Italian Food and Dessert

Tiramisu

2013-07-03T06:42:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :

40 NILLA Wafers, finely crushed (about 1-1/3 cups)
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened, divided
3/4 cup sugar
6 Tbsp. brewed strong MAXWELL HOUSE Coffee, cooled, divided
3 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
1/2 square BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, coarsely grated
16 fresh raspberries (about 1/2 cup)

Make it

HEAT oven to 325ºF.
MIX wafer crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan.

BEAT 3 pkg. cream cheese, sugar and 1 Tbsp. coffee in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.

BAKE 28 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely.

BEAT remaining cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add milk and remaining coffee; mix well. Add dry pudding mix; beat 2 min. Stir in 1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP. Spread over cheesecake; sprinkle with chocolate. Refrigerate 4 hours.

GARNISH with remaining COOL WHIP and raspberries just before serving.

How to make Tiramisu

(You may find a different Ingredients)

Italian Kitchen Tips

Healthy Living

Save 80 calories and 8 grams of fat, including 5 grams of saturated fat, per serving by preparing with Reduced Fat NILLA Wafers, PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Fat Free Sugar Free Instant Pudding and COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping.

Variation

Prepare cheesecake as directed, substituting 9-inch springform pan for the 13x9-inch pan and increasing cheesecake baking time to 50 to 55 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool completely in pan. Top as directed.

Garnish with Chocolate Coffee Cups

Draw 1-1/2 inch-wide coffee-cup shapes on piece of paper. Place paper on baking sheet; cover with waxed paper. Melt 1 additional square BAKER'S Chocolate as directed on package; spoon into small resealable plastic bag. Press out excess air and seal bag. Cut small piece (about 1/8 inch) from bottom corner of bag. Pipe chocolate over coffee cup shapes. Refrigerate until firm. Use to garnish cheesecake.

Potato Pizza

2013-07-03T06:28:00.001-07:00

Ingredients :

Ingredients of the Dough:

4 Large Baking Potatoes ( About 1 1/2 Pounds)
1 Package (2 Teaspoons) Active Dry Yeast
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Salt
4 Cups All-purpose Flour

Topping

3 Ounces Fontina Cheese, Cut Into Thin Slices

1 Cup Shredded Asiago or Parmesan Cheese

3 Slices Prosciutto, Cut Into Thin Strips

1 Teaspoon Chopped Fresh Rosemary

Sea Salt

Cracked Black Pepper

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Make it

Peel the potatoes, cut into quarters, and cook in salted boiling water until fork tender.
Once cool, take 1/3 of the potatoes and rice or mash the potatoes into a bowl.
Cut the remaining potatoes into slices or small cubes and set aside for the topping.
Place the yeast in a cup with 1 cup of warm water, and stir and wait until it is bubbly.
Add the yeast mixture, the olive oil, and salt to the mashed potatoes.
Begin to add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together.
Using your hands, bring the dough into a ball, and then knead it on a floured hard surface for about 7 to 8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let sit in a warm spot until it is doubled, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Roll out the dough into a circle or a rectangle about 14 to 15 inches across.
Place the dough on a pizza peel sprinkled with corn meal.
Place the fontina cheese evenly across the pizza, then spread out the potatoes on top.
Sprinkle the pizza with the rosemary, strips of prosciutto, sea salt, shredded asiago, and cracked black pepper.
Drizzle with the olive oil and let sit 15 minutes.
Bake until the crust is golden brown and the top has begun to crisp, about 20 minutes.
Let cool 10 minutes, cut into wedges and serve.

Panna Cotta

2013-07-03T06:21:00.001-07:00

Ingredients :

1 env. KNOX Unflavored Gelatine
1-1/2 cups half-and-half, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups POLLY-O Original Ricotta Cheese
1-1/2 cups assorted fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries and blueberries), pureed

Make it

SPRINKLE gelatine over 1/2 cup of the cream in medium saucepan. Let stand 5 min. or until gelatine is softened. Stir in remaining 1 cup cream, the sugar and vanilla. Cook on low heat until gelatine is completely dissolved, stirring frequently. (Do not boil.)
PLACE cream mixture and ricotta cheese in blender or food processor; blend until pureed. Pour mixture into eight 6-oz. custard cups or souffle dishes sprayed with cooking spray. Refrigerate 2 hours or until set.

