Braised Kale and Sausage

8 cups of kale (remove the thick stems and rough chop)
4 links of Italian Sausage (chicken sausage can be a good substitute)
5 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of minced pancetta
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion (red is nice, but white or yellow are fine)
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1/4 tsp. of fresh cracked black pepper
a pinch of salt
1/3 cup of chicken broth
1/4 cup grape tomatoes, cut into half

Saute the pancetta, sausage and onions in the olive oil and when the pancetta is starting to crisp, add the garlic, fennel seeds, pepper and salt. After the garlic has sauteed for about a minute, add the kale and salt, and thoroughly toss it all together so the kale is coated with the oil. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth, cover the pot tightly, and turn the heat to medium-low. Let it braise for 5 minutes, toss it all thoroughly, and let it saute for another 5 minutes, covered tightly.
Then remove the cover and turn the heat to medium. Saute until all the broth evaporates and then serve.

Optional -- garnish with a bit of grated parmigiana cheese AND/OR, as the last of the broth evaporates, add a splash of red wine vinegar for a little extra tang.

Broccoli Rabe and Italian Sausage

This is a true Italian masterpiece dish, and often, an acquired taste. Broccoli rabe is a slightly bitter (in a good way) version of broccoli, with very leafy, thin stems. It needs a dual cooking process to reach its best taste, but it's actually quite easy to prepare. Italian sausage is its perfect partner, but it's also delicious with pasta, as a side dish, or as a pizza topping.

1 pound of broccoli rabe, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2-3 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
4 links of Italian sausage (hot or sweet; chicken, turkey or pork - it's up to you)
1/2 cup cannellini beans (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
1 pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup of chicken or vegetable broth

Take the broccoli rabe and plunge it into salted, boiling water for about 90 seconds. Drain the broccoli rabe and put in a bowl of ice water to stop it from cooking any further. Once it has cooled, drain it again and shake/squeeze as much water out of the veggies as possible.

Grill the sausage until cooked through and nicely crisped on the outside. Remove from heat and let them sit for 5 minutes so the juices settle back into the meat. While they are cooling, heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the garlic slices, cooking until translucent but not letting them brown.

Add the broccoli rabe, the beans, salt and pepper (black and red) and toss thoroughly -- saute until heated through.

Slice the sausage into bite-sized pieces and toss into the broccoli and beans. If any of the food is sticking to the bottom of the pan, add enough broth to loosen it up and keep things moist. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, so the flavors meld, using more broth if necessary. It's nice to have a little pool of juice at the bottom of the bowl which can be absorbed by some nice crusty Italian bread.

This is often served as an appetizer, but it really can be an ample meal, especially if served along side some risotto, polenta, or even pasta.

Grilled shrimp, basil and prosciutto appetizers

Prepare grilled shrimp as described in this recipe, http://foodislove-judy.blogspot.com/2011/03/grilled-shrimp-and-scallops.html, and let them cook.

Take 1/2 basil leaf (split lengthwise) and pair it with the shrimp. Wrap the shrimp and basil in about 1/4-1/3 piece of a thin slice of prosciutto (don't use too much -- just enough to hold it together -- you don't want to over-power the shrimp).

Serve cold and make a lot of them, because you will find people eating these delicious little bundles like they were popcorn.

Grilled shrimp and scallops

1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deviened
1/2 pound scallops, cut in half if they are very large

1/4 cup of lemon-garlic infused olive oil (http://foodislove-judy.blogspot.com/2011/03/lemon-garlic-infused-garlic-oil.html)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper

Stir together and toss your shrimp and or scallops in this for about 1-2 hours at most. You don't want to over-power the delicate taste of the shellfish, nor do you want the lemon juice to "over-cook" the shrimp and scallops.

There are different options for cooking these -- either put them on bamboo skewers that you soak in water for at least 2-3 hours, and cook on a medium hot grill or cook them indoors on a grill pan also over medium heat.

Cook the shrimp for 1-2 minutes on the first side until the edges start to turn pink, and then turn over for 1 more minute and remove. For scallops, cook on the first side for 2-3 minutes, and then turn over for 1-2 more, until they are white on the outside and just barely firm to the touch.

Quickie Minestrone Soup

It's the perfect meal or first course . . . and when time is short, you can take shortcuts and have it ready in 30 minutes or less. Here is my secret to quick minestrone . . .

