Tag Archives: garlic

Tuscan-Style Cannellini Beans

This dish is a very popular dish in most restaurants in Tuscany or any Italian restaurant here in the United States. It’s simple and delicious. It’s got lots of fiber too which we all need these days. This version is also much lower in calories than the version in restaurants. I made it the other day and it was really good.

INGREDIENTS:

4 teaspoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage or ½ teaspoon dried

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried

1 cup canned diced tomatoes (I used the Fire Roasted ones)

1 (16 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

¼ teaspoon salt

black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley

1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar

Parmesan or pecorino cheese for topping, if desired


DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium saucepan heath the oil over medium-low heat. Saute the garlic, sage and rosemary until the garlic turns pale gold, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes; raise the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally 5 minutes longer.

3. Add the bean, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and vinegar. Top with parmesan cheese if desired.

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

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.


Andrea’s Tuscan Casserole

This is a recipe that I posted back on Facebook in October 2009. It was created because I couldn’t figure out what to make that night and just put together what I found in the refrigerator. It was so good and filling and the leftovers were just as good of course! The ingredients aren’t written in stone so please omit what you don’t want or add something you think fits better! So sit down with a nice glass of wine and relax and pretend you are in Tuscany.

Andrea's Tuscan Casserole


Ingredients:
1- 10-12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced thin into strips or bite size pieces
6-8 oz. uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined, and cut into pieces
8 oz. approx. frozen, thawed spinach (doesn’t have to be drained)
1 medium sweet onion chopped
6-8 cloves garlic chopped (I like garlic so if it’s too much for you add less)
2 large scallions, chopped (green and white parts)
1 small tomato, chopped
1- 8oz. package Shirataki Tofu Noodles (follow prep instructions on package/found in Produce organic section) or you can use your own cooked noodles.
2 TBS or so light or regular sour cream
1 wedge Italian Herb Laughing Cow Cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
– Heat oven to 350 degrees.
– In a large saucepan heat oil and sauté onions till translucent, maybe about 5 minutes or so. Add garlic and scallions and sauté about 2 minutes.
– Add chicken and cook till no longer pink.
– Add spinach and mix thoroughly.
– Add shrimp and tomato, stirring till all mixed.
– Add Laughing Cow cheese and sour cream, mix well. Let cook a couple more minutes.
– Add noodles, mixing well. Let cook about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
– Add half of the mozzarella cheese till mixed in and starting to melt. Pour into casserole dish, round or whatever you have.
– Sprinkle rest of mozzarella cheese on top of mixture and place in oven till mixture starts to bubble and cheese melts and browns a bit. About 15 minutes.

Black & Red Chili

I love chili. Even on a hot Florida evening I love chili. It is so simple to make and tastes even better the next day! I call mine red and black because I use red kidney beans and black beans. Lots of fiber and protein! Sometimes I like to add some brown rice to mine or even ditalini pasta.This recipe usually makes a big batch and will serve 4-6. It also freezes well so when you are searching the freezer or fridge for something to cook when you don’t have time, just defrost and heat! I think this recipe is pretty spicy too but of course my husband thinks otherwise!  Enjoy it with a cold beer or even a nice glass of wine! I make this at least once a month because it’s so good.

Black & Red Chili

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound ground beef, crumbled (your choice)

1 medium onion, chopped (I use Vidalia)

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can Rotel tomatoes (your choice)

1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes (fire-roasted are my choice)

¼ cup Basic Chili Seasoning (See past posting)

sour cream

shredded cheddar cheese

olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large saucepan heat about 3 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the onions until soft. Add the garlic and sauté a few minutes more.

2. Add the ground beef and cook till there’s no pink left, stirring well.

3. Add the drained beans and mix well. Heat through a few minutes.

4. Add the tomatoes and heat through. Add the chili seasoning and stir well.

5. Bring mixture to a boil, stir and lower heat to simmer. Cover. Simmer for about 30 minutes or more and stir occasionally.

6. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.

Basic Meat Filling

This is the basic meat filling to use with the stuffed plantains. It can also be used with stuffed peppers, stuffed cabbage etc. The recipe calls for ground beef but you can also add ground sausage to the mix if you wish.

Ripe Plantain

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound lean ground beef (or ground pork)

3 chili peppers, finely chopped and seeded (any type of pepper you want is fine)

1 green pepper, finely chopped and seeded

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon wine vinegar

6 green olives stuffed with pimentos

1 teaspoon capers

1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil

hot sauce to taste

Stuffed Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a heavy pot, add 1 tablespoon oil and saute chili peppers, onion, green pepper and garlic for 10 minutes.

2. Add oregano, salt, vinegar and ground beef. Stir over high heat until meat loses its red color.

3. Turn heat to low. Add olives, capers and hot sauce. Mix and cook 30 minutes for beef or 1 hour for pork.

4. Let cool slightly so it won’t be too hot to handle when stuffing the plantains or other item.

Stuffed Cabbage

Spicy Garlic Barbecued Pork Ribs

Who doesn’t love barbecued ribs? Nobody that I know of! But when it comes to barbecuing them everyone tends to shy away because they “take so long”! No they don’t! Not how I do them anyway! For my recipe you do have to think ahead and marinate them overnight for the best results. You can also marinate them a few hours ahead of time, but overnight is best. I’ve searched and searched and watched and watched all the ways to have great barbecued ribs. The one recipe I found to be the best so far was from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa. I tweaked her recipe to make it more Genua! These are also made to be cooked on a grill with charcoal. I’m sure they’ll be fine with a gas grill but we have charcoal. I also use either pork loin ribs or St. Louis Style ribs as we love to have meaty ribs! Don’t be scared by the amount of ingredients either. It’s not so bad. I am the first one to skip making a recipe because of the amount of ingredients! Remember it’s all for the marinade/sauce!

Spicy Garlic Barbecued Pork Ribs

INGREDIENTS:

3 racks of pork loin ribs or St. Louis Style ribs (6-8 lbs)

1/3 cup vegetable or olive oil

1 small red onion, diced (about 1 cup)

6 cloves garlic, minced (you can add less if too much garlic for you)

1 tablespoon chili powder (you can add less if too spicy)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (you can add less if too spicy)

1 teaspoon lime zest

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger (or you can use 1 tsp powder)

1/3 cup cider vinegar

½ cup tomato paste

½ cup honey

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce

¼ cup orange juice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the vegetable or olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Saute the onions and garlic for 5-7 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not browned.

2. Add the chili powder, ground cumin and red pepper flakes and continue to cook for 1 minute. Add the zest and ginger and cook for an extra minute.

3. Add the vinegar, tomato paste, honey, mustard, soy sauce and orange juice and simmer uncovered on low heat for 15 minutes, until thick. Stirring occasionally.

4. Marinate the ribs in 2/3 of the sauce for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

5. When you are ready to grill prepare the grill with a single layer of hot coals and then add a few more coals 5 minutes before cooking, which will keep the fire going longer. Place the ribs on the grill and cook for about 25-30 minutes, turning once or twice to cook evenly on both sides. Brush with marinade as needed.

6. Check the ribs after 30 minutes. If they are still not ready (thicker ribs may take longer) just cook for another 5-10 minutes. Check to make sure they are to your liking. EAT!!

Greek Dipping Sauce

I just came up with this recipe while looking for something to do with the crème fraîche I had just made a few days before. (Thanks Wendy!) I was having fish for dinner that night and usually I make my own tartar sauce but I wanted something different this time. This is what I cam up with. We used it on top of our pan-fried tilapia. But it’s perfect with fresh veggies as a dip or a sauce for lamb or anything you want to put it on!