SPOON berry puree evenly onto eight dessert plates; top with unmolded desserts. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

How to make Panna Cotta

(You may find a different Ingredients)

Italian Kitchen Tips

Size-Wise

With their built-in portion control, this custard treat makes a great dessert!

Special Extra

Garnish with additional fresh berries and fresh mint sprigs just before serving.

Minestrone Soup

2013-07-03T06:18:00.001-07:00

Ingredients :

2 cans (14-1/2 oz. each) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups cooked kidney beans (prepared without salt)
1 can (16 oz.) no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained, coarsely chopped
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables
1/4 cup shell macaroni, uncooked
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
PREMIUM Unsalted Tops Saltine Crackers

Make it

COMBINE all ingredients except crackers in large saucepan. Bring to boil on medium-high heat.

SIMMER on medium-low heat 20 min. or until macaroni is tender.

SERVE with crackers.

How to make Minestrone Soup

(You may find a different Ingredients)

Molten Chocolate

2013-07-03T06:16:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :

1 pkg. (6 squares) BAKER'S Bittersweet Chocolate
10 Tbsp. butter
1-1/2 cups plus 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar, divided
1/2 cup flour
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
18 fresh raspberries

Make it

HEAT oven to 425ºF.

GREASE 6 (6-oz.) custard cups or souffle dishes. Place on baking sheet.

MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on MEDIUM (50%) 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir with whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Add 1-1/2 cups sugar and flour; mix well. Add whole eggs and egg yolks; beat until well blended. Pour into prepared cups.

BAKE 14 to 15 min. or until cakes are firm around the edges but still soft in the centers. Let stand 1 min. Run small knife around cakes to loosen; carefully unmold onto dessert plates. Cut in half. Serve warm topped with remaining sugar. Garnish with berries.

How to make Molten Chocolate

(You may find a different Ingredients)

Italian Kitchen Tips

Size-Wise

Serve these rich chocolate cakes at your next celebration with family or friends. A half-cake serving is all that's needed to provide big chocolate flavor!

Make Ahead

Batter can be made the day before; pour into prepared custard cups. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate. When ready to serve, uncover and bake as directed.

Chicken Marsala

2013-07-03T06:13:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1 Tbsp. oil
1-1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry Marsala wine
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups instant white rice, uncooked
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Make it

COOK chicken in hot oil in large skillet on medium heat until browned on both sides. Move chicken to side of skillet. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic to other side of skillet; cook and stir until mushrooms and onions are tender but not browned.

ADD wine; bring to boil. Mix broth, cornstarch and salt until well blended. Add to skillet. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer 10 min. or until chicken breasts are tender and no longer pink in centers (165°F). Meanwhile, cook rice as directed on package.

SERVE chicken mixture over rice. Sprinkle with parsley.

How to make Chicken Marsala

(You may find a different Ingredients)

Italian Kitchen Tips

How to Safely Handle Raw Chicken

Always wash hands, preparation surfaces and utensils in hot, soapy water before and after contact with raw chicken. Dry hands and surfaces with a clean towel or paper towels. Take special care in washing worn cutting boards as there may be hard-to-clean grooves or cracks that can collect bacteria.

Affogato

2013-07-01T12:36:00.002-07:00

Ingredients :

1 cup of Hot Prepared Espresso
(if you don’t have espresso just make 1 cup of very strong coffee)
4 Scoops of Chocolate, Vanilla or Coffee Ice Cream ( I prefer mocha chunk ice cream )
Granulated Sugar (to taste, to sweeten espresso or regular coffee)

Make it

1) Take ice cream out of the freezer to let soften just a little wile you prepare your coffee.

2) Prepare your espresso or regular coffee , sweeten it to taste and set aside wile you scoop the ice cream .

