Grilled Italiano Burgers

Mmmmm...............this meal is simple and delicious!  A simple twist of the American burger transforms this burger into an Italian classic!  Here are the ingredients:



1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground Italian sausage
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and Pepper
Meat Sauce (see link for recipe)
Provolone cheese
Hamburger buns



Simply mix the first 7 ingredients together and form into hamburgers.  Grill.  Melt cheese on the burger.  Before plating add a tablespoon of sauce on top of the burger.  Place burger on bun.  SIMPLE!!!!!

 

Seriously, this recipe is easy.  Anyone can do it!  A great meal for your entire family!

Mangia!

Spinach Lasagna

A few weeks ago I had abdominal surgery (everything is fine).  During my recovery, my work family supported me so much by bringing food, helping me watch Trevor, and continuously checking on me.  The next few recipes will feature some of the great food that they brought me.  Today's recipe comes from Shelly - Spinach Lasagna!

I remember the first time I ate this lasagna - I loved it!  Shelly's mom brought a pan of this lasagna to the office.   I have to admit that I am not a fan of spinach, but this lasagna is sooooo delicious.  It is super easy to make as well.



Here are the ingredients:



2 10 ounce packages of frozen spinach, defrost and wring out water
1/4 cup milk
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 14 ounce ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon garlic salt
3 eggs
1 box lasagna noodles, cooked al dente


Mix all ingredients together and layer with the lasagna noodles.  Layer sauce between each layer and on top.


Sauce:

1 stick butter
3 cups heavy cream
2 cups parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons garlic salt


Melt butter in sauce pan and add cream, parmesan and garlic salt.  Pour over noodles, in between each layer and on top.


Bake the lasagna at 350  degrees for 40 minutes.

Shelly claims to be Italian, but she eats at Olive Garden!  Any true Italian would not step in the front door (except for the salad and breadsticks)!  Italian or not, this recipe is a keeper, just like Shelly!  She is a blessing in my life - a caring, loving friend who is humble and serves others before herself.  I am blessed to have her in my life!

Mangia!

Penne With Chicken and Roasted Vegetables

The last recipe from the Utah trip belongs to my sister Tonette and her better half Jerry. They made a fabulous pasta with roasted vegetables and grilled chicken.  Think of a primavera pasta with chicken.  It was really good!

Here are the ingredients:

3 boneless chicken thighs
4 links Italian sausage
1 small bundle of asparagus
1 small head of broccoli
1 onion
1 tomato
1/2 pound mushrooms
1/2 bag frozen peas
1/2 bag fresh spinach
1 bottle of Italian salad dressing
2 pounds penne pasta
1 cup olive oil
1/2 bulb garlic, peeled and minced
2 cups white wine
3 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 stick butter
1 teaspoon each - fresh oregano, basil, parsley
Salt and pepper

Marinate the chicken in 1/2 bottle of salad dressing, salt and pepper.  Let that marinate for 2 hours.  Grill the chicken and sausage until mostly done.  Set aside.


Drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil on asparagus.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast in 350 degree oven.

Cut the broccoli, onion, tomato and mushrooms.  Place in an oven proof pan.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and 1 cup salad dressing.  Roast the vegetables for 15 minutes.

Cook the penne al dente - still a slight crunch.  The pasta will finish cooking in the oven.  Right before you are ready to drain the pasta, add the peas and spinach.  Drain and add to an oven proof pan.  Pour the chicken, sausage, and roasted vegetables in the pasta.

Saute the garlic with 3/4 cup olive oil.  Add wine and chicken stock.  Add fresh herbs, salt and pepper.  Melt the butter and incorporate that into the sauce.  Pour sauce on top of pasta.

Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. 

Mangia!

Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata is an Italian classic that will impress your family and friends.  It is super easy and quick.  Here are the ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, pounded thin
1 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Capers, optional
Fresh parsley

Begin by heating up the olive oil and butter in a saute pan.  Make sure your chicken breast is pounded/cut into thin, flat pieces.  Mix 1 cup of the flour, salt and pepper.  Dredge the chicken in the flour and brown the chicken on both sides.

Remove from the pan and keep warm.  If you need to add a little more butter/olive oil you can.  Add the garlic, shallots and mushrooms. 

Add two tablespoons flour.  Stir.  Slowly add in the chicken stock and fresh lemon juice.  When the sauce begins to thicken, add the chicken back in.  Stir in the fresh parsley and capers.

Serve with pasta or fresh vegetables.

