Meatballs

My family has been requesting Spaghetti with Meatballs lately, so I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and gave it a try. I let them cook in the sauce for about 20 minutes and it turned out great. I used a smaller cookie scoop to make the meatballs easier for my kids to eat. We have also used this to make mini-hamburgers, another request from my kids and I baked them in the oven at 350 for about 15-20 minutes. Both variations were yummy.

1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)
3/4 cup italian bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten

combine all ingredients and shape into meatballs.

Baked Ziti with Spinach and Tomatoes

Katie Kirkham brought this over after our last baby was born and it made serious waves. Simple, fast, and really tasty, we've made it several times since and dubbed it "The Katie". I've used it to feed my army of extended family, so you might want to halve it for yours. Original is from Epicurious. Specific amounts are listed below from that recipe, but, as usual, I never measure and just throw stuff in until it looks good.

3/4lb hot Italian sausages, casings removed (I use 1lb bulk Italian, Katie uses Gr Turkey)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 28oz can diced peeled tomatoes
1/4c pesto

10oz cooked ziti or penne pasta (~3c)
8c spinach leaves (~2/3 of 10oz pckg)
6oz mozzarella cheese, cubed
1c grated Parmesan (~3oz)

Cook sausage, onion, and garlic in large saucepan over medium high heat until sausage is cooked through, breaking it up as you go (about 10 min). Add tomatoes with juices. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 mins. Stir in pesto. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing)
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly oil 9x13 dish (I don't). Combine pasta, spinach, mozzarella and 1/3c Parmesan in large bowl. Stir in hot tomato sauce (I just throw the other stuff in the big saucepan). Transfer to baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 2/3c Parmesan. Bake until sauce bubbles and cheeses melt, about 30 min.

Rigatoni with Sausage & Zucchini

I found this one here, via stephmodo.com
I really enjoyed this one and I went a little easy on the zucchini, but didn't need to. My family loved it! I did use less cheese than indicated in this recipe and it was great!

1 16 oz. box of rigatoni (I prefer Barilla or De Cecco)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lb. best-quality mild Italian sausage, casings removed (you can buy it without casings at the farmer's market)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic*
1 medium red onion, halved and then sliced
1 lb. zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds (about 3 small)
sea salt + freshly ground pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Cook pasta in a stockpot according to package directions. Drain, return to pot, and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet (preferably cast-iron), heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring often, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer sausage to a plate and set aside.

3. In the same pan, cook garlic, onion, and zucchini until starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pepper and reserved sausage then cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.

4. Pour the sausage mixture into the stockpot full of reserved pasta and carefully toss. Mix in about 1/2 of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and then sprinkle the remainder on top just before serving. Enjoy immediately!

Zuppa Toscana

Zuppa Toscana

I made this for dinner tonight and it was a big hit. Very easy and quick. I served it with mini paninis made from a thinly sliced baguette with provolone cheese. My kids even liked this!

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 {32} ounce containers organic chicken broth (or homemade if you have on hand; also, Costco carries a great organic chicken stock at a great price)

4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes

4 cups kale, chopped, stems discarded

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (I omitted this one, since my kids were eating it)

pinch of red pepper flakes (I omitted this one, since my kids were eating it)

3/4 lb. mild Italian sausage links, casings removed (I used 1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage from the Dekalb Farmer's market)

1/2 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)

In a large pot, saute onion in olive oil over medium heat until onion becomes translucent–about 10 minutes. Add broth, potatoes, kale, sea salt, pepper, and pepper flakes then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the sausage until browned in a pan over medium heat, breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon. Once cooked thoroughly, add the sausage and cream to the soup. Heat to desired temperature and serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Enjoy!

Baked Ziti with Spinach and Tomatoes

I made this the other night for the missionaries and we all loved it! I was worried when I put in so much spinach that it might taste a little odd, but it was really great! From one of my favorite sites, epicurious via stephmodo.

