Monthly Archives: September 2015

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Holiday Specialties, Italian, Main Course, Pasta and Rice Dishes

Lasagna

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This Lasagna recipe has so many variations. This one is my version.
It freezes well so make a few small pans for another work day dinner.

***First you have to make my Italian Tomato Sauce, with meat is best but you can make a meatless Lasagna too***

Ingredients:
1 LB box of Lasagna pasta, cooked according to the directions on the box or if you can buy fresh pasta that’s even better.
3 LBS whole milk ricotta cheese
3 XLRG eggs
2 TBLS parsley, minced
1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese plus more for the layers
16oz shredded whole milk Mozzarella cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook the pasta, drain and place it hanging over the sides of a colander.

lasagna sheets
lasagna sheets

This will prevent them from sticking together.
Mix together the ricotta, eggs, parsley, ½ cup of the Parmesan or Romano cheese, salt & pepper to taste.

ricotta, parsley and eggs
ricotta, parsley, eggs etc

Set aside.
In a deep 3x9x13 pan place a thin layer of sauce and then a layer of the cooked pasta.

a THIN layer of sauce
first, a THIN layer of sauce on the bottom
one layer of pasta
one layer of pasta
ricotta and meat and more sauce
ricotta and  mozzarella and meat and more sauce

Top with about a 1” layer (approximately a third) of the ricotta mixture, dust with the shredded Mozzarella and grated cheese. Spoon a good layer of sauce over this ( be generous with the sauce so it doesn’t dry when baking) and then crumble 2 meatballs and 2 sausage and sprinkle it over the sauce layer. Top with another layer of ricotta mixture and repeat for three layers of pasta. End with the pasta on top, sauce and sprinkle with the Mozzarella and the remaining grated cheese.

ready for the oven
ready for the oven

Cover with foil.
Bake covered with foil at 325-350 for about 1 to 1-1/2 hours until the center puffs and its hot all the way through.
Let it rest for about 20 minutes before cutting to serve.

Chicken/Poultry, Crock Pot Friendly, Health Friendly, Soups & Stews

Chicken Soup

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Chicken soup
Chicken soup

This Chicken soup recipe is warming to the bones and so good for the soul.. AKA Jewish Penicillin !
It’s important to use a whole chicken; fat, skin and bones makes the flavor. If you are concerned about the fat. Make it a day ahead then chill it. All the fat comes to the surface and you can skim it off.
You can also strain it to save/freeze as chicken stock.
Make a large pot, it freezes very well!!

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, gizzards and liver too
3 leeks, washed & sliced fine (trim off all but the light green part and about 2 inches of the darker green)
2 bay leaves
6 carrots, sliced
3 stalks of celery, sliced thin
One parsnip, cut into thirds
One small turnip, cut in half
2 TBLS parsley, chopped
2 TBLS dill, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
Serve with cooked rice, egg noodles, my Matzo balls recipe or small size pasta

Directions:
Salt and rinse the chicken, keep the organs (liver, grizzard) if you like them. Place in a large stock pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam. Add all ingredients. Simmer covered for about 3 hours. Bone the chicken and cut up and shred the meat. Return the meat to the pot. Spoon into bowls and add your favorite starch.

American Cuisine, Baking, Desserts & Sweets

Fruit Tarts

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Fruit tart
Fruit tart

This is a fast and simple Fruit Tarts recipe you can make with store bought ingredients.

Ingredients:
6 tart cups, small sponge cake type or the graham cracker ones
1 box vanilla pudding mix, or whatever flavor you like
2 cups mixed fresh berries; such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or cut strawberries
One kiwi
½ jar of apricot jam

Directions:
Make the pudding according to the directions and pour into the tart cups. Chill until set.
Mix the berries together and divide it to top each tart. Add a slice of kiwi. Slightly heat the apricot jam and brush the warm glaze over the top of each tart. Chill until set.

Tips & Tricks & Gadgets

Storing your fresh herbs

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You can have fresh herbs on hand all the time by freezing them. Whether you grow them or buy them in your supermarket. Just place them in plastic wrap and then into a freezer bag. Some herbs will discolor but the taste will still be there. As long as you are not using them for a garnish the discoloration has no effect.

Crock Pot Friendly, Italian, Main Course, Pasta and Rice Dishes

Italian Tomato Sauce

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Tomato Sauce
Italian tomato sauce recipes are plentiful. But ours is the correct one!

Italian Tomato Sauce, better known as “gravy”. Growing up, this was a traditional Sunday meal.
There are many recipes for this sauce but here is my version without meat and then the version with meat.

Ingredients:
4 x 28oz cans of whole Italian plum tomatoes; use tomatoes from Italy, it makes a big difference
3 TBLS olive oil
4 cloves garlic, mashed and chopped
5-6 fresh basil leaves, torn
Directions:
Puree the tomatoes in a blender. In a large sauce pot saute the garlic in the oil for 2 minutes and add the pureed tomatoes and basil.

garlic sauteed in extra virgin olive oil
garlic sauteed in extra virgin olive oil

Simmer on very low heat covered for 1 hour. Then uncover and simmer for 30 minutes.
**If you want the meat (there are many meats that can be added but I’ve given you the two most popular) version add the below meats and increase the covered simmer time to 2 hours then uncovered for 45 minutes.

