Christmas Eve Seafood Pasta

It's a grand Italian tradition to have the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve. (For more information, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_of_the_Seven_Fishes.) Many still keep this tradition alive and make seven distinct seafood dishes on Christmas Eve like my Grandmother used to do. I've never had the time and bandwith to go all out and prepare the seven dishes, though I hold out hope of doing so someday, but I've improvised in the past with a delicious pasta dish made with a light tomato sauce with seven different types of fish/seafood in it. It's an easy meal to make, and doesn't need to be saved for simply Christmas Eve. Proportions below are for 6 people

Ingredients:

1/4 pound of small shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1/2 pound mussels
1/2 pound small clams
1/4 pound small scallops
1/4 pound of calimari (rings and tentacles)
1/4 pound salmon
1/4 pound firm white fish like halibut or sea bass
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 medium onion, diced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
2 tbs. each of fresh Italian parsely and basil, minced
1 cup dry white wine 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound of pasta

Before making the sauce, steam open the clams and mussels and remove the meat from them. If any of the shells do not open after being steamed for 5 minutes, throw them out. Also, have all your seafood pre-prepped -- it should all be cut into bite sized pieces if it's not already small enough to eat in one bite.

Heat the olive oil in a very large skillet or sauce pan, and saute the onion and garlic until translucent. Turn up the heat and immediately add the white wine and let it boil and reduce by one half. Once that happens, add the crushed tomatoes, pepper and 1/2 of the herbs and once it starts to boil, reduce it to low heat.

Once this is done, bring the pasta water to a boil and add your pasta. 5 minutes before the pasta is done, add the fish to the sauce (which should still be on low heat). After another minute, add the scallops. One minute later add the shrimp. and then one minute later add the calimari.

Before draining the pasta, take 1 cup of pasta water from the pot and hold it aside. Drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and then pour the sauce over it, adding the already cooked mussels and clams to it. Toss this all together for about a minute, adding some pasta water if needed to thin out the sauce a bit.

Place it all in a large serving bowl and garnish with the remaining 1/2 of fresh herbs.

Buon appetito and Buon Natale!

Tapenade

Tapenade is a fancy name for what is essentially olive puree, used as a dip. But you can be really creative with these and not limit yourselves to just olives. Below are my two favorites.

Olive tapenade

1 10 ounce jar of Manzanilla olives, with pimento centers, with liquid drained off *
2 cloves of garlic, rough chopped
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons of fresh basil or flat leaf parsley leaves (or a combo of both)
olive oil

Put everything into a food processor with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil and turn it on. As the mixture purees, add enough extra olive oil so that the mixture comes together in a smooth paste. You won't need a lot as there is already a lot of oil and moisture in the olives.

Serve with bruschetta, crackers, pita, or crudite and enjoy!

* In my humble opinion, tapenade is one of the few places where more expensive, exotic, or flavorful olives is NOT preferable. I think the flavor then gets too overwhelming, and judging from the raves I get about this tapenade whenever I serve it, there's no need to spend the extra money on fancier olives.

Artichoke Heart Tapenade

1 14 ounce can of artichoke hearts, liquid drained off
2 cloves of garlic, rough chopped
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons of fresh basil or flat leaf parsley leaves (or a combo of both)
1 pinch of salt
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
olive oil

Put everything into a food processor with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil and turn it on. As the mixture purees, add enough extra olive oil so that the mixture comes together in a smooth paste. You won't need a lot as there is already a lot of moisture in the artichoke hearts.

Serve with bruschetta, crackers, pita, or crudite and enjoy!

Fruit Breads

Not to be confused with fruit cakes!!! These are the yummy loaves like banana or pumpkin breads that we all love as breakfast, snacks or desserts. I'm not much for baking, but these are so easy to make, that even I can manage.

I prefer to make them in a stand-mixer like my kitchen-aid, but a hand blender will work too.

First, mix the following ingredients:

2 eggs
3/4 cup canola oil (OR substitute 3/4 cup of applesauce - you'll never miss the oil nor notice a difference in taste)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. real vanilla extract

And your fruit (or veggies) -- suggestions include: 3 very ripe bananas, 1 can of cooked pumpkin, 1 cup of shredded apple, zucchini or berries. The possibilities are really endless.

Once this is all well integrated, add the following and mix until smooth:

1 and 1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. each of baking soda and baking powder
1 pinch of salt.

When it's well-mixed, pour into a greased loaf pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, cut with a serrated knife, and dig in!!!

BELTs

Another recipe I should have posted 2 months ago, as the height of tomato season began, but better late than never!

One of my favorite fringe benefits of marrying my husband is learning about his family's favorite breakfast treat -- the BELT. So simple; so delicious. It's a BLT sandwich, with scrambled egg on it as well.

This has quickly become a summer-time week-night favorite in our house. Of course, they can be eaten year-round, but when summer tomatoes are ripe, there is no better time to enjoy a BELT.

Give it a try -- I promise you'll love it!

Turkey Burgers

A healthier option than the usual hamburger, turkey burgers are growing in popularity everywhere. But unlike beef, you can't just mold them into a patty and slap them on the grill -- they fall apart, the meet is too dry to taste even remotely decent when cooked, and the end result will be so discouraging that you give up altogether.

Turkey burgers need a little more love, a little more help, but when done right, they're worth it! Here's how I do it:

1 pound of ground turkey meat (can either get 99% fat free which is all white, or 93% fat free, which has some dark meat added)
1 egg
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1 small onion, finely diced (adds flavor and moisture)
1 tablespoon of your favorite seasoning mix for poultry - I like using either herbs de provence or Tastefully Simple's Garlic Dill mix, but you can use whatever you like best

If your seasoning mix is missing either salt and/or pepper, add a pinch of each.

Mix together just until well blended, but don't over-mix or the meat will totally fall apart and be rock hard when cooked.

Form into 4-5 patties, cook until well done, and serve on a whole grain bun. Ketchup is fine as a condiment, but instead, try honey mustard as a more tasty alternative!

Crab cakes

I'm rather shocked at myself for not posting this sooner, as it's such a perfect summer meal, but better late than never and there's no reason not to eat them year round!!! They are so easy to make, and so loved by so many people. They're a great company dish as they can be made a few hours ahead of time, take almost no time to cook, and are luxurious to eat. They key is to buy good, fresh crabmeat, and keep them simple so the taste of the crab can shine through.

The recipe below makes 4 good sized crab cakes -- one per person for a meal. You can also make them smaller, and even bite sized for appetizers.

The same recipe is also great for stuffing mushrooms, shrimp, or some sort of fish like flounder, sole or tilapia.

1 pound fresh crab meat (backfin or lump is fine, but if you want to go REALLY highbrow, get the jumbo lump)
1 heaping tbsp. of good mayo (I like Hellman's best)
1 egg
zest of one lemon
1 tsp. of Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 - 1/3 cup of plain bread crumbs

Mix the mayo, egg, lemon zest and Old Bay together in the bottom of a bowl, and gently fold in the crab meat trying not to break it up too much. Then add just enough bread crumbs so that the whole mixture will hold together. Do not add too much bread crumbs -- remember, the key is that these are CRAB cakes and crab should always be the dominant ingredient and taste.

Gently fold them into cakes and either saute in extra virgin olive oil until lightly browned on both sides, or place them under your broiler for about 5-6 minutes, until heated through.

Serve with a wedge of lemon, and if desired, your favorite tartar, remoulade, or other sauce. The tomato/red pepper/ginger sauce recipe I posted earlier also goes well with it, http://foodislove-judy.blogspot.com/2010/06/tomatored-pepperginger-sauce.html, but the key with any sauce is to use them sparingly and not overwhelm the delicate taste of crab.