3) Place 1 scoop of ice cream into each serving cup and pour over ¼ cup of espresso (or regular coffee) over each serving of ice cream, and eat immediately .

How to make Affogato

Bruschetta with Tomato

2013-07-01T12:34:00.002-07:00

Ingredients :

6 or 7 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread
1/4 cup olive oil

How to make Bruschetta with Tomato

(You may find a different Ingredients)

Apple Pie

2013-07-01T12:33:00.001-07:00

Ingredients :

Double layer pie crust (same crust as the pumpkin pie crust, just make sure to double the amount because you will need 2 pieces)
6 golden delicious apples, cored ,sliced and tossed in 1 tbsp of lemon juice
¾ Cup of Sugar
2 Tbsp of Flour
1 tsp of Cinnamon
¼ tsp of Salt
¼ tsp of Nutmeg
Zest of 1 Medium Orange
Egg Wash, (1 egg mixed with 2 Tbsp of water)

How to make Apple Pie

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

2013-07-01T12:32:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :

1 Tbsp of Olive Oil
2 Anchovy Fillets ( the ones packed in oil not salt)
3 Cloves of Garlic, sliced
2 Tbsp of Drained Capers
½ Cup of Kalamata Olives, sliced in half
1 32 oz of Peeled Crushed Italian Tomatoes
Salt and Pepper to taste
8 oz of Spaghetti
Fresh Basil

How to make Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Banana Bread & Maple Butter

2013-07-01T12:30:00.002-07:00

Ingredients :

Ingredients of the bread:

1 ¾ cup All Purpose Flour
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 Stick of Unsalted Butter at room temperature
4 Ripe Bananas, lightly mashed
½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
2 Eggs
2 Tbsp Whole Milk
½ tsp Vanilla Extract

Ingredients of the maple butter:

1 Stick Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
2 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup

Make it

1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 2) Grease a 9’ by 5’ loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

3) In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and whisk to combine. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla and mix to combine.

4) Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix together until just combined. DO NOT OVERMIX!! Add milk wile mixing in the dry ingredients.

5) Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. At the 50 minute mark test it by inserting a toothpick in the center and if it comes out really wet than let it go until 1 hour and 10 minutes, if it comes out with a little wet batter than cook it for only 1 hour.

6) When ready, let it cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile you can make the maple butter by just creaming together the 1 stick of butter and the 2 tbsp of maple syrup.

7) Slice and smear with the maple butter so you can feel like you are in heaven!

To store, simply wrap tightly in aluminum foil and pop it in the fridge, whenever in the mood for a piece just slice away and stick in the microwave for 20 seconds. Smear with the maple butter and you will think that it just came out of the oven. It’s a yummy thing to have on hand for last minute breakfast, or after school snack or just simply reward yourself whenever in the mood!

How to make Banana Bread and Maple Butter

Antipasto Platter

2013-07-01T12:29:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :

1 Small Medium Green Leaf Head of Lettuce, Trimmed, Washed, Dried
4 oz Pancetta
4 oz Sliced Salami
4 oz Thinly sliced Prosciutto
8 oz Sharp Provolone (cut into large chunks)

Make it

1) Make a bed of the lettuce leaves in a large serving platter. Loosely fold or roll the sliced meats and arrange the meats and cheeses neatly in rows or in groups on the lettuce.

2) Garnish the platter with the olives, hot peppers, and giardiniera, roasted peppers and artichoke hearts.

3) Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

4) Serve with crusty Italian bread.. Talk about a great way to start a party!!

How to make Antipasto Platter

Holiday Biscotti

2013-07-01T12:27:00.002-07:00

Ingredients :

2 2/3 Cups of Flour
1 ½ Cup of Sugar
2 tsp of Baking Powder
1/2 tsp of Vanilla
1 tsp of Salt
Zest of 2 Clementine’s or 1 Orange
1Cup of Flaked Almonds
1Cup of Sweetened dried Cranberries
3 Tbsp of Clementine Juice or Orange Juice
3 Eggs
5 Tbsp of Vegetable Oil

Make it

1) Position oven racks in the middle and top of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2) In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder to combine. In a small bowl toss the Clementine zest, the flaked almonds and cranberries with about ¼ cup of the flour mixture. Mix it together well to insure the zest is not in big clumps. Add this mixture to the large bowl of the flour mixture and mix well.

