Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients

One bottle of ranch dressing
One bottle of Frank's Original Red Hot Sauce
One brick of cream cheese
Three cans of chicken breast
Four cups of shredded cheddar
Chips for Dipping

Technique

Combine all the ingredients in the crock pot.  Cook on high for three hours, stirring frequently.  Serve with tortilla chips!  Buon appetito!

** Leftover Idea**
Reheat and Serve in burritos ;)

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Eggplant Parmsean

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplant (about 2 1/4 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch-thick round slices
• 5 cups fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Olive Oil for frying
• Flour for dredging
• 6 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 7 cups or two jars of your favorite marinara sauce
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan, divided
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Directions

Arrange the eggplant slices on several baking sheets and sprinkle generously all over with kosher salt. Set aside to let the juices weep from the eggplant, about 1 hour.

Transfer the eggplant to a colander in the sink, and rinse well under cold running water. Transfer eggplant to a work surface and blot very dry with paper towels.  The more water you get out the better they will fry
In a large bowl, mix together the, breadcrumbs, oregano, and season with pepper.
In another medium bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Dip it in the egg, and finally dredge it in the breadcrumb mixture. Shake off any excess breading and transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant. In a large straight-sided skillet, pour the oil to a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat the oil over medium heat until it registers 400 degrees F on a deep frying thermometer. (The oil must be heated to 400 degrees F. so that the breaded eggplant, when added, will drop the temperature of the oil to the proper frying temperature of 375 degrees F.)
Working in small batches, fry the eggplant slices, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and season with salt to taste. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly brush a 15 x 10- x 2-inch-baking dish with olive oil.  We are going to layer it like a lasagna.  Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1/3 of the marinara sauce and arrange half of the eggplant over the sauce. Cover the eggplant with another 1/3 of the sauce. Scatter half of the Parmesan and half of the mozzarella over the sauced eggplant. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, sauce, Parmesan, and mozzarella. Bake until hot and just beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.  Buon appetito!!



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Chicken Noodle Soup

When I get a craving for soup, I make it, and I make a ton! To freeze or distribute at will...

You can use leftover chicken, or bake 2 pounds of chicken thighs (they're the best!) or like me, cheat and get 2 roaster chickens from the grocery!

2 pounds of chicken or two roaster chickens

1 Bunch of carrots, chopped

1 Bunch of celery, chopped

1 Large onion, chopped

1 Bag frozen corn

10 cups of chicken broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a stockpot and simmer for 1 hour, serve with your choice of noodle! Easy Peasy!

*You'll notice I didn't say anything about the "Noodle" portion.  I make my noodles separately and then add them when I'm ready to eat.  It works out nicely when you want to freeze the soup!  Buon appetito!!

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Radish Salsa

4-5 Medium Radishes, Chopped

1/2 Cup Cilantro, Chopped

1 English (seedless) Cumcumber, Chopped

6-7 Green Onions, Chopped

Lime Juice, Salt, Olive Oil to taste

Mix all and enjoy with some chips or mix it into hummus and dip with carrots!  Buon appetito!!



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Zucchini Pizza

Did you know August 4th is National -Leave Zucchini on your Neighbor's Porch- Day?  I didn't either, but I can see why it is!  I am overflowing with zucchini and tomatoes.... But I can't complain because it's all delicious!  While I cheated and bought the dough from a local Italian Bakery, it was whole wheat dough and delicious!

1 Lb Pizza Dough

3-4 Zucchinis, sliced

1 small onion, chopped

Olive Oil for Sauteing

2 Cups Pizza Cheese Mix (Mozzarella, Prove lone, Romano, Parmesan)

Italian Seasoning.

Saute the zucchinis and onions with olive oil in a large pan, until caramelized.  In the mean time let the dough come to room temperature (if it was in the fridge), and spread onto pizza pan/stone.  Lightly put some olive oil on top and cover with Italian spices.  Take the zucchini pan  and liberally spread veggies over pizza.  Top with cheese and bake on the top rack of the oven (so the cheese browns slightly) at 375* for 20 min, or until dough is firm and cheese is the right color brown.  Slice and Serve!  Buon appetito!! 

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Cold War Brownies

I recommend Pillsbury Family Size Brownies, it fills the 9 x 13 pan quite nicely.

1 Box of Brownie Mix (and the necessary ingredients to make it)

6 Tablespoons Nutella or more!

1 block of Cream Cheese, room temperature.

