Tasty Tuesday

"I can't stand people that do not take food seriously."
-Oscar Wilde

Hello! I do not know if it is because I am Italian and grew up in a large Italian family, but my favorite food is Italian. My favorite Italian dish is braciola! Serve it with some polenta or pasta and a vegetable and you have a complete meal. Below is a recipe for braciola that I adapted to suit my tastes - Enjoy!

"I hate the man who eats without knowing what he's eating. I doubt his taste in more important things."
-Charles Lamb

Beef Braciola

Ingredients:

* 2 cloves garlic, peeled & minced
* 2/3 cup Italian parsley, stemmed & minced
* 2 large eggs
* 2 Tbsp Pecorino-Romano cheese, shredded
* 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
* 4 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
* Sea Salt and freshly grated pepper
* 1 lb lean ground beef
* 8 top round beef cutlets (about 2 Lbs.)
* Pan Searing Flour
* 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
* 6 cups tomato sauce

Equipment Needed:

* Large bowl
* Waxed paper
* String
* Braising pan (oven safe)
* Thermometer

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.) Prepare filling:
a.) Put ground beef in a large bowl.
b.) Add garlic, parsley, eggs, cheese, bread crumbs, pine nuts, salt & pepper.
c.) Mix well with hands until well-blended.
3.) Line work surface with waxed paper.
4.) Lay cutlets flat on waxed paper.
5.) Place about 1/3 cup filling on lower 1/3 of cutlet.
6.) Roll up cutlets and secure with string on either end.
7.) Season beef rolls with salt and pepper.
8.) Dust beef rolls lightly with pan-searing flour.
9.) Heat olive oil in large braising pan on med-high, until oil faintly smokes.
10.) Add beef rolls, seam-side down, to pan.
11.) Turn rolls when color changes 1/4 way up & seared side is light brown.
12.) Sear other side about 2 min, until brown.
13.) Remove from pan.
14.) Remove excess drippings from pan, leaving about 1 Tbsp in pan.
15.) Lower heat to medium & add wine.
16.) Stir to loosen browned bits on bottom of pan.
17.) Add tomato sauce & stir well to combine.
18.) Return meat to pan.
19.) Bring liquid to a simmer (180°).
20.) Cover & place pan in oven.
21.) Braise about 2 hours, until meat is very tender.

"The cuisine of a country is the only exact attestation of its civilization."
-Anonymous

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday

"How can people say they don't eat eggplant when God loves the color and the French love the name? I don't understand."
-Jeff Smith

Hello! Today I wanted to share a low-calorie recipe with you - it is still very filling and satisfying, no worries! Serve it as a main dish or a side for a large get together and Enjoy!

(P.S. I am allergic to eggplant, but when I really want this dish I soak the eggplant in milk overnight and it becomes edible.)


“I doubt that the imagination can be suppressed. If you truly eradicated it in a child, he would grow up to be an eggplant.”
-Ursula K. LeGuin


Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:

* 3 cups tomato sauce, divided
* 2 medium eggplants, trimmed, sliced in 1/2-inch rounds
* 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
* 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated, divided
* Fresh black pepper to taste
* 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated


Equipment Needed:

* Small roasting pan
* Non-stick cooking spray
* Foil

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2.) Spray bottom and sides of pan with non-stick spray.
3.) Spread 1 1/2 cups of sauce on bottom of roasting pan.
4.) Top with overlapping layers of eggplant slices.
5.) Drizzle eggplant with olive oil.
6.) Top eggplant with an even layer of bread crumbs.
7.) Sprinkle with half the grated cheese.
8.) Season to taste with black pepper.
9.) Top with remaining sauce and remaining grated cheese.
10.) Bake, covered, 40 min or until eggplant is tender.
11.) Remove from oven and spread mozzarella cheese over the top.
12.) Return to oven, uncovered, 2-3 min, until cheese melts.
13.) Let rest 15 min before serving.


“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
-J.R.R. Tolkien

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday!

"The foliage has been losing its freshness through the month of August, and here and there a yellow leaf shows itself like the first gray hair amidst the locks of a beauty who has seen one season too many."
-Oliver Wendell Holmes

Hello! Today I have decided to continue with the "Autumn" cooking theme. Instead of beef, I have turned to chicken. This recipe is one of my favorites - it is full of flavor and the chicken just falls off the bone when it is finished. Enjoy!


Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients:

* 3 lbs split chicken breasts, drums & thighs, cut split breasts in half
* Pan Searing Flour
* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced
* 1 cup green peppers, sliced
* 1 cup onions, sliced
* 1 cup dry red wine
* 2 tsp McCormick Italian Seasoning
* 3 cups tomato sauce
* 1 bag frozen peas
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Italian bread

Equipment Needed:

* Slow cooker
* Braising pan

Directions:

1.) Dust chicken with pan-searing flour.
2.) Heat oil on medium in braising pan & add chicken.
3.) Brown lightly on all sides, 8-10 min.
4.) Transfer chicken to slow cooker.
5.) Discard all but 1 Tbsp oil.
6.) Add garlic, mushrooms, peppers and onions to pan.
7.) Cook, stirring occasionally, 3-4 min, until vegetables slightly soft.
8.) Add wine; cook 1-2 min.
9.) Add Italian seasoning and tomato sauce; stir.
10.) Bring to simmer and remove from heat.
11.) Add sauce mixture carefully to slow cooker.
12.) Cover; cook 3-4 hours on high.
13.) Add bag of frozen peas during the last hour of cooking.
14.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
15.) Serve with Italian bread.

"No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace
As I have seen in one autumnal face."
-John Donne


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mangia Monday!

"The trouble with eating Italian food is that 5 or 6 days later you're hungry again."
-George Miller

Can you believe it?? The weekend is over! Where does the time go? I had a wonderful weekend, I hope you did also!

Every Sunday night we have Sunday dinner at my home. This ALWAYS includes my immediate family of 4, my parents, in-laws and we always seem to have a few more once we are ready to sit down. It is always a very enjoyable meal with great food, enjoyable wine and lively conversation! (you should join us sometime!) I like to make different meals, but Sunday dinner, would NOT be Sunday dinner without pasta of some sort - that is how I grew up!

Today I am going to share an easy recipe for marinara sauce. It is very tasty, but requires very few ingredients - as it should be! Enjoy!

"A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat."
-Old New York Proverb


Marinara Sauce
Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients:

* 1 large clove garlic, peeled & crushed
* 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1 dash red pepper flakes
* 2 cups tomato puree (see recipe below)
* 1/2 tsp sea salt
* 1/2 tsp freshly grated black pepper
* 1/2 Lb. cappellini pasta, cooked al dente'
* Pecorino-Romano cheese, grated
* Fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

1.) Pour oil, garlic & red pepper into a saute' pan on medium-low.
2.) Cook, stirring occasionally, 10-12 min, until garlic is golden brown.
3.) Remove pan from heat & add tomato puree.
4.) Return to heat; add salt and pepper.
5.) Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 min until it simmers.
6.) Serve over capellini.
7.) Top with grated cheese and fresh basil.



Tomato Puree

Ingredients:

* 1 lb roma tomatoes
* 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Equipment needed:

* Box grater

Directions:

1.) Cut tomatoes in half.
2.) Place box grater in large bowl.
3.) Gently press tomatoes along medium-grate, rub gently until all pulp is pressed through holes.
4.) Mix in olive oil.
5.) Can be used as a dip, bread topping or as a base for tomato sauce.


Silly Joke of the Day:

What do you get when you cross poison ivy with a 4-leaf clover?
.....A rash of good luck.

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!