I have friends coming over for dinner and I have been thinking what to make for Halloween. Then it came to me, Penne alla Zucca (Pumpkin) one of my favorite all time dishes paired with Ribolla Gialla, a fabulous grape from Friuli. I make the pasta with white wine but sometimes I add a dollop of panna (cream) to finish it off.

Ribolla gialla is said to hail from Greece. From there, it made its way to Slovenia and then onto to Friuli. Boccaccio, the Italian poet mentioned this fabulous white grape as early as the 14th century.

The first time I ever had a ribolla gialla was in a Japanese restaurant in Milan. I was with someone from my Italian wine school, AIS, and he suggested it. It was subtle and elegant, sensual and complex – the wine not the guy…

Oddly enough, it paired very well with Japanese food. It had enough sweetness to contrast some of the savory flavors in our meal but it was also delicate enough with great acidity to match salmon. If memory serves, it was a wine by Josko Gravner , a very precise and particular wine maker who ages his wines in amphorae in the ground. He’s been doing that for most of this past decade although he began in a much more traditional style. He also experiments with open vats. While he refuses to call himself organic or biodynamic, his philosophy is as little intervention in the winery as possible. He uses only ambient yeasts as well.

His was the only amphora aged wine that I had tried at that point. Apparently, many others are experimenting with his technique. I read this on Alice Feiring’s blog about her latest tasting of Amphora aged wines. Sounded like a great tasting.

I met Gravner at a tasting in 2007 in Monza, a city outside of Milan where they hold Formula 1 races. The tasting was a small intimate affair. Gravner was there with his son, who tragically passed away earlier this year in a terrible motocycle accident.

Gravner was very serious when he spoke about his wines and how much time he had wasted in his initial winemaking years. He also told me California should stop making wine.

We had a vertical of Breg and some of the Anfora Ribolla Gialla as well. I loved the wines. My friend did not. He found them hard to drink. Il mondo e’ bello perche’ vario…

I am hoping to see this variety on many more wine lists. I don’t think it is getting the right amount of attention in the United States. It is a versatile grape and can pair with Asian cuisine, Indian cuisine or anything else for that matter.

Italian food recipes have grown over the internet landscape the past 2 years with more added each day. You have a wide choice to choose from in today’s marketplace of taste. The dishes can range from hearty and robust to light and flavorful with many in between the two extremes. So with all these choices, along with the new kid on the block ,healthy Italian recipes, how do you pick the right ones?

Italian Food Recipes – 3 Tips For Choosing the Best
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Roy_Primm]Roy Primm

Italian food recipes have grown over the internet landscape the past 2 years with more added each day. You have a wide choice to choose from in today’s marketplace of taste. The dishes can range from hearty and robust to light and flavorful with many in between the two extremes. So with all these choices, along with the new kid on the block ,healthy Italian recipes, how do you pick the right ones?

I’ve noticed many mistakes people make when it comes to choosing a recipe. But I’ve noticed just a few that keep coming up among people, especially new cooks. But I’ve also watched older more experienced cooks fall into a trap or two the newbie’s fall victim to.

Perhaps it’s the simplicity of the mistakes, they’re what people can often describe as little, but when overlooked they can often cause a big flop with your Italian recipe.

I’ve listed 3 solid guidelines to follow that will help you choose the best recipes. There’s a simple system to choosing the best dishes. If you take the time to follow these suggestions you’ll get better at choosing the best. The more you stick to these tips the better and more consistent your results.

1. Ingredients Are Easily Obtainable. – At first this appears to be a no-brainer, but many cooks can easily make this mistake if they’re not careful. In their excitement to start on the recipe, they can gloss over an ingredient the dish calls for and not realize it until it’s too late.

2. Invest In The Right Cooking Tools – This is an area many cooks underestimate. They choose to cook an elaborate recipe that have more steps than normal – with the wrong cooking tools. Doing this not only waste time, it can ruin a recipe, making the final product disappointing.

3. Can You Speak Recipe? – Many cooks overlook the importance of understanding recipe terms. They try to wing it and leave themselves open to make little mistakes that cause bigger problems. You’ll have a different result if you cube and the recipe said to mince, or you boiled and the recipe said to sauté. This can cause your result to go into the trash instead of your mouth.

