Gram's best dish ever!

Pasta e patate

When I was a kid there was nothing I loved more then having this for dinner. The aroma it provides sparks hunger in anyone. I call this a "great depression dish," because its super cheap to make and satisfying. This was also a staple in my Grandmother's house during the great depression for those reasons.

Ingredients

1 lb of Mezzo Ditale
1 can Hunt's Tomato sauce
6-8 potatoes, peeled and cubed.
1 cube of garlic, minced
1 package american cheese
Salt
Pepper

Directions

Peel and cube your potatoes.
Boil potatoes with minced garlic until soft, drain and bring them back to the pan to mash. While mashing potatoes add your can of Hunt's tomato sauce. Mash the sauce into the potatoes. This mixture will become very thick which is why it is key to keep a pan of boiling water on the side. While mashing potatoes, add boiling water until you reach your desired thickness.
Now, simply boil your ditale, drain, and mix sauce with the ditale. Add salt and pepper as desired.

Cavatelli with Sauteed Broccoli and Garlic

Ingredients
3 Sauteed Chicken Breasts, cut up.


4 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 to 3 cups broccoli florets, or to taste

Salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 1/2 cups canned chicken broth

1 pound cavatelli, cooked according to package directions

Freshly grated Locatelli pecorino Romano

Directions

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over moderate heat until hot. Add the garlic and cook it, stirring, until pale golden. Add the broccoli, salt, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and simmer for 5 minutes.



Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the saucepan. Toss with sauce to combine. Serve with the cheese.

Easy Chicken!

Lemon-Grilled Chicken Breasts

This is a super simple week night dish and can be paired with brown rice, or added to a salad. Keep extra lemons on hand for an extra lemony taste!

Yield: 7 servings (serving size: 1 breast half)



Ingredients

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

7 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.



2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper.



3. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until done.



Nutritional Information

Calories:159 (20% from fat)

Fat:3.5g (sat 0.7g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.6g)

Protein:29.5g

Carbohydrate:0.5g

Fiber:0.1g

Cholesterol:74mg

Iron:1mg

Sodium:218mg

Calcium:16mg

Everything goes with cheese

Cauliflower Gratin

When it comes to making side dishes, you want to make sure you aren't sticking to the same old-same old. My solution, vegetables paired with cheese. It's essentially a match made in heaven!

Ingredients



1 (3-pound) head cauliflower, cut into large florets

Kosher salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups hot milk

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere, divided

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.



Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.



Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.



Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

More Salads...

Blueberry-Gorgonzola Salad

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 (5-oz.) package mixed salad greens

2 cups fresh blueberries

1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 cup loosely packed basil leaves

1 cup glazed walnuts

3/4 cup sliced fresh chives (about 1-inch pieces)

3/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

3/4 cup bottled raspberry-walnut vinaigrette

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves

Preparation

Toss together all ingredients in a large serving bowl.

Crisps, simple yet versatile!

Blueberry Crisp a la Mode

Yield: 8 servings

I absolutely love crisps! They are simple to make and extrememly versatile. You can basically make them in every season. I particulary love berries, but as we all know berries can be very expensive so I usually stick with blueberries, this way if I have extra I can make them in pancakes the next morning or add them to a salad.



Ingredients

6 cups blueberries

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup regular oats

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 1/2 tablespoons chilled butter or stick margarine, cut into small pieces

2 cups vanilla low-fat ice cream

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.



Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl; spoon into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine 2/3 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon, and cut in the butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle over the blueberry mixture. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Top each serving with 1/4 cup frozen yogurt.



Note: Topping may also be made in the food processor. Place 2/3 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon in a food processor, and pulse 2 times or until combined. Add butter; pulse 4 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal.