3) In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the eggs, oil and Clementine juice and mix to combine well. Add the flour mixture and mix to combine but not over mixing!

4) The dough will be very sticky.

5) Dump dough onto a heavily floured board and divide dough in to 6 equal portions. Roll each piece into a log that’s about 12 inches long, make sure to dust with flour along the way to keep dough from sticking. Set the logs about 3 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheet, press gently to flatten each log so that they are about 1 ½ to 2 inches wide. Bake until the logs are golden and firmly near the center, about 25 minutes rotating the baking sheets half way through to insure even baking.

6) Let the logs cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Transfer logs to a cutting board, using a serrated knife, slice them on a sharp diagonal into about ½ inch thick slices. Arrange the slices on the baking sheets, laying cut side down. Return to oven and bake for 7 minutes. Turn the cookies over and rotate the baking sheets and bake for another 9 to 10 minutes or until golden and lightly browned.

7) Let cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. (The cookies will not harden until totally cooled) Enjoy!

These are classic Italian biscotti but I decided to make a holiday version of them. Lots of people I know like to add pistachio to them because the are very pretty and green but honestly, I am not a fan of pistachio at all! I really love almonds so I figured why not add those in since they are very traditional in biscotti, and add some holiday flavorings with some dried cranberries and Clementine’s? so that’s what I did and I am happy to report that it is a killer combinations and honestly I make there all year long except I use oranges when Clementine’s aren’t in season.

How to make Holiday Biscotti

Asparagus & Prosciutto Bruschetta

2013-07-01T12:26:00.002-07:00

Ingredients :

6 Asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 Medium Shallot, thinly sliced
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar
8 Large Basil Leaves
2 oz of Thinly Sliced Prosciutto
2 oz of Smoked Mozzarella, thinly sliced
1 French Baguette
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Make it

1) Preheat your broiler to low and also preheat a grill pan to toast the bread.

2) In a small non stick skillet on medium heat, sauté the shallots and garlic with the extra virgin olive oil, until the shallots and garlic and light golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.

3) Add the asparagus and cook for 1 minute. Add the balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Lower the heat to medium low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. The asparagus should be crisp tender.

4) Meanwhile slice the baguette into 8 slices on a diagonal and drizzle lightly with the extra virgin olive oil. Place the slices of bread on the preheated grill pan and toast them until golden brown on both sides. About 2 minutes per side.

5) Once the asparagus is cooked and the bread is toasted, line the bread on a foiled lined baking sheet and top with a couple pieces of asparagus a little of the shallot and garlic mixture. Place 1 small thin piece of prosciutto over the asparagus and top it with a slice of basil and a slice of the smoked mozzarella. Place them under the broiler to melt the cheese, making sure you don’t step away because the cheese takes a matter of seconds to melt and it can burn very quickly.

6) When ready place them on a pretty platter and serve immediately! What a great way to start a party!

How to make Asparagus and Prosciutto Bruschetta

Butterscotch Cannoli

2013-07-01T12:24:00.000-07:00

Ingredients :

10 Large Cannoli Shells
1 8oz Package of Philly Cream Cheese (Room Temperature)
4 3.5oz Butterscotch Pudding Cups
1/2 cup(s) of Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp. of Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. of Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup(s) of Butterscotch Chips
1/2 cup(s) of Toffee Bits

Make it

1) In a large bowl cream together the cream cheese, butterscotch pudding, powder sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Add the butterscotch chips and toffee bits and mix to combine.

2) Using a disposable piping bag fitted with a large round tip (large enough so that the butterscotch chips can get through) pipe the filling into the cannoli shells.

3) Once they are all filled sprinkle some toffee bits over each end of the cannoli and Enjoy!

