Summer Parmesan Fish Recipe

Here is a mild white fish (you can use whatever you like) with an Italian style salsa topping, baked to perfection.

You can actually use any kind of chicken breast, steak, or for the total vegetarian try using zucchini sliced lengthwise for your base leaving the skin on.

When you bake this with all the herbs and spices it becomes a perfect summer dinner, adding some detox water, a light salad and your off to that summer weight off body!

1

Summer Pasta Recipe

If you are looking for a lighter style meal but still filling, this is it. Travels well too if your going to a picnic or need to bring something for a delicious potluck. Seafood lovers will go for seconds with this shrimp filled pasta dish! If you love pasta with vegetables and seafood this is the summer meal for you!

2 pounds large shrimp cleaned, scallops or any other shell fish you like

Note: you can substitute boiled chicken breast cubed or cut up Turkey breast

1 pound fresh plum tomatoes cleaned and put through the food 
processor leaving chunks

3  cloves fresh minced garlic

olive oil

1/2 cup white wine

springs of fresh parsley

fresh basil

1 bag of fresh spinach around 12 to 16 ounces

1 pound broccoli florets par boiled


Optional additions: sliced peppers, black sliced olives, sliced onions can be added with the tomatoes. 


 Cooked Pasta boiled in salt water to package directions. 

In a large fry pan, add 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, broccoli florets and spinach. Saute until spinach has wilted. Add the white wine and tomatoes. Cook for around 8 minutes.
In the meantime boil your favorite pasta ,( penne pictured) and set aside.
Add the shrimp to the pan and cook until the shrimp turns pink, around 4 to 5 minutes. Add the fresh herbs and stir. Mix drained pasta with shrimp mixture and serve.

+claudia lamascolo  Author

0

Italian Amaretto Iced Coffee Recipe

Amaretto Iced Coffee is one of the most refreshing brunch drinks I have ever had. Even if you just love just black coffee no sugar, try adding just a little bit of Amaretto to it to enhance this delicious beverage. Of course if you would prefer no alcohol, just add the a few drops of flavored syrup to the brew.




Italian Amaretto Iced Coffee Recipe



1 cup ground coffee use either espresso or dark roast

1 fine mesh strainer

1 32 ounce glass container with a lid of mason jar quart size

spring water or any filtered water

1 or 2 coffee filters to strain the grounds



Place the coffee into the container with the water. Leave overnight.



Next day, place the filter into the mesh strainer and pour this liquid into the filter lined mesh strainer over a large bowl.



Wait until it catches all the grinds. Replace filter as needed. Removing all coffee grounds.



You can actually just heat this coffee to make a regular cup using equal parts of this coffee mixture with half coffee and half water, this is a strong brew that's concentrated.



Iced Coffee:



Italian Style:



Pour coffee into a large glass to half coffee mixture, add the other half water then 1 shot of Amaretto more or less to taste fill with ice. Add Amaretto flavored syrup for non alcohol.



Other suggestions like a Starbucks Knockoff:



Fill with half coffee and half milk, add ice, then add sugar to taste or flavored syrups of your choice.

0

Favorite Grilled Recipe Collection 2014

                                                                   Ribeye

0

Spicy Shrimp Topped Cod Recipe

Are you getting ready to eat some lighter foods? Here is a healthier version than fried. I know that fried fish is always no comparison when it comes to anything breaded but if you are trying to still get some great flavor with your seafood try this baked Italian Style cod topped with rosa plum sliced tomatoes and baby shrimps. You will need to adapt the amount of ingredients by the amount of fish you will be using. This is wonderful over rice or boil some of your favorite macaroni. The juice it makes is fabulous!




Spicy Shrimp Topped Cod Recipe



2 sliced rosa plum tomatoes

1 cup or more baby shrimp

Italian flavored bread crumbs with parmesan cheese added (or add your own to them)

4 pieces of cod cleaned rinsed

cayenne pepper to taste I used around 1/4 teaspoon

1 teaspoon minced garlic

garlic powder

dried oregano

4 tablespoons or more of olive oil

1/4 cup either chicken stock or white wine

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

freshly cracked black pepper

salt to taste



Spray a deep baking dish with oil. Place fish flat in the bottom of the baking dish, 13x9 or depending how much you cook. Place sliced tomatoes on each piece of fish. Add the shrimp evenly Mix the garlic, herbs, salt, pepper to taste in with the bread crumbs. Place on each piece of fish and tomatoes, using around 1 cup or more. Sprinkle the top with garlic powder. Carefully pour the wine or chicken stock around the bottom of the fish not to touch the topping. Drizzle olive oil over each piece. Add more spices to taste if you wish. Bake on 350 until the fish flakes easily around 35 minutes and the bread crumbs look toasted. Serve with any boiled pasta or rice. The juice is wonderful.