Nutritional Information

Calories:288 (26% from fat)

Fat:8.3g (sat 4.8g,mono 2g,poly 0.9g)

Protein:4.2g

Carbohydrate:52g

Fiber:3.8g

Cholesterol:22mg

Iron:1.3mg

Sodium:96mg

Calcium:77mg

Making Use of Fruits in Season

Summer Strawberry Salad

The key to summer is salads, they are light and not overfilling. They are also very refreshing and easy to make when the temperature is 94 degrees out. Personally, I hate boring salads. The worst thing about a boring salad is when people expect you to eat it as a main course. I have been trying to change people's perceptions of salads. For those of you who don't know romaine letuuce has absolutely no nutritional content. This is why the only thing it is good for is complimenting sandwiches, burgers, and a good antipasto. There are three components to a healthy and filling salad. First, mix up your base! I love using a nice organic fresh spring mix or fresh spinach. Both add plenty of healthy nutrients and vitamins to your salad. Next, utilize the fruits that are in season. Summer is a perfect time to use strawberries or blueberries in a salad, they add a natural sweetness. Next, adding walnuts, almonds, or cashews can make all the difference. They add a dose of healthy fat and give the salad a variety of texture. I also love adding crumbled cheeses to my salads, but some people don't which is why I say its an option. However, if there is one thing that I learned from french cooking it is that fruit and cheese compliment one another very nicely.

Ingredients

1 Bag of Spring Mix or Spinach salad mix
1 Container of fresh strawberries (I reccomend Driscols or better fresh strawberries)
1 Container crumbled blue cheese
1 bag silvered almonds (sweetened or unsweetened depending on your preference)

Directions

This salad is super simple. First, quarter your strawberries. If you have extra time on your hands you can quarter your strawberries and put them in a medium sized bowl, add water and a little sugar (or 0 calorie sweetner) and let the strawberries soak for extra sweetness! After you are done with your strawberries simply toss all the ingredients together. This can be served with a vinagarette or there is a dressing on the bottom you can serve it with. If you want to make this salad more filling simply add grilled chicken.

Dressing
Ingredients


Dressing:

1 tablespoon sugar


2 tablespoons red wine vinegar


1 tablespoon water


1/8 teaspoon salt


1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Yields: 4 servings.

"What's this masterpiece called?"

Pasta with Caramelized Onion Trio, Arugula, and Mozzarella

This recipe holds a special place in my heart. I made this as part of a surprise dinner for my boyfriend, this was not the surprise. Rather, I served this on the beach complete with and elegant white tablecloth, white dishes, pelligrino, cute wine glasses, over a table with shells. We ate at sunset and it was completely amazing. When he started eating it he asked "What's this masterpiece called?" hence the title. Not only is this dish different, but its also simple and elegant. Again, I advise that you chop the onions and leeks ahead of time. Leeks are tricky to cut and clean, so here is a quick how-to. Leeks are essentially a root, so to begin cut off the white end with the roots hanging out. Next, cut the leafy part off. This leaves you with a shape similar to a green onion. You want to cut this in half lengthwise and start dicing away. Place your diced pieces in a bowl of water to get all the sand out (leeks have a lot of sand hidden in their crevices), drain after about 3-5 minutes of soaking. This is best served immediatly after tossing.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)






Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups coarsely chopped leek

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped white onion

1/4 cup coarsely chopped green onions

8 ounces uncooked linguine

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup dried currants

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups coarsely chopped arugula

1/2 cup (2 ounces) cubed fresh mozzarella

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Preparation

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add leek, white onion, and green onions; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 20 minutes or until leek and onions are golden brown, stirring frequently.



While onion mixture cooks, prepare pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.



Bring the broth to a boil in a small saucepan. Add dried currants and vinegar. Add broth mixture, cream, and salt to onion mixture; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in arugula, mozzarella, and thyme. Add to pasta; toss gently to combine.



Nutritional Information

Calories:418 (28% from fat)

Fat:13.1g (sat 6.2g,mono 4.1g,poly 0.7g)

Protein:13g

Carbohydrate:63.7g

Fiber:4.7g

Cholesterol:32mg

Iron:3.6mg

Sodium:584mg

Calcium:170mg

The Greatest meatloaf I have ever tasted.

