Citrus Biscotti

So for my Birthday this year (Dec 21), my husband bought me Giada de Laurentiis' first cookbook. Let me say that I am in heaven. I have 6 recipes set for this week that are from her cookbook, three of which have already been made. So, hunker down and get ready for some Italian!!!

On a whim on Monday, I decided to make some Citrus Biscotti. Sure the orange and lemons sitting on my counter are for other recipes, but I really wanted some Biscotti. I figured the grocery store isn't going anywhere! I also did not have any pistachios so I used cashews and almonds. I figured that any nut would work :)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (from about 1 orange)
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped shelled pistachios

Let's get started.

Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In another large bowl, beat the sugar and eggs with an electric mixer until they become pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the orange and lemon zests, then the flour mixture, and beat just until blended. A soft and sticky dough will form. Stir in the pistachios and let stand for 5 minutes.

Divide the dough in half and spread on the cookie sheet. Moisten your hands with water and shape the dough into two 11 inch by 4 inch logs. Bake until the logs are lightly browned (35 minutes). Cool for 5 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs crosswise into 1/2 inch thick diagonal slices. Arrange the Biscotti cut side down on the same baking sheet and cook for 13 minutes. Take out the pan, flip all of the pieces so the other cut side is down and make for 12 more minutes, until the cookies are pale golden. Let cool before serving.

If you want to add chocolate, just get some Bakers Semi Sweet Chocolate (white or dark) and melt using the microwave or double boiler.

Let's have a look!
Doesn't that look great?? Get into the kitchen, whip this up, put on a nice pot of coffee and enjoy!!!

Mushroom Marsala with Artichokes and Orecchiette

I came across this recipe a few weeks ago and since I had some Marsala wine left over from another recipe, I decided to make it. The recipe calls for thimble pasta (which is really just any small type of pasta). I chose to go with Orecchiette. In Italian, "ear" is orecchio, so this basically translates as "little ears". I guess my Italian in college comes in handy sometimes.

So, let's see what you need to create this simple, easy meal!!!

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 pound mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 3/4 teaspoon
• 1 cup dry Marsala wine
• 1 pound thimble pasta
• 1 can of artichokes, liquid drained
  
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
  
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Let's cook.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms have cooked down, about 10 minutes. You want to get your mushrooms tender. Add the Marsala and continue cooking until almost all the wine has evaporated, about 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Stir in remaining salt. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain pasta and add it into the mushrooms, Marsala, and onions. Or you can use a Spider strainer like this one that I got for Christmas this year!

Add the artichoke hearts, Parmesan, and cream and cook until the artichokes are heated through, about 5 minutes or so. Stir in the parsley and pepper.

Easy, right? Let's take a look.

Simple! Can't ask for anything better for a weeknight dinner! Enjoy and thanks for reading.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

I love Lasagna. So I was more than pleased when I found this take on it a few weeks ago (by Giada de Laurentiis). It made tons for my husband and I. We even had some to freeze for dinner "for the future".

Oh, this recipe calls for amaretti cookies. They are crisp and crunchy on the outside and sorta soft and airy on the inside. I did not find them at our regular grocery store so I went to our Fresh Market to find them. I would imagine that you could use Ginger Snaps just the same if you can't find these cookies. But I recommend you look for them because they are so good to snack on!!!

So, let's see what you need to get started.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 amaretti cookies, crumbled
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk
• Pinch nutmeg
• 3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Let's cook and layer!!!

In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the oil. To that, add the squash, coat with the oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water into the skillet, cover, and cook over medium heat until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally (about 20 minutes). Cool slightly and transfer the squash to a food processor. To this, add the amaretti cookies and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, cook your lasagna noodles according to package directions (unless you are lucky enough to find the no-boil kind). I like to season the water with some salt!

Over medium heat, in a saucepan, melt the butter. Add in the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly. It takes about 5 minutes, but whisk often. Don't walk away or your milk will scorch. Finally, whisk in the nutmeg.

Cool the mixture slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender (be very careful when blending hot liquids - A tip: Release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.). Add the basil and blend until smooth. Return the basil sauce to the sauce in the pan and stir to blend. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish, spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese (I used more to be honest). Drizzle 3/4 cup of sauce over the noodles. Repeat layering 3 more times.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Putting Lasagnas together can be alot of work, but are well worth it. I really hope you will give this one a try. Let's see what it looks like.

You know you want to make this dish! I hope you will. I promise, you will not be sorry! Enjoy and thanks for reading.

Jeremy’s Mediterranean Shrimp

I love unexpected surprises. This is the perfect example of a meal created with leftover items. My husband “created” this one weekday night when we had no clue what to have for supper. Since that first time, he has added a little of this and a little of that to create this simple weeknight meal!

