Main Dishes

Shirataki Noodles & Cheese

I just tried a new recipe last night and found a new repeat dish! This dish can be a side dish or main entrée. Next time I make it I may try it with marinara sauce and make it a type of baked ziti. The noodles are the Shirataki Tofu Noodles we’ve started using quite a bit. I loved it and John loved it. So open your mind and accept the possibility of a new healthier dish. Macaroni and cheese is one of my all time faves and this dish is now my new go-to-dish! And after a week of company and going completely off my diet I need dishes like this to get me back on track.

Shirataki Noodles & Cheese

INGREDIENTS:

2 packages (80z) Shirataki Tofu Noodles (House Brand, found in produce section with the tofu products)

1 large egg

½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese

¼ cup light sour cream

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

TOPPING INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon butter, melted

½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs (I used panko)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.

2. Prepare Shirataki Tofu Noodles according to package directions. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

3. Lightly beat egg in a bowl.

4. Add remaining ingredients and the noodles (not topping ingredients). Stir well.

5. Pour into a 1½ quart baking dish that is well sprayed or buttered.

6. In a small bowl mix the topping ingredients together and sprinkle over noodle mixture.

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until set and top is crisp.

Makes 4 servings

Quick & Easy Minestrone Soup

No matter where you have minestrone soup it probably won’t be the same twice. It’s one of those soups that have little variations. This version is a quick and easy version. If you’re running late or just want a quick soup to warm up this is it. It’s semi-homemade. It uses a can of vegetable soup. I like Progresso soups but you can use whichever you prefer. The can size is approximate also. Whatever is closest if you can’t find the exact size will work.

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup orzo or other small pasta

salt

1 can of Progresso Vegetable Soup (19 oz. can)

1 can Canellini (white) or Red Kidney Beans (15 oz. can)

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the orzo and salt to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender (al dente). Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the water.

2. In the meantime, heat the soup and beans to a simmer in a medium saucepan.

3. Stir in the cooked pasta. Add a little of the reserved cooking water if the soup is too thick. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese.

Serve immediately

Serves 2

Escarole & Little Meatball Soup (Minestra)

I love soup. Even in the hot weather of Florida soup is always a great dinner. This is a really simple soup. If you’re short on time you can always use pre-made frozen meatballs in this recipe but why would you? Freshly made are so much better. This recipe is a great comfort food dish. Make extra and freeze it!

INGREDIENTS:

1 head of escarole (about 1 pound)

6 quarts of chicken broth (homemade or store-bought is fine)

3 large carrots, chopped

8 ounces ditalini, tubetti, or spaghetti broken into bite-sized pieces

Freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese

For the Meatballs:

1 pound ground beef or veal

2 large eggs

½ cup finely minced onion

1 cup bread crumbs

1 cup freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Trim the escarole and discard any bruised leaves. Cut off the stem ends. Separate the leaves and wash well in cool water, especially the center of the leaves where the dirt collects. Stack the leaves and cut crosswise into 1″ strips. There should be about 4 cups.

2. In a large pot, combine the escarole, broth, and carrots. Bring to a simmer and cook until the escarole is almost tender, about 30 minutes.

3. While the escarole is cooking, mix together all the meatball ingredients. Shape the mixture into tiny meatballs, less than 1″ in diameter.

4. When the escarole is cooked, stir in the pasta and return the soup to simmer. Drop the meatballs into the soup. Cook over low heat, stirring gently, until the meatballs and pasta are cooked, about 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper if needed.

Serve hot with grated Parmesan.

Serves 6

Steak Pizzaiola

June 1, 2010
popcorngirl12
0 comments
basil, garlic, olive oil, oregano, sirloin steak, steak pizzaiola, tomatoes

No this isn’t a pizza with steak on it. Though it does sound like it! This is a typical Italian steak dinner. Not hard to make and can be made quickly after a long day at work. I would eat steak every night of the week if I could but this is a nice change from the plain grilled version. It’s Italian so how bad could it be! This is a southern Italian dish and oregano is the traditional herb used in it. If you can’t find oregano you can use 3 tablespoons of chopped parsley instead. Serve with a side of your favorite pasta if you want!