As you pay attention and remember these simple tips you’ll find your Italian recipes taking on a better look, feel and taste. There’s a popular saying that “the little foxes can spoil the vine,” meaning little mistakes can spoil a lot. Now know you see how you can avoid the little mistakes and make your Italian cooking a big hit.

See the top 10 Italian recipes chosen by readers this month. Enjoy video demonstrations and watch the recipes come alive. Go to [http://freeitalianrecipes.net]Free Italian Recipes

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roy_Primm http://EzineArticles.com/?Italian-Food-Recipes—3-Tips-For-Choosing-the-Best&id=2704772

Can be prepared by hand, or with a kitchen mixer by using the bread hook and setting the mixer on stir. Prep. time: Dough does it’s own work in one hour. Individiual work 10 minutes! Baking time 10 minutes. May use either Dry/ Dry Active Yeast, or for fresh cube yeast.

Part One In a bowl combine together with a fork the following ingredients and allow the starter dough to sponge for 5 minutes. 1 package 4 oz dry yeast 1/3 cup hot water 120 F 1/4 cup flour 1 tsp sugar. The yeast mixture should have bubbled and increased in size. 

 Part Two Combine all ingredients in large bowl. May use dough hook, kneading for 10 minutes. Or by hand, kneading dough for 20 minutes. Yeast mixture or fresh yeast. (If using fresh cubed yeast break into pieces into a large bowl.) 2 ¼ cup flour,  1/2  tsp salt,  ½ cup- (3/4 cup) warm water 115-120 F. Start with ½ cup water and add more water if needed.  Texture of dough should be supple and elastic, not sticky. Place dough into a large ball in a warm place with bowl covered in plastic wrap and allow it to rise for 45 minutes – one hour.

 Part Three Pre-Heat oven to 425 F (200C) Generously grease cookie sheet with 2 tbsp olive oil. Place risen dough onto cookie sheet and extend dough into any round or square form. Traditional: halved cherry tomatoes gently pushed into extended dough. Sprinkle on top of dough: 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp Coarse Sea Salt, 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, Drizzle ¼ cup Olive Oil. Bake in preheated oven at 425 F for 10 minutes.

Italy’s indigenous grape varieties include a host of little known varieties which are essentially used as blending grapes. In the interest of completeness, I decided I would mention these on my blog instead of adding them to my dictionary for Altacucina. This is because they are not widely available in the United States nor in Italy for that matter. If and when they are vinified, it is usually for table wines in the local areas where these grapes grow.

The first of the three, Arvesiniadu is a white grape that is grown on the island of Sardinia. It is grown primarily in the province of Sassari but is gradually disappearing. It is consumed locally.

Avana’ on the other hand is a red grape which hails from Piedmont. It was once fairly well known but is currently not very wide spread. An ancient grape, it is first mentioned in 1606. In terms of its origins, the consensus is that it is genetically related to Troyan and Gamay d’Orleans, two French grapes. Researchers think that it migrated into Italy from France when Italy was controlled by the Duchy of Savoy.

In the past it was also eaten as a table grape. The wine is often blended with other varietals from the region such as Barbera, Freisa, Avarengo and Neretto. It makes wine locally under the Pinerolese DOC.

The third of the trio, Avarengo is also a red grape variety from Piedmont. It gets its name from its production capacity. Avarengo comes from the word Avaro which means stingy. This is a stingy variety because it doesn’t produce a lot of fruit and is quite uneven in its producing capabilities. This variety is often blended with Avana’ and Nebbiolo, among others.

Italian dishes are some of the tastiest preparations in the world. Along with including various healthy ingredients like fresh vegetables and grains, a large number of Italian recipes are served best with different types of specialized sauces and condiments. Among the rest, meat sauces, prepared in a variety of ways, form some of the most common parts of a variety of Italian recipes. From pastas and spaghetti preparations to lasagna and meatballs, meat sauces are served with a wide variety of Italian dishes.

Italy is a land of variety. Although people from other countries tend to identify all Italian recipes as belonging to one common land of origin, in truth every Italian region, every city has its own culinary specialties. Tagliatelle alla Bolognese is a special form of meat sauce that can be served along with a wide range of Italian cuisines. Among the rest, Ragu alla Bolognese is one of the most famous types of Italian meat sauce. Prepared with beef or a combination of beef and pork, you can use Tagliatelle alla Bolognese along with a wide variety of main dishes.