The Perfect Roasted Chicken

I made a roasted chicken for dinner last night that was so good, and so succulent, I surprised even myself :) I took a little bit of extra effort with this one, and it really paid off. Below are the details -- and don't be dissuaded from making it -- it's actually quite easy and well worth it!

This recipe is for your standard 4-6 pound chicken (usually referred to as a fryer) -- but it can work equally well for the larger roasters (8-10 pounds). I prefer using organic chicken -- while I like to eat organic as often as availability and budget will allow, I'm not one that usually finds a difference in taste between organic and non-organic. Chicken is the exception -- for some reason, I always find it tastes better than regular chicken.

24 hours before you want to cook the chicken, you should set it to "brine." At its most basic level, brining a bird means soaking it in salted water -- this is the perfect way to tenderize the meat. The salt helps break down the meat ever so slightly, yet when done properly, the meat doesn't absorb any appreciable amount of salt to disrupt the taste or add unnecessary sodium to your diet. Most brines call for a LOT of salt in the water, but after experimenting, I've discovered that you really don't need a lot of salt to accomplish the task at hand. You can also add all sorts of additional flavors to the brine to help further flavor the chicken.

Here's how I do it:

Take a large pasta pot and fill it 1/4 of the way with very warm water to help dissolve the salt and bring out the additional flavors. Add no more than 2 tbsp. of kosher salt (which is much lower in sodium than regular table salt, but sacrifices no flavor), and take a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme and sage (you can used dried herbs if fresh aren't available) and after crushing them up a bit to release their flavors, add to the water. Also throw in 4-5 smashed cloves of garlic and a handful of peppercorns, stir vigorously, and let this steep for about 10-15 minutes. Then add cold water and a few handfuls of ice so that the water comes up half way the side of the pot. After making sure that the brine is really cold, add the chicken to this water, making sure that the cavities fill with the solution, and then add just enough water so that the bird is fully submerged in the brine. Then put it in your fridge for 24 hours.

When it's done brining, remove it from the liquid, give it a good rinse, and dry thoroughly on the inside and out. Prepare a roasting dish by drizzling a thin coat of olive oil on the bottom, and then covering with a few chopped carrots and one thickly sliced onion. Sprinkle it with a pinch of salt and throw in some rosemary and thyme to flavor what will become the gravy. Place the chicken on top of this for roasting.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, and finish prepping the chicken. Take one lemon and cut it into thin slices. Loosen up the skin on the chicken breast, and work your way into the legs as well. Slide one slice of lemon into each chicken leg, and 2-3 slices on top of each side of the breast meat. Also add one small sprig of rosemary in each leg and one slightly larger one on top each side of the breast meat. As it cooks, both will release their flavors into the meat, but will not over-power it.

As a final step, rub olive oil all over the skin of the chicken, and then put salt, pepper, and some herbs de provence all over the skin.

Once the chicken is fully prepped, place it in the pre-heated oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes to give the skin an instant blast of heat and start the crisping process. Then turn the heat down to 375 degrees for the rest of the cooking time. As a general rule, chicken should roast for 20 minutes per pound, plus 10-20 extra minutes added at the end. When you cut the leg and thigh from the bird, the juices should be perfectly clear.

When the chicken is done, remove it from the roasting pan, and place on a welled-cutting board. Cover with foil and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. While it's resting, strain all the veggies and juices from the bottom of your roasting pan, and put the juices into a small pot. Let it sit and cool for about 5 minutes so the fat will rise to the top and then skim off as much as you can. Then put it over medium flame, throw in a generous splash of sherry or dry vermouth (the real stuff, not the cooking versions of each!) and boil vigorously to burn off the alcohol. Serve this along-side the carved chicken as a nice light gravy.

When carving the bird, remove the lemon and rosemary from under the skin. Arrange nicely on a platter, scattered with some wedges of lemon, thyme, sage and/or rosemary for garnish, and enjoy. The bird should be totally succulent and rich in flavor! I promise it will be a hit -- a great meal for Sunday dinner, or to impress company.

Braised lamb shanks

Though there's no fancy name for these, as there is with osso bucco, making them is really not much different than preparing osso bucco. http://foodislove-judy.blogspot.com/2010/09/osso-bucco.html.

You will follow the exact same recipe with the following modifications:

Lamb shanks instead of veal shanks
Red wine instead of white wine
Add a tsp. of thyme and rosemary (either fresh or dried) in addition to the other herbs -- the lamb meat is stronger and flavor and can hold up to additional seasoning

Enjoy!

Osso Bucco

Osso Bucco is the fancy Italian way of saying braised veal shanks (a shank is essentially the shin of the calf). This is a cut of meat that is rich in sinew and connective tissue, that when cooked properly (ie, low and slow), literally falls off the bone and melts in your mouth. And for true foodies, once the meat is done, you can scoop the marrow out of the bone and enjoy that as the final delicacy. (Vegetarians will probably shudder at this last paragraph).

Home cooks often think this is a restaurant-only meal and they couldn't be more wrong. It's actually quite easy to make at home, and a heck-of-a-lot cheaper than the restaurant versions that often fetch top dollar, even though it's not an expensive cut of meat. My local supermarkets carry Catelli Brothers veal, http://www.catellibrothers.com/, and often have shanks, but if you don't see them in the meat cases, ask the butcher at your supermarket if they have any or can order them for you. Chances are, they are hiding in the back cases, waiting for smart consumers to ask for them.

This is a great meal to make for company as it looks VERY fancy but is really easy -- it doesn't take very long to prepare, but it does take a while to cook, so make sure you start preparing this at least three hours before you want to serve.

Ingredients:

6 veal shanks
1 large onion
4 large garlic cloves
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup shredded or finely diced carrots
1 cup dry white wine
28 ounces of crushed tomatoes (1 large can)
1 can of tomato paste (optional)
2 tablespoons of fresh oregano (or 1 tbsp. of dried oregano)
2 tablespoons of fresh basil (or 1 tbsp. of dried basil)
salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:

In a dutch over, or some other large, thick bottomed pan, heat the olive oil until it starts to smoke. As soon as it does, turn down the heat to medium. Season the veal shanks with salt and pepper on both sides, and place them into the oil (gently so as not to splash yourself!), and let them sit for 4-5 minutes until they get nice and browned. Then flip them over and do the same.

Remove the shanks from the pan and place on a plate. The bottom of the pan should have some nice brown bits clinging to the pan -- add the onions, carrots and garlic on top of this, along with a pinch of salt so that the veggies will release their natural juices. Stir these around in the oil and brown bits, letting the juices from the onions dissolve and pick up the bits from the pan.

Once the onion, carrots and garlic are nice and soft and slightly browned, add the white wine and let it cook until it reduces in half. Then add all the remaining ingredients except for the tomato paste, stir till it's well incorporated, and starts to bubble. Do NOT add more salt and pepper at this point.

Turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible, return the shanks and all their juices to the pot, and cover tightly. (If your pan does not seal tightly, use a double layer of aluminum foil.) Alternatively, you can put all of this into a baking dish, and cook in your over for 2.5 hours at 250 degrees.

After 2.5 hours, you can do one of two things-- if you prefer a more rustic sauce, simply put the osso bucco on a plate with a generous spoonful of sauce over it. (I love to serve it over a few pieces of polenta, but you could also serve it over pasta, risotto, or mashed potatoes). If you prefer a more refined sauce, after gently removing the shanks (remember, they'll fall apart pretty easily by now), put the sauce through a fine strainer. Return to a pot, add the tomato paste, and stir till it's well incorporated and heated through. Taste either version of the sauce before serving and add more salt or pepper if needed.

In either case, feel free to garnish with any combination of fresh basil, oregano or Italian flat-leaf parsley. You could also sprinkle a bit of crumbled feta or ricotta salata cheese over the top of this dish for extra zing.

