Stuffed Pizza Rolls

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

Ingredients:

1 roll refrigerated pizza dough*
marinara/pizza sauce
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 T olive oil or melted butter
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t dried Italian seasoning
mozzerella cheese
Pizza toppings of your choice: ie, ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc.

*You can use regular pizza dough, or thin crust. I used thin crust when taking these pictures.


Directions:

Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package. Usually it's 400 degrees. If you make your own dough, 400 is usually a good heat as well.

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". You're going to want to cut it into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares.

Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. (Note that you're not putting the marinara sauce on the dough- it's for dipping after) You guys are smart, right? Just eyeball how much. You just need to be able to enclose the toppings in the dough so keep that in mind. For these ones pictured I used a teaspoon each of cheese, canadian bacon, and pineapple.

When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).

Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter (I've used both and there's not much difference in result) and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese.

Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Keep an eye on them! Doughs vary, so I'd check them after even 10 minutes.


Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

Zucchini Pizza

 Zucchini Pizza

Ingredients:

1 zucchini, finely grated

4 eggs

1 medium tomato, sliced thin

8 or so small basil leaves

2 Tbs. fresh parmesan, grated

fresh ground pepper

dash of salt

Directions:

Preheat broiler and place rack 12 inches from heat.  Beat eggs in a bowl and set aside.  Heat a skillet on stove over medium heat.  Spray with cooking spray and saute zucchini until tender (2 minutes).  Pour in beaten eggs and cook, without stirring, until eggs are mostly set (3 minutes).  Arrange tomato and basil on top.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Then sprinkle with parmesan.  Place skillet in oven under broiler until eggs are go

Pasta Caesar Salad

Pasta Caesar Salad 

Ingredients:

penne pasta, cooked
romaine
baby tomatoes
red onions, thinly sliced
shredded parmesan cheese
grilled chicken
croutons
caesar dressing
salt and pepper to taste
drizzle of lemon juice

Directions:

Make Caesar Salad as usual. Add grilled chicken and cooked penne pasta. Toss and serve.

Spinach and Feta Macaroni and Cheese

Spinach and Feta Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

5 cups fresh spinach
1 lemon, juiced
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
3 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 1/2 cups cheddar, shredded
3/4 cup feta cheese crumbles
1 pound macaroni-style pasta or cut spaghetti, cooked to al dente

Directions:

Toss lemon juice and spinach. Heat in microwave or over stove in a small saucepan just until it starts to wilt. Set aside. Over medium heat, melt butter in a large saucepan. Whisk in flour and continue cooking for 3 minutes until lightly browned. Slowly whisk in milk and add in salt and oregano. Begin adding cheddar in small amounts, stirring until melted between each addition. When all the cheese is melted stir in the feta. Mix in cooked macaroni and spinach. Serve immediately sprinkled with extra feta if desired.
Makes 10-12 servings.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto 

Ingredients:

2 roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves (optional)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 tablespoons pine nuts (toasted)
2 tablespoons parmigiano-reggiano (grated)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place everything into a food processor and puree. Serve with pasta, etc.

Arugula Pesto

Arugula Pesto

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 cups packed arugula
1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
salt

Directions:

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet.  Add the garlic and cook over medium low heat until soft, 3-4 minutes.  Remove the garlic and add the pine nuts.  Toast the pine nuts in the skillet until lightly browned and fragrant.  Peel and lightly chop the garlic.  In the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic, pine nuts, arugula, cheese, and lemon juice.  Pulse until a coarse paste forms.  With the processor running, slowly add the olive oil until the pesto emulsifies.  Taste and then season lightly with salt.
Makes 1/3 to 1/2 cup.

Whole Wheat Pizza with Arugula Pesto
Once the crust has been baked to a golden brown, remove from the oven and place on a large cutting board.  Spread on the pesto and then top with a layer of shaved Parmesan cheese.

Basic Pizza Sauce

Basic Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:

1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup white wine
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar 

Directions:

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add garlic to pan; sauté 30 seconds. Stir in wine; cook 30 seconds. Add tomato paste, oregano, pepper, and tomatoes. Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until thick.
2. Remove sauce from heat; stir in basil and vinegar. Cool.
Yield: 1 1/3 cups

Cooking Tips:
*This sauce is a chunky tomato sauce. If you prefer a smoother pizza sauce, toss it in a food processor or blender with about 1 Tbsp. water and blend until smooth.
*This sauce can be prepared ahead of time- up to one day. It freezes well too- up to one month.