The main ingredients required for preparing Tagliatelle alla Bolognese are ground chuck, ground pork, ground veal, finely chopped onions, carrots and celery stalk. You will also require tomato paste, meat broth, olive oil, half a cup heavy cream, fresh tagliatelle pasta and salt and pepper according to taste.

The first step in preparing Tagliatelle alla Bolognese is to cook the beef, veal, pork and pancetta in olive oil until the meat turns brown. After removing the additional fat, you are required to add the carrots, onions and celery. When the vegetables soften, you should add the tomato paste and meat broth and cook until al the broth evaporates. You need to add three cups of broth and repeat the process three times until the sauce obtains a thick consistency. You will then need to add the cream and simmer the preparation. After seasoning with salt and pepper, you need to cook the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese in salted water till the preparation becomes dense. Served with pasta or spaghetti, Tagliatelle alla Bolognese adds its own distinct charm to every Italian preparation.

This was supposed to be a side dish, but I turned it into my meal!  Just saute your favorite diced vegetables in a Tbl spoon of butter and add the Orzo and broth and create your signature side dish!

Orzo side dish or meal

Orzo With Sauteed Vegetables and Roasted Almonds

1 sweet onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 diced red bell pepper
1 stalk celery diced
1 Tbl spoon Butter
3/4 cup Orzo
1 tsp dried Basil

1 can chicken broth
2 thinly sliced green onions
1/4 sliced or slivered almonds
3 Tlb Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in medium sauce pan and add onions, garlic and red pepper.  Cook until onions are soft then add celery cook additional 5 minutes.  Add Orzo, Basil and chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.  While mixture is cooking down, heat small pan over medium heat and roast almonds.
Add roasted almonds, sliced green onions and Parmesan cheese.  Stir to mix and serve.

Vegetables added to Sauce pan

Add a little S&P and it is ready to serve

This was a great tasting healthy dish, loaded with crunch!  It was all I had for dinner tonight and all I needed with leftovers for tomorrow night.

Croque Madame Sandwich Recipe – Pham Fatale

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Coffee Mug signed by Radhika for her fan
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michelle obama in shorts
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San Diego Chargers Cheerleaders are hot!

Below, are the topics included for a complete unit study about Italy. These PreK and K-8 links will lead you to articles, hands-on activities and other exercises that are compatible with the Montessori classified reading cards, phonics, grammar, creative writing, science, social studies and other extensive lesson plans found in Montessori at Home, Modern Montessori at Home and Modern Montessori at Home II books.

Links for Learning the Italian Language

Beginning Italian – Learn the Parts of a House
Beginning Italian – Colors
Teaching Children Italian: Parts of the House
The Alphabet: Teaching Children Italian Part 2
Numbers: Teaching Children Italian Part 3
Parts of the Body: Teaching Children Italian
Beginning French Lessons (Use the Materials for Lesson Presentations in English, Spanish and Italian)
Article – Why should children learn multiple languages?
Mexico for Children (written in Italian) Progressive Reading Practice
AMC Montessori Grammar Game (Customize to Present Grammar in Italian – Free Game Templates Included)
Native Lingo – Read Listen, Pronounce and Learn
Download a Free Italian Song

Links to Italian Art, Art History and Renaissance Fashion

Leonardo da Vinci Drawings
Art Appreciation for Preschool and Elementary Children
About Leonardo da Vinci (Links to Additional Unit Study)
Classroom Drawing and Painting Supplies
Hands On Michelangelo Projects
Italian Renaissance Costume Construction (for Older Children and Teens)
An Easy Italian Renaissance Gown
History of Italian Art
Italian Art & Italian Craft
Renaissance Art of Italy

Links to Music of Italy

Oh How I Love Italy – Music, Art, Food Seasoned with History and Geography
Vivaldi’s Musical Activities and Lessons for The Four Season
Italian Music Terms
Music Unit Study (William Tell Italy announcement: Finale by Gioachino Rossini) Ages 5 – 7
Music Unit Study (William Tell Overture: Finale by Gioachino Rossini)Ages 8 – 10
ITALIA – Musical Instruments Museums in Italy
A Brief History of Italian Opera – Listen to the Audio