3/4 pound hot Italian sausages, casings removed (I used ground turkey and added some flavoring...)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 28-ounce can diced peeled tomatoes
1/4 cup purchased pesto sauce

10 ounces ziti or penne pasta (about 3 cups), freshly cooked (you could add a bit more...)
8 cups ready-to-use spinach leaves (about 2/3 of 10-ounce package)
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)

Heat heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onion and garlic and sauté until sausage is cooked through, breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices to pan. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in pesto. Season sauce with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly oil 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish. Combine pasta, spinach, mozzarella and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese in large bowl. Stir in hot tomato sauce. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese over. Bake until sauce bubbles and cheeses melt, about 30 minutes.

Bolognese Sauce

I found this one, like many others, in Real Simple magazine:

1 medium onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 carrot, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds combined ground beef and pork, or meat-loaf mix
1 cup milk
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
6 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. In a large skillet, combine the onion, celery, carrot, and olive oil and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the meat and cook, stirring frequently, until it loses its pink color. Add the milk. Increase heat to high and cook until the milk has evaporated.
2. Transfer the mixture to 4- to 6-quart heavy casserole. Return the skillet to the heat and add the tomato paste; cook over low heat to reduce its bitterness, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste to the casserole, along with the tomatoes, salt, and nutmeg.
3. Cook the sauce over low heat, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours. Stir frequently.
4. I like to puree this one a bit to make it a smoother sauce. There is also a slow cooker version here.
   

Italian Vegetable Soup

I found this one on a blog (orangette) and really liked it:

Fretwell (Italian Vegetable) Soup

This soup recipe comes from the Fretwell family, longtime friends in Oklahoma, and they in turn discovered it somewhere in Italy. I have only a blurry Xeroxed copy of the recipe (which the Fretwells had faxed to them from wherever they first ate it), and so I thus cannot give credit here to its original author. That’s a true shame, because this is one of the most delicious vegetable soups I’ve ever tasted. The Fretwells brought us many meals while my father was ill, and this was one we requested repeatedly. But consider yourself warned: this recipe makes a veritable cauldron of soup. If you don’t have a stockpot that can hold twelve quarts or so, do this in two batches, or halve the recipe.


1 ½ lbs. dried cannellini or Great Northern beans
Olive oil
Salt
2 or 3 fresh sage leaves
1 or 2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
2 or 3 medium yellow onions, chopped
8 medium carrots, sliced into ¼-inch coins
5 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced into ¼-inch crescents
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into ¼-inch half-circles
1 bunch red Swiss chard, washed, dried, and sliced
½ head green cabbage, cored and chopped roughly
1 quart vegetable broth (I used Imagine brand)
1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes, juices reserved and tomatoes chopped roughly


Soak the beans overnight. The next day, drain them, put them into a large pot, add water to cover by 2 inches, and cook, with sage and garlic, for about one hour. As the beans cook, skim off any white foam that rises to the surface, and halfway through their cooking time, add ½ Tbs salt.

Heat 2 or 3 Tbs olive oil in a large soup pot, add onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, salting lightly, and adding more oil if necessary. Add the zucchini and the vegetable broth, cover, and bring mixture to a simmer. Then add Swiss chard, cabbage, tomatoes, and tomato juices. Cover the pot, and simmer over low heat for half an hour or so. Add the beans and their cooking water, salt to taste, and simmer, covered, over low heat for one hour, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve over slices of day-old crusty bread, and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil if you like.

Serves scads—but scads!—of people.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Ingredients
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut
into 1-inch cubes
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup water
* 3 amaretti cookies, crumbled
* 1/4 cup butter
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 3 1/2 cups whole milk
* Pinch nutmeg
* 3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
* 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
* 2 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
* 1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the
squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water
into the skillet and then cover and simmer over medium heat until the
squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly
and then transfer the squash to a food processor. Add the amaretti
cookies and blend until smooth. Season the squash puree, to taste, with
more salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add
the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to
a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until
the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Whisk in
the nutmeg. Cool slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender*. Add
the basil and blend until smooth. Return the basil sauce to the sauce in
the pan and stir to blend. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to
taste.