How to make Butterscotch Cannoli

Pasta al Forno

2013-07-01T12:21:00.002-07:00

Ingredients :

1 lb of Cooked and Cooled Rigatoni or Penne Pasta (make sure its cooked al dente and not mushy)
½ cup Whole Milk Ricotta
4 oz Provolone Cheese, cut in small cubes
4 oz Soppressata Salami, cut in small cubes
8 oz Mozzarella, cut in small cubes
1 cup Parmiggino Reggiano
3 Hard Boiled Eggs, chopped
2 Tbsp Fresh Chopped Basil
4 cups Already-Made Meat Sauce ( same meat sauce that I made for my lasagna video, so if you would like to make you own check out my lasagna video)

Make it

1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 2) Ladle 1 cup of the meat sauce in the bottom of a 13 by 9’ deep dish casserole dish, and spread evenly.

3) In a really large bowl mix together the pasta, meat sauce, ricotta, provolone, sopressata, hard boiled eggs, ¼ cup of parmiggiano, half of the mozzarella and the fresh basil.

4) Toss everything together to combine well. Tumble this mixture into the prepared casserole dish.

5) Sprinkle the top very evenly and generously with the remaining parmiggiano cheese, and the remaining mozzarella. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crusty!

6) Now this is how you make pasta al forno! Made this way for generations and I would not change a thing about it! It is the taste of my childhood. I know this might look a little oddly to you but I promise you it works! Just make it once and find out!

How to make Pasta al Forno

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

2013-07-01T12:19:00.004-07:00

Ingredients :

Ingredients of the cake batter

2 large Golden Delicious Apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 1/3 cup of All Purpose Flour
1 tsp of Cinnamon
1 tsp of Baking Powder
¼ tsp of Salt
1/8 tsp of Fresh Grated Nutmeg
½ tsp of Fresh Grated Orange Zest
½ Cup Unsalted Butter, softened
2 Eggs
½ tsp of Vanilla Extract
½ cup of Whole Milk

Ingredients of the caramel

¼ cup of Unsalted Butter
2/3 cup of Brown Sugar

Make it

1) Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8 by 8 square pan with non stick cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2) In a small bowl toss the apple slices with the lemon juice and set aside.

3) In a small saucepan, melt the ¼ cup of butter and add the brown sugar. Mix to combine and just cook together until the mixture comes to a boil stirring the whole time.

4) Pour the brown sugar mixture in the prepared pan and arrange apple slices over the top making 2 layers if you have to make them all fit. Set aside.

5) In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside.

6) In a large bowl cream together the ½ cup of butter and granulated sugar, add eggs, vanilla and orange zest and mix until creamy.

7) Add half of the dry ingredients and half of the milk and mix to combine, add the remaining dry ingredients and milk and just mix until everything is well incorporated and pour this batter over the apples making sure to spread it evenly.

8) Bake for 55 to 60 minutes and let cool for 15 minutes.

9) Place a plate upside down on the pan and turn plate and pan over to invert the cake right side up on the plate. Dust with powdered sugar and Enjoy!

If you love caramel apples and a fluffy spiced cake, than this is the recipe for you! I can’t begin to describe how wonderful it makes your house smell and how comforting it is to bring it out to your guests with a cup of coffee or tea. There’s not one person I know that doesn’t love this cake and who ever I give the recipe to always seems so shocked that it’s so easy to make. A lot of times making anything with the word caramel in it seems daunting, proper caramel needs to be tempered and no stirring and so many other finicky things but I don’t have the time or the energy to deal with that. So this is totally fool proof and comes out perfect every single time. The orange zest is such a great thing to add to this because it really cuts the over sweetness and richness of it in a great way. And of course I make this cake a lot around the colder months and the combination of spices with orange zest for me is heavenly. I hope you and your family enjoys this cake as much as we do!