Asian-style chicken salad

I threw this one together yesterday for lunch to celebrate Grandparents' Day. It's light, refreshing, and filling all at the same time.

1 head of bok choy, sliced thin
1 heart of romaine, sliced thin
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup edamame
1/3 cup thin slivers of red, yellow and/or orange peppers
1 cup of shredded chicken breast (you could easily substitute shrimp, salmon, or your favorite tofu)
1/2 cup Chinese crunchy noodles (optional) as garnish

Toss all of this together with the following dressing:

Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
pinch of salt
pinch of black pepper
1 tbsp. duck sauce

Whisk this dressing together and toss just enough with the salad to coat the leaves lightly. Left-over dressing can be stored for at least a week.

Sauteed Brussels sprouts with pancetta and tomatoes

In my ongoing quest to unlock the beauty of the brussels sprout to more people, I concocted this recipe last night. My husband, who HATES them, actually ate it and said he would eat it again in the future. My dinner guest, who was also not a fan of the brussels sprout, ate 3 helpings of this! So give it a try -- you never know who will like this!

1 lb. fresh brussels spouts (NEVER use frozen or canned B.S.s -- if they're not fresh, don't even bother)
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1-2 ounces pancetta (or bacon) diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, chopped into bite-sized pieces
pinch salt
pinch fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp fresh dill (finely chopped)

Saute the pancetta or bacon in olive oil until browned and crisp. If you use bacon, try for center cut to minimize extra fat, and drain off all but a tablespoon or so of the fat.

While this is sauteeing, cut the stems off the sprouts, remove a few outer leaves, and then cut them into thin slices -- about 4-5 per sprout. Scatter these in the pan with all the other ingredients except the tomatoes. Toss them to thoroughly coat in the remaining oil and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Cook over medium heat.

Once they start to wilt and soften ever-so-slightly, toss in the tomatoes, cover the pan, and turn the heat down to low. Let them cook for another 5 minutes, toss them around, and then continue to cook to desired texture. I like them to still have a little bit of a bit to them and not be totally wilted.

You could even sprinkle with some grated cheese before serving if you want to add even more flavor. I guarantee they will be a hit!

Pasta Salad with squash

1 pound cooked and cooled pasta, such as penne, bowties, etc.
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, diced
4 ounces of feta cheese, crumbled (low fat varieties are fine)
2 - 3 tbsp. fresh dill, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine or champagne vinegar
2 zucchini and/or summer squash, cut into bite-sized cubes.

Mix together, chill for a few hours, or overnight, and allow to warm up slightly before serving so the flavors come alive.

Zucchini sticks

Those who have ever dined at The Staaten restaurant on Staten Island know that there are few things more delicious than breaded, fried zucchini sticks -- the place is famous for them! But, it's not necessarily the most figure friendly side-dish out there. My version is healthier, and just as tasty.

2-3 zucchini, cut into sticks that resemble thick french fries
1 egg
1/2 cup milk (skim, whole, or anything in between)
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmigiana cheese (just use something pre-grated -- this is not a recipe that needs fresh grated parmigiano reggiano cheese)

Whisk together the egg and milk and in a separate bowl, combine the bread crumbs and grated cheese. Dunk the zucchini sticks in the egg/milk mixture and after shaking off excess liquid, thoroughly coat the sticks in the bread crumb/cheese mixture. Transfer to a cookie sheet that is sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. When the sheet is full, spray the tops of the sticks with cooking spray as well, and bake in a 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes -- until the sticks brown and crisp up every so slightly.

Serve hot!

Squash salad

Yet another recipe born from my desire to use up lots of squash we received from friends' gardens.

2 zucchini, cut in half length-wise and then sliced thinly
2 summer squash (the yellow ones), cut in half length-wise and then sliced thinly
1/2 red onion, diced
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
Juice of one lemon
1/4 -1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. minced fresh basil
2 tbsp. minced fresh mint

Mix all of these together, at least 12-24 hours before you plan to serve so that the flavors can mingle and the squash can release some of its water and soften up a bit. Bring the bowl out of the fridge at least 45 minutes before you serve to remove some of the chill from the salad.

Zucchini Parmigiana

A few weeks ago, I visited the farm of my honorary family from college. They were growing zucchini the size of eggplant, and I took some home with me. In a moment of inspiration, my Mom suggested making zucchini parmigiana and it was AMAZING! Here's the eggplant parmigiana recipe -- nothing needs to change but for the veggies. http://foodislove-judy.blogspot.com/2010/01/eggplant-parmigiana.html. Cut the zukes on a steep angle, so you have large slices.

I think part of the secret is that these zukes were really large, and therefore a bit more tough than the zucchini we usually like to eat sauteed or grilled. They held up really well to the initial roasting and then the baking. But I didn't layer them more than 2 stacks high, and cooked for only 30 minutes so they wouldn't turn to mush. It was delicious!

Now, I've made a lot of converts out of eggplant parm over the years -- but if you know folks who are steadfast in their refusal to eat eggplant, try this variation with them and see if they like it.

Corn chowder

August and early September are peak season for delicious sweet corn - now's the time to make up a big batch of corn chowder both to eat now, and to freeze for the dog-days of winter when you need a taste of summer sunshine.

This recipe is susceptible to MANY variations and can be made for vegetarians or carnivores.

32 ounces of either low salt chicken broth or vegetable broth (or homemade if you have it!)
1 large onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 small to medium red pepper, diced
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 medium sized potatoes, washed and cut into small cubes
2 cups of fresh corn, cut right off the cob if possible
1 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 cup of 2% milk

OPTIONAL ADD-INS:

1 cup diced or shredded chicken
crumbled bacon to garnish
1 cup of crab meat

In a soup pot, saute the onions, garlic and red pepper in olive oil until they become tender -- do this over low heat so as not to allow any of them to brown. They should turn soft and translucent, but not brown.

Add the corn and potato, toss to coat with the oil and veggies, and saute for another minute.

Then add the broth and pepper, bring to a boil, and then simmer over low-heat for about 20 minutes so all the flavors meld and the potato gets tender.

Add the milk right before serving and make sure the soup is hot enough, but don't bring it back up to a boil again.

This is a really hearty meal -- this and some fresh bread will fill you for the entire night.

If you want to add more flavor or protein, feel free to add chicken, bacon, crabmeat, or any other protein that strikes your fancy.

Fruit Salad

Fruit Salad? Who needs a recipe for fruit salad, you ask . . . all you do is cut up some fruit and toss it in a bowl and there you go!

True, that will do and especially if you're using fresh, seasonal fruit, it will be delicious.

But a simple dressing that I love will perk it up a lot!

For every 3 cups of fruit in your salad, mix:

the juice of one lime
1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon of minced fresh mint (peppermint or spearmint are both fine)

Toss thoroughly -- I promise this will make a huge difference that you will love.

Manicotti

This is my absolute favorite dish in the entire world. My Grandma used to make it for every holiday meal, and a few other times a year as well. A picky and sparse eater as a child, I nonetheless ate manicotti until I was bursting at the seams. My cousin Sean and I used to delight in having contests to see who could eat more, and my shining moment came when I ate 10 and he only finished 8 :)

This is not a recipe for the dieting type -- while there are some ways to cut calories (using part skim cheeses for example), this is NOT a meal that can be made with non-fat cheeses for the cheeses are the be all and end all of the dish. So if you're going to make it, be ready to splurge and revel in the decadence of this delicious meal.

There are pre-made pasta shells for manicotti that you could use if you must. Similarly, large sheets of fresh lasagna pasta will do in a pinch, but there is no substitute for the real thing -- fresh crepes. The recipe is below, and trust me, they are not hard. Once you get the hang of them, it's a piece of cake. My mom and I can knock them out in an assembly line at the rate of about 60 an 30 minutes.