32 ounces low sodium chicken broth (vegetarians can substitute vegetable broth)
8 ounces of crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
1 tbs. dried oregano
2 cloves of garlic, minced
A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

And LOTS of veggies -- this is the time to clean out your fridge if you want -- here are some of my favorites:

escarole or spinach leaves
string beans cut into bite-sized pieces
zucchini or summer squash, cut into small cubes
sliced scallions or leeks
carrots, cut into small cubes
Basil leaves

Other add-ins are chick peas, white or red kidney beans, and pasta (cook it first and then add so it doesn't absorb all the broth) but if you are eating low-carb, you can skip all of these.

Bring the broth to a boil, cover and turn to relatively low heat -- the broth should continue to boil, but only just barely. Once everything is cooked through and tender, ladle into a bowl, sprinkle with grated parmigiana cheese if desired, and enjoy with or without a nice piece of crusty Italian bread.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

Guacamole

I don't pretend this is either an authentic, or the only way to make guacamole, but as with my other Mexican inspired dishes, it gets GREAT raves.

Take 5 ripe avocados (the skin should be black, and they should be soft to a slight squeeze, but not mushy and there should be no gap between the skin and the fruit), cut them in half, remove the pits, and scoop the fruit out into a bowl.

Add the juice of 2 limes (lemons are an acceptable substitute, but I prefer limes), 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 red onion diced into small pieces, and 1/4 cup of your favorite salsa. With your hands (I'm not kidding about this part -- it's the best way to do this!), start mushing the avocados and mixing in the other ingredients. I prefer my guacamole with some good avocado chunks still in it, but you can mix as much or as little as you like.

If you want it to have a bit of a kick, either use a hot salsa, or add a few shots of Tabasco sauce.

Antipasti dishes

For holidays, my Grandma Conti always put out a spread of antipasti so big and delicious, that it was amazing we had room for anything else, let alone the three additional courses that were coming! But we started early, paced ourselves, and usually left the table so full we didn't need to eat for days.

There was a great array of cheese and meats, but also lots of other dishes to snack on. Caponata was always at the table, and I posted a recipe earlier, although there are some very good pre-prepared brands of caponata, especially Progresso. Some other ideas follow. All of these dishes are best served at room temperature for maximum flavor. Make them a day ahead of time for the flavors to really soak in, and then remove from the fridge about an hour before serving.

Marinated artichoke hearts:

2 cans of quartered artichoke hearts, packed in water, drained
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon of minced, fresh Italian parsely
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
A pinch of salt

Roasted red peppers:

1 large jar of roasted red pepper, drained and cut into bite-sized slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove of garlic, very finely minced
1 tablespoon of red wine or balsamic vinegar

Marinated cannellini beans:

1 can of canellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
1/4 red onion, diced finely
1/2 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar

Other ideas for your spread include pepperoncini (the small, hot Italian peppers) and olives.

Caponata

Caponata is a delicious Sicilian eggplant relish, usually served as part of an antipasti spread. It's sweet and savory, and one of my favorite dishes. It can serve many functions other than antipasto -- I've used it as a pasta sauce, it can be part of a hearty salad, or a delicious side-dish. And it'll keep in the fridge for at least two weeks -- so make a big batch and enjoy it again and again!

1 medium sized eggplant, diced into small cubes (keep the skin on)
2 ribs of celery hearts, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup of green olives, chopped (I prefer the basic cocktail olives with pimentos in them -- you don't need anything fancier or more expensive)
2 tablespoons of capers
3 tablespoons of either red wine or balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of sugar
16 ounces of crushed tomatoes (San Marzano tomatoes are best)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of dried oregano

In a large saute pan, saute the celery, onion and garlic in olive oil -- don't allow them to brown, just "sweat" them until they become translucent. Once they are, add the eggplant and toss together to coat the eggplant with the oil and aromatic veggies. Then add the vinegar and toss quickly so that it distributes throughout the eggplant. Add all the rest of the ingredients, in any order you'd like. Saute on low heat, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes. It should be pretty thick, and not at all runny, when it's done.

As an antipasto or salad, this is best served at room temperature, so if you've chilled it, take it out about an hour before serving.

A few options:

Instead of using sugar, some prefer honey or a few handfuls of raisins to add sweetness.

If you REALLY hate eggplant, you can substitute 2 zucchini for the eggplant.

A friend of mine uses caponata as a sauce for her lasagna -- haven't tried it yet, but I'm sure it's FABULOUS!