Ingredient: Shredded Italian Cheese Blend

Meatless Minestrone for Mondays and Beyond

Meatless Minestrone for Mondays and Beyond
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Meatless Minestrone for Mondays and Beyond
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Heat a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add the tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onions and carrots and a pinch of salt. Cook for several minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
  2. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and the bay leaves to the pot and cook another minute or two, stirring frequently.
  3. Pour in the can of tomatoes, juice and all and the vegetable stock. Bring up to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook covered for 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. At this point you can cool the stock and refrigerate until the next day. You can also complete the recipe at this time if you want.
  4. Coat a non-stick pan with olive oil cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the artichoke hearts and cook for 5 - 6 minutes or so turning once until lightly browned on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
  5. Repeat the above process with the zucchini slices.
  6. When you are ready to complete cooking the soup, (re)heat the stock to a simmer. Add the chickpeas ans pasta and cook for 5 minutes, stirring it once or twice.
  7. Add the green beans and cook for 4 minutes or until they are the amount of tender crisp you like.
  8. Add the browned artichokes and zucchini and simmer everything gently until it is all heated through. This should only take a couple of minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
  9. Ladle into four soup bowls and top each with two of the toasted bead slices (recipe follows) and a drizzle of olive oil.
Cheese Toasts
  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat the bread slices on both sides with olive oil cooking spray and place them on a foil lined baking sheet. Toast for 8 minutes, turning once. Top with the cheese and return to the oven set on broil and cook until the cheese is melted and slightly brown.
Share this Recipe
Powered byWP Ultimate Recipe

Frittata with Spinach and Chicken Sausage

Frittata with Spinach and Chicken Sausage
Print Recipe
Servings
2
Servings
2
Frittata with Spinach and Chicken Sausage
Print Recipe
Servings
2
Servings
2
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a small oven proof skillet. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally 5 minutes or until the onion begins to soften.
  2. Slice the sausage links in half lengthwise then slice into thin half moons. Add these to the onions in the pan and cook for another minute or two.
  3. Add the garlic and roasted red peppers and cook for several minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant.
  4. If things seem dry, add the chicken broth and toss to coat. You could add a little more olive oil instead of the broth if you like.
  5. Add the chopped spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted.
  6. While the vegetables cook, crack the eggs into a bowl. Beat well. Add the milk and beat to combine. Add half of the cheese and stir to blend.
  7. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and reduce the heat to medium low. Give it a good shake to begin the setting and minimize the sticking.
  8. Continue to cook the eggs gently lifting and shaking to maintain even cooking.
  9. When the eggs are almost set, sprinkle a little of the remaining cheese on the top. Cover the top with the sliced tomatoes and the rest of the cheese.
  10. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes or so. Turn on the broiler and cook for another 2 minutes until the cheese is lightly browned. Remove the pan from the oven and let it to rest for 5 minutes.
  11. Sprinkle with the basil and drizzle with a little olive oil. Divide between two plates and serve.
Share this Recipe
Powered byWP Ultimate Recipe

Sunday Gravy Casserole

I’ve shared memories of my father’s “Sunday Gravy,“ a classic Italian tomato sauce that was loaded with meatballs, sausage, and pork neck bones. Every Italian family has a recipe for this simple yet totally delicious staple.

Writing about my memories inspired me to make my own gravy. This was a few months ago and the batch I made was huge. Most of it found its way into the freezer and was promptly forgotten. I did create a braised pork recipe (check it out on my RECIPES page) that was the essence of the pork neck bones as I remembered them. Some of that wound up in the freezer as well.

Fast forward to this week when I was cleaning out the freezer. I found 3 cartons of beautiful red goodness. I knew they were all gravy, but I didn’t know what else was in them. So, I put the 3 ruby cubes in a pot, and let them thaw over low heat. What resulted was gravy filled with all three wonderful meats.

I cut the meats into bite size pieces and returned it to the sauce. I found a large package of extra wide egg noodles that reminded me of lasagna. These became the pasta component. A little ricotta, cheese, and herbs were added and Sunday Gravy Casserole was born. This is really a riff on Poor Man’s Lasagna. Just search by the title on my RECIPES page)

Every bite of this was filled with meaty goodness. There was just enough cheese to make it feel decadent. The noodles stayed firm and held their shape. It was too good to be eaten alone, so I sent a generous pan over to the “new parents”