The recipe below makes 12 manicotti, which easily serves 4, and if you have meatballs and sausages on the side, or some other side-dish, could also serve 6. But be warned, as good as these are right out of the oven, they're even better the next day gently warmed up, so I always recommend making a generous enough portion that you'll have leftovers.

Crepes:

4 eggs
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup flour
a pinch of salt

Whisk the eggs, water and salt together until the eggs are thoroughly blended. Sift in the flour a bit at a time, and continue whisking in the flour to make sure there are no lumps. Mix just until the flour is fully incorporated, but do not let the mixture start to get fluffy. Let it sit for a few minutes before cooking.

Take an 8 inch, non-stick frying pan and heat it up over medium heat. Once the pan is warm, lower the heat to medium/low and put a very thin spray of non-stick cooking spray over the pan (you may need to do this again after 6 or so crepes, but if your pan is very good, you might not need to do it again at all). Using a large spoon (the kind you stir a big pot of soup or sauce with), pour the mixture into the pan and roll it around the pan until it forms a full circle on the bottom -- add a bit more if necessary to cover the whole pan. When the edges start to curl ever-so-slightly, flip it over for about 10 seconds, and then remove from heat and put on a plate. If you're going to fill the manicotti right away, there's no need to separate the crepes with anything, but if you are going to wait a few hours or a day or two, separate each crepe with wax paper or saran wrap.

Filling:

8 ounces of ricotta cheese
4 ounces of diced mozzarella cheese (don't use fresh mozzarella -- it's too wet and will make the mixture runny)
1 egg
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian flat leaf parsely
1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

As an option, you could also add about 1/2 cup cooked, chopped spinach to the filling.

Stir this together, and fill each crepe with about 2 heaping teaspoons of the mixture before rolling them up. Place them in a casserole dish that's generously lined with tomato sauce (I prefer the sauce made with meatballs and sausages because the flavor is richer, but marinara sauce is great too. Do NOT use Bolognese sauce as it's too overwhelming and the meat will over-power the delicate cheese-filled crepes). Once they're all in the dish, cover with more sauce and then sprinkle liberally with shredded mozzarella. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 35-45 minutes, at 350 degrees, until bubbling on the sides and so hot in the middle that you can't stick your finger into it without immediately recoiling. Be sure to put a few toothpicks in the top so the aluminum doesn't stick to the manicotti.

Remove from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving so the cheeses can firm up just a bit. It will make serving much easier.

When heating up leftovers, either microwave them at medium power until just warmed through, our put them in a saute pan, with a little bit of water, and gently heat over low heat.

Mediterranean Chicken with Orzo

This dish is probably mostly inspired by Greek food, but so many of the flavors and ideas are also common to Sicily and southern Italy, that I've decided to call it Mediterranean instead. With a few minutes of preparation the day before you want to eat, this meal can be ready in less than 30 minutes and is a nutritionally complete, full course meal all in itself. It's fancy enough to impress at a dinner party, but can also be an easy week-night staple.

2 pounds of boneless chicken breast, or chicken breast tenders
1 pound of orzo
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 lemons
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small can (14.5 ounces) on crushed tomatoes (fire roasted add a nice extra bit of flavor)
64 ounces of chicken broth
6-8 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced (do NOT substitute dried dill -- fresh dill is essential)
4-5 sprigs of fresh rosemary (if you must use dry, 3 tablespoons will be enough)
6-7 springs of fresh thyme (or 2 teaspoons dry)
1 teaspoon of salt
1.5 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper
6-8 ounces of feta cheese, crumbled (low fat or fat free versions are perfect for this meal -- you'll never miss the fat!)

The night before you want to eat this meal, start marinating the chicken. If using chicken breasts, cut them into strips so they look like chicken tenders. Place all the chicken in a gallon size ziploc bag, and add the olive oil, the juice of both lemons, the rosemary and thyme, roughly chopped, 1 tsp. of salt, and 1/2 tsp. of pepper. Close the bag, thoroughly mix and massage the marinade into the chicken, and place in the fridge until about 15 minutes before you want to grill the chicken. When you remove the chicken for cooking, strip away most of the herbs that cling to the meat, and place it on a hot grill or grill pan for about 4 minutes on each side, until it's cooked through.

To prepare the orzo, first saute the onion and garlic in a tablespoon or two of olive oil until they are soft and wilted. Add the chicken broth (low-sodium or homemade if at all possible) to a boil, along with the pepper and dill (no need for any more salt -- between the broth, even if it's low-sodium, and the feta, there is plenty of salt already). When it's boiling, add the orzo. 2-3 minutes before the orzo is done, add the crushed tomatoes and 1 minute before it is done, stir in the chopped fresh spinach, just to get it to wilt.

Once the cooking time for the orzo is done, drain the excess fluid from the orzo, and distribute it in 4-6 shallow bowls (pasta bowls are perfect). Sprinkle each with feta cheese, and then place the chicken on top and enjoy!

Pescatarian Option: Instead of chicken, use shrimp or scallops -- marinate the same way, but be sure to grill them for only a minute or so on each side, until just cooked through. Substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

Tomato Salad

It's summer -- and for me, that always means tomato salad and lots of it! The thought of fresh picked, Jersey tomatoes in July and August always makes my mouth water. Below is a very basic recipe for tomato salad, and then I suggest some variations to dress it up and/or make it more substantial. We usually eat tomato salad as a side-dish, but there's no reason that a big tomato salad, when accompanied with fresh, crusty Italian bread, can't make a full meal!

2 large tomatoes
1/4 red onion, cut into small, thin slices
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 -3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper

Cut the tomato into bit-sized chunks, and then simply toss everything together. Let it sit for about 30 minutes before you serve, so the salt will release some of the tomatoes' juices, and don't refrigerate -- tomatoes are so much better served at room temperature, and chilling them, can tend to make the tomatoes mealy.

If you like, you could add olives or capers to this salad as well.

If you happen to have some day-or-two day old left-over bread, cut it into cubes, and lightly toast it. When cooled, toss it into the salad, and let it absorb the oil and tomato juices -- this is called panzanella and is an old-fashioned Italian way of making sure that old tomatoes and old bread didn't go to waste.

Of course, cubes of fresh mozzarella cheese go beautifully with any tomato salad. And you could add grilled chicken or shrimp to this recipe and make a more substantial meal salad as well.

Mangia!

White Wine Sangria

Also compliments of Caroline Bournos Diaco! Perfect for a summer evening or weekend.

White Wine Sangria
3 btls of white wine (chardonnay)
3/4 cup cointreau
6 tbsp brandy
3/4 cup orange juice... See More
6 tbsp lemon juice (or add lemon aid)
1 btl club soda
chopped fruit

Cannellini bean sauce

I made this the other night to dress up some grilled salmon. Basically, I'm taking a fagiole sauce and turning into a puree -- it was a huge hit and so easy to make.

1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
splash of balsamic vinegar (optional)
* I don't add any salt because the beans are already salty enough, but if you're a salt-a-holic, add a pinch when you're sauteing the garlic.

Saute the garlic in the olive oil until it's translucent, but not yet browned at all. Then add the white wine and boil on high for 2 minutes to eliminate the alcohol. Add the beans, pepper and vinegar, and half of the chicken stock. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes.

Using either a blender or immersion blender, puree this mixture and return to very low heat -- add just enough of the rest of the broth to keep it liquid enough to pour on, under or beside the fish or meat you are serving.

If you use less broth and let this mixture cool and set, it would also be a fabulous dip to go with veggies, pita bread, or anything else you like for dipping.