0

Mason Jar Chocolate Chip Biscotti Trifle Recipe

If you love a cheese no bake filling or even any style pudding flavor that's layered with crumbled chocolate chip biscotti and some fresh fruits, creamy filling, well then, your in for a real treat Patriotic Style dessert.
These layered desserts are easy to make and quick to put together for a bunch of guests. Whether you make everything homemade or store bought, they will love this creamy festive dessert to end your any gathering. Everyone will ask you for the recipe!

Take a peek on how to assemble this great little treat!
The kids will love to help you too!



Chocolate Chip Biscotti Mason Jar Trifle Recipe


Mini mason jars as many as you need for your guests or small glass trifle dishes



Chocolate chip biscotti broken into pieces, use store bought (or my recipe adding chocolate chips and vanilla to the same recipe dough omit other flavoring)



1 recipe cheese filling below or use an instant brand to package instructions

whipped cream either homemade or store bought

fresh strawberries sliced

fresh blueberries


Fill the bottom of you mason jar with whipped cream (whipped topping is fine too) add some strawberries and blueberries alternating around the edges and fill the center of the whipped cream. Add the broken biscotti cookie on top. Then spread the cheese filling on top of the cookies.

Add more fruits, cookies and cheese filling to fill the top. End with whipped cream, a piece of cookie and garnish with a strawberry dipped in strawberry jam.


Cheese Filling:

1 package mascarpone cheese 8 ounce (or you can substitute all cream cheese in this recipe) room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 powdered sugar or more to taste

Beat all together in a bowl until smooth and well blended

0

Grilled Bacon wrapped Scallop Recipe

Actually you only need a few ingredients to make these delicious grilled scallops, however I have a little secret sauce to pour over them after they are done. Not a dieters dream but hey you have to indulge just once in a blue moon. Save these for a special occasion, they taste gourmet in the end! The taste if your a scallop lover are divine. They are one of my favorites the bacon and the sauce recipe are perfect together! Hope you enjoy them too!



Extra large Scallops

Maple Flavored Smoked Bacon

Garlic powder

Cayenne pepper

Juice of a half a lemon no seeds



Chili Powder

Butter

Aluminum Foil

Cooking Spray



Partially cook the bacon until starting to brown in a fry pan or microwave. Lay out the tin foil and spray it with cooking spray. Place a few scallops on the foil and wrap them with bacon or just add it in small pieces. Sprinkle with garlic powder, cayenne if you like a little heat Squeeze the lemon of the top. You can now bake these or throw them package on the grill. Baking at 425 for around 15 minutes, then if the bacon isn't crisp enough broil for a few minutes until bacon crisps up. On the grill for around 20 minutes on high and check at 15 minutes.



Butter Sauce:

In the meantime melt 1 stick of butter with 1teaspoon of chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.



After the scallops are cooked brush with butter sauce or dip them in the sauce.

+claudia lamascolo Author

0

Roasted Eggplant Dip Recipe

Roasted Eggplant, garlic, some herbs and spices bring out the great flavors in this dip. Served with Parmesan flavored pita chips, crackers or spread on garlic bread is going to absolutely wow your guests if there's any left! 

Roasted Eggplant Dip Recipe


2 large eggplants
2 cleaned fresh cloves of garlic
1 lemon juiced
3 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2/3 cups Tahini (sesame paste)
1/2 cup fresh Italian minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon or more to taste of sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Heat oven to 450 degrees. On a large baking sheet pierce the eggplants with a fork all over.
Roast until softened around 25 minutes. Cool.
Once it's cooled off, peel the eggplant, remove the stems and toss away.
Place everything in the food processor except the parsley and pulse a few times. I like mine a little chunkier. Fold in the parsley.

Serve with Parmesan flavored pita chips, bread points or assorted vegetables.
+claudia lamascolo  Author

0

Quick Mother's Day Roundup of Brunch Ideas

Prosciutto Cheese Pie

    

Pineapple Teriyaki Salmon

Roasted Beets

Utica Greens

0

Chicken, Peppers, Eggplant, Stir Fry Recipe

A great one pan Italian kind of stir fry over rice. Sauteed chicken, eggplant, peppers with a splash of white wine. Over rice this makes the perfect accompaniment. A few sliced tomatoes on the side, a healthy dish all the way around.


