Italian Pasta Salad

Ingredients
1 Box Tri Color Rotini
1 Package Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
10 Slices Salami - Chopped
1 Green Pepper - Chopped
1/2 Red Onion - Chopped
1 Package of Small Fresh Mozzarella - Chopped
1/2 c. Chopped Basil

Dressing:
1/2c. Olive Oil
1/4c. Red Wine Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tsp dried oregano


Technique
Cook pasta according to package directions.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Drizzle with dressing,  Chill at least 3 hours before serving.   Buon appetito!



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Chicken Wraps

Ingredients

1 Burrito wrap
1/2c.  Cooked chicken
1/2c. Greens or Lettuce
1/4c.  Chopped Carrots
1/4c. Shredded Cheese
2tsp  Ranch Dressing


Technique
Stack all ingredients on top of the burrito wrap.  Roll up the wrap and wrap in saran wrap.  Enjoy all Week!   Buon appetito!


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Greek Panzanella

Ingredients:



Olive oil

6 c. cubed french bread

1 cucumber, seeded and sliced into half moons

1 red bell pepper, 1 inch dice

1 yellow bell pepper, 1 inch dice

2 c. grape tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 red onion, slice in half rounds

1/2 lb. feta cheese, cut in 1/2 inch cubes



Vinaigrette:



2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t. dried oregano

1/2 t. Dijon mustard

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

1 t. salt

1/2 t pepper

1/3 c. olive oil



Heat 3 T. olive oil in pan. Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with salt. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 10 min., stirring frequently, until browned. Add extra olive oil if needed.



Combine the cucumber, red and yellow pepper, tomatoes and red onion in large bowl.



Whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. While whisking add olive oil. Pour over vegetables. Add cheese and bread cubes. Mix together gently. Set aside to allow flavors to combine about 30 min. Serve at room temp.



Serves 4-6




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Reggio Express

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 Morningstar Farms Veggie Sausage Patty heated and crumbled up.
1 tsp salsa
1 tsp sour cream
1 tsp chopped onions
cheese optional

Technique

Lightly grease a small saute or omlette pan and put on med-high heat.  In a small bowl combine the eggs, sausage patty and onion.  Cook your omlette to desired doneness, adding the cheese at the very end.  Remove from heat and fold over onto plate.  Top with salsa and sour cream.  Buon appetito!


This was loosely based on the Acapulco Express at First Watch, but my large Italian family is from Reggio Calabria, Italy :)

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Super Simple Salmon

There's almost nothing better than a homemade meal, even a simple one like this. Since Brendan and I welcomed Clare, there has been very little cooking going on in our house, but we occasionally find a long enough period of time to pull this quick dinner together.

Serves:2

Ingredients:

2 5 oz. Salmon filets

1/2 red onion sliced

1/2 lemon sliced

2 sprigs of rosemary

olive oil

salt and pepper

How:

Heat the oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with foil. Place the salmon filets on the foil along with the red onion. Drizzle all in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle rosemary leaves on top of fish and onions. Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Serve with lemon slices to squeeze over fish before eating.

Enjoy!

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Basil Flatbread

1 11-ounce refrigerated thin crust pizza dough

1 1/2 T. olive oil

1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1 mince garlic clove

2 T. thinly sliced basil

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Unroll dough onto a 10 x 15 inch baking sheet. Combine olive oil, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Brush over dough. Bake at 350 for 11 min or until browned. Remove from oven and sprinkle with basil and cheese.

Tomato Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

One Red Onion, thinly sliced
One English (seedless) cucumber, cut into strips
5-6 Roma Tomatoes, seeded and cut into wedges
Olive Oil and Red Wine Vinegar for drizzling
Salt and Pepper to taste

Technique:

Combine all ingredients, serve.  Like I said easy!!


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Deconstructed Summer Chili

Not a heavy chili, light and delicious summer meal! 

 

Ingredients

1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
2 ears corn, cooked and cut from stalk
2 cups elbow pasta, cooked and cooled
1 red onion, half finely chopped, half thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 pound lean ground beef
One 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed
4 Roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
Salt and pepper to taste


Technique

In a saute pan add 2 tsp of olive oil and chopped onions, wait about 2 minutes and add beef cooking thoroughly adding chili power and cumin right at the end.  Allow meat to cool.  Whisk together lime juice, olive oil and cilantro and add remaining ingrediants.  Buon appetito!



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Gabe's Gyros

Ingredients
Whole Wheat Pitas
1 Cucumber Sliced
Cherry Tomatoes Halved
Red Onion Sliced
Fresh Basil
1 lb Thinly Sliced Beef or Lamb
Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Dill
1 tsp Garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Technique
Lightly salt the meat.  Grill it on each side for 1-2 minutes each, you want it to be no more than medium.  Slice the meat into thin strips.  I like to lightly grill the pitas, 1 min each side, just to get the grill marks.  Whisk together all the ingredients for the yogurt sauce.  Combine your gyro to your hearts content!  Buon appetito!

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Rice Pudding

Ingredients
3 cups cooked rice
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice

Technique
Cook rice according to package directions.  I recommend arborio rice.  Once rice is done and is still warm in the pan, add the milk until it's absorbed.  Mix in the remaining ingredients and chill overnight.   Buon appetito!

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