Chicken ala CBD

My good friend Caroline Bournos Diaco, shared her family's favorite chicken recipe with me - -it's a breeze and sounds like a simply perfect way to enjoy some good dark meat.

Take thighs and drumsticks, remove the skin, and soak in salted water for 2 hours. (Don't be stingy with the salt -- the chicken absorbs very little of it in terms of taste, but it does WONDERS for tenderizing the meat, especially if you're going to cook with the skin removed).

Remove from the water, and pat dry with paper towels. Then dip it in an egg wash (2 beaten eggs and 1/3 cup of milk) and dredge thoroughly in Italian seasoned bread crumbs (you could even add some extra parmigiana cheese to the crumbs for added flavor).

Drizzle a thin layer of olive oil on a cookie sheet, place the chicken on it, and drizzle the top with a bit of olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes, flip the chicken, and bake for 30 more. It comes out crispy, juicy and delicious.

Sherry's Jubilee Desserts

I'm very excited to tell you about a brand new company that sells the most delicious homemade chocolate that I have eaten in a long time!

Rebecca Miranda, the proprietor, just opened her own business, doing what she's done for fun for many years. Her chocolates are delectable, and her fillings are both tried-and-true favorites, such as peanut butter, coffee and coconut, as well as creative fillings such as strawberry-basil creme and spiced pumpkin cake.

Rebecca can do small orders for yourself, gift orders for friends, family or colleagues, and is open to customized orders in colors, shapes and flavors beyond what is listed on her still-developing website.

Do yourself a favor -- try these chocolates as soon as you can! They are rich, creamy, mouth-watering, and beautiful for the eye as well as the palate.

http://www.sherrysjubileedesserts.com/

Braciole-style meatloaf

Braciole is a fabulous Italian dish that consists of beef stuffed with all sorts of goodies (recipes vary by family and region), and then braised for a long time to make it tender. It's a delicious meal, and one that I'll post sometime in the future, but this meatloaf recipe (inspired by a Rachel Ray recipe, but much improved upon, if I do say so myself!) is quicker and easier for a week-night meal.

1 pound of ground meat -- a beef/veal/pork mixture is best and most sumptuous, but you could use all beef, or even ground turkey or chicken if you want
1 large egg
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup grated cheese (parmigiana if you want it to have nutty undertones, romano if you want a sharper tasting meatloaf)
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 -1/3 cup of bread crumbs (either plain or Italian seasoned are fine)
3-4 tablespoons fresh Italian flat leaf parsely, chopped
1 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper *
4 slices of proscioutto
2-3 slices of smoked cheese -- fontina, provolone, or mozzarella are best
4-5 slices of pancetta (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the proscioutto, cheese and pancetta. Use only 1/4 cup of bread crumbs at first and only add more if the mixture is too wet to hold together. The mixture should not be firm or bready -- it should only have enough bread crumbs to be able to form it into a loaf.

Once it's mixed, take slightly more than 1/2 of the mixture and place in in a lightly-oiled baking dish - form it into the bottom half of the meatloaf, making a well in the middle for the filling. Place the proscioutto and cheese in the middle of the loaf, and then cover with the rest, sealing all the ends tightly. Some of the cheese will inevitably ooze out while cooking, but try to minimize that by sealing it up well.

If you'd like, you can cover the meatloaf with the pancetta for a bit of extra moisture and taste, but it's optional.

Place the meatloaf in a 400 degree oven and bake for 45 minutes. When you take it out of the oven, cover it tightly with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes, both to let the juices settle in the meat, but also to let the cheese set a bit so it won't all run out when you slice it.

After it rests, simply slice with a serrated knife and serve -- if you'd like, you can pour a bit of warm tomato sauce on the top as well -- it's just about the best comfort food you'll ever eat!

* I don't add any salt to this recipe -- the cheeses and meat add more than enough for my taste.

Roasted Red Peppers

This is one of my absolute favorite foods -- it's great as an antipasto, they are fabulous in salads, and can be used thousands of ways. The roasting really intensifies the flavor of the pepper and turns what is a good veggie, into a great veggie.

They can be roasted many different ways. Below are some easy methods.

1. If you have gas cooking, simply turn on a burner to medium and place the pepper in the middle of the grate and let each side char up nicely. Turn with tongs when each surface is about 50 blackened. When all surfaces are complete, place the pepper into a ziploc bag and close it up. Let the pepper rest for about 10 minutes, so the skin can blister off the pepper. Then peel it off, cut the pepper in half to remove the seeds, and serve how you'd like. You can also store the pepper in olive oil for up to two weeks.

2. You can also roast these in the broiler of your oven, whether gas or electric. Coat them lightly in olive oil, and place under the broiler -- check frequently and turn as they start to blacken up and then follow directions above.

3. You can also roast them on a gas or charcoal grill -- get your grill to med/high heat, and roast them till each side is sufficiently charred, and follow directions in #1 above.

Tomato/Red Pepper/Ginger Sauce

I made this yesterday for the first time, to accompany grilled Chilean Sea Bass -- it was a HUGE hit and I could have, quite literally, eaten simply the sauce with a spoon it was soo good. And SOOO easy! Though I used it for fish, I could easily accompany any kind of meat, seafood, or even grilled veggies. I suspect it would even taste good tossed with pasta or Asian noodles.

1 14.5 ounce can of roasted tomatoes -- diced, crushed, whole -- doesn't matter. (I prefer Glen Muir organic line)
2 large cloves of garlic
1 roasted red pepper (see separate recipe for how to roast one yourself, but feel free to use one from a jar as well)
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated (do not substitute dried ginger)
1/4 cup olive oil

In a sauce pan, add the tomatoes, garlic, pepper, ginger and peppers -- chop up the veggies into rough chunks. Let it simmer over medium/low heat for about 10 minutes so the flavors develop and meld a bit.

Then pour it into a blender, add the olive oil, and puree the mixture until everything is liquified and thoroughly emulsified.

This sauce can be served hot, warm, room temperature or cold. The possibilities are limitless. You could even thin it out a bit with some broth and serve it as a soup.

Rice Pilaf salad

This is a recipe I made up purely by chance. I had a number of left-overs and such lying around that I knew would work well together and all I needed was something to bind them all together. I didn't have time to boil and cool pasta, so instead, I reached for a pouch of Uncle Ben's Rice Pilaf that cooks in the microwave in 90 seconds. I thought this would be a good clean up dinner that the family would tolerate, and instead everyone who ate it RAVED that it was one of the best meals I've ever made. I was speechless, but it's now going into the regular repetoire! It's great for a picnic meal, a take-along for a pot luck party, or as a quick main course on a busy evening.

2 pouches of Uncle Ben's Rice Pilaf, microwaveable type is easiest. (or any other brand or variety that you like best)
1/4 cup shredded parmigiana cheese
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp. of fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped chicken, turkey, beef, pork, shrimp, tofu . . . .whatever form of protein you'd like
1 cup chopped spinach leaves

Cook the rice for 60 seconds, rather and 90, put it into a large bowl, and add the EVOO, lemon and pepper (there's NO need to add salt -- the rice has plenty already.). When it cools to room temperature, which shouldn't be long, add everything else and toss thoroughly. You can also add whatever other veggies you'd like and have lying around -- the idea is to use this to clean up all the leftovers that don't quite make a new meal, but that you can't bear to throw out. If you think it still needs more acid upon tasting, either add more lemon juice, or some red wine vinegar.

Allow to sit for an hour or so, and then serve.

Voila!