That's what I like about a saute, you can really add whatever you like. The eggplant is a really nice touch with the peppers and chicken. I will give you even more suggestions to add below



Chicken, Peppers, Eggplant, Stir Fry Recipe


3 boneless chicken breasts sliced medallion style

2 peppers any color I used yellow, sliced

1 small eggplant cleaned, skinned and cubed

1/4 cup Pinot Grigio

3 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt, pepper to taste

(optional 1/2 teaspoon each chili powder and cumin for more flavor)


In a large fry pan add the oil and sliced chicken breast pieces, add the garlic, salt, pepper to taste and cayenne pepper. Fry on both sides for around 4 to 5 minutes. Add the wine, peppers, cubed eggplant, minced garlic and stir fry until vegetables are soft but still a little firm around 5-7 minutes. Add more wine,water or chicken stock, if it starts to get dry if you like the vegetables softer.


Other suggestions to add:

Mushrooms, sliced onions, sliced black olives, zucchini cubed, grape tomatoes, hot sliced peppers, Italian sausage sliced or pepperoni.





Optional: Boil your favorite pasta drain, place this stir fry and top and lots of grating cheese. Another great meal! Enjoy.


+claudia lamascolo

Author

0

Quick Blueberry Semi Homemade Crepe Recipe

Seriously the easiest recipe I ever threw together. Semi homemade. The batter is easy! Just mix it all together and using a non stick pan it's a snap! The filling is quick and easy too. Just wait until you see how easy this is to impress your family. These even can be made ahead of time and frozen for later stacked between wax paper. Thaw and fill! That's it. Just remember once the crepes are made the skies the limit with your creativeness. Make a lot of them and fill with what you like I have some more tips below!

0

Cheesy Black Bean and Rice Casserole

This has two layers of meat, beans and rice

Cheesy Black Bean and Rice Casserole Recipe


2 cups cooked jasmine rice ( I used boil in the bag drained) set aside

1 small can diced tomatoes with chiles

1 large can enchilada sauce

1 can pinto beans with sauce

1 can black beans drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

salt, pepper to taste

dash of cayenne pepper for heat if you like it

3 or 4 cups shredded Mexican blended cheese

10 to 14 flour tortilla large


1 pound ground beef, chicken, turkey or shredded steak


In a large fry pan, saute the meat of choice with 1 tablespoon olive oil, add all the spices. After the meat is browned, add the tomatoes, beans and simmer.


In a large deep 13x9 pan or deep dish lasagna pan, line the bottom with flour tortilla. Place the cooked rice on the bottom, sprinkle generously with shredded cheese, top with half the meat mixture. Place another layer of tortilla, then meat mixture more cheese. End with flour tortilla, the rest of the cheese. Pour the enchilada sauce on top of the cheese and bake at 350 until hot bubbly and the cheese starts to brown on top. That's it. Easy and quick. Every one will love it!

Garnish suggestions:


sliced avocado with lime juice

sour cream

chopped olives

chopped jalapeno's

shredded lettuce

chopped tomatoes

diced onions

0

Boozy Adult Popsicle Recipes

I loved Popsicle's as a little girl and now as an Adult. I love to make all kinds of flavors, adding some alcohol makes these for Adults only. You can always substitute juice like pineapple, orange, apple or grape to make them a non alcohol Popsicle. After all these years I finally invested in a Popsicle mold ( I would use ice cube trays and toothpicks) and boy do I ever love my new toy.  It's just the beginning of a wonderful summer of fun and experimenting to keep cool!   Here are some suggestions below on flavor combinations and check out the video for more instructions.

Basic Recipe:

3 cups Strawberries (fruit must be cut up) pureed in a food processor (other suggestions would be pineapple, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches, bananas or kiwi)

1/2 cup coconut rum

1/2 cup pina colada mix or cream of coconut (use all pineapple juice for non alcohol.)

8 cup Popsicle molds with sticks

Blend the fruit of choice in a food processor or high powered blender add the rum and colada mix, you can substitute apple juice, grape juice or anything else you like in it place. Strain in a fine mesh sieve. 

Other sugggestion combinations:

Add  any two kinds of fruits together, bananas, strawberries, berries, kiwi, pineapple, etc.
1/2 cup apple juice, grape juice, pineapple juice or orange juice
1/2 cup of liqueur of choice, Vodka, Rum, Flavored Vodka's or flavored Rum. Proceed with above instructions.

