This past spring, we planted San Marzano tomatoes in our garden. Having never grown this type of tomato before, we planted two little plants. They grew and grew, crowding out the two pepper plants and took over everything. And they produced. Pounds and pounds of tomatoes. San Marzano tomatoes aren’t the kind you enjoy right off the vine. They taste like unseasoned tomato sauce, which is what makes them the perfect tomato for soups and sauces. Before we knew it, the freezer was full of simple tomato sauces. Call then unfinished. Depending upon the final dish, the sauce is seasoned as needed.
Category: Italian Cooking
Assumption and Cherry Tomato Herb Salad
Did you know that today, August 15, is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary into heaven? It’s okay if you didn’t, not all Catholics know the significance of this day. And it’s not my job to convert anyone. I’m not even going to try. Let’s just say that, as a Catholic, I believe and from a religious perspective we’ll leave it at that.
Parmesan Chicken Braid and Family Fun
Are you a big-box store shopper? There are some great deals to be had in the big box department, but you need to shop smart. Some deals really aren’t deals. And some purchases are so big that it becomes ridiculous. I mean, how many folded paper napkins can one family need? I ask because I believe our recent “score” is at least a year’s worth, if not a life-time supply.
Three-Cheese Lemon Spaghetti
Spaghetti is such a versatile pasta. It makes for a great pasta salad, or a pasta side or a pasta main dish. It’s all up to you, and how you like your pasta served. Spaghetti pasta as a side can be as simple as warm noodles kissed with a little butter and garlic or as elaborate as a red wine cream sauce spaghetti.
Lemon Asparagus Chicken Linguine for an Italian Feast
Today is our last day in Florence. I’ll be sharing the beauty of our Northwest Adventure soon. I promise. In the meantime, let’s enjoy a beautiful meal together, shall we?
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Chicken Florentine Crêpes with Mushrooms
Welcome to day two in Florence, Oregon. This picturesque coastal town sits on the banks of the Siuslaw River. Famous for Mo’s Clam Chowder, sand dunes and beautiful ocean views. Depending upon how you approach things, life here seems to slow down or speed up. Sound crazy, I know, but Florence has a great deal to offer.
Continue reading “Chicken Florentine Crêpes with Mushrooms”Easy Spaghetti Stromboli
If you are like me, when you cook up Spaghetti there are always leftovers to deal with. I’m not complaining – my guys get a few lunches out of what’s left. I like to make Spaghetti Meatball Sandwiches as a second meal. Of course that means I would have to make the spaghetti with meatballs rather than a meat sauce. Recently, I made a double batch of my Smoking Spaghetti with beer in the sauce. I needed plenty of leftovers for a new Stromboli recipe I was anxious to try.
Roasted Chicken Breast with Asparagus Pan Sauce
Pan Sauce. So simple, so delicious. There’s something magical about pan sauce. Maybe it’s the kiss of wine or the meat renderings themselves. All I know is that I adore chicken with a nice pan sauce. One of our favorites was Chicken Breast with Tomato-Herb Pan Sauce. Yeah, it was good. This is even better.
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Seasoned Broccoli Bursting with Color
Not too long ago, I was cooking up an Italian favorite in our house, Chicken Marsala. On the menu with the chicken was the usual side, Italian Roasted Potatoes. Had I served this with a side of Sautéed Summer Squash, it would have been down right predictable. Can’t have that. Not in my kitchen. If the main dish isn’t new, at least one of the sides needs to be different.
Continue reading “Seasoned Broccoli Bursting with Color”Company’s Coming? Then It’s Slow-Cooker Pork Ragù
This is a great meal. Not something you throw together in the crock pot on your way out the front door in the morning, it does need a little prep work and some tending toward the end, but still you’ll have plenty of free down time. I love down time – it let’s me clean the kitchen and set the table and do all sorts of domestic things before supper time including selecting a nice bottle of wine.
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Easy Deli Stromboli
As we stood at the check out stand of our grocery store, the cashier rang up our purchases and chatted up a storm. She had a comment about just about everything that came from the cart to the register. The deli meats and sub sandwich oil were of particular interest. As it turned out, she loved sandwiches. She lived for sandwiches and the idea of someone making a sandwich seemed to excite her beyond measure.
Italian Breaded Chicken Breast
This is one of those yummy Italian dishes that screams side of Spaghetti in a Marinara Sauce if you please! And don’t skimp on the green vegetables – maybe steamed broccoli or Asparagus kissed with Italian herbs. The menu practically writes itself. I love simple dishes that commands attention without screaming for it, know what I mean? This chicken is perfect for a family sit-down supper. A couple of plump breasts go a long way. Yeah, I like this dish. What about you?
Welcome Summer with the Delicious Flavors of Italy
Summer is almost here. Tomorrow is the official first day of summer. Are you ready for all the fun of the season? I don’t know about you, but the last thing anyone wanted to do around here was to be stuck in the kitchen cooking. No, truth be told, a bowl of Huckleberry Ice Cream sounded like the perfect solution.
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Pasta in a Basil Tomato Sauce
The nice thing about a simple pasta in a simple tomato sauce is that is makes for a great Catholic Friday Night Supper or a side with other awesome Italian entrées. (And by entrée, I am referring to the American definition as in the main course or main dish. Why is that, by the way? I mean, why does the same word have different meanings depending upon which continent you happen to be standing on – shouldn’t it mean the same thing in America as it does in Europe?)
Slow-Cooker Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a huge, huge fan of all things Italian. One of the lessons Americans can learn from their Italian neighbors is how to eat – how to enjoy every bite. Have you ever dined with true Italians? Sure, there’s a lot of food, but it’s more than just the food. Italians have an approach to dining Americans need to adapt.
Welcome to Rosemarie's Kitchen 