If you've been to Boston and you love Italian, you've probably been to the North End. A thin strip of restaurants line the streets in this corner of the city, and if you want authentic, this is probably where you want to go. I adore the North End. It, to me, feels like a different world. It's bustling with tourists and locals alike, and the lines to certain restaurants always stretch around the corner.
Alas, on my current budget, trips to the North End are few and far between. I'm counting down the days until my parents come help me move in so I can go to some of my favorites. 30 days. But until September 1, I'm stuck. Or am I?
Creamy Chicken Spinach Calzone
1 can Pillsbury Pizza Crust
3/4 lb cooked chicken, chopped
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 salad bag of fresh spinach
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, saute spinach in olive oil and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, all cheeses, eggs, Italian seasoning, Oregano and spinach. Set aside.
3. Divide the crust dough into 4 pieces and roll each piece about 1/4 inch thick into circle. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the ricotta filling onto each circle, fold over and seal the edges. Place onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until nicely browned on the tops and bottoms.
Most bloggers read other blogs and I am no different. There are a few that I am loyal to and Anecdotes and Apple Cores is one of them. Monet is the author and for the past year or so, I've read of her move back to Texas, her cozy and busy kitchen and the stories of her family. Most have been bright but along the way, and especially recently, she has lost loved ones to terrible things.
A few bloggers, Kate and Lizzy, got together to make a scrapbook of comfort food to send to Monet, and I was more than thrilled to share a recipe that she commented on months ago. So here is to Monet, and anyone out there who may need more than a little encouragement. Happy thoughts and well wishes are coming your way!
Alfredo with Roasted Asparagus 2 cups low fat milk 1/3 cup cream cheese (regular OR low fat.. not fat free) 2 tbsp AP flour 1 tsp salt 1 tsp butter 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup grated Parmesan 1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces Cooking Spray 8 oz wheat spaghetti, uncooked 8 oz white spaghetti, uncooked 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
When I think of a great meal now, I think of grilled vegetables, fresh proteins with lots of flavor and something that leaves me feeling light and satisfied.
When I was fifteen, a great meal was cheesy, creamy, and filled with pasta.
When you are entertaining for twenty-four teenage girls, save yourself a lot of trouble and make this dish.
You will save yourself a lot of headache, and they will love it.
Creamy Italian Chicken Casserole 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 lbs chicken, cooked and chopped 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with garlic, basil and oregano 1 cup heavy whipping cream 4 oz cream cheese, softened 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded 10 oz pasta, (I used a combo of macaroni and angel hair) Oregano, to taste
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package and keep warm. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. 2. In large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook 3 minutes, or until tender. Stir in chicken, tomatoes and cream. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, let boil for about 3 minutes. Reduce heat, and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened. 3. Add cream cheese and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Cook while stirring constantly until cheeses are melted. Add pasta, tossing gently to coat. 4. Spoon entire pan into prepared baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Sprinkle with oregano and bake for 30 minutes.
I went through this stage when my favorite "fast food" was Subway. I absolutely loved to eat there. Given a choice between a five-star dining experience and a good old six inch, I'd go with Subway nine times out of ten.
Loved it. Then Jared started going to Subway and I think he turned me off of it. That or I discovered that I really liked Wendy's Junior Bacon Cheeseburger, but that's another story. I'm a major sandwich person. Sub, hero, hoagie or panini. Slap it in between two slices of bread and more than likely I will devour it happily.
One day, however, I discovered flavor. And maybe that and not Jared was what turned me off of the somewhat boring and certainly never mind blowing experience I got at my local sub shop. I realized that you can't just throw things in between bread and expect greatness.
And then I started to make my own meatball sub, and because I love you so, I will give you the recipe. Because I'm not being biased when I say this recipe is awesome. Tender and bursting of flavor. Not too much of anything and they hold together well. Have at this for a (messie) weeknight meal.
Homemade Meatball Sub 1 lb lean ground beef 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs 1 Large Egg 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 medium onion, grated 1 clove garlic 1/4 tsp parsley, oregano and garlic salt each salt and pepper to taste Your favorite jarred tomato sauce 4 Italian Sub Rolls 6 Slices Mozzarella cheese, sliced diagonally in half
1. Turn on broiler. Mix all ingredients together. Mixture should be moist but not so that the meatballs fall apart. If you need more liquid, add 1 tbsp of water until you meet desired consistency. 2. Shape meatballs to desired size and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. (I made 20 meatballs with the mixture and they were a nice size). If you wet your hands the meatballs will not stick to you. Broil until outside is slightly brown on one side and then turn and broil the other side. When finished, add to spaghetti sauce and simmer at least 20 minutes. 3. When meatballs and sauce are all still hot, take 5 meatballs and put into sliced Italian sub rolls. Top each sandwich with three diagonal slices of mozzarella and sprinkle with a bit more oregano, if desired. 5. Place on a cookie sheet under the broiler for a few minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve!