Peach Bellini:
3 cups sliced peaches 
1/2 cup peach schnapps or orange juice
1/2 cup white wine preferably Pino Grigio

Berry Cabernet:
3 cups berries raspberry, blackberry or blueberry
1/2 cup Cabernet
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup juice like grape or apple

Margarita Pops:
1/2 cup fine sugar
zest of 1 lime
6 chopped passion fruit or kiwi, mango, papaya, pineapple
1/3 cup lime juice
1 cup water
3 tablespoons Tequila
1 tablespoons Cointreau

In a saucepan bring sugar, water and lime zest to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes to dissolve sugar. Stir in remaining ingredients. Add to pop molds, if using passion fruit when it's half way frozen stir to mix the seeds evenly.

Chocolate Rum Popsicle
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk
1/2 cup white rum
2 egg yolks
1 cup chocolate chopped (good grade like Lindt)
1/4 cup fine sugar

Bring the milk and heavy cream to a boil. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
Place the chocolate in a glass bowl and pour the milk over the top. Stir until melted. Add the rum. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a bowl and then blend with chocolate mixture.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for around 2 hours. Place in an ice cream maker. Churn around 20 minutes. Pour into the pop molds and insert sticks. Freeze for around 24 hours before removing.

+claudia lamascolo  Author

0

Chicken Escarole Soup with Tortellini Recipe

There is nothing more comforting or that hits the spot on a cold damp evening or when your not feeling 100% than homemade soup. Here is my favorite.  This is an easy recipe, trust me it doesn't have to look great, it will taste great!


Chicken Escarole Soup with Tortellini Recipe

2 heads of escarole boiled in salt water and drained, rinsed then chopped into small pieces

4 chicken legs or 3 chicken breasts
1 cup sliced carrots
4 stalks celery
1 - 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
salt, pepper, to taste
3 whole cloves garlic or 1 small diced onion ( I do not eat onions, as I have allergies to them) you can use both
2 teaspoons garlic powder
4 tablespoons fresh or dried parsley
1/2 pound cheese tortellini
1/2 cup orzo pasta


 Garnish topping:
Grating cheese, pecorino romano.


 Fill a 5 quart saucepan with water,  leaving around 4 inches of space from the top of the pan making sure you have room for all your ingredients.
Add the chicken, salt, pepper, a little cayenne if you like heat, some fresh parsley, garlic powder and 3 whole garlic cloves and boil at least 1 hour to make a rich broth, scooping off the foam that it creates, sometimes it takes longer. Remove the chicken and the garlic from the pot and after its cooled off remove the meat off the bone, you can smash the garlic and put it back in or throw it away if you don't like too much garlic taste.

Add the boneless chicken,  carrots, celery, spices, tomatoes and escarole, boil simmering for around 1 hour.
In a small sauce pot boil the tortellini and orzo in salt water, cooking al dente around 9 minutes. Drain and add to the soup pot. Stir.

Serve soup with grating cheese on top.

+claudia lamascolo  Author

0

Crockpot Chicken Tequila Black Bean Tortilla Recipe

All year long I love to make combinations of fillings for flour or corn tortilla's to fill with everyone's favorites. I really love the freshness you can create with these delicious wraps. Being I work all day, this is a perfect filling to throw together the night before and cook while I am gone. Coming home to a great meal with these overly stuffed tortilla's with a variety of toppings, really helps out allot and feeds many without costing a small fortune. Easy, quick and delicious, my kind of meal.

0

Smore's Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe Video

Well one of the greatest thing about making ice cream is your imagination. This one just hit me one day when I had so much leftover candy. I looked at those kit kats and thought, cookies, chocolate, marshmallows and this ice cream was created! A keeper for us and hope you love it too!

  

Smore's Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe Video




1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon I like it a little sweeter
8 oz. good grade bittersweet chocolate broken up fine
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla or more to taste

6 mini kit kat bars broken up or more if you like (use any kind of candy you like)
1 cup mini marshmallows
2 teaspoons mini chocolate chips



Heat the milk until the edges start to bubble. In the meantime put the broken up chocolate in a food processor until almost powdered fine.


 Add the hot milk to the food processor and pulse till smooth. Cool completely and refrigerate for 2 hours.


 Add the heavy cream and vanilla until all blended together. Place into your ice cream maker and churn for 20 minutes to the manufacturer suggestions.


 Add the mini marshmallows, kit kat bars that have been broken up in bits and mini chips.


Place in a freezer container. Freeze for 2 hours before serving.





+claudia lamascolo  author

0