Grilled Chicken and Pork cutlets

This is a fabulously easy way to prepare and cook chicken and pork cutlets. Trim whatever piece of chicken breast (or thighs would work too) and pork loin you have so that it's about 1/4 inch thick. Put it into a ziploc baggie with the juice of 1 lemon for every four cutlets, 1/4 cup olive oil, a teaspoon of salt, 1/3 teaspoon of pepper, and 1 tablespoon of herbs de provence. Close the bag, squeezing out as much air as you can while doing so, and thoroughly coat the meat in this mixture. Store in the fridge to marinate - let it rest for at least 2 hours, but overnight is even better.

Once your grill has heated up to medium heat, place the meat on the grill for just a few minutes on each side. Chicken should be fully cooked through, but pork is ideal when it's still ever so slightly pink on the inside.

Greek Style Orzo Salad

I have to thank my friend Kristin for this recipe -- she made it for me years ago and I've fully appropriated it into my regular routine both for our own meals, and for parties. It's a vegetarian delight, but can also be dressed up with chicken and seafood.

1 pound of orzo, cooked and cooled (you can really use any type of pasta that you like in a pasta salad, but because the flavors are Greek themed, I like to use the orzo to keep with the theme)
1 cup of diced tomatoes (if it's not summer and you can't get good fresh tomatoes, use grape tomatoes)
1 cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced thin (peeling isn't necessary, but if you don't like the peel, go ahead and get rid of it)
1/2 large red onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces of crumbled feta cheese (low fat varieties work nicely)
3 tablespoons of fresh dill, minced (dried dill is so poor of a substitute that it's not worth making this salad if you don't have fresh dill -- it's easily found in the produce aisle of most any supermarket these days)

Preparation couldn't be easier - you simple toss all the ingredients together with the cooked and cooled pasta. (Once the pasta is done, run it under cold water and toss in a bowl with the olive oil until you're ready to add all the other ingredients). Be sure to taste it when it's all mixed and add more seasoning, oil or vinegar if needed. It should suit your taste.

This will keep for at least a week in your fridge. It makes a great side-dish at a picnic or party, or can be a main course for lunch or dinner.

Pasta Al Fresco

Here is a great, easy, fresh pasta sauce that's perfect for summer tomatoes. You can make it in less time than it takes to boil your pasta.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups of diced tomatoes -- farm grown summer tomatoes are really best, but if you can't get these, substitute grape tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced (you can substitute dried herbs, and if you do so, use half of these amounts. It'll still be good, but it's infinitely better and brighter with fresh herbs)
1/3 cup of dry white wine (optional)

Heat the olive oil over medium heat and quickly saute the garlic, taking care not to let it brown at all. Once its translucent, add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and toss thoroughly. Cook this over medium to medium-low heat until the tomatoes start to break down. Add the rosemary and pepper and continue to saute until a nice liquid forms. If the sauce doesn't form enough liquid to coat the pasta you're cooking, you can either add the 1/3 cup white wine, or the same amount of pasta water, right before you drain your pasta.

Toss this sauce with 1 pound of your favorite pasta, throwing the basil in as you toss. Serve with grated cheese.

You could also add shrimp or sliced chicken if desired.

Moussaka ala Judy

As with many things I post, I make no pretense that this is the most authentic version of this dish, but it's the one I've developed while experimenting with many different recipes. It's a fabulous Greek dish that can be made with our without meat, can be a main dish or a side dish, and gets more delicious when reheated. As a bonus, it's also very easy to make and can be made days in advance.

1 large eggplant, sliced thin (I don't peel the eggplant in advance, but you can if you don't like the peel)
2 large cans of crushed tomatoes
1 medium red onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 tablespoons each of minced fresh basil, mint and flat leaf parsley (if you use dried, use 2 teaspoons each, but it really won't be nearly as good)
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
16 ounces of feta cheese, crumbled (low-fat varieties will work)
1 pound ground lamb, beef, chicken or turkey (optional -- lamb is really the best choice, beef is second. Chicken and turkey are distant thirds)
1/2 cup of bread crumbs (seasoned or plain)
1/4 cup of grated parmigiana cheese

In a large bowl, mix the crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, herbs and pepper. There's no need to saute the onion and garlic in advance, though you can if you want to. I don't add any salt to this because the canned tomatoes usually are salty enough, and the cheese you'll add later is also very salty, but if you like food well seasoned, add a touch of salt.

On a cookie sheet, well-sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, lay the eggplant slices, spray the top with more non-stick cooking spray, and bake them for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, until they are slightly softened.

If you're going to add meat, saute it in a touch of olive oil and with a pinch of salt until it's cooked through.

Once the eggplant and meat are cooked, you can start assembling the moussaka.

Spray a baking dish with a good amount of non-stick cooking spray (or use olive oil if you'd like), and line the bottom with the tomato and herb mixture. Cover with a layer of eggplant, meat, feta cheese and more sauce, and repeat until you've used up all the eggplant, meat and cheese. Use all the feta on the inner layers.

On top of the last layer of eggplant, cover with the tomato sauce, and then sprinkle with bread crumbs and parmigiana cheese -- this will brown and crisp a bit as it bakes and make for a nice topping. (Should you be cooking for someone who can't eat any gluten, skip the breadcrumbs -- it'll still be delicious!)

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-55 minutes --until bubbling on the edges, and so hot in the middle that you can't stick your finger into the center for more than a second.

When done, let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Hot Spinach/Artichoke Dip

I'm sure you've all had some version of this dip -- most frequently made with gobs of mayonnaise. It may be tasty to some, but for those of us who loathe mayo, it's a tough sell. Plus, there are healthier and better tasting (and textured) ways to make it. Determined to improve upon the standard, I came up with my own version, which is below. While I present this as a dip, there's no reason why it can't be used to stuff vegetables such as eggplant or zucchini before roasting, be used as a layer in lasagna, or in many other delicious forms.

The version below is designed to minimize calories but if you want to be really decadent, go for the full-fat versions of everything below -- it will definitely taste better, but believe me, the healthier version tastes pretty fabulous too.

Ingredients:

8 ounces skim ricotta cheese
1 block of low-fat (but not NO fat) cream cheese
1/2 cup of grated parmigiana cheese
8 ounces of low-fat mozzarella cheese
4-5 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon of dried basil
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper
1 frozen package of chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed until all excess water is removed
1 can of artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
5-6 shots of hot pepper sauce (optional -- but it really brings out the flavor and doesn't add any noticeable heat except for the most sensitive of palates)

Let the cream cheese sit out at room temperature for about an hour, and then combine all the ingredients in a large bowl -- a stand-mixer works best, but you can also feel free to dig into this with your hands. Spread this into an oven-safe dish and put into a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until it bubbles up all around and is melted through the center. You can also cook this in a microwave. It will take 3-5 minutes, and you should cook it one minute at a time, stirring in between minutes. You can also reheat it in the microwave as it starts to cool.

This is best served on pieces of bruschetta, but it's also great on your favorite crackers, toasted pita bread, and even as a dip for sturdy veggies.

Try this version -- I'll be amazed if you don't like it better than the ones you're used to!

Carmelized onions

There is no end to what you can do with carmelized onions -- they are sweet and savory, can dress up most meats, can be used in appetizers, or as a delicious dressing for pasta. Once you have the technique down, the possibilities are limitless.

The three essential ingredients are yellow onions (NOT Vidalia or some other "sweet" onion, which end up being a bit too sweet and watery to achieve the right texture -- just regular old yellow onions), olive oil and salt. After that, you can dress them up as you see fit. I have some suggestions below, but these are just to get you started and pique your imagination.

To make about 1 cup of carmelized onions, follow these instructions:

In an oversized frying pan, or some sort of pan in which you have a large cooking surface and can saute, heat up 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.

Take four jumbo-sized yellow onions or 6 large ones, peel them, cut in half length-wise, and cut into 1/8 inch slices.

Pile these on top of the heated oil, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of salt.