Hi everyone! Thanks for all the well wishes you've been sending my way! I'm feeling much better with every passing day, so whatever you're sending, keep it up! Today, I have another guest post, from Polly Motzko, the creator of Cooking Up a Storm All Over the World, a foodie website dedicated to her recipes and traditions. Polly contacted me about my request for guest posts, and sent a yummy looking dish my way. So without further ado, here comes Polly!
Polly Motzko’ Farfalle Bolognese with Zucchini and Fresh Basil for Garnishing.
Adapted from “Bolognese Meat Sauce” by Marcella Hazan
Text & recipe greatly adapted from the original by Marcella Hazan,
I was going through my many bookshelves of cooking books and ran across this wonderful new edition of Marcella Hazan’s that is a combination of her first book and the second and then 50 more wonderful recipes. This printing is dated November 5th, 1992. (My parent’s anniversary is on that day, only quite a few years before in 1949. So, when I make this dish for them it will be special because the book was printed on the day when my mother Ramona Hart and dad, Ernest Le Pore-became an item!
Rather than watching this on the stove for hour on end, I have streamlined it for modern day busy people like me, who want to make something wonderful up in advance and have it on hand to use in countless wonderful recipes. I am not sure if Marcella Hazan realized how the crock pot could come in handy for slowly simmering this sauce and in braising more economical cuts of meat; I don’t think she would object to my adaption here.
You can leave the minced garlic out if you want and be true to Marcella’s original recipe, or you can add however much you like in it..and some fresh basil if you feel inclined.
I was raised in a house where a marinara didn’t “taste right” without it in it…so this version reflects my personal tastes, and since I am going to make this for me and my “family” then this version it is.
Ragu, as the Bolognese call their celebrated meat sauce, is characterized by mellow, gentle comfortable flavor that any cook can achieve by being careful about a few basic points.
• The meat should not be too lean a cut to extract its juices for the subsequent benefit of the sauce.
• Cook the milk in milk before adding wine and tomatoes to protect it from the acidic bite of the latter.
• Do not use a demiglace or other concentrates that tip the balance of flavors toward harshness.
• Use a pot that retains heat. Earthenware is preferred in Bologna and by most cooks in Emilia-Romagna, but enameled cast-iron pans or a pot whose heavy bottom is composed of layers of steel alloy is fully satisfactory.
2 tablespoons butter plus 1 tablespoon to toss pasta with.
4-1/2 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes, with juice. I increased this substantially because I made almost exactly to the recipe and the dish didn’t look or taste right-to me. (Everyone is different of course, which is what makes the world great. In my world I added garlic, increased the tomatoes to more of a “meaty marinara”, cut the butter back and that is about it.
The rest of the dish is my invention entirely.
1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups or more of pasta-I used jumbo multicolored Farfalle here.
1. Marcella Hazan’s choice of pasta is tagliatelle or tortellini and green lasagna goes really well with this sauce.
2. Put oil, butter chopped onion in a pot and heat to medium. Cook and stir until translucent then add celery and carrots and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat well.
3. Add ground beef, large pinch of salt, and a few grindings of black pepper. Crumble meat with fork, stir well and cook until beef is not raw and no longer pink inside.
4. Add milk and let simmer gently stirring frequently, until milk has bubbled away completely.
5. Add the wine and let it simmer until it has evaporated, then add the tomatoes and stir to coat all ingredients well. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, turn heat down. Simmer sauce at the laziest boil.
Or
PUT IN A CROCK POT ON 250 DEGREES FOR 3 HOURS OR UP UNTIL 6 HOURS, STIRRING AFTER 2 HOURS.
While the sauce is cooking, you are likely to find that it begins to dry out, and the fat will separate from the meat, unless you use a very lean meat like I did-Polly Motzko, that is.
To keep it from sticking, continue the cooking, adding ½ cup of water whenever needed. In the end, however, no water at all must be left and the fat must separate from the sauce. Taste and correct for salt if needed.
