Broccoli Rabe with Pasta Ceci (chickpea's) in a Light Wine Sauce

Thursday, March 31, 2011
Chickpeas with fresh tomatoes, broccoli rabe, orzo, all in a light wine sauce,  a whole meal in one dish...

1 or 2 cans  14.5 oz cans chick pea's or dried 2 cups fresh chickpea's made(these were fresh from the crockpot overnight) I love chick pea's so you determine  at least 2 cups though.
2 cups of whole tomatoes pulsed in the food processor till leaving chunky or 6 fresh plum tomatoes pulsed  in the food processor
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine (I use Chablis)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder, oregano, basil, parsley
3 tablespoon extra  virgin olive oil
plenty of grated cheese
1/2 cup cooked orzo
1 bunch of broccoli rabe stems cut off, cleaned, chopped and boiled till soft around 25 minutes in a pan of boiling water, drain well and set aside.

In a large saucepan add oil saute garlic. Add chick pea's and drained broccoli rabe saute around three minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, wine, herbs. Cover and cook on very low simmer for a half hour.
In a small pan boil orzo pasta. Drain add at the end. Ladle into bowls serve with garlic bread and plenty of grating cheese.
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Italian Style Baked Potato Soup

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

2 baking potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup mixed carrots and celery, 3 garlic cloves all together put through a food processor ( if you like onions add 1/4 cup of those as well)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups instant mashed potato flakes
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon each dried basil, parsley, garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup half-and-half
Optional Toppings:
1/2 cup shredded Five Italian Cheeses
 8 oz chopped up prosciutto

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake potatoes for 1 hour, or until done. Cool. Remove skins.

Melt butter in a 3 quart saucepan over medium heat. Saute veggies from the food processor about one minute. Stir in flour, and cook 5 minutes to make a roux. Pour in chicken stock and water. Add cornstarch and mashed potato flakes. Season with salt, pepper, and rest of herbs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Cube cooled  potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces, and stir into soup, along with the half-and-half, add worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thick. Spoon into bowls, and garnish with shredded cheese, prosciutto.
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Amaretto Panna Cotta

Thursday, March 24, 2011

All I can say is "What took me so long to make this!" A perfect and elegant dessert..and so delicious!





2 1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (from about 2 envelopes)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons half and half
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon Amaretto
Pour 2 tablespoons of cold half and half into a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over; stir to blend. Let stand 5 minutes to soften gelatin.

Heat cream, remaining half and half, and sugar in small saucepan over medium heat just until bubbles begin to form around edge of pan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove pan from heat and stir in gelatin mixture, Amaretto, and almond extract. Divide cream mixture among six ramekins and cool to room temperature. Chill ramekins, covered, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Dip ramekins, 1 at a time, into a bowl of hot water 3 seconds. Run a thin knife around edge of each ramekin and invert ramekin onto center of a small plate. Decorate with sliced chocolate and berries.




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Tea Party with Crumpets

Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Tea and Crumpets

Whether you fancy sweets or appetizers we have a little of everything here to make your tea party perfect!






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Hamantaschen (Jewish Cookies) Filled Fruit

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Hamantaschen Jewish Cookies Fruit Filled


Hamentashen (Jewish Cookies) Filled Fruit

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Zucchini Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Monday, March 21, 2011
If you are looking for a recipe to use up zucchini you just found the jackpot of easy desserts that taste gourmet.

These easy to make zucchini bars are the flavors of fall just before it sets in when you welcome cooler weather.

Growing up dad always had a garden and we couldn't wait for mom to make us these delicious zucchini bars.

These will always be a loved dessert and memory of dad, our garden and childhood favorite desserts.

Sometimes the simpliest desserts made with love can you bring you back in time to relive those precious moments and for me this is one of them.

Dad always like these dusted with powdered sugar so mom would do half with frosting and the other half with a sprinke of that white powdered sugar for him.




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Curt's Nutter Butter Truffles

Wednesday, March 16, 2011
These are delicious little candy cookies made with cookies, cream cheese, and coated in chocolate we call Curt's Nutter Butter Truffles

These just happen to be my son's all-time favorite cookies so instead of making Oreo Cookie Balls we used Nutter Butter cookies.

The peanut butter, chocolate, and cookie are a homerun when it comes to easy candy-making flavors for all peanut butter lovers.

Perfect for giving as a gift but you will need to make a double or triple recipe because unless you hide them they will be gone before you have the chance!