Meatballs & Italian Sausage

Ingredients:
1LB ground mixed veal, pork and beef
2 cloves garlic, mashed and chopped
1 cup plain bread crumbs
3 XLRG eggs
¼ cup milk
2 TBLS chopped parsley
½ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 TSP dried basil
Pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven 400. Mix all together and form into 1/3 cup balls. Place on a sheet pan and bake at 400 for 15 minutes until the tops are bubbly. They will be set but not cooked through. Remove from sheet pan and add to pot with sauce.

browning meatballs in the oven
browning meatballs in the oven

Italian Sausage
Buy the Italian sausage at a market that makes it if you can. The supermarket sausage just does not compare.
1LB-1 ½ LB of Italian sausage links

Directions:
Brown in a frying pan and add to the pot with sauce.
Some people like to add the frying pan drippings to the sauce, but that can get oily, so use your discretion.

When the sauce is done it will be slightly thicker than when the tomatoes were first pureed. The meat will be tender but not falling apart.
Serve over your favorite pasta.

American Cuisine, Beef, Main Course, Pork

Meatloaf

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Meat loaf
Meat loaf

This Meatloaf recipe is the old red sauce standard. Comfort food !!

1 LB ground veal, pork and beef mix (you can use only 90% lean beef if the meat trio is unavailable)
1 cup bread crumbs or diced stale bread (you can also use flavored breads crumbs if you like)
3 XLrg eggs, beaten
16oz can tomato sauce
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 med onion, diced and sauteed with a little olive oil
1 TBLS parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together except for half of the tomato sauce. Place in a baking dish and form into a loaf.
Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Italian, Main Course

Eggplant Parmesan

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eggplant parmesan
eggplant parmesan

This casserole style Eggplant Parmesan recipe is delicious and freezes well.

Ingredients:
one 8″ long fresh purple eggplant
2 cups of Italian flavored bread crumbs (you can add a little extra parsley and dry basil if you like)
1/2 to 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 eggs, slightly beaten
Canola oil & olive oil
2 x 28oz cans crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
4 basil leaves, shredded

Directions:
In a med sauce pot saute the garlic in a TBLS of olive oil. Add the tomatoes and basil. Simmer covered for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400.
Peel and slice the eggplant into 1/4″ slices.

preparing eggplant
1/4 inch slices dipped in egg and then coated with bread crumb mix

Dip them in the egg and then the bread crumbs.

Once you have coated all the eggplant pour a few TBLS of both oils into a lipped cookie sheet. Heat the pan for a few minutes in the oven and then place the eggplant slices in the hot pan. Bake for about 10 minutes turning them once until they are lightly brown. Remove from pan and place on a tray lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Repeat until all the eggplant is cooked.
In a casserole pan pour a enough tomato sauce to coat the bottom. Place the eggplant in a layer and sprinkle some of both cheeses. Add more sauce to coat and repeat to make three layers ending with tomato sauce and cheese on top.
Bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes until hot. Serve alone or with a side of pasta.

American Cuisine, Appetizers and Finger Foods, Salads, Dressings,Veggies & Sides

Fried Green Tomatoes

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Fried green tomatoes
Fried green tomatoes

Lots of green tomatoes still on the vines this time of year. This fried green tomatoes recipe is a southern classic!
Try them buy themselves or on Ciabatta bread with goat cheese and bacon, sounds strange but trust me it’s delicious!!

 

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch slices
Vegetable oil

Directions;
Combine egg and buttermilk; set aside.
Combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or pan; set aside.
Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/4 cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.
Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet; heat to 375°. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels or a rack.  Eat slightly warm.

Italian, Main Course, on the Grill, Pork

Broccoli Rabe w/ Italian Sausage and potatoes

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Broccoli Rabe with sausage and potatoes
Broccoli Rabe with sausage and potatoes

The Broccoli Rabe with Italian Sausage and potatoes recipe is an old style way of making this Italian broccoli dish. Some stores call it “Rapini”.

Ingredients:

6 Italian sausage links
2 heads of broccoli rabe, washed and bottom stems trimmed
4 cloves, garlic, mashed
3 TBLS olive oil
3 Red or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

Directions:
Wash and trim the broccoli and steam it for about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Roast the sausage in the oven on 400 for 15-20 minutes or grill them until just cooked though. Slice the sausage links into 3 pieces each.
In a large frying pan add the oil and sauté the potatoes until just tender. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or two. Add the broccoli and sausage, simmer covered for 15 minutes, turning often.

Italian, Main Course, Pork

Pork Chops with Vinegar Peppers

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Pork cops with hot vinegar peppers
Pork cops with hot vinegar peppers

This Pork Chop recipe is best made with fresh herbs.

Ingredients:
4 rib cut pork chops, ¼” with bone
3 TBLS olive oil
2 Med onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, mashed
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup sliced hot cherry peppers
1 spring fresh rosemary
4-5 springs fresh thyme
3-4 fresh sage leaves

Directions:
In a large frying pan brown the chops over a med-high heat in the oil with onions on top.

Preparing hot vinegar peppers
Preparing hot vinegar peppers for Pork cops

Add the garlic and saute a few minutes. Reduce the heat and add the balance of ingredients and cover to simmer 15-20 minutes. Remove the cover and turn the heat up to brown a little more if needed.