Geography and Social Studies Links

Free Blank Outline Map of Italy
Maps of Italy (for Classification and Matching Exercises)
Italy: Monuments Past and Present
Italy, Rome & Roman Culture Educational Posters
Italy Timeline
Rome – the Late Republic
Italy History Timeline
Italy: History, Geography, Government and Culture
Great Italians in History
A History of Italy
History of the Italian Language
A Maria Montessori Worth Watching

Italian Recipes

Apple’s Manicotti (Watch as Apple leads children through the recipe process)
Sara’s Antipasto Salad Recipe
The Italian Chef
Easy Italian Recipes
Mexico for Bean Soup Recipe in Italian (Especially written for children)

Let’s Write and Discuss

Italy Around the World
Roman Food- History for Kids!
Androcles and the Lion Unit Study for the Theatre Production
Androcles and the Lion Felt Board Story
WebQuest for Kids
Visiting Rome with Your Kids
Visiting Italy with Children
Write Your Own Books – For K – 3rd Grade(Part I) – Create a booklet about Italy)
Write Your Own Books – For K – 3rd Grade (Part II) – Create a booklet about Italy

To access this unit study please visit Montessori Unit Study

Enjoy!
Heidi
http://www.amonco.org

I just love Italian food! Chicken Piccata is one of those entrees on every Italian Restaurant’s menu. I set out years ago to master this recipe but it wasn’t as easy as I had hoped for. I asked every one I knew if they knew how to make piccata sauce. I was given numerous recipes and not one of them came close to the restaurants versions so I continued my search. At long last, I found one that worked! This is so easy to make and so delicious! It’s much healthier made from scratch! I just love this simple dinner served with a fresh loaf of home made organic Italian bread, an organic side salad, and a side of organic spelt pasta.

Makes 4 servings

• 1 skinless and boneless organic free-range chicken breast
• Real salt and organic, non-irradiated ground black pepper
• 1 cup of organic, non-bleached all-purpose flour (fresh milled hard white and soft white grains)
• 5 tbsp raw butter
• 5 tbsp organic, first cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup fresh organic lemon juice
• 1/2 cup organic or homemade chicken stock
• 1/4 cup organic wild capers

1. Free range chicken breast is rather large, weighting between 1 – 2 pounds each. So only one breast is needed to feed 4.
2. Cut the large chicken breast in half then cut each piece in half again. Cover your cutting board with plastic wrap, then lay one piece of chicken on top, cover it with another piece of plastic wrap. Pound with a meat mallet until the chicken is about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with remaining chicken.Season each piece with salt and pepper then dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
3. Melt butter with the olive oil in a large stainless steel skillet on medium high heat. When hot add the chicken and cook 3-4 minutes or until browned, flip and cook the other side for 3-4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
4. Reduce heat to medium low. Add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Bring to a boil. Scrap up all the brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for another 5 minutes.
5. Remove chicken to plates. Add 2 tablespoons raw butter to sauce and whisk in. Pour sauce over chicken.

Serve with a simple side salad!

Enjoy!

Yum! This recipe is deliciously simple.  Start by gathering the ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 2 inch pieces (Or leave out if you’re going vegetarian-style!)
• Cooking oil spray (olive oil preferred)
• 1 eggplant, cubed
• 4 cups fresh spinach
• 10 ounce jar Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto (I like Classico brand, found next to spaghetti sauces at the grocery store)
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 package whole-wheat spaghetti

Directions:

1. In a bowl, stir together pesto, wine, water and balsamic vinegar. Set aside.
2. Spray a skillet with cooking oil spray. Sautee the chicken over medium high heat, about 2 minutes each side.
3. Add the eggplant, spinach, and pesto mixture.  Turn heat to low, cover and continue to cook for 6-8 more minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Cook the pasta according to directions.
5. When finished, toss everything together and serve!

Here, I actually cooked the veggies separately from the chicken.  But I would recommend doing it all together for simplicity! The eggplant really takes on the flavor of the pesto and tastes delicious!

This recipe was inspired by the Meals in Minutes Cookbook by the American Heart Association.  Click here to purchase the book on Amazon.