Ravioli & Vegetable Soup

Ravioli & Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups frozen bell pepper and onion mix, thawed and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed crushed red pepper, or to taste (optional)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
1 15-ounce can vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 teaspoon dried basil or marjoram
1 6- to 9-ounce package fresh or frozen cheese (or meat) ravioli, preferably whole-wheat
2 cups diced zucchini, (about 2 medium)
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pepper-onion mix, garlic and crushed red pepper (if using) and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, broth, water and basil (or marjoram); bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add ravioli and cook for 3 minutes less than the package directions. Add zucchini; return to a boil. Cook until the zucchini is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Season with pepper.4 servings, about 2 cups each

Olive Garden Chicken Scampi

Olive Garden Chicken Scampi

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons butter, divided use

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

2 bell peppers, green and red, cored and thinly sliced

1 lbs chicken tenders, pounded flat

2 tablespoons butter

1 lb angel hair pasta

1 cup chicken broth

freshly grated parmesan

chopped parsley

Directions:

 

Heat skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter. Cook garlic until fragrant, remove with slotted spoon. Cook onion and bell pepper until crisp-tender, about 7 minutes. Remove peppers and onions to plate. Add chicken and brown on both sides in another tablespoon of butter. Boil pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot. Add remaining butter and slowly stir in chicken broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve pasta, chicken and peppers on serving dish. Sprinkle liberally with parmesan and parsley.

Zuppa Toscana Soup

Zuppa Toscana Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb ground italian sausage

2 large potatoes, thinly sliced

1 onion, chopped

1/2 C crumbled bacon 

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups of kale, torn

32 oz chieken broth

1 quart water

1 C whipping cream (we used skim milk)

Directions:

Cook sausage on stovetop and set aside. In large stockpot, add potatoes, onion, garlic, water & chicken broth. Cook until potatoes are done. Add bacon bits & sausage. Simmer 10 min. Add cream & kale. Cook 2 minutes. Salt & pepper to taste.

Pasta with Mushrooms, Asparagus in a Pesto Sauce

Pasta with Mushrooms, Asparagus in a Pesto Sauce


Ingredients:

6 oz button mushrooms, sliced
10 asparagus spears, ends removed and cut into thirds
2 tsp olive oil
Noodles of your choice, cooked per instructions
1/2 cup of pesto sauce
Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute for 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Add asparagus then salt and pepper to taste and continue to saute until asparagus is tender. While mushrooms and asparagus are cooking, cook noodles per instructions. Once the noodles are cooked, drain and return to pan. Add pesto sauce, mushrooms and asparagus then mix thoroughly. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve. Enjoy.

Fried Ravioli

Fried Ravioli

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen cheese ravioli (about 24 pieces)
1-1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup buttermilk
Oil for frying

Directions:

Cook ravioli until al dente. Cool. Heat oil to approximately 350 degrees. Dredge ravioli in buttermilk and then bread crumbs. Gently place into hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Once ravioli are browned, sprinkle with additional grated Parmesan cheese.

Buttery Thyme Bread

Buttery Thyme Bread

Ingredients:

french bread
salted butter
fresh Thyme

Directions:

Spread 1 stick of softened, room-temperature butter on each half of french bread. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, or until just barely turning golden. Then turn on the broiler and put the bread back into the oven and BROIL it for 3 to 5 minutes, watching it the entire time. Sprinkle the chopped fresh thyme all over the top. You can also use parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme together.

Lemon Garlic Pasta

Lemon Garlic Pasta

Ingredients:

3 TB butter
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 TB lemon juice
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp fresh thyme; chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2-1/2 cups cooked pasta (gemeli, linguine, etc)
2-3 grilled chicken breasts

Directions:

Melt butter in a small pan. Add garlic and saute. Add lemon, pepper, thyme and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Add sauce to hot pasta and toss gently. Top with remaining cheese and grilled chicken and serve immediately.

White Pizza Dip

White Pizza Dip

Ingredients:

1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Savory Herb with Garlic Soup Mix
1 (16 oz) container sour cream
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup chopped pepperoni
1 loaf Italian or French bread, sliced

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In shallow 1-quart casserole, combine soup mix, sour cream, ricotta cheese, 3/4 C. mozzarella cheese and pepperoni
2) Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 C. mozzarella cheese.
3) Bake uncovered 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve with bread. Makes 3 cups of dip.

Italian Chicken Nuggets

Italian Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized chunks
1 cup of Italian style panko crumbs
1 egg, mixed well
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Olive oil cooking spray
Marinara Sauce

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place a cooling rack inside a baking sheet and coat rack with cooking spray. Cut chicken into large chunks and remove any fat. Mix the egg well in a bowl. Place the panko crumbs in a separate bowl. Dip the chicken into the egg then into the panko, making sure to coat evenly. Place chicken nuggets on top of the rack and spray with olive oil cooking spray.Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly and is golden brown. Serve with warm marinara sauce or honey dijon mustard.

Joey Campanaro’s Meatball Sliders

Joey Campanaro’s Meatball Sliders

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) or fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
1 14.5-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes

Arugula leaves (optional)

18 very small soft rolls, split horizontally, or Roasted Garlic Buns (recipe below)

Directions:

Mix all meats, panko, 1/2 cup water, 6 tablespoons cheese, egg, egg yolk, 1/4 cup parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in large bowl. Form into eighteen 2-inch-meatballs.

Heat vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry meatballs until brown all over. Transfer to plate. Pour off drippings from skillet. Reduce heat to medium. Add olive oil to skillet. Add onion, garlic, basil, and fennel seeds. Sauté until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add all tomatoes with juices. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Puree sauce in processor until almost smooth. Return to same skillet. Add meatballs. Cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes longer.

Do ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.