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 thin sirloin or rump steaks (5-6 oz. each)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1¼ pound tomatoes, chopped (or 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes)

2 sprigs fresh oregano or 4 teaspoons dried

3 tablespoons chopped basil or 1 tablespoon dried

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet, add steaks and fry over high heat about 2 minutes each side.

2. Add garlic to skillet, fry until fragrant, then add tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Cook 3-5 minutes, until tomatoes have softened and juices have reduces slightly.

Makes 4 servings

Italian Sausage & Peppers

May 26, 2010
popcorngirl12
0 comments
garlic, green peppers, italian, onions, oregano, red peppers, sausage

This is a dish that I actually don’t really eat. I love the sausage part but if you remember I don’t like peppers. I know, what kind of Italian am I if I don’t like peppers. I’m trying to like them but it’s not working. Anyway, this is a very popular dish at our family gatherings. My brother-in-law Carl makes an incredible version of this. Nice and spicy, just how my Dad likes as well as my husband. Carl and my husband say it can never be too hot! They both have asbestos mouths so we can’t let them judge how hot things are! The hotness in this recipe will be decided on the type of sausage used. Hot sausage or sweet sausage, that is the question. I prefer sweet but those of you who love to sweat when you eat go for the hot!

Italian Sausage & Peppers

INGREDIENTS:

1½ pounds Italian sausage (sweet or hot, or both!)

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 large onions, slivered

3 sweet red peppers, seeded and cut into strips

3 sweet green peppers, seeded and cut into strips

½ teaspoon oregano

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pierce each sausage in several places with a fork and place in a heavy frying pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, over medium-low heat. Turn sausage occasionally and cook until well browned on all sides.

2. While the sausages are cooking, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté the garlic and onion. Mix in the peppers and oregano. Don’t cover the pan or the peppers and onions will get steamed.

3. Cook until the onions are lightly brown and the peppers are tender. Cut the cooked sausage into bite size pieces and add to the onion and pepper mixture. Mix well. Place on a warm platter to serve.

Serves 4-6

This dish is great with a nice loaf of crusty Italian bread and a glass of Chianti!

Eggplant Balls

Eggplant isn’t just for Eggplant Parmigiana or Ratatouille. This is a great vegetarian “meatball”. They can be fried, baked or just put into the sauce and cooked that way. They can be used in an antipasto also! Eggplant is very versatile and this is a new twist on preparing it! Even kids will love these! Serve it with spaghetti or pasta that you like. It goes great in a fresh marinara sauce to don’t be afraid, try it, you’ll like it!

Eggplant Balls

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large eggplant, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon water

1 cup of Italian seasoned bread crumbs

½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup grated cheese of choice

olive oil

marinara sauce, if desired

grated mozzarella cheese, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil and gently sauté garlic until golden brown. Add the diced eggplant, the tablespoon of water and cover. Reduce heat and gently steam until eggplant is very soft.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine eggplant, bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, and cheese. Mix well and let stand 20 minutes. Form into balls and fry on all sides in olive oil.

OPTION:

Place eggplant balls on a greased pan and bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 325°. They can then be covered in marinara sauce and sprinkled with grated mozzarella cheese.

OR you can drop them in spaghetti sauce and serve in place of meatballs!

Serves 4-6

Cucuzzille

May 19, 2010
popcorngirl12
1 comment
carrots, cucuzza, cucuzzi, italian, olive oil, onions, potatoes, red bell peppers, tomato sauce, Vegetables

I know some of you are saying, huh? I am not sure if I even have it spelled right or not. The name is pronounced “cook it seal”. Or as I used to call it “Crooked Seals”. My dad makes this recipe alot though it is not one of my favorites. The rest of the family likes it though. The base of the recipe is Italian Squash, or cucuzza or cucuzzi. It’s sort of a stew type dish. My dad doesn’t add any seasonings to it either. But I think if you added parsley or basil or garlic it wouldn’t hurt. It is a pretty easy recipe to make but it does take time. It is a dish that cooks slow so don’t rush it. And it is better to let it sit for a little before serving. You can make it the day before and then just reheat when you are ready to eat it. It’s a great vegetarian dish as well.