Meat Loaf with Mushroom Sauce

When I was a kid there was nothing I hated more than when my Mother used to make meat loaf, the only was it was ever bearable was with A1 sauce on two slices of wheat bread. That's why when I was asked to make meatloaf I knew I needed some serious assistance, I had no idea where to begin! You'd be surprised that even the experts don't know the trick to making a good meatloaf! So here is my insight...basically the more ingredients you inject into your meatloaf, the better it will be. I found this recipe on "The New Yorker" website. However, here are some hints. Chop everything ahead of time, and if you don't have anything to grind the porcini mushrooms with, don't worry about it. They are fine if you add them to the sauce whole. I complimented my meatloaf with creamy herb mashed potatoes and roasted brussel sprouts.
Ingredients


1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 cup milk

2 pounds ground meat

2/3 cup crushed saltines

1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 ounces thinly sliced bacon (optional)



Mushroom Sauce

3 tablespoons butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 portobello mushrooms, cut into 3/8-inch cubes

1 16-ounce can low-sodium beef broth

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, ground to dust in a coffee grinder

1 tablespoon Wondra flour


Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.



Pour the oil into a sauté pan and set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.



In a mixing bowl, stir together the eggs, thyme, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and milk.



Place the ground meat into another bowl and pour the egg mixture over the meat. Add the saltines, parsley, onion, and garlic to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper.



Roll up your sleeves, and knead the meat together with the other ingredients until well blended (if you like, cook a small portion of the mixture in a pan, taste, and adjust seasoning). Transfer to a cookie sheet and form into a loaf. If using the bacon, wrap the slices lengthwise over the top and tuck them under the loaf, to completely cover the meat.



Bake for 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads 160 degrees. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with mushroom sauce (recipe below) and mashed potatoes.



Mushroom Sauce

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a sauté pan, add the garlic and portobello, and sauté until soft.



Bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan, and reduce by a quarter. Remove from the heat and add the ground porcini.



Mix the flour and 4 tablespoons water in a bowl, stirring until combined. Add the sautéed mushrooms and flour to the porcini broth, set the saucepan over low heat, and stir until the broth thickens. Stir in the remaining butter just before serving.

My Go-to Summer Dish

Cavatappi with Bacon and Summer Vegetables

This is a fantastic summer recipe! The greatest thing about it is that it incorporates all the great flavors of the season. Its also very light so you won't feel overfull after eating it. A great summer night dish or to bring to a picnic. Also, I found the easiest way to make this into a meal was to add garlic bread and a fresh greens salad with balsamic dressing. You also have a few options when it comes to adding protein to this dish; you can either add grilled shrimp or grilled chicken in addition to the bacon that is already in it. To make this dish vegetarian, simply subtract the bacon and use extra virgin olive oil to cook the veggies.

Prep Time: 20 minutes


Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 2 cups pasta mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese)

Ingredients

• 8 ounces uncooked cavatappi

• 8 slices center-cut bacon, chopped

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 1 cup prechopped red onion onion

• 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic

• 1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

• 1 portabella mushroom

• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)

• 1 pint grape tomatoes

• 1 cup mozzarella, shredded

• 1/4 cup small fresh basil leaves

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. While pasta cooks, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving drippings in pan; add oil to drippings. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn and tomatoes; cook 5 minutes or until tomatoes burst, stirring occasionally. Add pasta to tomato mixture; toss. Cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add 1/4 cup cheese, basil, salt, and pepper; toss to combine. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Mixed greens salad: Combine 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon orange juice, 2 teaspoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Whisk in 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Toss with 6 cups mixed salad greens.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

248

Fat:

8.4g (sat 3.3g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.8g)

Protein:

12.8g

Carbohydrate:

32.6g

Fiber:

4g

Cholesterol:

15mg

Iron:

1.7mg

Sodium:

626mg

Calcium:

203mg