Chicken Parmeasn

 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 (3-ounces each) chicken cutlets
1 1/2 cups Simple Tomato Sauce, or  marinara sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded provolone
16 teaspoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Stir the oil and herbs in a small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of the cutlets with the herb oil. Heat a heavy large oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add the cutlets and cook just until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Spoon the marinara sauce over and around the cutlets. Sprinkle cheese over each cutlet. Sprinkle the butter pieces atop the cutlets. Bake until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with your favorite pasta!

Print Page

Shrimp Alfredo

For the Sauce:

2 lb fresh shrimp, cleaned and deveined, and butterflied
1 lb angel hair pasta

2 fresh diced tomato

6 -8 whole garlic cloves

1 shallot, diced

1 pint heavy cream

1 cup dry white wine

olive oil

5 -7 leaves fresh basil

1 cup parmesan cheese, finely shaved

For the coating for the shrimp:

milk

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, finely shaved

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

14 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Pour enough olive oil in a large sauce pan to cover the bottom, turn to medium high heat. This is the only pot you'll need for the sauce so it should be big. Soak the shrimp in milk and combine the dry ingredients (flour,  cheese, salt, pepper, paprika). Coat the shrimp with the dry ingredients and let them fry in the olive oil, About 2 minutes per side until golden brown. The Flour that falls off the shrimp will add great flavor and consistency to the sauce. Add more oil as necessary, between batches of shrimp. Dab the shrimp with a paper towel, cover and set aside to keep warm.

Add the garlic to the oil, stir for a few minutes, then turn the heat to medium low. Now add the wine and bring it to a boil. Then turn the heat to low and cover, let the wine reduce, about 10-15 minutes.

In a separate pot, bring water to simmer. (for pasta later).

Add the cream, and bring it back to a boil, turn heat to low and simmer for 10 more minutes. While it is simmering dice your shallot and tomato, and chiffonade your basil. Now add the Basil, diced tomato, and remaining  Parmesan cheese. Stir for a moment then add the fried shrimp, and remove the pan from heat. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Bring pasta pot to a boil and add angel hair and cook.

Print Page

Gnocchi with Zucchini Ribbons

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh gnocchi

2 tablespoons butter

2 medium shallots, chopped

1 pound zucchini, (about 3 small), very thinly sliced lengthwise

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook gnocchi until they float, 3 to 5 minutes or according to package directions. Drain. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until the butter is beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add shallots and zucchini and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, nutmeg and pepper and continue cooking, stirring often, until the tomatoes are just starting to break down, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and parsley. Add the gnocchi and toss to coat.

Based on ...

Print Page

Quick Veggie Quesadillas

Ingredients:

6 large tortillas
1 can black beans, drained
1 can white corn, drained
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped, or substitute scallions
1 tbs garlic, minced
2 tbs lime juice
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar


Directions:

In a small glass bowl; microwave garlic and olive oil together for one min.  Ensure that you cover the bowl with a paper towel, it will splash! Combine beans, corn, peppers, and onions. Sprinkle with lime juice and olive oil, mix well.  Fill tortillas with bean mixture and sprinkle with cheese.  Fold in half and grill in pan or George Foreman grill, or Panini machine.  Serve with salsa or sour cream!


Print Page

Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients:

1 lb. Italian sausage
¼ cup bacon, cooked and chopped
1 white onion, chopped
2 tbs garlic, minced
2 lb small red potatoes, sliced in to bite size chunks.
10 cups chicken broth
1 bunch kale, chopped
1 cup heavy cream


Directions:

In a large stock pot cook the sausage, once fully cooked remove and let cool.  Add onions, garlic, and bacon to the same pot and sauté till transparent.  Add the broth, potatoes and kale and simmer for 30-45 min until potatoes are tender.  Add the sausage and cream and simmer until all is warm.  Serve with some warm fresh bread!


Print Page

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients:

2 lbs chicken breasts, pounded thin
2 tbs butter
2 tbs olive oil
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 bottle (8oz) marsala wine
½ cup flour
1 tbs dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Angel Hair pasta.


Directions:

Combine the flour, parsley, salt and pepper in a shallow plate.  Ensure that the chicken breasts are dry, then dredge the chicken in the flour mixture.  Melt the butter and olive oil together in a large sauté pan and brown both sides of the chicken, about 2 minutes each side. Turn heat down to simmer and add wine and mushrooms.  Cover and simmer for up to an hour.  Serve over pasta!


Print Page

Cranberry Sangria

Ingredients:

64 oz unsweetened cranberry juice
1 bottle red wine (your choice, the sweeter the better)
1 bottle champagne
1 cup orange juice
1 bag uncooked cranberries
2 oranges, sliced

Directions:

Fill muffin tins with cranberries and fill tot the top with water, freeze overnight.  Combine all ingredients and serve.


Print Page

Tom the Veggie Turkey

Arrange your favorite veggies for your guests, just because Thanksgiving is about gluttony doesn't mean you can't fill up on the good stuff!

I used black peppercorns for his eyes :)

Print Page

Pumpkin Pie

This recipe is slightly different than the traditional Libby's mix because the fresh pumpkin is has a higher water content.  You can let the pumpkin sit and drain off the water, or place it in cheesecloth overnight and let the water drain off the bottom.

This will be enough for TWO pies!

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
**if you do not have cinnamon, cloves, allspice and ginger, you can substitute 3 teaspoons of "pumpkin pie spice".
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
4 large eggs
3 cups pumpkin sieved, cooked pumpkin
1.5 cans (12oz each) of evaporated milk
2 pie crusts, 9', grahm or fresh dough, it's your preference!


Directions

Combine all ingredients, make sure they are well mixed.  Pour the pie into pie crusts and bake at 425 F  for the first 15 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 F and bake another 45 to 60 minutes, until a clean knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Buon appetito!!
Print Page

Meatballs and Polenta

Meat mix: 3 lbs meatloaf mix (beef, veal, pork)
1 package thick-sliced smoky bacon, uncooked, raw
2 whole eggs
⅓ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
½ cup finely diced yellow onion
8 garlic cloves, minced
Herb mix: ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, 2 tbsp chopped oregano, 2 tbsp chopped rosemary

Combine above ingredients and mix well, kneading the mixture with your hands like dough.

⅓ cup  bread crumbs
½ cup whole milk

Slowly add milk to bread crumbs, stirring until the mixture has the consistency of wet sand. Immediately add to the meat mixture,  and mix well.

olive oil for browning
about 12 cups good-quality tomato sauce, kept warm over low heat
finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving
two rolls of polenta, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape meatballs, preferably using an ice-cream scoop (to reduce air inside meatball). In a large skillet, heat about a quarter-inch canola oil until very hot. Working in batches, brown all sides of each meatball.  As they finish, transfer browned meatballs to a deep, ovenproof casserole. Cover meatballs with tomato sauce. (Don't skimp — they must be totally submerged.) Place in oven and bake until well done, about 1 ¾ to 2 hours.   While they are baking: brown polenta in oil, turning occasionally, lay on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

To serve: Spoon sauce & meatballs over polenta (2 or 3 per person), top with grated cheese, and pass crusty bread. Makes 25 to 30 meatballs. Buon appetito!!

Print Page