INGREDIENTS:

4-6 medium green or yellow Italian squash, trimmed and sliced round. (about ¼” thick)

3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1″ chunks

2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced round (about ¼” thick)

1 large yellow onion, sliced

1-2 red bell peppers, sliced in 1″ wide slices and cut in half

2- 8oz. cans tomato sauce

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Cucuzzi Squash

DIRECTIONS:

1. Fill a large saucepan with 1-2 inches of water. Place all ingredients into pot and steam on medium heat until vegetables are tender. This should be about 45 minutes to an hour-long. Add a little more water if needed to keep it from drying out.

2. When vegetables are just about ready stir in the tomato sauce gently. Try not to break up the vegetables but it’s ok if they do. Let sit about 15-30 minutes or serve next day. The more it sits the better the flavors will be.

Swedish Meatballs

May 18, 2010
popcorngirl12
2 comments
beef, butter, chopped onion, eggs, flour, light cream, MBT beef broth, meatballs, milk, nutmeg, pork, swedish meatballs

This is definitely a recipe I do not make enough. Swedish meatballs are one of my favorite dishes. This recipe was given to my sister Michele at her bridal shower by Barbara Cavallo, who is her husband’s aunt. She was born an Olson, so yes there is Swedish blood in her. I think the recipe came from another relative, either grandmother or mother. Either way they are delicious. Serve over egg noodles or rice or just eat them by themselves. Remember when making swedish meatballs you need to make them smaller than regular Italian meatballs. They do take some time to make but they are worth it. It’s a nice hearty meal for any time of year.

Swedish Meatballs with Egg Noodles

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups bread crumbs

2/3 cups milk

½ cup chopped onion

2 pounds ground beef of your choice (You can mix ground pork and beef also)

2 eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon nutmeg

4 tablespoons butter

4 teaspoons flour

2 cups hot water

1 cup milk

1 cup light cream

2 cubes MBT beef broth

Gravy Master

Fresh Parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl soak bread crumbs in the milk. Add the onion, beef/pork, salt, pepper and eggs and mix together with hands. Be careful not to overmix.

2. Roll meat into walnut size meatballs and brown in large skillet in the butter. Cook until brown on all sides. When browned remove meatballs from pan and set aside.

3. In the same skillet put a little hot water with the flour. Stir until smooth. Add rest of hot water, light cream, beef broth, nutmeg and milk. Stir until smooth.

4. Place meatballs back into skillet and mix well. Cover skillet and simmer for 15 minutes. Brown with Gravy Master to color. Garnish with parsley.

Serve with egg noodles, rice or pasta of choice.

Salmon in Scallion and Ginger Sauce

This recipe I originally got from the South Beach Diet book, though the recipe called for Orange Roughy. Orange Roughy is not always easy to get so I swapped the salmon for it. You can also use cod, sole or flounder as well. It’s quick, simple and full of all those good Omega fats. I serve it with any of my favorite veggies or a stir-fry or asian side dish. The recipe calls for fresh grated ginger but if you don’t have any use ground ginger. It also calls for sesame oil but I never have that in the house so I use olive oil. The sauce that the salmon cooks in is also a great topping for the veggies or side.

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup dry sherry or vermouth

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

¼ cup finely chopped green onion (green and white parts)

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

2 salmon fillets (4-8 oz. each)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Mix the sherry or vermouth, soy sauce, sesame oil, onion, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl.

2. Place the fish fillets in an ovenproof casserole dish. Drizzle the marinade over the fish and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.

Serves 2

Mom’s Old Style Lasagna

May 11, 2010
popcorngirl12
1 comment
garlic, ground beef, ground pork, Italian food, lasagna, mozzarella cheese, old style, onion, parsley, pasta, ricotta cheese, tomato paste

I was looking through all of my recipes trying to find one for today’s post and came across this recipe that was in my mother’s handwriting. It’s for an old style lasagna which is a little different from how I usually make it. I am adding it exactly as written by Mom. I’m hungry just reading it over! I love lasagna and I don’t get to eat it too often, too many calories! My sister makes an awesome one also, which I was able to have not that long ago. Too bad I’m on a diet now! Lasagna is one of those recipes that I’m sure everyone has had at least once in their life. It’s also one of those recipes that when it’s not made correctly it can be so disappointing! Ever had soupy lasagna? Dried out? Over cooked? We all have! And no self-respecting Italian will buy frozen lasagna! It’s just wrong! There is nothing like home-made so give it a try soon. It’s not difficult, really! The hardest part is getting the cooked noodles out of the pan! And if that is going to be a problem for you cut them in half to handle easier. Food should be fun to prepare as well as eat so enjoy trying this recipe out! Remember I copied it exactly as she had written it so if you need to change it slightly please do.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound Ronzoni lasagna (#123)