Sunday Gravy Casserole
Print Recipe
Servings
8
Servings
8
Sunday Gravy Casserole
Print Recipe
Servings
8
Servings
8
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Cook the noodles in boiling salted water until just barely done (1-2 minutes less than package directions). Reserve a cup or so of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.
  2. Heat the gravy and meats in a large saucepan until bubbling gently. Add some of the pasta water if the gravy seems tight. Keep warm
  3. Beat the egg lightly and add it to the ricotta along with the Italian seasoning. Set aside.
  4. Put the mozzarella in the freezer for about 30 minutes (leave the packaging on). This makes the cheese easier to slice thinly. Slice the cheese 1/4 inch thick.
  5. To assemble the casserole: spray a large rectangular baking dish with non-stick spray. Spoon 1/3 of the sauce into the pan, spreading it evenly. Add half of the noodles and top it with dollops of the ricotta.
  6. Spoon another 1/3 of the sauce on top of the ricotta and noodles. Sprinkle with half of the grated cheese blend.
  7. Add the remaining noodles to the casserole. Top with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the other half of the the grated cheese. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
  8. Remove the foil and top with the sliced mozzarella. Return to the oven uncovered and bake for another 10 minutes. The casserole should be bubbly and the cheese should be melted.
  9. Set the oven at broil and position the casserole about 4 inches from the heat source. Broil until the cheese begins to brown and bubble.
  10. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Share this Recipe
Powered byWP Ultimate Recipe

Seven +/- Layer Salad

Seven +/- Layer Salad
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Seven +/- Layer Salad
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Light Balsamic Dressing
Servings:
Instructions
  1. In a deep glass bowl layer the ingredients beginning with the farro. Layer them at your whim, but aim for appealing color combinations. The only sort of rule is to end with the olives and tomatoes, but again that's up to you.
  2. Combine the dressing ingredients in a small jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake well until everything has blended together.
  3. Pour the dressing over the layered salad. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or as long as overnight.
  4. When ready to serve, top with the shredded cheese. Sprinkle with a few fresh herbs if that tickles your fancy, and serve.
Share this Recipe
Powered byWP Ultimate Recipe

Chicken Spinach and Artichoke Pizza

DIGITAL CAMERASpinach Artichoke Dip has become an iconic appetizer. You can find it at most gatherings, lots of restaurants, and pre-made in the grocery store. Most everyone loves the creamy, garlicy flavor that has just enough vegetables to make it slightly less guilt producing. Spinach and artichoke have an affinity that makes them work so well in this dip, but they happily go hand in hand in lots of other dishes.

I’ve used this dynamic duo in lots of different ways. Pasta sauces and stuffings have benefited from the joining of the thistle and the green. I’ve shared a recipe here awhile back for a tasty Spinach and Artichoke Soup (check it out on the RECIPE page; search Spinach Artichoke Soup) that pays homage to the dip.DIGITAL CAMERAThe following recipe is another riff on the dip. It even features a creamy sauce. DIGITAL CAMERAThings began with frozen chopped spinach, canned artichoke hearts, and chicken breast tenders. The pantry/freezer lightened their load a little bit more which is a major focus right now. I used the kind of pizza dough that comes in a can, but fresh or home-made would be wonderful. 
DIGITAL CAMERASo the main ingredients were ready to become pizza. The chicken was browned in a little olive oil. The spinach and artichokes sautéed with a hearty dose of garlic. Light cream cheese thinned with a little fat-free half & half and flavored with Italian herb blend became the sauce.

The weather almost demanded that the pizza be cooked on the grill, so of course I complied.DIGITAL CAMERAThe result was crisp tasty pizza with just a hint of smokey goodness. This would be equally delicious baked in the oven as mini pizzas or one large one.DIGITAL CAMERAGive this recipe a try.

Chicken Spinach and Artichoke Pizza
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Chicken Spinach and Artichoke Pizza
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Toss the chicken bits with the Mrs Dash blend. Place in a zip top bag and allow to marinate in the refrigerator over night.
  2. When you are ready to prepare the pizza, remove the chicken from the frig. Heat a large fry pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken, spreading it out in a single layer. Cook until it is golden brown and cooked through. This should take about 10 minutes.
  3. Remove the chicken from the pan, leaving the drippings. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or so until it begins to become fragrant.
  4. Add the artichokes and spinach to the pan and continue to cook for 4 - 5 minutes. When everything looks blissful, remove the mixture from the pan.
  5. Stir the cream cheese and half & hlaf together in a small bowl. Add the Italian Herb grinder blend and stir to combine.
  6. Open the pizza dough and allow it to rest for 10 minutes or so. Cut in 4 pieces and stretch slightly to an even thickness on a mat that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Spray both sides of the dough lightly as well.
  7. On the upper rack of a hot grill lay the dough pieces leaving room between each. Cook 3 minutes until lightly browned and marked. Turn and grill 2 minutes more. Remove from grill and lay on large baking sheet, browner side up.
  8. Divide the cream cheese mixture among the four dough pieces. Spread evenly almost to the edges.
  9. Top each pizza with the Spinach/Artichoke mixture and sprinkle the chicken on top. Add the cheese blend to the pizzas along with drizzle of olive oil.
  10. Place the pizzas back on the grill (top rack if you have one). Put the lid down and cook for 3 minutes. Check the pizzas and move them around to help them cook evenly.
  11. Continue to cook, moving around as needed. the cheese should be melted and the bottom crust deeply marked but not burned.
  12. Remove from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and a dusting of red pepper flakes if you dare and serve.
Share this Recipe
Powered byWP Ultimate Recipe