Hello everyone! Today I would like to share with you a very tasty dish! Here is what it is:

Pasta Arrabbiata

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Makes: 8 servings (about 1-1/2 cups each)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced (about 2-1/2 teaspoons)

1 can (29 ounces) Crushed Tomatoes

1 can (28 ounces) Petite Diced Tomatoes, undrained

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pound dry penne pasta, uncooked

1 cup (4 ounces) freshly shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat 1 minute. Add garlic; cook 3 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Stir crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes with their juice. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; stir in red pepper, oregano and salt. Cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Cook pasta in large saucepan according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Return pasta and the reserved cooking water to same saucepan; stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese. Set aside. 

3. Stir in basil into prepared sauce. Add 2 cups of the sauce to pasta mixture; mix lightly. Spoon onto serving platter; top with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

This stuffed chicken breast is one of my favorite dishes!  Prosciutto ham, garlic, basil of of course, fontina cheese.

Stuffed Chicken Beast Sliced

I am cooking for just myself these days as Razor is still in the on the road with the team.  Albertson’s had boneless, skinless chicken breasts for $1.57 lb this week at the meat counter and they looked great.  I have these handy herbs in  squeeze tube’s (Gourmet Garden I get them fromSafeway) that I love to use on stuffed meats as it makes it quick and easy (fast cleanup!) to put a beautiful and yummy meal together.

Herbs in squeeze tube's

Stuffed Chicken Breast

1 or 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp Gourmet Garden Basil or pesto of choice
A small Squeeze of Garlic (Your choice of how much)
2 thin slices of Prosciutto chopped per breast
Thin slices of Fontina Cheese

Brown the chicken breasts in small amount of olive oil (about 2 min per side)

Make long slit in each breast but NOT all the way through. Cut into the opening along the sides to create pocket to stuff remaining ingredients in.    Place chicken breasts in glass dish sprayed with cooking oil or a little oil.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes the turn heat to Broil for an additional 5 minutes to brown.

Browned and Stuffed

Sliced Fontina Added

Slice and Serve with a Side of Pasta

Browning the chicken first keeps  the meat very juicy.  You can stuff them with whatever you have on hand.  Sometimes I use some chopped sun dried tomato’s  with the garlic basil and prosciutto.   You can top with a variety of sauces and one of my favorites is a lemon  butter sauce but I did not take the time tonight.  Just get creative and stuff the chicken with your favorites and you have a wonderful meal!

]]> http://winterwheat1.wordpress.com/2009/08/01/gnocchi-in-gorgonzola-garlic-cream-sauce/ Sun, 02 Aug 2009 03:12:31 +0000 winterwheat1 http://winterwheat1.wordpress.com/2009/08/01/gnocchi-in-gorgonzola-garlic-cream-sauce/

Gnocchi Gorgonzola garlic cream sauce topped off with Asiago shredded cheese was a perfect combination!

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love garlic!  I have been craving Gnocchi and Gorgonzola cheese sauce for about a month and the addition of garlic made this dish very satisfying.  You can delete the garlic but as I always say add more!

Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Garlic Cream Sauce

Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Garlic Cream Sauce

1 Package of Gnocchi (I used Trader Joe’s)
3 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 Tablespoon butter
8 oz Whole Cream
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
Shredded  Asiago Cheese to sprinkle on top

Cook Gnocchi according to package directions.  Strain and set aside.
Combine butter and garlic in small sauce pan and saute about 5 minutes
Add cream heat to simmer then add crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and stir to melt .  I had to add a teaspoon of flour to thicken the sauce and salt and pepper to taste.  Heat on medium low and stir often to make sure it does not burn.  Pour sauce over Gnocchi and mix well.  Serve and top with shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese.

Cooked Gnocchi

Gorgonzola Sliced and Chopped

Sauce Simmering

Ready to Serve

This will serve 2 generously.

Ingredienti:

• Burro
• Carote
• Curry
• Dolce sardo
• Panna da cucina
• Parmigiano grattugiato
• Porro
• Riso originario
• Sale
• Uova
• Zucchine

Preparazione:

Mettete il Dolce sardo in freezer per circa un’ora in modo che si rassodi e che sia più facile grattugiarlo.

Grattugiate il Dolce sardo e mettetelo in un insalatiere capiente insieme al burro (circa 20 gr) , il parmigiano grattugiato, un pizzico di sale e un cucchiaino di curry. 

Fate bollire il riso in abbondante acqua salata. Quando sarà cotto, scolatelo e versatelo nell’insalatiere insieme ai formaggi. Mescolate energicamente in modo che il composto sia omogeneo e fate intiepidire a da parte.