Toss the onions so they are coated in salt and oil, and cover the pan. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let them sweat for 10-15 minutes, until the water releases from the onions, and they start to really cook down.

Then remove the lid, and turn the heat up ever so slightly, still keeping it below medium heat. Let them continue to cook, slowly evaporating the liquid, and every five minutes, toss them thoroughly. After about 30 minutes, perhaps longer, they will become nice and rich-golden brown. Be careful never to let them start to burn and crisp. If this starts to happen, lower the heat and be patient. This process is best described as low and slow -- you need to spend the time necessary to let the sugars really develop in the onions as they brown and soften. The finished consistency will resemble a good orange marmalade.

These onions, just as they are, make a delicious relish for beef, chicken, and pork. Indeed, nothing's better on a burger than a big helping of carmelized onions. You can dress them up a bit by adding some thyme, balsamic vinegar, lemon rind, and/or pepper. Really, the sky's the limit in terms of flavoring them up, but I urge restraint so that you don't overpower the taste of the carmelized onions themselves. They are delicious.

Other ideas for carmelized onions:

As a pizza topping -- skip the sauce and cover your crust with these onions and then sprinkle with your favorite cheese before baking -- gongonzola and gruyere are popular, but fontina would be delicious too.

As a topping for bruschetta.

As an appetizer -- get phyllo dough cups or puff pastry cups (both widely available in freezer sections of your grocery store), and put some carmelized onions in them. Top either with grated manchego cheese, or a piece of brie and some jam, and bake until the cheese melts. These will be a huge hit at your party.

As a pasta sauce -- toss cooked pasta with a little olive oil and a big helping of onions and grated cheese. Or toss them with pierogies -- it's a perfect compliment to the potatoes.

As an addition to mashed potatoes - swirl these into your potatoes (or on top of a baked potato) to make them extra savory.

Stracciatella

This is a delicious Roman-style soup that is the Italian equivalent of Chinese restaurant staple egg-drop soup. The word stracciatella means "rags" and it conjures up the way the ingredients in this soup look. It's usually made with chicken broth, but can easily be made with vegetable broth for those who do not eat meat. However, I would not recommend beef or fish broth as a substitute.

It's a fabulous first course, or side dish to a lunch-time salad. But it's definitely not rich enough for a full meal unless you have a very small appetite :)

The basic recipe is so simple:

Bring 4 cups of broth to a simmer.
Beat 3 eggs together with 1/2 cup of grated parmigiana cheese and 1/4 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper.

Slowly drizzle the egg and cheese mixture into the hot broth, whisking as you go. It'll "set" pretty quickly and be ready to serve in about 3 minutes. And this is soup that should be served just as soon as it's done.

For variations, you could add chopped spinach or escarole to the soup as well. Simply saute them in a little bit of olive oil and add to the soup right before serving.

Crab (or salmon) cakes; crab-meat stuffing

You'll pay so much for these in a restaurant, but they're really so easy to make at home, for a fraction of the price. Friends and family will think you're a gourmet, but you'll know the truth :)

1 pound of fresh crab meat (lump is best, but backfin is good too)
Juice of one lemon
1 heaping tablespoon of mayonnaise (reduced fat versions are fine!)
1 tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning
1/2 cup of plain breadcrumbs -- panko style are best, but any plain breadcrumb is fine
1 egg, well beaten

Place all ingredients into a bowl and lightly mix with your hands, being careful not to break up the crab-meat too much. Mix until all the ingredients are just evenly distributed.

Divide into four portions and form into patties. You can then either saute these in olive oil until lightly browned on both sides, or broil them for about 4-5 minutes on each side.

The mixture is also a perfect crab-meat stuffing that you can use to stuff flounder, sole, tilapia, etc., or shrimp, or lobster, or mushrooms, etc.

If you don't like crab meat, you could easily substitute salmon. Buy one pound of fresh salmon filet, lightly brush with olive oil, and broil for 6-8 minutes, until it's medium. Let the salmon cook and break it up into chunky flakes, and follow directions as above.

Vodka Sauce

Now that we're in Lent, and Catholics are looking for meatless Friday meals, I thought I should post some more vegetarian options. Vodka sauce has become very popular in the last decade, with good cause -- it's rich, delicious, but not too heavy. And best of all, REALLY easy to make! The recipe below will easily cover an entire pound of pasta.

1 large can of crushed tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, well crushed, but not cut up any further
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (Optional)
1 pint of half and half (you can use heavier cream, but I prefer the lighter texture of half and half)
1/2 cup good vodka (doesn't have to be the most expensive kind, but don't use rot-gut quality)
1/3 cup of freshly grated pecorino or locatelli romano cheese

Saute the garlic in olive oil, over medium heat, just until it starts to turn every so slightly brown. Then remove the actual pieces of garlic but leave the flavored oil. Add the pepper (black and red) to the oil and saute for 30 seconds. Then turn the heat up to high and add the vodka -- let it come to a rapid boil and immediately turn the heat down to medium/low. You want to boil off the alcohol, but not evaporate the liquid. Then add the tomatoes and once that is heated thru and starting to bubble a little, turn the heat to low and add the half and half. Let it warm through, but do not bring to a boil or it may curdle. Once it's warm, whisk in the romano cheese and then toss with pasta.

Any kind of pasta is fine, but I like penne or rotini best. But it's also wonderful on stuffed pastas such as ravioli and tortellini.

Serve with more romano on the side for those that like their pasta extra-cheesy.

A great dinner party

Last Saturday, I was supposed to have all my local work colleagues for dinner. In anticipation and preparation, I assembled a big lasagna and eggplant parmigiana during the week. All the other foods were purchases (antipasto, salad, etc) and I was ready to go!

Then came the snow -- people couldn't get out or get to our neighborhood. Rather than miss a beat, we invited some neighborhood families to dinner and two of them accepted. It was a fabulous evening!

Lit a fire in the fireplace; had copious red wine and food; casual clothes; and 5 kids occupying each other so that parents could (mostly) relax and take it easy.

Much as I missed having my work friends over, we had such a great time -- it reminded me of the neighborhood where I grew up where everyone came together during blackouts in the summer, blizzards in the winter, and any other natural phenomenon to enjoy the time together.

Had we not had all the food ready, I still would have invited folks over for pot luck . . . so the next time you're snowed in, think about having a dinner party -- trust me, everyone will be happy to participate!

Eggplant Parmigiana

An Italian staple -- so good, so filling, and when done the way I make it, a lot less fattening than it usually is :) (Don't get me wrong - it's still not a diet food, but there are far fewer calories than usual and you won't ever miss them!) The quantities below will feed 8 and probably still provide left-overs and like all Italian food, it always tastes better heated up the next day!!!

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants
2 cups of Italian seasoned bread crumbs to which you add 1/2 cup grated parmigiana cheese (doesn't have to be the high quality stuff for this recipe)
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1.5 pounds of mozzarella cheese, either grated or ground up small in a food processor
Sauce (either marinara if you want it to be vegetarian, or the sauce made with meatballs and sausages if you want a richer flavor -- serve the meet on the side!)
No-stick cooking spray

Slice the eggplant into circles about 1/8 inch thick. (You don't have the peel it, though you can if you like -- and forget everything you've ever heard about salting eggplant -- totally unneccessary).

Mix together the eggs and milk and dip the eggplant in that, and then cover it with breadcrumbs.

Lay them on a baking sheet that you've sprayed liberally with the no-stick cooking spray, and spray the tops of the eggplant when you're done as well.

Bake these in a 425 degree oven until they just start to brown.

Line a large baking dish with 2 ladles of sauce. Then cover with a layer of cooked eggplant, 1/4 of the cheese, and then a thin layer of sauce (about 1 ladle). Repeat this process twice, and cover the top with a generous layer of sauce and the remainder of the cheese.