Greek Dipping Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup crème fraîche* (recipe below)

6 oz. container Greek non-fat plain yogurt

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

½ cucumber, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped

1-2 cloves garlic (use 2 if you really like garlic)

1 teaspoon dried dill

juice of 1/2 lemon

DIRECTIONS:

Put all ingredients in food processor and blend until all ingredients are mixed well.

Makes about 2 cups

CREME FRAICHE RECIPE

This recipe is courtesy of my friend Wendy Larsen.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups heavy cream

¼ cup buttermilk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place ingredients into a clean sterilized jar with a tight lid. Shake to combine and let stand at room temperature until thick, 24-48 hours.

2. Once thickened shake gently and then chill until you are ready to use it. Keeps up to 2 weeks in refrigerator.


**As Wendy told me, yes it is strange to have this sit on counter for 24-48 hours but it works and you won’t get sick. Don’t worry! It’s very cool once it’s all thickened!

Mom & Grandma’s Arroz Con Pollo

Mom and me at 4 months (May 1962)

My mother and grandmother used to make this recipe quite a bit for us when we were growing up. Nothing I tried in restaurants ever compared to their cooking! It has been years since I’ve had this or even attempted to make it myself. It’s a Puerto Rican recipe and always brings me back to those days growing up. We had all kinds of different ethnic dishes in our house. Our mom wanted us to be well-rounded when it came to food. Maybe that’s why I’m obsessed with food!

Grandma with me (23 months) and Billy (11 months) Christmas 1963


INGREDIENTS:

1 teaspoon oregano

1 tablespoon salt

2 peppercorns

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, diced

1 teaspoon capers

1 cup uncooked rice

1-2 packets Sazon

1 garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 ½- 3 lb. chicken pieces

¼ cup butter

6 pitted green olives, chopped

1 tomato, peeled and chopped

½ cup tomato sauce

1 can green peas

2 tablespoons achiote for color (Sofrito)

slivered pimentos (from a jar)


DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine oregano, peppercorns, garlic, salt, oil and vinegar. Crush together. Rub mixture over chicken.

2. Brown chicken pieces in butter in large skillet.

3. Add onion, green pepper, olives, capers, achiote, sazon, tomato  and tomato sauce to chicken in skillet. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Drain peas, reserving liquid.  Add enough water to liquid to make 2 ½ cups.

5. Add the water to skillet and bring to a boil. Sprinkle in rice. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

6. Add peas. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with pimento strips.

Meatloaf in the Round

One of the all time favorite comfort foods, meatloaf. I could make meatloaf every night for John and he’d be so happy! But after a while the same old loaf gets boring. So to change things up a bit I have made them in muffin tins or as today’s title says, “in the round”.  All I do is take a round casserole dish and invert a small bowl in the center and put the meatloaf mixture all around the small bowl. Ta da! Meatloaf in the round! Still tastes exactly the same just in a different shape! The muffin tin is great too because you get little mini meatloaf muffins, though the pan is a pain to clean so I don’t do that too often!

Meatloaf in the Round

Meatloaf in the Round

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound ground beef of choice

1 cup bread crumbs of choice (I like Italian Panko)

2 eggs

1 small onion or half of a large onion chopped

3 cloves garlic chopped

½ cup parmesan cheese of choice

¼ cup milk of choice

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 tablespoon dried basil

Meatloaf Ingredients

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

few dashes Tabasco hot sauce, optional

tomato sauce or tomato paste for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix till everything is evenly mixed in. Don’t over mix though.

Meatloaf Ingredients in Bowl

Meatloaf Ingredients in Bowl

2. Place small bowl upside down in center of round casserole dish. Place meatloaf mixture evenly around small bowl in casserole.

3. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and spread tomato sauce or tomato paste over top of meatloaf if you wish.

4. Return meatloaf to oven and continue to bake for 15 more minutes.

5. Let sit 5 minutes before serving so it can set up a bit.

6. Enjoy!

After 30 minutes at 350 degrees

Meatloaf after cutting

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