Quando il riso sarà tiepido o freddo unite un uovo sbattuto e girate nuovamente con molta cura. E’ importante fare intiepidire il riso prima di mettere l’uovo altrimenti questo farà un effetto frittata.

Imburrate uno stampo da crostata e foderatelo con il composto di riso. Disponete all’interno dello stampo della carta forno che riempirete con dei fagioli secchi. Infornate nel forno caldo a 200° per circa 20 minuti. Togliete la forma dal forno, rimuovete il fagioli e la carta forno e rimettete in forno per ulteriori 10 minuti.

Cimate e verdure e tagliatele a julienne. Sbollentate le verdure per qualche minuto in acqua bollente salata. Scolatele, fatele asciugare e disponetele nello stampo.

Sbattete un uovo, amalgamatelo con la panna da cucina, il parmigiano grattugiato, un pizzico di sale e una macinata di pepe nero e versatelo a filo sulle verdure.

Rimettete la crostata in forno per altri 30 minuti.

Servite appena tiepida o (meglio) fredda.

Provate anche:

Tortino di zucchine

Pagnotta con gamberi e zucchine

Torta salata con bottarga e pomodori

Focaccia del pescatore

Quiche ai carciofi

risotto with pan-fried tilapia

Oh the suspense! You’ve been promised the risotto recipe since the end of May, and finally, here it is! But guess what? I didn’t like it. Not that that matters. I just thought it was funny, all the build-up and preparation that went into it. Anyway, though I can’t say I will never try risotto again, what I have discovered is that I now have something to add to my list of “Critty – that’s me – Culinary Rules:” rice and cheese don’t mix. I hate to say it; I mean, I LOVE cheese! I really love cheese! But I just don’t think it goes with rice. (Nor seafood – but that’s an established Italian culinary rule.) In any case, here is the recipe:

4 servings

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped (or 1/2 cup chopped shallots)
• 1 1/2 cups rice (arborio or carnaroli)
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 – 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• salt & pepper

1. In a saucepan, heat the stock to a simmer then keep on low heat.
2. In a risotto pan, or large sauté pan with cover, sauté onion in oil. Add rice. Stir until coated.
3. Add broth, 1 1/2 ladles at a time. Cook until reduced then add more and reduce.
4. Add the wine and reduce.
5. Add more broth (always 1 1/2 ladles at a time) and reduce then repeat. Add some salt to taste. Keep adding more broth, reducing and repeating until the rice is cooked. It should be soft and creamy, not chalky.
6. Add butter, more broth if necessary, then parmesan. Add pepper and more butter, if necessary. Cover for 5 minutes off of the heat.

notes:

• The key is to keep constant watch over the risotto and not add too much broth at a time.

[recipe adapted from Joanne Weir's Cooking Class on public television]

Sausage and Pepper Sandwich

This is the next day…Left overs..Yea!!!!

I did not take enough pictures last night to do this recipe justice.  And by the way,  the flavors are even better the next day

The Roll

Sliced Sausage

I kept the sausages whole through out the cooking process and sliced as needed.  This is right before I added the Pepper and Onion Mixture to heat up.

Mixture is heated then spooned into rolls

And that is it!  Enjoy this Italian treat and I have again today.  I really believe it was better today!

After you watch this video you will have  to run out and buy the ingredients for this dish.  It was wonderful to smell it cooking!!

This is so easy!  Anyone who can follow a recipe can do this!  I had to smell this AND take pictures.   I hope you have a Sprouts or Whole Foods store near you.  This was very inexpensive to to make,  I purchased the chicken sausage with Parmesan cheese in it for $2.99 lb and also used 2 Portuguese   spicy sausages from my fridge. I also used 1 red and 1 green pepper instead of 2 red.  I kept the rest of the recipe the same.  I did stop at Bevmo more my Marsala, they suggested “Colombo Sweet Marsala” for my dish, they were not wrong, it was awesome!

Watch Giada and really it is that easy!

Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup Marsala wine
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 4 to 6 fresh Italian sandwich rolls, optional

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on both sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain.

Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, basil, and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the Marsala wine, tomatoes, and chili flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Bring to a simmer.

Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each, about 1-inch cubes. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.