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees
F.

Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of
the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on
the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce
over the noodles. Repeat layering 3 more times.

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40
minutes. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the
lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top
is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes
before serving.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to
cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food
processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release
one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat
explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times
then process on high speed until smooth.

Pasta Primavera

I tried this recipe out the other day. I didn't use the asparagus or the shrimp, but made it to go with spaghetti and meatballs. I actually made it in the crock pot. The magic little ingredient here is the salsa. I never would have thought of it, but both Nate and I loved it. It made it taste a bit more spicy, and very fresh. It was great.

1/2 16-ounce box ziti
1/2 bunch asparagus (about 12 spears), cut into 2-inch pieces
1 16-ounce tub mild fresh salsa
4 ounces soft goat cheese
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 16-ounce bag frozen cooked shrimp, thawed

Cook the pasta according to the label directions, adding the asparagus to the boiling water during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Drain. Meanwhile, heat the salsa in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until the tomatoes release their

juices, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the goat cheese and sugar and heat until smooth. Add the shrimp and fold in gently until heated through, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss.

Penne Arrabiata

The Arrabiatia is for SPICY (but oh so tasty)! If you have some sensitive palates in your home, half the red pepper flakes. We like to add more though.

1/2 c olive oil divided
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil
1/2 c tomato sauce
1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
2 eggs
2 c italian bread crumbs
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 lb thin chicken breast cutlets
1 (12 oz) package dried penne pasta
1/2 pint heavy cream

1. Heat 1/4 c olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for a few minutes. Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes and saute for another minute. Pour in the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add the basil. Simmer for 20 minutes and stir occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.
3. Wisk eggs in a small bowl. Place bread crumbs on a plate. Add in garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dip chicken into the egg and then press into the bread crumb mixture until completely coated.
4. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes per side or until the coating is a nice dark brown color.
5. Take the sauce off of heat. Stir in heavy cream (I use 1/4 pint). Do not add over heat or the cream may curdle.
6. Remove chicken and cut into thin slices. Add to the sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked penne and allow to simmer a few more minutes to soak up the flavor, then serve.

Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo

INGREDIENTS

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes
• 6 tablespoons butter, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 pound fettuccini pasta
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 (8 ounce) package sliced mushrooms
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 8 ounces shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
• 3 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large skillet over medium heat combine chicken, 2 tablespoons butter, garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove from skillet and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
3. Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in the skillet. Saute onion, 2 tablespoons garlic and mushrooms until onions are transparent. Stir in flour, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes. Slowly add milk and half-and-half, stirring until smooth and creamy. Stir in Parmesan and Colby-Monterey Jack cheeses; stir until cheese is melted. Stir in chicken mixture, tomatoes and sour cream. Serve over cooked fettuccini.

I found this on allrecipes.com and really liked it. I actually kept the tomatoes separate as a garnish, rather than stirring them in, and also added chopped fresh basil.

Lasagna-Style Baked Ziti

1 pound ziti
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound lean ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh oregano (optional)
1 26-ounce jar pasta sauce
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan
1 15-ounce container ricotta
1 10-ounce box frozen

spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove liquid
1 cup grated mozzarella

Cook the ziti according to the package instructions.

Heat oven to 400° F.

In a large pot, over medium-low heat, heat the oil. Add the onion, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook until the onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the beef, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until n

o trace of pink remains, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid. Add the garlic and oregano (if using) and cook for 2 minutes. Add the pasta sauce and heat for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan, ricotta, and spinach and toss again. Spread the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or individual ramekins and sprinkle with the mozzarella. Bake until the mozzarella melts, about 15 minutes.

Tip: If you prefer, substitute Italian sausage for the ground beef and chopped broccoli for the spinach.

To Freeze: Assemble (but do not bake) the casserole. Cover tightly with two layers of aluminum foil. Store for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or thaw partially in the microwave. Cover and heat in a 350° F oven for 1 hour. Uncover and heat until the mozzarella melts, about 10 minutes more.