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ pound ground beef

½ pound ground pork

1 medium onion, minced

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon minced parsley

1 ½ cans tomato paste (9 oz)

2 cups water

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

5 quarts water

3 teaspoons salt

1 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced thin

¾ pound ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown beef and pork in large saucepan with oil, onion, garlic and parsley.

2. Add tomato paste, 2 cups water, salt and pepper. Simmer 1½ hours.

3. Bring 5 quarts water to boil, add salt and lasagna and cook for 20 minutes, or until tender, stirring almost constantly to prevent sticking.

4. Drain. Arrange lasagna in casserole dish in layers, alternating with layers of sauce, mozzarella and ricotta, until lasagna is all used and ending in like sequence, ricotta last.

5. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake in 375º oven about 20 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted. Serve.

Makes 6 large servings or 8 medium servings.

← Previous 1 … 6 7 8 9 Next →

Chilled Strawberry Bisque (Carnival Cruise Lines)

This is a refreshing chilled soup/bisque that tastes more like ice cream than a soup! It’s sweet, creamy and delicious! Great for those hot cruise days when you just want something refreshing before dinner. When the staff serves you they put some fresh strawberries in the middle of the soup bowl and pour the soup […]

Escargot Bourgignonne

Full disclosure, this blog post appeared on my other site What’s Cooking at the Genua’s? almost 8 years ago! I’ve updated the copy a bit but it’s still the same delicious recipe. Cruises are a wonderful thing. In the last 27 years I’ve been on 19 (20 this January 2019), so far. Most (12, […]

Alchemy Bar’s Cucumber Sunrise (Carnival Cruise Lines)

Yes, another cocktail. Hey what can I say, I love new and refreshing cocktails on a hot summer day, on a cruise, in the Caribbean…Anywhere really! And anyone who has cruised on Carnival knows all about the Alchemy Bar! It’s a great bar, if you can get a seat or place at the counter! Always […]

Baked Alaska (Carnival Cruise Lines)

Years ago on most of my early cruises they always served Baked Alaska on the Captain’s Night or some other elegant night for dessert. They still serve it BUT with one difference, it is no longer flaming. Yes, flaming. I remember the first time I saw this, the waiters all came dancing into the dining […]

	popcorngirl12 on Pineapple-Coconut Jasmine Brow…
	littlebeemama on Pineapple-Coconut Jasmine Brow…
	Tuna Poke \| What… on Pineapple-Coconut Jasmine Brow…
	Pineapple-Coconut Ja… on Tuna Poke
	Deborah Johnson on Pumpkin Spice Magic Bars

What's Cooking at the Genua's?

Main Dishes

Shirataki Noodles & Cheese

Quick & Easy Minestrone Soup

Escarole & Little Meatball Soup (Minestra)

Steak Pizzaiola

Italian Sausage & Peppers

Eggplant Balls

Cucuzzille

Swedish Meatballs

Salmon in Scallion and Ginger Sauce

Mom’s Old Style Lasagna

Top Posts & Pages

Follow my other blog! : Cruise Ship Recipes at Home

Chilled Strawberry Bisque (Carnival Cruise Lines)

Escargot Bourgignonne

Alchemy Bar’s Cucumber Sunrise (Carnival Cruise Lines)

Baked Alaska (Carnival Cruise Lines)

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Recent Comments

Follow me on Twitter

Tasty Query

Recipes

Blogs I Follow

Archives

Visitor Location

Blog Stats

Tasty Query

Main Dishes

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Top Posts & Pages

Follow my other blog! : Cruise Ship Recipes at Home

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Recent Comments

Follow me on Twitter

Tasty Query

Recipes

Blogs I Follow

Archives

Visitor Location

Blog Stats

Tasty Query