with love,

and there’s not a cheese I won’t consume.

I can’t ... [read more]]]>

I love pasta so much.

I could eat it every day!

It’s not my fault…

I’m half Italian and it’s just my way.

It’s in my blood to love pasta…

and to wear garlic as a perfume.

It’s in my genes to cook with love,

and there’s not a cheese I won’t consume.

I can’t help it that

I love pasta so much

and that I eat it nearly every day!

I’m part Italian…what else can I say?

Sausage Green Bean Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

• 5 sausage patties/links (we used chicken apple sausages)
• 8 oz. green beans
• 8 oz. dried pasta (we used tri-color fusilli)
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 16 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese + extra for sprinkling on the pasta when it’s done
• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup milk
• 1 pkg. pesto seasoning mix
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. chili flakes
• 1 tsp. salt

Step One:  Prep Work

• Peel the garlic.
• Wash the tomatoes, and then cut them in half.
• If you’re using fresh green beans, wash them and snip off the ends. If you’re using frozen or canned green beans you can skip this step.
• Grate the Parmesan cheese and then refrigerate it until you need it.
• Cut the sausage patties/links into bite-sized pieces.

Step Two:  Cooking the Sausage and Vegetables

• Fry the sausage patties and garlic in 1/4 cup of olive oil.
• When the sausage is done, add the green beans, chili flakes, and chili powder, cooking the beans  until they’re tender but still firm.
• Add the tomatoes to the mixture, frying just until they become warm.
• Drain the oil off the sausages and vegetables, and save the oil for a little later.
• Then cover the sausages and vegetables with a lid so they’ll stay warm, and set them aside.

Step Three:  Making the Pesto Sauce

• Mix together in a medium-sized sauce pan the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, feta, cheese and milk.
• Stir constantly over medium heat until the sauce gets warm.
• Then reduce the heat to low and stir in the pesto seasoning mix which will make the sauce thicken up. Here’s what the consistency should look like:

• Turn the heat off and cover the sauce with a lid to keep in warm.

Step Four:  Cooking the Pasta

• On high heat, boil about 3 quarts of water in a large pot.
• When the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium high, and then add the pasta, 1 tsp. of salt and some of the olive oil that you set aside, stirring occasionally.
• Cook the pasta until it’s tender but firm.
• Drain the water off the pasta.

Step Four:  Putting it all Together

• Place the pasta in a large bowl.
• Stir in the sausages and vegetables.
• Mix in the pesto sauce.
• Serve with a little Parmesan cheese on top.

and one meal in particular that she used to make stands out in my memory, and that’s her spinach pizza. It has a crust not only on the bottom but also on the top…making it more like a savory spinach pie.

The crust is different from most pizza crusts ... [read more]]]>

and one meal in particular that she used to make stands out in my memory, and that’s her spinach pizza. It has a crust not only on the bottom but also on the top…making it more like a savory spinach pie.

The crust is different from most pizza crusts in that it’s fairly soft and thick…not chewy like most pizza doughs. I really like the crust like that.

The raisins add a most interesting flavor and subtle sweetness without being overwhelming. The sweetness of the raisins reminded me of the sweetness of tomatoes, and they match perfectly with the spinach.

The sunflower seeds also add a subtle nutty flavor and texture that appeals to me. Pine nuts can be used in place of the sunflower seeds if you prefer, or you can leave them out altogether.

Nana’s spinach pizza is great piping hot from the oven or barely warm. It’s also great right out of the refrigerator. If you want to make this and bring it to a potluck, it’s keeps very well. After it cools, just cut it into squares and then wrap about 4 pieces at a time in aluminum foil. That will keep them warm for quite some time. If you want to heat them once you arrive to your destination, just leave them wrapped in foil and put them in a slightly warm oven.

Give it a try and see for yourself just how delicious it is!!

Nana’s Spinach Pizza Pie

Adapted from: This is my grandmother’s recipe that I changed a little.

Ingredients for the Crust:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup salted butter, softened (my grandmother used shortening)
• 2 1/2 tsp. dry active yeast
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• water

Ingredients for the Spinach Mixture:

• 3/4 lb. fresh baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
• 8 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 cup black olives, pitted, drained, and sliced
• 5 oz. feta cheese***
• 4 oz. goat cheese***
• 2 oz. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup olive oil + 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds***
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• black pepper to taste
• Optional:  anchovies (I didn’t put them in my pizza)

***These ingredients were not used in my grandmother’s original recipe.

Instructions:

Step One:  Making the Dough

• Mix the yeast, sugar, and 1/4 cup lukewarm water in a coffee cup, and then set it aside until it becomes frothy and rises up.
• In the meantime, grate the Parmesan cheese for both the crust and the spinach mixture.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, softened butter, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese you just grated.
• Mix it all together with your hands so you can easily incorporate the butter into the flour.
• After the yeast mixture has gotten bubbly and has risen up, add it to the flour mixture, as well as 1/2 cup of water.
• Mix the dough well, adding more water if it’s too dry. If you end up adding too much water and it gets too sticky, just add more flour.
• After your pizza dough is smooth, knead it for a few minutes.
• Grease a large bowl with olive oil, and then place the dough in the greased bowl.
• Cover the bowl with a plastic bag and several towels, and then set it aside in a warm place until it rises up and doubles in size.