1 Egg Yolk

5 Tablespoons Sugar

1/8 tsp Vanilla Extract

In a large bowl mix the brownie mix, and pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan.  In a smaller bowl mix the cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Glop the nutella and cream cheese mix into the brownies, being as heavy handed as you'd like. Swirl lightly. Bake the brownies according to the box directions adding 5-7 min more so the middle isn't so gooey!  Buon appetito! 

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Aaron's Corn Salsa

Ingredients:


1 package frozen sweet white corn, thawed
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup olive oil

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro , chopped

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 cup celery, chopped
1/2 c Parmesan shredded

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Corn/Tortilla Chips for dipping

Directions:

Combine corn, black beans, peppers, onions and cilantro in medium size bowl, set aside.  Place garlic in microwave safe bowl, cover with olive oil and microwave for 20-40 seconds until almost hot (you are infusing the oil with the garlic flavor).  Sprinkle seasoning (salt, cumin, pepper) into the bowl, stir.  Pour olive oil and lime juice into the bowl, mix throughly.  Serve with chips.  Buon appetito!!

  

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Lemon Fish with Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

Four pieces of tilapia
Two lemons
Salt and Pepper to taste

Eight small button/white mushrooms
1/2 cup Italian-style dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated provolone
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Two large Portobello mushrooms
Corn Salsa (it holds up better than tomato based salsa to grilling)
1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese

Technique

Slice the lemon and place one slice on each filet, salt and pepper to your taste.  Grill fish for 7-10 min until moist but not slimy anymore.

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Stir the bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper, to taste, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium bowl to blend.   Spoon the filling into the mushroom cavities and arrange on the baking sheet, cavity side up. Drizzle remaining oil over the filling in each mushroom.  Top with shredded cheese Bake until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is heated through and golden on top, about 25 minutes. Or grill for about 10 minutes until cheese bubbles.
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Place Portobello mushrooms top side down and fill with salsa and sprinkle on cheese.  Grill for 10 minutes until cheese bubbles.  Buon appetito!!


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Vegetable Marinara

So hearty and sweet even the meat lovers will be asking for more!

Ingredients

One large onion
1 1/2 cups carrots
1 ½ cups celery
¾ cup Italian parsley
4 cups crushed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt (to your taste)
Extra virgin olive oil

Technique

Finely chop the onion, carrots, celery and parsley. In a large pot (I suggest a stock pot) sautè the chopped vegetables in olive oil for about 5-10 minutes until tender on a medium flame, without browning. Add tomatoes and salt. Simmer for 1 hour on low. Serve over your favorite pasta with ridiculously huge quantities of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Tips

§  About 10 minutes before the sauce is finished cooking, add a couple spoonfuls of red wine…Mamma mia, che buono!!!

§  Don’t have time to chop up carrots or want to add more veggies? Add in a few jars of stage 2 organic baby food. The more carrots the sweeter your sauce, try adding sweet potato puree!

§  Use for lasagnas, a minestrone soup base, or on your next homemade pizza!

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Gnocchi with Italian Sausage

Delicious and easy gnocchi is one of mine and my husband’s favorite kinds of pasta.

Ingredients

3 pounds russet potatoes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg, extra large
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups vegetable marinara
1 ½ pounds fresh Italian sausage

Technique

Boil the whole potatoes until they are soft (about 45 minutes). While still warm, peel and pass through vegetable mill onto clean pasta board.

Set 6 quarts of water to boil in a large spaghetti pot. Set up ice bath with 6 cups ice and 6 cups near boiling water.

Make a well in center of potatoes and sprinkle all over with flour, using all the flour. Place egg and salt in center of well and using a fork, stir into flour and potatoes, just like making normal pasta. Once egg is mixed in, bring dough together, kneading gently until a ball is formed. Knead gently another 4 minutes until ball is dry to touch.

Roll baseball-sized ball of dough into 3/4-inch diameter dowels and cut dowels into 1-inch long pieces. Drop these pieces into boiling water and cook until they float (about 1 minute). Meanwhile, continue with remaining dough, forming dowels, cutting into 1-inch pieces. As gnocchi float to top of boiling water, remove them to ice bath. Continue until all have been cooled off. Let sit several minutes in bath and drain from ice and water. Toss with 1/2 cup olive oil and set aside.

Cut the Italian sausage into 1 inch sections and place in sauté pan.  Adding a small amount of water to the bottom to prevent sticking/burning cook sausage thoroughly or until crispy brown.  Add sauce right before serving.  Pour sausage/marinara mixture over gnocchi and serve.   Buon appetito!!

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