Monkey Bread. Monkey Bread. What a fun thing to say. Monkey Bread.
Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t even dream of making Lasagna in the summer. I try to avoid anything that is baked in the oven, even for a short time. I try to avoid dishes that are heavy when it’s hot. Summer is a time for light meals, and lots of cooking outdoors.
Continue reading “A Midsummer Night’s Delight – Lasagna with a Meaty Sauce and Mini Garlic Monkey Bread”This is another of those wonderful One-Pot Wonders. I love them, if for no other reason than because everything cooks up in a single pot. (Making this equally popular with my KP crew – Hubby and Kiddo). Always one to give credit where credit is due, we can thank Donna at Apron Strings for this beautiful one-pot creation. Don’t you simply adore any meal that can be cooked up in just one pot? Continue reading “Linguine with Basil Tomato”
It’s interesting how one thought or memory will lead to another. Friday, I posted a recipe for Fried Lobster Ravioli with Two Cream Sauces – a recreation of a dish served at a Brewery we once frequented. The brewery got me to thinking about beer. Beer got me to thinking about a friend from eons ago – Nancy. Sadly we have lost touch over the years, but I still remember her fondly.
Many moons ago, a restaurant and brewer opened just down the street from where we were living at the time. They brewed the usual – beer. They also brewed some of the most incredible Root Beer I have ever tasted. Hubby and I are not beer consumers. As for Kiddo, now that he is of the legal age to drink, he doesn’t mind a draft every now and then. However; he is our child – with a weakness for top-shelf Margaritas and a good Merlot. When it comes to wines, he’s become a bit of a snob. He feels the cork, sniffs and swirls, giving the illusion that he has been drinking wines for eons, and that he knows exactly what he is doing. Like Hubby, Kiddo prefers a red that is deep and full-bodied, the product the small berries of Cabernet Sauvignon, while I prefer the more delicate fruit of the Pinot Noir vine.
Continue reading “Fried Lobster Ravioli with Two Cream Sauces”
After a long day away from home, we all yearn for a supper that is easy to prepare, visually stimulating and satisfying to both our taste buds and hungry tummies. What could be easier than to boil a big pot of pasta, then toss all that delicate Angel Hair goodness in a rich, creamy sauce? I love this sauce, be it over pasta (today’s featured entrée) or chicken or better yet gently sautéed shrimp. If you like, this particular pasta dish could be elevated even further simply by adding a handful of sautéed garlic shrimp just before serving. Why only a handful? The pasta in its rich, creamy pink sauce is the star of the evening.
Continue reading “Capelli d’angelo with Creamy Roasted Pepper Sauce”
So you’ve decided to have a few friends over for a mid-week Italian supper. Great! Pick out a nice bottle of wine, some bread from your favorite bakery and toss a simple salad. All easy stuff. However; a true Ragù Bolognese takes time. Do you leave work early? Not necessarily. This Ragù Bolognese can be cooked up on a Sunday, to be served up on a Wednesday without diluting the rich flavor. If anything, a delay between cooking and eating only increases the elevation of savory goodness.
Continue reading “Classic Ragù Bolognese with Beef, Veal and Pancetta”
A true, classic Bolognese is made with ingredients such as veal, pancetta and a good beef stock. When you are cooking on a shoestring budget, veal and pancetta aren’t the sort of ingredients you typically throw into the shopping cart. Not to mention the fact that some people object to veal from a purely ethical standpoint.
Continue reading “Fettuccine Bolognese (That’s Inexpensive and Easy to Make)”
Panchetta is Italian Bacon, of sorts. Both American Bacon and Italian Pancetta are pork, usually from the pork belly section. Typically both have been cured (while some bacon is sold uncured). Bacon is cured in salt, either in a brine or packed in salt. It is then aged by drying the meat, be it dried in cold air for weeks or even months, or smoked (my favorite kind of bacon). Pancetta can also be cured in simple salt, but seasonings and other aromatics are often added to the curing process to infuse Pancetta with its distinctly Italian flavors. While this recipe can be made using Bacon, depending upon the type of bacon, the flavor will vary.
Continue reading “Spaghetti Bolognese with Chicken and Pancetta”
The first time I read this recipe, I had my doubts. Alfredo sauce and Spaghetti sauce blended together – really? I like them both, although with cheese filled pastas and seafood filled pastas, I’ve always been partial to a light, creamy sauce such as an Alfredo over the robust, tomato-based Spaghetti sauce. It never occurred to me to marry the two together in one dish. Oh my stars, what a great combination!
For those of you not familiar with Carbonara, this is a pasta dish that hails from Rome, Italy. It is traditionally made using eggs, Italian Cheeses (Romano or Parmesan or other fine Italian cheese) and Pancetta (Italian Bacon) that is tossed in a Spaghetti Pasta. The more modern renditions use Fettuccine, my preferred pasta. If you were to order this dish in Italy, cream and garlic would not be a part of the recipe, but outside Italy these ingredients have been incorporated to create a creamy, flavorful “sauce”. As a lover of all things containing creams and garlic, my Carbonara includes these non-traditional ingredients. Some people have even taken to adding peas or broccoli to their Carbonara. Personally, I don’t if for no other reason that I want to stay as close to the traditional dish of Rome while still satisfying my desire for cream and garlic. But hey, that’s just me.
Continue reading “Fettuccine Carbonara – An American Interpretation”
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