How to make Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Braciole

2013-07-01T12:15:00.003-07:00

Ingredients :

1 1-1/2 lb Piece of Flank Steak
½ cup Plain Bread Crumbs
½ cup Grated Parmiggiano Reggiano Cheese
½ cup Grated Sharp Provolone Cheese
½ cup Grated Mozzarella
2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
1 Clove of Garlic, Minced
2 Hard Boiled Eggs, quartered
1 Raw Egg
5 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil , divided
2 oz of Thinly Sliced Prosciutto , chopped
1 cup Red Wine
1 28 oz Can of Crushed Italian Tomatoes
1 Small Onion Chopped
¼ cup Fresh Basil Leaves
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Make it

1) Place the flank steak in between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, using a meat mallet or a small heavy duty skillet, pound the meat to ¼ inch thickness. (For demonstration on how to pound the meat watch the video to understand the correct way to do it.)

2) In a medium bowl, toss together the bread crumbs, all the cheeses, garlic,

parsley, raw egg, prosciutto and 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Mix all the ingredients to combine and season with pepper and just a touch of salt because all the cheeses and prosciutto are very salty.

3) Lay the flank steak flat on the work surface. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the steak to cover the top evenly. (Roll the steak making sure you roll with the grain not against it so that when you serve it you cut against the grain and get beautiful even slices and not shoe string!)

4) Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick deep pot on medium heat ( if you don’t have a nonstick deep pot , just use a large nonstick skillet to brown the braciole and then continue to cooking process into a different deep pot)

5) Brown the braciole for 4 to 5 minutes. Once the braciole has browned remove it to a plate and using remaining oil drippings sauté the onion until tender and translucent about 4 to 5 minutes, add the braciole in with the onions and add the red wine. Let the wine cook for just a minute so that the alcohol can cook out and add the crushed tomatoes. (If the crushed tomatoes are very think add ½ cup of water to the pan as well to thin it out slightly) season with salt and pepper to taste.

6) Place a lid on the pan an turn the heat down to medium low and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, turning it 3 times during cooking, for even cooking and this also helps to keep the braciole moist and tender all around.

7) Once the braciole has cooked remove from the pan and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving it. Add the fresh basil to the sauce and continue to cook it for 5 more minutes. (Wile the braciole is resting bring a large pot of boiling water to a boil and cook some rigatoni or penne pasta to soak up all that delicious sauce, for a complete meal!)

8) Ladle some of the sauce on a platter and place the sliced braciole over the sauce. Spoon some more sauce over top and to keep it moist and sprinkle with fresh basil. Serve with a side of pasta and fresh crusty Italian bread! Even if you’re not Italian this dish will make an Italian out of you!

How tow mak Braciole

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2013-07-01T12:02:00.003-07:00

Ingredients :

1 ¼ cup & 1 Tbsp of All Purpose Flour
½ cup of Sugar
¼ cup of Brown Sugar
1 tsp of Baking Soda
2 tsp of Cinnamon
½ tsp of Salt
¼ tsp of Nutmeg
¾ cup of Vegetable Oil
2 Eggs
1 Tbsp of Vanilla Extract
1 tsp of Grated Orange Zest
1 ½ cups of Shredded Carrots
½ cup of Raisins

Ingredients of the frosting:

3 oz of Cream Cheese, at room temperature

¼ cup of Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

2 cups of Powdered Sugar

1 tbsp of Water

1 tsp of Vanilla

¼ tsp of Ground Cinnamon

Make it

1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2) Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with non stick cooking spray. Lay the bottom with parchment paper and set aside.

3) In a bowl toss together the carrots, raisins and the 1 Tbsp of flour until all of the carrots and raisins are coated with the flour.

4) In a large bowl mix together all of the ingredients until well combined. Add the carrots and raisins and mix until they are well incorporated through the batter.

5) Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6) When the cake is ready, let it cool in the pan for a few minutes but then take it out and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

7) Once the cake is completely cooled, make the frosting my simply mixing all of the ingredients together until you get a nice thick frosting. If you need to, add a little more water by the teaspoonful to get a spreadable frosting consistency.

8) Adorn the cake with that incredible cream cheese frosting and let it set for a few minutes until the frosting begins to harden. Dig in whenever you like!

I know it seems a little strange to have orange zest in a carrot cake, but for me I honestly think that it totally makes it. Because carrot cake as we know can be a bit rich tasting and trust me I do love that, I think it needs a little something to cut it and orange zest is perfect!