Mangia!

Chicken Parmesan

This is an oldie but a goodie - an Italian classic!  It has a cheesy goodness, a tang from the sauce and some meat!  Serve with a salad and your entire family will love it!

Here are the ingredients for Chicken Parmesan:

4 chicken breasts, cut or pounded into thin cutlets
2 cups marinara sauce - CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE
2 cups mozzarella or provel cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup butter
1 cup flour
Salt
Pepper

Start by heating up olive oil and butter in a saute pan.  Put the flour in a bowl, along with about a teaspoon of salt and pepper.  Mix that up and dredge the chicken.  When the saute pan is very hot, add the chicken.  Brown on each side.  You do not need to make sure the chicken is completely cooked - it will finish cooking in the oven.

Put the browned chicken on a sheet pan.  Cover with the sauce and cheese.

Cook in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

YUM!

Mangia!

Pasta With Sausage In a Tomato Cream Sauce

The other night I was thinking about something different to make for dinner.  Does anyone every get into a rut?  Well, I was feeling that way.  I was in the mood for pasta but wanted something a little different than usual.  My sister Tonette mentioned that she has been making pasta with sausage so I thought I would give it a try.

Here are the ingredients:

1 pound pasta (I used Farfalle)
1 pound ground Italian sausage
1 pound sliced mushrooms
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter

I began by browning the sausage in a saute pan.  Set aside when brown.  Add the olive oil and butter to the saute pan.  Saute the garlic and shallots for 1-2 minutes making sure they don't burn.  Add the mushrooms.  When the mushrooms are brown, add the salt, pepper, basil and parsley.

Add the can tomatoes and sausage and let simmer for 5 minutes.

 Add the can of tomato sauce and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Add the heavy cream and simmer for another 5 minutes.   Combine sauce with al dente pasta and toss to coat.

Mangia!

Panna Cotta

Panna cotta was always a dessert that I thought I couldn't make.  I thought it was above me.  I thought only those trained in the culinary arts would be able to master such a dessert.  Boy, was I wrong!  It turns out it is one of the easiest desserts I've ever made!  If you really want to impress someone, break out this recipe!

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup whole milk
1 vanilla bean
1/2 cup sugar

Begin by cutting the vanilla bean in two and scraping the seeds in the heavy cream.  Throw the vanilla pod in the cream as well. Heat that until just before boiling and remove from heat.  Allow to sit for 30 minutes so that the vanilla flavor infuses the cream.

Remove the vanilla pod.  Turn on medium heat.  Add the sugar, gelatin, and milk.  Allow that to boil slightly, stirring constantly so that the cream doesn't burn.  Remove from heat and put into individual custard bowls.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

When you are ready to serve, take a spatula and run it around the edges to help loosen the custard.  I served my panna cotta with macerated cherries.

Mom said panna cotta was her favorite dessert and she loved it!  If only Alex Guarnaschelli could see me now!

Mangia!

Ricotta Meatballs

The thing I love about meatballs is that you can put anything in them and they still taste great.  Well, almost anything...........

Italians love their meatballs!  This recipe is a variation of my original meatball recipe.  Here are the ingredients:

• 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
• Olive oil, 1/4 cup
• Shallots - 1 large shallot, minced
• Garlic - 4 cloves minced
• Parmesan Cheese - 1 cup shredded
• Parsely - chopped, 1/2 cup
• Basil - chopped, 1/4 cup
• Ground Beef - 1 pound
• Italian sausage, ground, 1/2 pound
• 1 egg
• Ricotta cheese - 1 cup
• Salt
• Pepper 

 Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl.  Roll the meatballs to the size you want.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Let the meatballs finish cooking in your sauce.  Here is a great recipe for marinara sauce.  If you aren't planning on serving these with sauce, finish cooking them in the oven.

Mangia!

Stuffed Artichokes

One of my favorite things to eat are stuffed artichokes!  I grew up eating this unusual treat - mom always made artichokes!

 

  An artichoke is a leafy vegetable that is tough and unusual to eat.

 

 Mom always steamed her artichokes before stuffing them, allowing the leaves to soften.  When the artichoke is steamed, she stuffs the leaves with breadcrumbs, cheese, olive oil and garlic.

Begin by snipping off the pointy tips of the artichoke leaves.  Cut off the stem.  Put the artichoke in a pot with salted water and boil for 45 minutes or so, or until the artichoke softens.