Ingredients
➢ 1 lb medium shrimp, deveined and cleaned
➢ 16 oz pasta sauce (your choice)
➢ 14 oz Artichoke Hearts, draining half of the liquid
➢ 20 Kalamata Olives, pitted
➢ 2 teaspoons minced garlic
➢ 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
➢ 1/2 red onion, chopped
➢ 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
➢ 8 oz Linguine

Let’s get saucy! Add the pasta sauce and garlic to a skillet and heat over medium high heat. Once the sauce simmers, turn down the heat to medium. Add the bell pepper, onion, olives and artichoke hearts. Cover and cook for 12 minutes stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile cook the linguine according to package directions.

Finally, add the shrimp to the sauce mixture and cook until they are pink (usually takes about 4-5 minutes). Serve over the pasta!
Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage and Wild Mushrooms

For a few weeks, I was on a serious mission to find a good pumpkin pasta recipe. I finally found one! This recipe turned out to be a pleasant surprise (created by Rachel Ray). I thought this was a creative and unique way to have pasta without your normal pasta sauce. Plus, it’s a great way to sneak a serving of vitamin-rich vegetables into dinner without tipping off the kids! Aren’t you curious just from looking at the ingredient list? (If you don’t like sausage, you can always use ground turkey/chicken/beef.)

Ingredients:
➢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
➢ 1 lb bulk sweet Italian sausage (we used sausage with sage, which works well, too)
➢ 1/4 lb shiitake mushroom caps (we used button mushrooms)
➢ 2 portabella mushroom caps, halved and thinly sliced
➢ 3 garlic cloves, minced
➢ 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (I used a red onion)
➢ Salt, Black Pepper
➢ 1/2 cup dry white wine
➢ 1 cup chicken stock
➢ 1 14oz can Pumpkin (100% pumpkin, not pie filling)
➢ 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
➢ 2-3 tablespoons fresh sage, thinly sliced
➢ 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
➢ A pinch of ground cinnamon
➢ 3/4 lb penne pasta

Let’s get started! First, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat a deep skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add and brown the sausage and crumble it with a wooden spoon. Push the sausage over to one side of the pan and add the mushrooms, garlic and onion. Cook until the mushrooms are brown. Season with salt and pepper.

When your pasta water begins to boil, add the pasta and a dash of salt and cook according to package directions.

Combine the veggies and sausage and pour in the wine to deglaze the pan. Cook for a minute or two. Add the chicken stock and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin slowly. Once it is incorporated, add the cream, sage, nutmeg and cinnamon. Adjust the salt and pepper if necessary, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 min to let the flavors meld together.

When the pasta is finished, drain the water and add to the sausage mixture. To serve, plate the pasta and top with the cheese and chives!
Enjoy!

Chinese Lemon Chicken

My dear friend passed this crock-pot recipe to me. It is divine! I think crock-pots have to be one of the greatest things invented. Something about “setting it and forgetting it” is a wonderful thing!

Ingredients:
➢ 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
➢ 1/2 cup all purpose flour
➢ 1 tablespoon kosher salt
➢ 12 oz frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
➢ 6 tablespoons brown sugar
➢ 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
➢ 6 tablespoons ketchup
➢ Olive oil for browning chicken

Let’s prepare! Cut the chicken into strips or large chunks. Your choice! Mix the flour and salt together and toss each piece of chicken in the mixture. Brown the chicken in a skillet with some olive oil. You just want to brown the chicken to give it some color, not cook it. Place the chicken in the crock pot. In a separate bowl, mix together the orange juice, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and ketchup and pour over the chicken. Because I like a little kick, I added between ¼ teaspoon and ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes! Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours (or high for 4).

To complete the meal, I cooked some rice in my rice cooker and popped some frozen eggrolls in the oven and voila! A nice, easy dinner that is yummy and versatile.
Enjoy!

Cinnamon-Apple Pork Chops with Maple Glazed Acorn Squash

I found this recipe on the Taste of Home website and not only is it delicious, but low calorie (1 pork chop, 2/3 cup apple topping, and ½ squash is only 567 calories!). This meal is simple to put together and the cinnamon-apple topping is phenomenal. The sweetness of the topping with the tartness of the apples … Mmmm! And this is a topping that you can put on other things as well – warm pound cake with ice cream for one! Use your imagination.

Ingredients – Pork Chops:
➢ 4 boneless pork chops
➢ 2 tablespoons butter
➢ 3 tablespoons brown sugar
➢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
➢ 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
➢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
➢ 4 medium tart apples, thinly sliced (we used Granny Smiths)
➢ 2 tablespoons chopped pecans

Ingredients – Acorn Squash:
➢ 1 medium acorn squash, halved
➢ 1-1/2 cups water
➢ 1/4 cup maple syrup
➢ 2 tablespoons brown sugar
➢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
➢ 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
➢ 1/4 teaspoon salt

Let’s cook! First you need to prepare the acorn squash. Cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out and discard the seeds and surrounding pulp. Place cut side down in baking dish with water. Bake uncovered 350F for 45 minutes. While it is cooking, combine the syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and salt. When the squash is finished cooking, drain the water from the pan and turn squash cut side up, pour the syrup topping into the halves. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes until glaze is heated through.

