Caponate

This southern Italian specialty is just delish! The vinegar helps preserve the dish, so it will keep well in the fridge for a week or two. Serve it as a side with roasted meats, on toasted ciabatta rubbed with garlic, or alongside antipasta with cold meats.

Cook Time:40 min
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, peeled, alternating with 1-inch strips of skin left on, cut into 1-inch dice
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 fennel bulb, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 Tbsp anchovy paste
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup capers
a handful of pitted green olives
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 bunch mint, cut into chiffonade

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss the eggplant generously with olive oil and salt, to taste. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast until the eggplant is soft and mushy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Reserve.

Coat a wide deep pot with olive oil. Toss in the onion and crushed red pepper and season with salt, to taste. Cook over medium-high heat until the onions are soft and aromatic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the fennel, celery and garlic and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the peppers and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Add the zucchini, season with salt, to taste, and cook until the zucchini and all the veggies are soft and aromatic and starting to come together as a stew, about 5 to 6 minutes. Toss in the eggplant, 1/2 cup of water and the tomato paste, anchovy paste. Cook until the water has evaporated. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar in a small bowl and add it to the mixture. Stir in the capers, pine nuts and mint. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes.

Let cool and transfer the caponata to a serving bowl. Serve immediately or even better tomorrow or the next day.

Italian Meatballs

Serving: 6



Ingredients:

• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano, crushed
• 1 tsp salt
• Dash of pepper
• Marinara sauce

Directions:

1. combine bread crumbs and water
2. Stir in eggs, Parmersan cheese, herbs, salt, and pepper
3. Add meat;mix well
4. With wet hands, form 20 to 24 small balls
5. Heat oil and cook meatballs until brown, turning regulary, over los to medium heat
6. Place meatballs on paper towels to absorb any oil
7. Heat sauce to a boil. Lower to simmer, add meatballs, and cook, loosely covered, for 30 to 40minutes
8. Serve with spaghetti

Pizza with white sauce

Pizza is one of my husband's favorite foods but he does not like red sauce. So I came up with this good alternative to traditional red sauce pizza. It still has a light tomato taste.
Serve: 4 Prep: 10 mins Cook: 10 mins

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted


• 2 teaspoons olive oil


• 1 tablespoon and 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic


• 1 tablespoon basil pesto


• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves


• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano


• 2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese


• 1 ~ 2 flat bread or pizza crust


• 1/2 tomato, sliced


• 1/2 zucchini, thinly sliced


• 1/2 red onion, sliced


• 1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, chopped


• 1/2 (6 ounce) package finely shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven 375 degrees.


2. In a small bowl combine butter, olive oil, garlic, pesto, basil, oregano and Parmesan cheese. Spread mixture evenly on flat bread or pizza crust.


3. Arrange tomato, zucchini, onion and jalapeno on pizza. Top with finely shredded Parmesan cheese.


4. Bake 5 `10 minutes until done.

Pizza With White Sauce @ Group Recipes

Baked Turkey Meatballs with spaghetti

Serve: 4 Prep: 20 mins Cook:30 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup plain crumbs
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 1/2 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt (optional)
• cooking spray
• 1 pound spaghetti, freshly cooked according to package directions
• 1/3 cup Pure Olive Oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 carrot, peeled, grated
• 2 cups prepared marinara sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Direction:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. In a bowl, combine all ingredients, except for the cooking spray.
3. Line a baking sheet with foil, spray with cooking spray.
4. Shape and roll the meatballs into balls about 1.5" in diameter. Place on baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until fully cooked through. Transfer the meatballs to a plate.
5. TRANSFER freshly cooked pasta to large bowl. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic. Sauté 1 minute. Add zucchini, bell pepper and carrot. Cook 2 minutes. Add marinara sauce and basil. Cook and stir until heated through.
6. ADD to cooked pasta. Toss to coat. Divide pasta mixture between 4 to 6 plates. Top each with meatballs; garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serve.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/94207/baked-turkey-meatballs-with-spaghetti.html

Stuffed Spinach Shell

Ingredients:

• 20 Shells


• 1 lb. frozen or fresh chopped spinach


• chopped onion


• garlic


• chicken (cubed)


• chopped mushrooms


• 2/3 cup Ricotta cheese


• 1 beaten egg ( i completely left this out on Sunday!)


• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese


• salt, pepper, italian seasoning, garlic powder


• Prego spaghetti sauce

Direction:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, gently place pasta shells in


3. boiling water; bring water back to boil. Cook until noodles are just


4. tender; drain well.


5. Cube chicken, and season with salt, pepper, italian seasoning and garlic,


6. and cook.


7. In a large pan, saute spinach in olive oil, chopped onion and garlic. Add


8. chicken and mushrooms.


9. In a large bowl combine spinach mixture, ricotta, 1/3 cup Parmesan


10. cheese. Season and mix well.


11. Spread Prego sauce evenly over the bottom of a baking dish.


12. Fill each pasta shell with the spinach cheese mixture. Arrange the


13. shells, filling side up in the baking dish. Spoon remaining Prego sauce


14. over the shells. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese on top of the shells.


15. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven until


16. heated through; about 30 minutes.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/82144/stuffed-spinach-shells.html

Focaccia Pizza

Ingredients:


• 1 Focaccia bread, any flavor or any flat bread
• Olive oil spray
• 8 0z. fresh Buffalo Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded aged mozzarella cheese
• 4 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• 18-20 pepperoni slices
• 1-16oz. can of whole tomatoes or 5 medium steamed & peeled tomatoes
• 7 oz can sliced mushroom, fresh sliced mushrooms
• 2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped, roughly
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions


1. Preheat a oven to 350 degrees


2. Slice bread horizontally to create 2 pizza. (if the bread is already thin, you do not need to slice them).


3. Spray the olive oil on a baking sheet and place pizza crust side up; spray the olive oil over the top.


4. Add tomatoes, roughly torn by the hands, then pull pieces of Buffalo mozzarella from the ball and place on the top. Top with pepperonis, mushrooms, shredded aged mozzarella, garlic and basil leaves. * the above ingredients are for 2 pizza.


5. Bake 10 minutes. or until cheese has melted and crust is crispy. Remove from oven, dizzle with olive oil, sprinkle on Parmesan and spread with cut basil, salt & pepper and serve.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/78144/focaccia-pizza.html

Italian Sausage Lasagna

Serve:12 Prep: 10m Cook: 60m

Ingredients

• 1 box (9oz) No Boil Lasagna Noodle
• 6 oz. Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 jar Ragu Classic Alfredo Sauce
• 1 jar Prego meat sauce (Italian Sausage & garlic)
• 1 lb Uncooked Sweet Italian Sausage
• 2 oz Mozzarella Cheese
  

Direction

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
2. Remove the casing from all the sausage links; pan fry until done
3. Add meat sauce to pan; mix well, set aside
4. Spread thin layer of Alfredo sauce on the bottom of 9x13x3 inches deep baking pan
5. Top with a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles ( 4pieces)
6. Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the top of the noodles, top with a thin drizzle of Alfredo, evenly sprinkle on a small amount of grated Parmesan cheese and top with another layer of noodles
7. Keep layering in the same sequence until all of meat sauce & Alfredo sauce have been used (about 4 sequence)
8. Make sure that the final top layer is Alfredo sauce with 2oz of Mozzarella cheese & remainder of the Parmesan sprinkled evenly on top
9. Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes, covered with foil
10. Uncover and continue baking about 10 mins until the top is brown and bubbly and the edges are crispy
11. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting, Recipe makes 12 servings

http://www.grouprecipes.com/60799/italian-sausage-lasagna.html