Cover loosely with foil (put in a few toothpicks if you need to make sure the foil doesn't stick to the cheese) andbake in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes if you're putting it in at room temp or higher. If it's in the fridge( and this can be assembled days in advance), put it in for about an hour. It's done when the edges are bubbling and you can't stick your finger into the middle for more than a split second without recoiling. Remove the foil for the last 10-15 minutes so it gets slightly browned on top.

Let it sit for about 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy!

Pasta al'Amatriciana

This is a fabulous and easy sauce that is native to Rome. It's not one that needs to be simmered for a long time and the ingredients are minimal -- it's a standard Friday night meal for us (accept during Lent), especially if we have anyone joining us for dinner. It's that easy, and that good . . . .

3-4 ounces of pancetta, diced
1 medium onion (I prefer red, but white or yellow are fine too), diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Saute the pancetta in the olive oil until it starts to brown ever-so-slightly. Add the onion and salt and continue sauteing until the onion is translucent. Then add the rest of the ingredients and cook over medium-low flame for about 10 minutes.

Toss with one pound of pasta and serve with fresh grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese on the side.

Bucatini (a thick spaghetti with a microscopic hole in the middle) is the traditional pasta served with this sauce, but whatever pasta you like best or have on hand will work just fine.

Linguine Al Vongole

Linguine with clams is one of my favorite dishes. I prefer white sauce, and that's the recipe that I'm posting here, but at the bottom, I'll let you know how you can make it really quickly.

I'm going to give you the cheap and easy way to do this -- with canned clams. If you want to go more gourmet and high end, you could definitely use fresh clams from your local fishery. If so, figure that you'll need 1 pound of clams for every two people you're feeding.

1 large can of whole baby clams
5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons of fresh Italian flat leave parsley, minced
1 cup of dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
The juice of 1 lemon, and the zest of half of that lemon
1 pound of linguini

About 5 minutes before your pasta is done, saute the garlic in 2 tablespoons of oil and add the salt so that the garlic will essentially melt, but not burn. Once the garlic is fully soft and translucent, turn up the heat to high, add the wine, and boil rapidly for a minute to cook off the alcohol. Then turn down the heat, add all the rest of the ingredients except for the remaining olive oil and clams and stir.

Then put the cooked pasta into the sauce (remembering to cook your pasta for 1 minute less than al dente), and add the clams and the juice they are packed in. Toss together over low heat for about a minute or two, add the last of the olive oil before the last few tosses, and serve.

If you are using fresh clams, once your wine is boiling, add the clams, put a cover over the pot, and let them steam for about 4 minutes until all the shells are open (discard any that don't open as those clams aren't good to eat). Then finish off as above. You may need to add a bit of bottled clam juice to the mixture if it's not "wet" enough to really coat the pasta.

For red sauce: Bring 1/2 cup of white wine to a boil for 1 minute and then add 1 cup of marinara sauce from the recipe posted in August 2009 (http://foodislove-judy.blogspot.com/2009/08/recipe-for-marinara-sauce.html), and a can of whole baby clams and the juice they are packed in. Warm this up an toss with a pound of pasta.

A comment on grated cheese:

In Italy, it's practically sinful to put grated parmigiana on anything that has fish or seafood in it, the thought being that the cheese overwhelms the delicate taste of the fish or seafood. This sauce is definitely not lacking in flavor, so you can do without it. That being said, I LOVE grated cheese on my pasta and indeed, have often been accused of loving pasta so much just because it gives me an excuse to use grated cheese. I routinely put it on my linguine with clam sauce (except in the most upscale of Italian restaurants where I know better than to even ask), and absolutely love it :)

Alfredo Sauce

In Italian, Alfredo should mean heart-attack on a plate because that's how rich this sauce is :) While I'm not a fan of cream sauces, I've made this many times to much praise. It's REALLY easy to make and horrifically decadent.

1 stick of butter
1 cups of cream (you could substitute half and half, but not whole milk)
1 cup of grated parmigiano cheese
1 tablespoon of fresh cracked black pepper
1 pinch of (preferably fresh) ground nutmeg

Melt the butter and stir in the cream. Don't let it boil, but heat it until it becomes very warm, just shy of boiling. It can bubble ever so slightly without ruining the sauce. Gradually whisk in the cheese until it dissolves into the cream and butter. Add the seasonings (there should be no need for salt as the cheese has plenty in it), and toss with pasta. Fettucini is the traditional pasta of choice for this sauce, but don't let yourself be limited -- tortellini, gnocchi, and many other types of pasta are also great.

Pasta Fagiole

Often called "pasta vazool," this is a great Italian staple that can be made either as a soup, or as a sauce for pasta. I have a slightly unconventional recipe that I've developed -- I hope you like it!

3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of dry white wine
1 can of cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
1 can of artichoke hearts (quartered)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Start making the sauce only after your pasta is boiling away, as it's not something that should cook very long.

Saute the onions and garlic in olive oil for 2-3 minutes and turn the heat up high for a few seconds -- just as the onions and garlic begin to get the faintest bit brown, add the white wine and get it up to a quick bubble to burn off the alcohol. Let it cook for about a minute and then add the rest of the ingredients. As soon as you have the sauce stirred together, add the pasta and toss it all together, continuing to cook for another minute or so. (You should drain your pasta at least 1 minute before the recommended time for al dente pasta, as this process will finish the cooking process).

Serve with grated cheese and enjoy!

Pesto sauce

The most popular pesto sauce is one made with basil, and I'll include a recipe for that below, but there are infinitely many ways to make a great pesto sauce, so there will be a number of variations below as well. They can be made ahead of time, frozen for a good long time, and are great to pop out for a quick week-night meal, used as dips, or also used to stuff meet such as boneless chicken breasts, or pork chops.

Basil Pesto

2 cups of fresh, clean basil leaves, packed tightly
6 large garlic cloves
1/4 cup of pine nuts (walnuts can be substituted, though they don't taste quite as good)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmigiano cheese

It's best to make this in a food processor, though a blender can work with a little coaxing.

Put the basil, garlic and pine nuts into the bowl of the food processor and start the blade running. Drizzle in the olive oil a bit at a time until the ingredients are well blended, and the sauce has a barely liquid quality to it. You might need less oil, but you might need a bit more -- you'll have to get a feel for this as you make it multiple times. When this is done, put it into a bowl and stir in the cheese (using the food processor to integrate the cheese can turn it gummy).

Taste it when it's done. Because of all the cheese you likely will not need any salt, but if it doesn't taste salty enough for you, add a pinch of salt. Pepper is optional -- I prefer pesto without it.

When tossing pesto with pasta or gnocchi (in my mind, there is NOTHING that goes better with pesto than gnocchi), put the uncooked pesto in the bottom of your bowl, the pasta or gnocchi on top of it, and toss. Don't put the sauce over heat as it will cause the cheese to clump up and mar the texture and flow of the sauce.

Pesto Variations

In place of, or in addition to basil, you could use Italian flat leaf parsley (NEVER use curly parsley in Italian cooking) or spinach leaves. Keep the overall proportion of leaves the same to the other ingredients, but you could combine two or three of these and make an interesting sauce.

Sundried tomatoes also make a delicious pesto. If you use them, add 1 and 2/3 cup of sundried tomatoes and 1/3 cup of packed basil leaves. If you are using sundried tomatoes that are not packed in oil, then put them in hot water for about 5 minutes and squeeze out the excess water before you put them into the processor. In either case, you will likely need a little bit less olive oil to bring the sauce to the right texture.

Other options (either in whole or in part) include crimini mushrooms, roasted red peppers and artichoke hearts.