Moving on to the chops… In a large skillet over medium heat, cook pork chops in 1 tablespoon melted butter for 4-5 minutes on each side or until done. While they are cooking, in a small bowl combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. When the chops are done, remove and place in a foil wrap to keep warm (but don’t seal – you don’t want the chops to sweat). Add the apples, pecans, brown sugar mixture and remaining butter to the pan; cook and stir until apples are tender.

Easy, right? Let's check it out.
To serve simply top the pork chops with the apples! Gently mix the maple syrup mixture into the squash. Enjoy!

Tilapia with Mango-Pineapple Chutney over Jasmine Rice

I love tilapia. I love mango. I love pineapple. I love Jasmine Rice. I guess this makes for a great recipe for myself :) Sweet, but not too sweet. Savory. Delish! Let's get started!

Ingredients
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 small red onion, chopped
* 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
* Salt and Pepper
* 1 8-ounze can Pineapple Chunks, drained
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 2-3 Tilapia filets
* Fish Seasoning: ½ teaspoon of cumin, coriander, black pepper, and salt
* 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
* Juice of one lime
* Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
* Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
* Jasmine Rice

Let’s get to work! Prepare the rice according to the package’s directions (we prefer to use a rice cooker).

Mix the seasonings together and sprinkle on both sides of the Tilapia. Place the filets onto a pan greased with some olive oil. Dot butter on the Tilapia and bake at 400 F for 20 minutes or until it flakes easily.

Moving on to the chutney. In a sauce pot, sauté the onion, jalapeno, and a dash of salt and pepper in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pineapple, honey, and ½ cup of water, turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. To finish off the chutney, add the mango, lime, cilantro, and parsley and stir to combine. Turn the heat to warm (or low) and let it simmer until the fish is finished.

Plate, serve, and enjoy! Let's see what it looks like.
I hope you have enjoyed this recipe and that you will give it a try! Thanks for reading.

Pico de Gallo

Yesterday, I gave you a yummy Frito Pie recipe. In my opinion, nothing is better than making your own pico de gallo. Remember, you can put this over a variety of things. Remember the Honey Lime Chicken recipe? Now you are thinking. See how versatile simple cooking can be? Let's see what you need.

Ingredients:
* 2 large tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped finely
* 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
* 1 ½ teaspoon minced garlic
* 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
* 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped finely
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 tablespoon lime juice, fresh
* ½ teaspoon sugar
* salt (to taste)

Mix all ingredients together and place in the fridge for about an hour before serving to let the flavors meld together! We substituted one seeded habanero for a jalapeno to add some heat.

Let's check it out!
Hope you enjoy! Thanks for reading!

Frito Pie

Ahhh, I love a good crock-pot meal! Something about dumping food into one and letting it cook for 8 hours makes me feel like I didn’t have to do anything to create a delicious meal! I also made a Pico de Gallo to go as a topping on this meal. I will post it tomorrow for you! Let's move on to the main course (and keep in mind, if you don't want meat, just omit)!

Ingredients
* 1 1/4 pound ground chuck
* 1/2 red onion, chopped
* 1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drain liquid
* 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drain liquid
* 1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drain liquid
* 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
* 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
* 1 and 1/2 (1.25 ounce) packages taco seasoning mix (adjust to 1 or 2 packs depending on how seasoned you want it)
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar
* salt to taste
* 1 teaspoon of minced garlic

Toppings:
* Pico de Gallo
* Sour Cream
* Shredded cheese
* Fritos

Before we can dump, turn on, and walk away, we need to cook the ground chuck. In a medium skillet, cook the ground chuck until browned, then drain. Now, here comes the dump part! Place the ground chuck, onion, chili beans, kidney beans, corn, tomato sauce, water, diced tomatoes, green chile peppers, brown sugar, garlic, salt (to taste), and taco seasoning mix in a slow cooker. Mix to blend, and cook on the low setting for 8 hours. Our crock-pot is a 3 quart and we did experience a tiny bit of overflow! I recommend placing a pan under the crock-pot to catch the spillage.

Let’s eat! Arrange the Fritos in a bowl, pour on your taco soup, then add your toppings! Let's have a look:
Mmmmm right? Well, get to the grocery to get what you need and make it! Thanks for reading!