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Irish Cream Brownies

Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Irish Cream Brownies are the easiest most delicious quick dessert ever starting with a brownie mix.

These are moist and full of Irish cream flavor and the frosting can be chocolate, vanilla, or with add Irish cream and a drizzle of chocolate melted a brownie lover's dream bar.

The mix is totally adapted by adding chocolate chips, nuts, coconut, or whatever else you like.

Here is a simple recipe that starts out with a doctored brownie mix and transforms into fudgy moist Irish cream-flavored brownies.

The brownies are terrific plain however, we have several icing ideas and glazes that make them a brownie lovers delight.

Choose from chocolate frosted, vanilla cream frosting then drizzled with melted chocolate or white chocolate
.
There are also several mix-ins available from chocolate chips to your favorite nuts

Irish Cream Brownie  three different frosted style


29

Air Fried Chicken with Vegetables

Monday, March 14, 2011
In today's busy world the air fryer is our best friend when it comes to a quick meal and this Air Fried Chicken with the taste of  Roasted Vegetables is fast, easy, and healthy.

With a long day of chores, work, and keeping up with that busy day, this meal is perfect for those who don't want to stand in front of a hot stove.

Did I mention these are a healthier alternative also, or yes I did! That's a bonus for sure.

The recipe is very basic and can be adapted to whatever vegetables you would like to add so don't stop at just broccoli or carrots, check out of suggestion list below.

No air fryer? No problem, we will also include oven-roasted and grilling alternatives as well.

If you do happen to enjoy air frier recipes this is one to add to your collection, the flavor for any meats and vegetable combinations is off the chart delicious with our herbs, garlic and breadcrumbs topping.

During the height of the summer fresh vegetable season we make this meal often using a medley, just remember if you like vegetables softer you may have to steam a few first like potatoes.

With just a few basic ingredients this meal will be done in less than 30 minutes, you can't beat that for your busy life.

Scroll down to print off how to make this quick healthy recipe.





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Orecchiette Florentine with White Beans

Sunday, March 13, 2011
Orecchiette Florentine with White Beans is a hearty bowl of delicious pasta, greens, and beans in a rich tomato sauce.

The pasta is shaped like little ears also referred to as little cups or hats and perfect for hugging all the flavors in a soup or thicker pasta sauces like this one with white beans.

This dish can be made like a soup or thicker sauce depending on the amount of liquid you add, either way, it's an amazing Italian bowl of pasta, greens, beans, and tomato sauce.

The entire meal can be made all vegetarian or with added cooked meats (for all those meat lovers out there), growing up in the 1960s when money was tight mom made this without meat and with greens from the garden preferably escarole, but again it's versatile so adapt the recipe to what your family likes.

Fresh escarole is what we grew up on, however, spinach is a great addition if you can't find escarole and if you have another green you grew up on add that to the pot!

Although grandma made everything from scratch including the use of white dried beans, you can use canned everything for a quick version.

You may have tried Grandma's Escarole and Beans recipe or our delicious Wagon Wheels with Peas, both economical meals to feed a large family inexpensively.

If you're looking for easy weeknight meals to stretch a budget, this is one that everyone loves, it's super easy to make and with all simple pantry ingredients.

Scroll down to get this easily printable recipe with step-by-step instructions.


pasta and beans with escarole


25

Microwave Coffee Cup Chocolate Cake

Friday, March 11, 2011
Here is the fastest easiest and made from scratch mug chocolate cake ever!

Sure it's not the same as making it in the oven but it sure does the trick when you want a sweet treat dessert in a hurry because, in 2 minutes and a few simple pantry ingredients, that's all there is to it.

Not going to bore you with a long string of notes here, but this is a quick chocolate cake with powdered sugar, and if you want to doctor it up buy some store-bought canned frosting for an extra sugary sweet topping.

I personally like less sugar.

You will also have to adapt the recipe to your taste when it comes to a sweet cake or just a little sweet, plus if you need to use a sugar substitute I have also tried this with stevia just a little goes a long way.

The cake is a little spongy and not really tender like a cake in the oven, so don't be disappointed in the texture, it is still a really quick tasty cake!

Check out the ingredients and one more tip, if you really love chocolate, I add a few chocolate chips on top after it's cooked and let them melt a minute.


coffee mug chocolate cake


29

Grandma's Pasta and Pigeon Peas

Wednesday, March 2, 2011




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