While the artichoke is cooking, put 1/4 cup olive oil in a small bowl.  Remove the peel from 3 cloves of garlic and allow the garlic to sit in the oil.  This will allow the garlic flavor to infuse with the oil, not giving you an overbearing garlic taste.  

When the artichokes are soft, remove from the water and stuff with pieces of mozzarella cheese and provel.  If you do not have access to provel cheese, you can use provolone or fontina.  Add parmesan cheese and Italian style breadcrumbs.  Remove the garlic from the oil and drizzle over the artichokes.

Put the artichokes in a 250 degree oven, just hot enough to melt the cheese and brown the bread crumbs.

Now comes the fun part!  Remove one leaf, which is full of cheesy goodness.............and scrape it on your teeth!  Yes, as you scrape the goodness off of the leaf and with the cheese and breadcrumbs, a little artichoke pulp will be removed from the leaf.  Do not ingest the whole leaf.  Discard the leaf after scraping off the goodness!

Mom is showing Mai how to eat the artichoke leaf

Tonette and Jerry scarfing them down!

Artichokes have a treat inside......once you have eaten the leaves, you can cut the artichoke open to get the artichoke heart.  Beware, artichokes have thistles, or sharp fibers that should not be ingested.  Cut those out and inside, you will find the heart.  Artichoke hearts are frequently found in pasta, salads and other goodies.

Tonette is cutting out the artichoke heart

Mangia!

Italian Sesame Cookies

Every time I visited my Nonna's house she had these sesame cookies.  Of course, she always had chocolate cookies, pasta, pizza and everything else I can imagine.  She was always saying, "Mangia, Mangia."  There was always food on the table at my Nonna's.  You never went hungry over there!

Nonnu, Nonna and I - October, 1970

 

I recently came across this photo and I love it!  My Aunt Lily is in the background.

 

 

The ingredients for the sesame cookies are:

 

 

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

3 eggs

3/4 cup shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla

sesame seeds

 

Optional - Anise - Italians love Anise!  If you like it, add a little into the mix (1/2 teaspoon ground anise).

 

To begin, mix the shortening and sugar together.  Add in the eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and flour.

 

 

 

On a floured surface, roll a piece of dough into a snake-like rope

 

 





 

 

Cut the rope into pieces - about 1 1/2 inches long.  Dip into milk and then sesame seeds.

 

 

 

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.  Take caution - if you over cook these cookies they will be hard as a rock!  You want them to remain soft so make sure they don't cook too long.  If they are starting to brown, they have been in too long.

 

These cookies aren't too sweet and are a staple in an Italian household.

 

 

 

Mangia!

 

 





Chicken Modiga

One of my favorite Italian dishes is chicken modiga.  It is chicken smothered in a white, cheesy sauce with peas and mushrooms.  It is decadent and anyone can make it!

Here are the ingredients:

Chicken breast - pounded thin
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper
Panko bread crumbs
Garlic clove, minced
Butter
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
Dried mushrooms OR chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Marsala wine
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup shredded provel cheese
Parsley - 2 tablespoons, minced

To begin, add dried porchini mushrooms in 2 cups water.  Boil for 30 minutes.  This reconstitutes the mushrooms and makes a fabulous mushroom broth.  If you do not want to make a mushroom broth, you can substitute chicken broth.

Take 1/2 cup olive oil and add the minced garlic.  When you need to add olive oil to the saute pan, take from this dish.  The garlic will infuse in the olive oil but will not be overbearing in the dish.

Pound your chicken breast to 1/2 inch thickness.  Place chicken breast in Ziploc bag.  Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper.  Dredge in bread crumbs.

Heat a saute pan - add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon butter.  Add the chicken and brown on both sides.  Remove from pan and keep warm in oven.

Clean out your sauce pan so that you remove the leftover bread crumbs.  Return the pan to the stove top.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon butter.  Saute the mushrooms until brown.  Throw the peas in there to heat them up.  Remove the mushrooms and peas - set aside.

Add 1/2 cup of the mushroom broth/chicken broth to the saute pan.  Add the flour - whisk until the lumps are gone.  This will make a roux - a thickener for the sauce.

Slowly add more broth, stirring constantly.  Slowly, add the Marsala wine and cream.  Add the sauteed mushrooms and peas.  If you used dried mushrooms, dice those up and add them too.  Add the provel cheese.

Top the chicken with the cheese sauce.  Serve with a side of buttered pasta.  The cheese sauce slathers into the pasta - YUMMY!

Mangia!

This recipe is featured on What's Cooking Wednesday!