Orzo with Sausage, Peppers and Tomatoes

Third day in a row! What do you think about that? Today, I am cooking up a yummy Orzo dish for you to enjoy. This meal is fantastic! So filling and tons of left overs. Let's see what you need!!!

Ingredients:

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 pound orzo pasta
  
• 1.5 cups chicken stock
• 1.5 cups water
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 7 ounces Italian Sausage (you can use turkey sausage if you so choose)
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 plum tomatoes, hopped
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup ricotta salata cheese, crumbled (or goat cheese)

Let's get cooking! First off, I used two green peppers over the red and orange. Call me cheap, but peppers other than the green colored ones are so expensive! To start off this recipe, you need to get a nice char on the peppers. Place them on a baking sheet, turn the oven on to broil, and place the peppers in under the broiler for about 8 minutes (2 minutes per side). Then place the charred peppers in a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 20 minutes. What will happen is they will steam up and get all nice and soft! Under running water, peel away the charred skin from the peppers and pat dry. Remove the stem and seeds from the peppers and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices.

Moving along... in a saucepan (medium) over high heat, bring the chicken stock, water, and kosher salt to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender, but firm to the bite (about 8-10 minutes).

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the sausage and saute until cooked through. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Add the peppers, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest off of the orzo. Transfer to a large serving bowl. To the pasta, add the sausage mixture and 1 tablespoon of parsley. Toss well to combine all ingredients. If needed, add some of the reserved pasta water.

Plate up a nice bowl for yourself and top with the ricotta salata (or goat cheese) and sprinkle with some parsley. Enjoy!!

We really really really enjoyed this meal! We probably had 3-4 servings left over. Additionally, we did not add all of the orzo into the sausage mixture. We felt the recipe called for too much. So, I just added some tomatoes we had in the fridge to the left over orzo and had a cold pasta for lunch the next day. Remember, cooking is never perfect! Sometimes you just have to be creative and think on your toes!

Let's check this dish out!

Yumm! The cheese melted and added a nice creamy texture! What are you waiting for? You know you want to try this. Get into your kitchen and try something new.

Olivada with Veggies

As promised, I am back with another new recipe for you!

With the Holidays right around the corner, if you are like me, I have several parties to go to. And I think this is a perfect snack type dish to take to a Holiday party (and it is festive looking as well). I just love Giada! And I found this Olivada recipe one day watching her show, Everyday Italian, on the Food Network! I knew I had to make it. Let's see what you need.

Ingredients:

• 1 can medium, pitted, black olives, drained
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 small clove garlic, coarsely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetables of your choice (Giada recommends carrots, cucumber, fennel, cherry tomatoes)

Let's put it all together. Place the olives, zest, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, and garlic into the bowl of a food processor. Blend until the mixture is chunky. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cut up your veggies of choice. I suggest fennel as one of your veggies. I have never had it before, but it is SO yummy. Has a nice licorice taste to it! We also used carrots and cherry tomatoes fresh from our garden.

All that is left is to plate everything up and enjoy!!! Let's have a look.

Doesn't it look pretty? And pretty good to eat? I hope you try this. It is really fantastic! Get into your kitchen and try something new!

Winter Minestrone

Happy December! Sorry I have been slack here. I feel like I start off my posts with that very comment here lately. We have made several new dishes and I just have them looking at me waiting for me to write about them. I promise to be better about this!!! So, let's talk soup!

Who doesn't love a good comfort soup??? We made this recipe, curtsy of Giada de Laurentiis, and wow! It was so good. We did two things different in this recipe. We did not use the Parmesan Cheese rind. Also, we used Kale instead of Swiss Chard. I thought the Kale was terrific in this soup and we will be making this again for sure!

Let's see what you need!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
• 1 russet potato, peeled, cubed
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
• 2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth
• 1 ounce piece Parmesan cheese rind
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• Salt and Pepper

Let's get cooking!!! Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, celery, pancetta and garlic. Season with some salt and pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard (or Kale) and potato and saute for 2-5 minutes. I actually covered the pot at this point to help the greens wilt down. Add the tomatoes and rosemary sprig (I de-leafed mine first). Simmer until the greens are wilted - about 10 minutes.

While the greens are wilting down, blend 3/4 cup of the beans with 1/4 of the broth in a processor until almost smooth. Add the pureed mixture, remaining broth, remaining beans and cheese rind (note: I did not use this) to the vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 30 minutes until the potato pieces are tender, stirring occasionally. (Giada's recipe says to only simmer for 15 min, but I felt it needed to go longer!).

Ladle the soup into bowls, top with some parsley, and enjoy!!!

Yes! It really is that simple! So hearty! So healthy! How could you not want to try it? Want to see what it looks like?

I do hope you will try it!!! I hope to have some more recipes up for you in the next few days!!! Now, get into your kitchen and try something new!