Toss with cooked, drained pasta, adding the tablespoon butter and some of the freshly grated Parmesan on the side.
(Inspired by Marcella Hazan’s “Bolognese Meat Sauce”)
Make pasta sauce at least 3 to 6 hours ahead of time and arrange making the pasta after the sauce is through simmering for its total time-3 hours is recommended.
Cook pasta of choice until al dente and then put some in a shallow pasta bowl, then arrange some of the cooked farfalle on top of the sauce. Put enough sauce in the bowl so that you can “sop up the sauce” and you can also drizzle some more on top. I did this type of presentation because I wanted to show off the colors and shape of the jumbo multi-colored farfalle…you could use penne here and it would work out great too! This multi colored pasta-I bought at World Market-was one of my all-time finds in the pasta world. (Even my friends in Italy hadn’t seen anything like it!)
Top the zucchini/squash/garlic mixture on top of the pasta of your choice.
Grate some fresh Parmesan and put on top to crown the dish…and lastly ENJOY! The Parmesan gives the dish the extra SALTY flavor that it needs, so don’t make the dish without it…or substitute something very similar like Romano.
If you have made variations of this dish, email them to Paulette Motzko at:
CookingUpAStorminCA@gmail.com
Polly Motzko will include them in her upcoming cookbook, with your permission, that is.
Happy Cooking!
Yours truly in food and all that is wonderful on your plate!
Hello, hello! Back to the grind for most of us today. Luckily (for you, not me) I work late hours today so I have a bit of time to update you a little more on the recipes I used last weekend.
As mentioned in my last post, I found this little gourmet store with wonderful top-notch ingredients. As I browsed the aisles my eye was stuck on all of the pasta sauces. Any kind you could imagine. After nixing all the ones I cannot pronounce and that I knew Alex or I wouldn't like (i.e.puttanesca is a no-no because I loathe olives...but not olive oil), I went for a simple tomato basil sauce. Simple.
Now, because that was simple, I wanted something special. Although Alex has plenty of spaghetti, penne, or macaroni at his house, I went for a colorful blend and headed home.
The dinner was very good. I think next time I would pound my chicken out a little thinner but we were hungry and it was getting late so thicker it was. Here are a few pictures of the process.
The finished product. Very recommended.
After coating in bread crumbs you saute the birdies.
And you stick 'em in a pan to make them delicious.
Then you roll some goodies into them.
Now they're stuffed and ready to be perfected.
All sauced up and ready for the oven.
Killing time while they're baking is a must.
And they're done! Make sure your pasta is ready when the birdies are.
Use your leftover sauce to top your pasta, if desired. Voila!
What ya need: (serves four normal people, or one normal and one very hungry person)
4 thin chicken cutlets
1 egg, beaten
Enough flour to coat all four pieces lightly
Enough breadcrumbs to coat all four pieces lightly
4 oz. mozzarella, diced
4 oz. ricotta
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. oregano
1 jar Tomato Basil sauce
What ya do:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Make sure your chicken cutlets are pounded thin. You will be rolling them.
2. Combine mozzarella, parmesan, ricotta and oregano into a bowl.
3. Dip each piece of chicken in egg then flour then bread crumbs. Lightly coat a skillet with olive oil and saute each piece until golden brown on each side.
4. Place in a baking pan. Evenly distribute cheese mixture among four pieces of chicken. Roll up, securing with a toothpick, if necessary. Top with desired amount of sauce and bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese mixture is melted and sauce is warmed.
Enjoy! Well, it's gym time. Then coffee. Then work. Wonderful! Have a lovely Tuesday!
Forgive me for a short walk down memory lane. Sometimes my friends read this, and well, this top part is for them. I promise there is more food in here... it's just at the bottom!
I've had a lot of friends in my life. In and out they come and sometimes go. One of the things I've learned over time is that a good group is hard to come by. I can proudly say that I've got that, and we've been going strong since we were 14 years old. There are six of us, and I'm not going to tell you what we called ourselves in high school (it is embarrassing) but we still get together, and that is what tonight is about.
So, Naomi, Kristen, Amie, Lizzy and Rachel, forgive the photo montage of some of our not-so-cute moments, and let me gloat in the fact that we've continued to grow up with each other into the girls (women?) we are today.Through break ups, late nights, rough mornings and ups and downs, we're still going strong; here's to us!
Senior Beach Week, Myrtle Beach
Probably celebrating someone getting their learner's permit...
My 17th 80's Themed Birthday Party...