I love making cakes like this over the weekend so that it can sit in the fridge and I can grab a piece of it every morning for breakfast. Let’s be honest, during the week sitting down and having a proper breakfast is impossible. But for me knowing that there is carrot cake in the fridge to grab on the go, frankly makes waking up very doable J

How to make Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Broccoli Rabe

2013-07-01T12:00:00.002-07:00

Ingredients :

2 Big Bunches of Broccoli Rabe (cleaned/trimmed)
4 Cloves of Garlic Chopped
1tsp Hot Pepper Flakes (or to taste)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Make it

1) In a large deep skillet, sauté olive oil, garlic & red pepper flakes until garlic is golden brown. Add broccoli rabe and immediately place a lid on the skillet. Leave alone for 1 minute.

2) After 1 minute, stir the broccoli rabe and add one cup of water. Season with salt & pepper, cook on medium for 10 minutes.

Water should be completely evaporated, broccoli rabe should be soft but not falling apart.

3) Serve with crusty Italian bread.

How to make Broccoli Rabe

Berry Topped Cheese Cak

2013-07-01T11:59:00.001-07:00

Ingredients :

Ingredients of the Cheesecake

5 8oz packages Cream Cheese room temperature
1 cup of Sour Cream
Zest of 1 small Lemon
4 Eggs
1 tsp of Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
1 ½ cups Sugar
¼ cup All Purpose Flour

Ingredients of the crust

1 ¼ up of Graham Cracker Crumbs
6 tbsp of Unsalted Butter, melted
¼ cup Sugar

Ingredients of the Berry Topping

¾ of a cup of Raspberry Preserves
Fresh Berries

Make it

1) Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line the outside of a 10 by 3” spring form pan with aluminum foil, spray it with non stick cooking spray and set aside.

2) In a large bowl, mix together the crust ingredients until it forms a coarse crumbly mixture. Pour it into your prepared pan and press it evenly. Bake for 8 minutes and set aside while you make your filling.

3) In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, mix together all of the filling ingredients for about 1 minute or until thoroughly combined.

4) Pour the mixture over your crust, and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes exactly.

5) Cool completely at room temperature then transfer to a fridge and cool overnight.

6) Add the preserves in a small pan and just heat it up enough to make the preserves a little easier to drizzle. Drizzle the preserves evenly over the top, and scatter your fresh berries all over the top. Place it on a pretty platter and enjoy!

If you thought you couldn’t make a professional, delicious and beautiful cheesecake at home, think again! This cheesecake is ten times better than the one you buy at a fancy bakery, and it’s super easy to make.

Professional cheesecakes are so time consuming and demand so much attention it’s kind of ridiculous. I am all about simple simple simple and I took all of the tedious work out of making a cheesecake at home. This is by far the best and easiest cheesecake I have ever eaten and made and I am sure once you guys give it a try you will feel the same way.

How to make Berry Topped Cheese Cak

Caponata

2013-07-01T11:57:00.001-07:00

Ingredients :

3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup Chopped Celery
1 Medium Onion, chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Large Eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 28oz Can of Diced or Chunky Crushed Tomatoes
¼ cup Raisins
3 tbsp Capers
½ cup Pitted Kalamata Olives, cut in half
1 pinch of Hot Pepper Flakes
1 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Fresh Basil

Make it

1) Put the eggplant in a large colander and sit the colander on a plate or bowl to catch all the liquid. Take about 3 tbsp of salt and sprinkle it over the eggplant and toss it all together to make sure every piece of eggplant has salt on it. 2) Put a plate directly on top of the eggplant and add weights on top of that, Things like cans of tomato sauce, a brick or anything heavy. Let sit for 1 hour.

3) After 1 hour discard the water and wash the eggplants very well, drain them on a kitchen towel and dry them well to make sure they are not soaking wet. Set them aside wile you start sautéing your veggies.

4) In a large non stick pan, over medium high heat sauté the chopped onion, pepper and celery with the olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until the veggies start to cook down and get translucent. Then add the eggplant and a pinch of hot pepper flakes and cook for about 3 minutes.

