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Browsing Tag: Italian
Tonight I decided to enjoy a little splurge and make veal picatta. Wonderfully rich and flavorful, this dish is really simple to make as well. And don’t worry if you don’t like veal – this dish is fabulous with thinly sliced chicken breast. When paired with farfalle pasta and Roasted Parmesan Broccoli, it is an elegant meal that requires a little effort and timing. Let’s get to it, shall we? Save Print Veal Picatta Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 25 mins Serves: 1 Ingredients 6 oz veal, thinly sliced or pounded to ¼ inch thick 2 tbsp all purpose flour 2 tbsp butter, divided 1 tbsp olive oil ½ shallot, diced (approximately…
This recipe is something I crafted from ingredients I had at home after a recent short trip. It is said ‘necessity is the mother of invention’. If so, then ‘hunger is the motivator to recipe creation’! From a few fresh, frozen, and pantry ingredients, this recipe came into being. It is simple and quick to prepare – something perfect for times when patience alludes you, like when I came home the other night! Well, it isn’t going to make itself, so let’s get cooking! Save Print Creamy Cheese Ravioli with Artichoke and Asparagus Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 15 mins Serves: 1 Ingredients 8 oz fresh ravioli 1 6oz jar…
Alright everyone, say it with me… paaaaaahhhhhhhsta! To me, pasta is a wonderful comfort food and this dish is a delight to the eyes as well as to the tastebuds. Switching from a tomato based sauce to a roasted red pepper sauce adds a piquant vibrancy you won’t want to miss out on. I helped the sauce along with a spicy Italian sausage cooked in the casing, then sliced and added back in to gently simmer in the sauce. The bright and intense color of the sauce is a treat for the eyes, especially when fresh basil chiffonade and pale shredded Italian cheese is dancing on top. A simple recipe that is visually engaging and delicious, what else can you ask for? Save Print Farfalle…
Back in August, I posted ‘Cheater, cheater… pizza eater!‘ on how to make a custom pizza quickly using Papa Murphy’s $5 Fave pizza. Today, this is the real deal – pizza from scratch. Yep, you read that correctly… homemade pizza dough for one. I apologize to my Chicago friends in advance as this recipe is more like a New York style pizza, but I will get to a Chicago style pizza eventually! This recipe takes a bit of planning to allow the dough to rise, but overall was simple to make when using a food processor. Since it takes time to make, let’s get cracking! Save Print Homemade Pizza Dough Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 24 hours…
Lunch… today I decided to make a quick lunch and share the results with you. It is a simple meal of pancetta, shaved brussel sprouts, and tortellini fried in butter and the pancetta renderings. The only seasonings… a little salt (very little since we are using panceta, a type of Italian bacon), freshly cracked black pepper, and minced garlic. Simple, but quite delicious. And need I mention fast! Tortellini with Pancetta and Brussel Sprouts Ingredients: 4 slices of pancetta, cut into 1/2 inch squares 4 – 5 brussel sprouts, shaved (cut into a chiffonade) 6 oz fresh cheese tortellini 2 tsp butter 1 small clove garlic, minced salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste shredded Italian cheese (optional) Preparation: Begin by cooking the pasta per…
Here is a fast and tasty pasta dish that will satisfy completely. It is a simple Italian based red sauce with lots of flavor – and completely open to your own interpretations. Some options are to add red wine, substitute vodka and cream for the tomato sauce, adding oregano, roasted red peppers, or red pepper flakes. Of course, the Italian sausage used will also impact the flavor! Are you ready? Great, then let’s get cooking! Sausage and Mushroom Sauce with Penne Ingredients: 6 oz of Italian sausage 5 – 6 oz penna pasta (cook per the instructions and drain well) 1/2 onion, diced 1 large garlic clove, minced 8 oz tomato sauce 4 oz mushrooms, diced (fresh or canned) 2 tbsp tomato paste 1/2…
Remember the Bolognese Sauce I made recently? Well, I saved some and tonight I used it with cavatappi for a fast, tasty dinner. Here is a picture for your enjoyment…
Tonight’s dinner is a dish I tweaked for my daughters. In 2000, we visited a Seattle Italian restaurant and my oldest daughter ordered this dish. Unfortunately, the dish just did not make the grade – it was overpowered by smoked salmon. But I loved the concept, so I created my own recipe. After a few trials, I thought I had a solid winner and surprised my daughters with it during one of their visits. Of course, as you can imagine, they were not amused… but I asked them to trust me. They did and a favorite was born! This recipe became one of their most requested meals. I have made this recipe for myself, for friends, and for guests ever since. And now I want…
Now that we have a delicious Bolognese sauce, it’s time to make something with it. It would be delicious with any pasta by itself, but I think Sunday deserves something just a little more special – Baked Rigatoni! Baked Rigatoni Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups of dried rigatoni (approximately 1/3 of a 1lb box) 1/3 cup of shredded Italian cheese (Romano, Parmesan, Asiago, Provolone, etc) 1/3 cup of mozzarella, divided into 1 tsp nuggets 1/4 cherry tomatoes, halved 1 tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade Canola oil spray Preparation: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray canola oil in a small glassware baking dish (approximately 3 cups in size) to prevent sticking and ease clean-up. Prepare the rigatoni per the package instructions, approximately…
I thought today was a great day to make a Sunday gravy and a Bolognese sounded tasty. Don’t be daunted by the amount of ingredients and what appears to be substantial effort; it really is quite easy to prepare. Also this recipe allows me to work in some of the ingredients I have used recently so I reduce waste. I will be using the remainder of the country bacon from the Chuckwagon Chili, the cherry/grape tomatoes, mozzarella cigieline, and fresh basin used in the Caprese Poppers, and the remaining half onion and green pepper from the Sweet and Sour Chicken. So if menu planning doesn’t work out, resort to improvisation! Bolognese Sauce Ingredients: 6 oz ground beef 3 oz diced bacon or pancetta…