A Summer Reunion Before Junior Year in College
Naomi's Birthday 2007
Our First Theme Party... Britney Spears? Such Little Babies
New Years Eve... Still not 21 Yet
Senior Prom, Before Good Digital Cameras Existed, Apparently
All graduated from college and taking on the world. Scary, no?
And here we are tonight. Still goin strong (missing Kristen!)
Anyways, what you've all been waiting for... and without further ado, the food! The theme was Italian. The vibe was relaxed. The night was fantastic.
Naomi asked me to help her put everything which I was both excited and flattered. I guess I've become the foodie? Actually, all of my friends love food. Amie is my baking buddy, Lizzy is the vegetarian, Rachel is a huge fan of The Pioneer Woman, Naomi has always had an interest in different cuisines (I think she was the first to try Sushi) and Kristen, well, I'm sure she's a foodie too!
I put out an SOS and got a great idea for chicken parm with a garden salad from Lauren's Little Kitchen but unfortunately I forgot about Lizzy, who gave up chicken in high school, so that was nixed. We thought about doing something summery on the grill, but well, we don't know how to work Naomi's yet, so that was a no-no too. We contemplated Mexican, but lo and behold, Italian won. So, here's the layout:
Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Salad
Caesar Salad
Alfredo with Roasted Asparagus
Blueberry Pound Cake
And wine. C'mon, it's girls night!
I didn't include a step by step process because you'd probably hate me. This post is already super long. But, I did include the recipes and the final products so you can see how lovely it all turned out. Also, I should tell you that I made the cake in the morning and let it sit during the day. I made the Caesar dressing a few hours before the get-together (it needs chilling time). The tomato, basil and mozz salad is basically just assembly, so that can be right before the meal. The only thing left is the alfredo, which was the last to be prepared, and was served immediately. Here are the recipes, suited to feed 8 girls... including Naomi's little sister & friend. (All adapted from Cooking Light)
TBM Salad
What ya need:
6 tomatoes, each cut into 6 slices
3/4 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, also in slices
Pinch of salt
Pinch of Pepper
1 tbsp EVOO
3/4 cup fresh basil
What ya do:Arrange about 4 slices of tomato and 2 of mozzarella slices on 8 salad plates. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil. Top evenly with basil
Caesar Salad
What ya need:1 garlic clove, halved
1/2 cup low fat mayo
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire
1/2 tsp anchovy paste
18 cups torn romaine lettuce
1/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Croutons
What ya do:
1. Drop the garlic into a food processor, and process until minced. Add the next ingredients (through anchovy paste) and process until well-blended. Cover and chill at least one hour.
2. Place lettuce in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and top with croutons.
Alfredo with Roasted Asparagus What ya need:2 cups low fat milk
1/3 cup cream cheese (regular OR low fat.. not fat free)
2 tbsp AP flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
Cooking Spray
8 oz wheat spaghetti, uncooked
8 oz white spaghetti, uncooked
2 tbsp EVOO-- OR... if you have truffle oil!!
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
What ya do:
1. Combine first four ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.
3. Place asparagus on jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° 10 minutes or until browned, stirring once.
4. Cook both pastas according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.
Place pastas and asparagus in a large bowl. Add cheese mixture, tossing well. Add evoo/truffle oil and pepper; toss gently. Serve immediately.
Blueberry Pound Cake What ya need:
2 cups granulated sugar 1/2 cup butter 1/2 (8-ounce) block cream cheese (low-fat or regular) softened 3 large eggs 1 large egg white 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 (8-ounce) carton lemon low-fat yogurt 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Cooking spray 1 cup powdered sugar 2 tbsp + 2 tsp lemon juice
What ya do:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs and egg white, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
3. Combine 2 tablespoons flour and blueberries in a small bowl, and toss well. Combine remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in blueberry mixture and vanilla; pour cake batter into a 10-inch tube pan coated with cooking spray.
5. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
6. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl; drizzle over warm cake. Cut with a serrated knife. Serve with whipped cream.
Whipped Cream
What ya need:1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 - 1/4 tsp lemon extract (optional)
What ya do: 1.In a chilled small mixing bowl and with chilled beaters, beat cream until it begins to thicken. 2. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla and lemon; beat until soft peaks form. Store in the refrigerator.
And that's that, folks. There is nothing, nothing like a night with the girls. Though we're all a little more grown up, some with boyfriends, serious jobs or big plans, hopefully we will remember where we came from, and who got us where we are.