Place arugula leaves on bottom of each roll, if desired. Top each with 1 meatball. Drizzle meatballs with some of sauce and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and 2 tablespoons cheese. Cover with tops of rolls.

3/4 cups warm water
1 tablespoons molasses
1/8 ounce fresh yeast or 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast*
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 whole bulb garlic

In an electric mixing bowl using the hook attachment, mix the warm water, yeast, olive oil, and molasses. Add the flour and the salt. The dough will become a wet mixture but will remain a little sticky. Remove the dough and place onto a floured clean surface and gently knead into a soft ball. Place the dough in a mixing bowl brushed with olive oil and cover. Store in a warm humid area for 30 minutes or until the dough rises to double its size. (For me, this took over an hour, but our apartment is really cold and I used less yeast.)

Wrap two bulbs of garlic in aluminum foil and roast in a medium heat oven until very soft, about 45 minutes. Squeeze the whole bulbs of garlic to release the soft interior. Slightly chop the roasted garlic until it resembles a puree. Portion the dough into 1 inch round balls, kneading in the roasted garlic while doing so.** Place the portioned raw dough balls on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper approximately 2 inches apart. Cover with plastic and allow the dough balls to rise again. After 20 minutes, spray the raw dough balls with cold water, sprinkle with a pinch of the freshly grated pecorino, salt and pepper, and bake for 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Makes 6 3-slider appetizer servings

* I had trouble with the yeast level in my dough. Honestly uninterested in seeking out fresh yeast, I looked up an exchange with it for instant yeast — it was said to be 3:1, and that the equivalent amount of instant yeast would be 1/4 teaspoon. In the end, I felt that this was too little. Everything took forever to rise and even though the rolls were tasty, they had a density I associate with bread that has not risen as much as it should. Thus, I’ve suggested doubling the yeast, an amount that seems more in par with what you’d see in a bread dough based on two cups of flour.

** Next time, I will add the roasted chopped garlic into the dough in the mixer, before the first rise. However, I am nervous to tell you to do this without testing it in case it in any way affects the rising. It would certainly have been easier that way — kneading roasted garlic into already risen dough is a messy chore, that overly deflates the rise.

Fresh Pasta with Favas, Tomatoes and Sausage

Fresh Pasta with Favas, Tomatoes and Sausage

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 pound Italian sausages, casings removed
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 3/4 cups chopped plum tomatoes or diced canned tomatoes
1 cup shelled fresh fava beans (from about 1 pound), blanched 3 minutes then peeled, or double-peeled frozen, thawed
3/4 pound dried egg fettuccine
2 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese plus additional for passing

Directions:

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add next onion, garlic and red pepper and sauté until onion is translucent, about six minutes. Add sausages; break up with fork or a flat-ended wooden spoon. Sauté until brown, about three minutes. Add wine; simmer one minute, scraping up browned bits. Add tomatoes and fava beans. Sauté until tomatoes soften, about five minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to same pot.

Add sauce to pasta. Toss over medium heat until sauce coats pasta, adding reserved cooking liquid as needed if dry, about two minutes. Mix in two tablespoons cheese and transfer pasta to bowl. Serve, passing additional cheese. Serves eight, in theory. I’d say it serves four.

Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta

Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta

Ingredients:

1 pound spiral-shaped pasta
1 pound slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon plus more for garnish
1 5- to 5 1/2-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese
Fresh lemon juice to taste

Directions:

Cook your pasta in a large pot of well-salted water until it is almost tender, or about three minutes shy of what the package suggests. Add asparagus and cook until firm-tender, another two to three minutes. Drain both pasta and asparagus together, reserving one cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile, combine olive oil, lemon peel, tarragon and cheese in a large bowl, breaking up the goat cheese as you put it in. Add hot pasta and asparagus to bowl, along with a couple slashes of the pasta water. Toss until smoothly combined, adding more pasta water if needed. Season genersously with salt and pepper, and lemon juice if you feel it needs a little extra kick. Serves 6.

Lemon Mint Granita

Lemon Mint Granita

Ingredients:

4 lemons
4 cups water
3-5 TB sugar, to taste
25-30 fresh mint leaves

Directions:

Clean and wash the lemons. Cut off the top quarter of the lemons and slice a thin bevel off the bottom, so they can stand up straight. Working over a bowl, carefully remove all of the lemon flesh and juice , being careful not to cut through the bottom. Stand the lemon skins on a plate and freeze until solid.

Using a food processor, puree mint leaves. Add lemon flesh and juice, and pulse until mostly pureed. Let mixture stand for 15 minutes, so the mint releases its flavor, then press the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. You’ll end up with approximately one cup of lemon-mint juice.

Stir in the water, then sugar, one tablespoon at a time until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is to your desire level of sweetness. Pour the mixture into a large 9x13 roasting pan or baking dish, large enough that the liquid isn’t more than one-inch deep.

Freeze for one hour, then remove the mixture and scrape with two forks to break up the ice. Return to the freezer and freeze until solid, about 2 to 3 hours, scraping it again with forks every hour or so. When the granita is frozen, rake until glittery. Scoop into frozen lemon shel.s and serve.