5) Add the canned tomatoes and raisins and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until all the veggies are cooked and the stew is nice and thick.

6) Add the remaining ingredients and cook for about 1 more minute. Taste and season well with salt and pepper and enjoy!

This dish is so fabulous to eat over some rigatoni cooked al dente or over some smooth polenta full of parmiggiano reggiano. But my favorite way is to eat it with a ridiculously large chunk of crusty Italian bread for the best sandwich you will ever have. By the way this dish just gets better and better as it sits, leftover are a real joy.

How to make Caponata

Cheese Danish

2013-07-01T11:55:00.003-07:00

Ingredients :

4 oz of Cream Cheese, at room temperature
3 Tbsp of Sugar
1 Egg Yolk
1 Tbsp of Sour Cream
½ tsp of Vanilla Extract
1 tsp of Lemon Zest
1 Sheet of Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed
1 Egg, whisked with a bit of water for an egg wash

Make it

1) In a bowl combine the first 6 ingredients together and whisk until creamy and combined.

2) Sprinkle your counter with some flour and unfold the puff pastry. With a floured rolling pin, roll the pastry out to about 10 by 10 inch. Cut into quarters and evenly divide the filling placing it in the center of each square.

3) Brush the boarder of the squares with the egg wash and pinch together the 2 opposite corners. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the egg wash. Pop them in the fridge for 30 minutes.

4) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and bake them for about 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

These are sooooo good!!!! Once you make them you will never buy them again. The ones you buy have probably been in the package so long they taste like cardboard. But these are so incredible and I guarantee that once you make them you will agree!

How to make Cheese Danish

Insalata Caprese

2013-07-01T11:53:00.002-07:00

Ingredients :

6 Ripe Tomatoes (preferably new jersey beefsteaks), cut into ½ inch thick slices
1 Pound Fresh Mozzarella, cut into same number of slices as the tomatoes
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Dried Oregano
Lots of Fresh Basil Leaves
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Make it

1) Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into ¼ to ½ inch slices.

2) Alternate the tomato ,fresh basil and mozzarella slices, overlapping slightly on one or two large platters. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately with crusty Italian bread.

How to make Insalata Caprese

Italian Kitchen Tips

This salad tastes best when it is not refrigerated, serve immediately

Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Filling

2013-07-01T11:51:00.001-07:00

Ingredients :

Ingredients of the cake:

2 cups Granulated Sugar
1 cup Buttermilk
2/3 cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup Water
2 Eggs
2 cups Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
½ tsp Baking Powder
¾ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
½ tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Instant Espresso Powder

Ingredients of the topping:

Mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, cut in half
Powdered Sugar

Ingredients of the ganache:

½ cup Heavy Cream
5 oz Semisweet Chocolate Chips

Ingredients of the filling:

1 (8oz) Package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, at room temperature
1 cup Smooth Peanut Butter
½ cup Powdered Sugar
½ tsp Vanilla Extract

Make it

1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 - 9”cake pans, line the bottom with parchment paper and set aside. 2) Add the instant espresso powder in the water and give it a stir. Set aside.

3) In a large bowl, combine the sugar, buttermilk, oil, espresso water, vanilla extract and eggs. Whisk well to combine.

4) Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix together just to combine but not over mixing.

5) Divide the cake batter evenly between the 2 greased cake pans. Bake in your preheated oven for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

6) Allow the cakes to cool for 45 minutes or until completely cooled.

7) Make the ganache by heating up the heavy cream in small saucepan just to boiling point. Turn off the heat, add the chocolate chips and let them sit for 5 minutes but do not stir!

8) Once the chocolate has melted whisk until smooth. Let cool and thicken for 15 minutes. Meanwhile make your filling.

9) For the filling, in a large bowl mix together the cream cheese, peanut butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until well combined.

10) Place one cake layer on a serving plate, spread the filling over the top. Add the second cake layer.

11) Spoon the ganache over the cake letting it drip over the sides. Top with the reese’s peanut butter cups and sprinkle with the powdered sugar and dig in!

How to make Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Filling