Serve in bowls. Or, if serving as a sandwich, split the rolls in half lengthwise. Hollow out the bread from the bottom side of each roll, being careful not to puncture the crust. Fill the bottom half of the roll with sausage mixture. Top and serve sandwiches immediately.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/giada-de-laurentiis/index.html

My Pictures

Ready to Saute

After sauteing  peppers and onions, then add the chopped garlic and fresh basil and let is cook for another couple of minutes then add all of the other ingredients , stir and I put the sausages in the mixture whole (plus the juice) and buied them with the mixture to cook for another 20-25 minutes.  The smell is heaven!

Check out the Steam!

Take a Bite!

I served this in Hogie rolls from Sprouts, hollowing out one of the sides before adding the cut-up sausage, peppers and onions.  This was the best sandwich I have had by far!

Makes 4 servings.

• 1 pound organic free-range boneless turkey breast
• 2 tbsp organic & unbleached flour
• 2 tbsp organic Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp real sea salt
• 1/4 tsp organic white pepper, non-irradiated
• 1/4 tsp organic nutmeg, non-irradiated
• 1 free range egg, beaten
• 1/2 organic whole milk
• 4 tbsp organic butter
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• Juice of 1/2 lemon, organic
• Organic and unbleached flour for dredging

Combine flour, cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the milk and egg; mix until well blended.

Pound the turkey breast with a meat mallet until thin. Dredge turkey in flour; shake off excess. Heat butter in a stainless steal pan over medium heat till butter begins to bubble. Dip turkey in batter and cook in butter until browned. Remove turkey from pan.

Add wine to skillet. Cook over low heat 2 minutes, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Add lemon juice; mix well. Pour sauce over turkey cutlets.

On June 24 each year, Florence comes alive with parades and Florentines dressed in medieval gear to celebrate their patron saint, San Giovanni. Drums beat and flutes play, as the procession leads to Piazza Santa Croce for the yearly Calcio Storico match.

Calcio Storico began in the 16th century. The rules are slightly different from regular calcio or soccer. Three matches are played each year. Head-butting, punching, elbowing, and choking are all legal. A violent match, sometimes people get hurt but it never seems to dampen anyone’s enthusiasm for the game

I lived in Florence for many years and often tried to see the match but never made it anywhere near the grand stand. In the evening, fireworks are launched from the Piazzale Michelangelo. Last year and the year before I watched the fireworks from different locations in the city with people very close to my heart.

I was lucky enough to be at a party in a home smack underneath the fireworks display. It seemed like the raining white weeping willow like shapes were all around me. It was slightly terrifying and glorious at the same time.

On June 24, Florentines also pick walnuts to make into the delicious digestivo Nocino, a walnut liquor. The green hulls of walnuts are infused in alcohol for two months and then some spices are added to the mix. I have never had one in the United States but two brands seem to be prevalent, Russo and Agazzoti. A Nocino also comes out of California.

I have only ever had homemade nocino made by Silvia Di Sandro, a cook who could put any famous chef to shame.

San Giovanni is a very festive holiday and is “molto sentita.” A distant second to the Florentine soccer team, La Fiorentina o La Viola, Calcio Storico and San Giovanni are a very big deal in Florentine life.

While Florence can be extremely touristy, hot and commercial, it holds a very special place in my life and in my heart.

Whenever I go back there and hear “O Susannah dov’e sei stata tutto questo tempo?…(where have you been all this time?) said with a thick Florentine accent by one of the people who run the cafes, restaurants or stores on my old street, I smile and feel like I am always at home. I actually think the air is slower and heavier in Florence but that’s another story. If you ever get the chance to go on San Giovanni, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Ingredienti:

• Cipolla
• Curry
• Mele Golden
• Olio extravergine di oliva
• Pepe nero
• Petto di pollo
• Sale
• Salsa Worcester
• Vino bianco
• Yogurt magro

Preparazione:

Pulite la cipolla e tritatela finemente e mettetela in una ciotola capiente. Unite alla cipolla il curry, lo yogurt magro, il sale, la salsa Worcester e mescolate con cura in modo che gli ingredienti siano ben amalgamati.

Mettete i petti di pollo puliti, sgrassati e disossati nella salsa, coprite con la pellicola trasparente e fate marinare in frigorifero per circa 2 ore.