Step Two:  Making the Spinach Mixture

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Clean and wash the spinach thoroughly.
• Drain it and dry it well by rolling the spinach in paper towels.
• Peel and crush the garlic.
• Slice the olives.
• Crumble up the feta cheese.
• In a large bowl, mix together with your hands the spinach, garlic, olives, feta cheese, goat cheese, raisins, sunflower seeds, 2 oz. Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and black pepper to taste. Set it aside.

Step Three:  Rolling out the Dough

• On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough thin enough so it’ll fit on the bottom of a 11 x 15 inch baking pan. You want the dough to be rolled out thin enough so you have enough dough for a bottom crust, as well as a crust to cover the top.
• Once the dough has been rolled out, place the baking pan on top of it. Cut the dough with a knife around the baking pan, but make sure you don’t use too much force because you don’t want to cut your counter top. That will be the bottom part of the crust.
• Place the baking pan on the uncut part of the dough and repeat the above step, cutting out the top part of the crust.

Step Four:  Assembling and Baking the Pizza Pie

• Grease the bottom of your 11 x 15 inch baking pan 1 tbsp. of olive oil.
• Transfer the bottom part of the dough that you cut out to the greased baking pan. It’s easier if you get a family member to help you. He/she can hold one side while you hold the other side, gently lifting it into the pan. Another way to get the dough onto the pan is to roll the dough up, place it on the greased pan, and then unroll it. Thanks to my friend, Vesna for that great idea!
• Then evenly spread the spinach filling onto the dough.
• Now you and your partner can lift the top part of the crust and place it on top of the spinach filling.
• Seal the edges of the dough around the filling.
• Cut several small steam vents in the dough.
• Brush or spray the dough with cold water so it’ll brown nicely.
• Bake uncovered until browned.
• Remove from the oven and let it cool at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Note: To reheat, wrap the servings in aluminum foil and warm it in the oven on a low temperature.

I always looked forward to her rice balls. Sometimes she’s make them for breakfast or lunch, while other times she would make them as an accompaniment to her ... [read more]]]>

I always looked forward to her rice balls. Sometimes she’s make them for breakfast or lunch, while other times she would make them as an accompaniment to her dinner’s main course. Regardless, I adored them!

I wish I had my grandmother’s recipe, but sadly I don’t…nor does my mother. I do remember that they were meatless and that she baked them in the oven. They were crunchy and golden brown on the outside while creamy and cheesy in the middle. The contrast in textures is fantastic and her rice balls were always perfect…something I could never resist!

There are several ways you can make rice balls. The Romans, Sicilians, and Napoleons all have slightly different recipes, some of which include frying the rice balls, stuffing them with different ingredients, or shaping them a little differently. I tried to find a recipe that came close to how my grandmother made hers, and I was very pleased with the results. They may have not been Nana’s memorable rice balls, but they were awfully close! Here’s a picture I took before devouring them.

Arancini (Italian Rice Balls)

Adapted from: Brown Eyed Baker

Focaccia is a popular Italian flat bread that’s dimpled and topped with olive oil and herbs. It’s quite versatile because changing herbs will change the flavor of the bread, making it highly adaptable from meal to meal. It can be topped with sage, rosemary, course sea salt, onions, garlic or olives. I topped mine with ... [read more]]]> Focaccia is a popular Italian flat bread that’s dimpled and topped with olive oil and herbs. It’s quite versatile because changing herbs will change the flavor of the bread, making it highly adaptable from meal to meal. It can be topped with sage, rosemary, course sea salt, onions, garlic or olives. I topped mine with olive oil, some freshly grated Parmesan cheese and Greek seasoning. The inside of the dough was filled with diced garlic and basil. Talk about mouth-watering!

It was absolutely scrumptious, and it was also the perfect accompaniment to our antipasto.

The recipe in the book doesn’t call for any yogurt to be added to the dough, although for this batch of focaccia, I did add some. There are days; however, that I make it without yogurt. I like it both ways, so if you don’t have any on-hand, don’t worry…just make your focaccia without it.

Here’s a couple of pictures of a batch of focaccia that I made without yogurt. I kneaded finely chopped fresh basil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese into the dough. Then I brushed the top of the bread with olive oil and added very thin slices of onions and cherry tomatoes. Doesn’t matter that the tomatoes are “oven-dried” instead of “sun-dried.” They still taste totally delicious!!

I love how versatile this recipe is and how the same basic dough can taste so different depending on what kind of herbs and veggies are used. Give it a try sometime. It goes perfect with pasta and makes great sandwich bread.

Focaccia Bread (Adapted from:
“Bread: the breads of the world and how to bake them at home” by Christine Ingram and Jennie Shapter. See page 174 for the their focaccia bread recipe)

It can be eaten by itself, with ... [read more]]]>

It can be eaten by itself, with crackers, or bread. We enjoyed ours with focaccia bread fresh from the oven.

There are many different recipes, but here’s what was in our antipasto tonight:

Antipasto

Ingredients:

• 1/4 lb. mortadella
• 1/4 lb. Genova salami
• 1/8 lb. prosciutto
• 1/3 lb. piquante peppers soaked in oil and vinegar
• 1/4 lb. fresh mozzarella
• 8 pepperoncini peppers, mild or hot
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 of a bunch of fresh parsley
• oregano to taste

Instructions:

• Cut the mortadella, salami, peppers, and mozzarella into bite-sized chunks.
• Cut the prosciutto into very small and thin slices.
• Finely chop the parsley.
• Toss all the meat, cheese, peppers, parsley, spices, and oil together in a mixing bowl.
• Serve chilled.