Passate le due ore fate scaldare la graticola (o la bistecchiera), togliete i petti di pollo dalla marinata senza pulirli e cuoceteli fino a quando non saranno ben dorati.

Sbucciate le mele, tagliatele in quattro parti e privatele del torsolo.  Cuocete le mele in una padella inaderente con un filo d’olio extravergine di oliva a fiamma media per qualche minuto, poi sfumatele con poco vino bianco e proseguite la cottura fino a quando non si saranno ammorbidite e dorate. Durante la cottura le mele devono essere girate molto spesso e delicatamente con una spatola.

Verso la fine della cottura aggiungete un pizzico di sale e una macinata di pepe. Toglietele dalla padella scolandole bene e mettetele nel piatto insieme al pollo.

Servite caldo o tiepido con qualche goccia di salsa Worcester.

Provate anche:

Medaglioni di pollo fritto con zucchine

Cuscus con verdure e pollo

Cordon bleu

Minestra con pollo e funghi

Cipolle rosse stufate

Petto di pollo al formaggio con sugo alle olive

Pollo sott’olio

Ingredienti:

• Alloro
• Basilico
• Carota
• Cipolla
• Curry
• Funghi champignon
• Mortadella
• Noce moscata
• Olio di semi
• Olio extravergine di oliva
• Pane grattugiato
• Parmigiano
• Pepe nero
• Petto di pollo macinato
• Pomodori freschi maturi
• Provola affumicata
• Sale
• Sedano
• Uova
• Vino bianco

Preparazione:

In abbondante acqua bollente, scottate i pomodori. Quando saranno tiepidi, spellateli e frullateli insieme ad un peperoncino intero e qualche foglia di basilico.

Togliete il gambo da i funghi e lavateli bene in modo da togliere tutta la terra. Tagliate i funghi a fettine sottili e fateli rosolare in un tegame dai bordi alti con un pizzico di sale, del pepe nero, olio extravergine di oliva e un goccio d’acqua.

Fate cuocere i funghi a fiamma bassa e coperti fino a quando non saranno ben asciutti. Quando pronti rimuoveteli dal tegame e teneteli da parte.

Tritate finemente le fette di mortadella e tenetele da parte. Quando i funghi saranno freddi, aggiungete la mortadella, la provola affumicata tagliata a piccoli cubetti, il sale e una macinata di pepe. Tenete il ripieno da parte.

In un insalatiere mettete il macinato di pollo (consiglio di far macinare solo il petto), le uova, il parmigiano, la noce moscata, il sale e il pepe nero. Amalgamate bene gli ingredienti in modo da formare un impasto omogeneo.

Spennellate un foglio di pellicola trasparente con pochissimo olio di semi e disponeteci sopra l’impasto per il polpettone.  Con il fondo di un cucchiaio bagnato nell’olio stendete l’impasto in modo che sia di spessore uniforme (circa 1 centimetro). L’olio non farà attaccare il cucchiaio, un accorgimento molto utile anche per le mani in quanto la carne macinata di pollo è appiccicosa e tende ad attaccarsi.

Quando avrete steso l’impasto mettete al centro il ripieno e, aiutandovi con il foglio di pellicola trasparente chiudete il polpettone. Sempre utilizzando il foglio di pellicola, formate una caramella abbastanza stretta, bucatela con uno stecchino e cuocetela al vapore per circa 40 minuti.

Trascorso questo tempo, fate raffreddare completamente il polpettone prima di togliere la pellicola.

Pulite la cipolla, la carota e il sedano. In una padella inaderente capiente e ben calda mettete un filo di olio extravergine di oliva e fate rosolare il polpettone in modo che sia ben dorato sui lati.

Girate il polpettone con molta attenzione perchè potrebbe rompersi e non pungetelo mai con la forchetta.

Quando il polpettone sarà dorato aggiungete le verdure e poco vino bianco. Quando il vino sarà evaporato aggiungete i pomodori freschi frullati, il curry, un pizzico di sale, una foglia di alloro e un cucchiaino di zucchero per correggere l’eventuale acidità.

Fate restringere il sugo, tagliate il rotolo a fette e servite subito ben caldo.

Provate anche:

Rotolo di vitella farcito ai funghi

Rotolo di vitella con provola e spinaci

Rotolo di vitella con crema di carote

Rotolo di vitella ripieno al sugo

Polpettone farcito in bianco