Croissant Panini

Another day, another sandwich. I swear, I do eat more things than sandwiches lately. I hope you like this one. It's really rich and great if you need something comforting at the end of a long day.

Croissant Panini
Recipe by Giada de Laurentiis, adapted
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
4 croissants
4 ounces Gouda, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)
8 teaspoons grated Parmesan
16 slices Genoa salami
8 slices ham

DIRECTIONS
Heat a panini grill. Place about 1/3 cup gouda on each croissant. Sprinkle with 2 TBSP Parmesan cheese. Top each side with about 3-4 slices salami and 1-2 slices of ham. Put the top of the croissant on each sandwich and grill the panini until the cheese melts, about 3 to 4 minutes. (I don't have a panini press so I used my grill pan and placed a heavy skillet on top of the sandwiches. I grilled for about 3 minutes per side).

Venetian Panino

There isn't a whole lot to say about this sandwich except that it's really simple, but one of the best sandwiches I've eaten in a while. So I'll keep this post simple and tell you that you have to make one. In fact, make one as a snack right now.


Venetian Panino
Recipe by Giada de Laurentiis, adapted
Makes 6 sandwiches

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces Gruyere, shredded
4 TBSP butter, at room temperature
1 garlic clove, chopped
12 ounces sliced turkey (I think proscuitto would be great, too)
12 slices sourdough bread
6 TBSP olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Mix together the butter, cheese, and garlic in a food processor. Blend until the mixture is thick, but spreadable.

Spread the cheese mixture over 1 side of each slice of bread. Place 2 slices of turkey on top of 6 of the slices of bread. Top sandwiches with the remaining bread slices, cheese mixture side down, pressing gently to adhere.

Heat oil (about 3 TBSP) in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Cook half of the sandwiches until golden brown and heated through, about 4 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining 3 tablespoons of oil and sandwiches. Cut in half or thirds and serve immediately.

Spicy Sausage with Peppers

It's been awhile since I came across a recipe that both my husband and I really loved. Sure, there were recipes we both liked, but nothing recently had wow-ed us. Until I made spicy sausage with peppers.

I went back & forth over whether I should post this recipe. I didn't take a picture, and I like to post pictures of whatever dish I'm blogging about. Finally, my husband convinced me that I should, simply because we enjoyed it so much.

I hope you try it, even without being able to see a picture of it. You'll love it.


Spicy Sausage with Peppers

Inspired by Giada de Laurentiis and Rachael Ray
Serves 3-4
Prep Time - 10 min
Cook Time - about 30 min

INGREDIENTS
4 Hot Italian Sausages
3 TBSP olive oil
1/3 cup chicken broth
3 bell peppers, seeded & sliced (I used red, orange, and yellow)
1 large onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
crushed red peper flakes, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp dried oregano
6 chopped fresh basil leaves
toasted buns*

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on both sides, 8-10 minutes. Add chicken broth to the pan to deglaze and cook for about a minute. Remove sausages from the pan and set aside.

Add the onions, peppers, garlic, salt, & pepper, and cook until onions begin to soften, about 6 minutes.

Return the sausages back to the pan and add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, and red pepper. Reduce heat to low or medium low and cook for about 10 minutes.

Serve sausages with peppers and tomato sauce on toasted buns.

*If you're not a fan of making these into subs, I'm sure this would be delicious over pasta.

Dirty Risotto

At work yesterday, I was thinking about making either Chicken Marsala or an Italian-style Paella for dinner. Then, I got home and remembered I had Italian sausage and pancetta in the fridge and a brand new box of arborio rice in the cupboard that was just dying to be used. So, with input from my husband, I decided to try my hand at Giada's Dirty Risotto.

I've never made risotto before. Well, I've never made it intentionally, that is. That time I sort of accidentally turned basmati rice into risotto doesn't exactly count. Coincidentally, I've also never made or even eaten dirty rice.

This recipe was really easy. I found it a little annoying to need to stand over the stove and stir constantly for about 25 minutes, but that was only a small issue. We both really liked this dish and I will definitely make it again, though probably on a less hot day, or when/if we finally get central air.


Dirty Risotto
Recipe by Giada de Laurentiis, adapted
Serves 4-6
Total Cook & Prep Time - about an hour

INGREDIENTS
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 TBSP butter
2 ounces pancetta, chopped
6 oz Italian turkey sausage
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (I used a mix of red & green)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 TBSP chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer. Cover the broth and keep warm over low heat. I'm not sure this was necessary, as I started with room-temperature broth.

In a large heavy skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the pancetta and sausage and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Add the onion and bell pepper and saute until tender, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the rice and stir to coat.

Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 1 minute.

Add 1/2 cup of simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes.

Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 25 to 30 minutes total. Remove from the heat.

Stir in 3/4 of the Parmesan. Transfer the risotto to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the parsley and remaining Parmesan and serve immediately.

(Non) Eggplant Timbale

I saw Giada make this on Everyday Italian probably about a month ago, and even though I don't like eggplant, I wanted to make it. Well, I wanted to make the filling, that is. It looked like everything I'd want to make on a rainy Friday night. Well, my plan was foiled a bit when I stepped out of my office at 6 p.m. to find blue skies and sunshine instead of the heavy wind and torrential downpour going on when I walked by a window an hour earlier. I decided to make it anyway. I liked it, but I would make some changes the next time I make it. Those will be noted at the bottom. I hope you enjoy it!

Penne Timbale

Recipe by Giada de Laurentiis, originally Eggplant Timbale
Serves 4-6
Cook & Prep Time - about 1 hr

INGREDIENTS
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound penne pasta
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 pound ground beef
1/3 pound Italian sausage
1/4 cup Marsala wine
1 cup frozen peas, thawed (I omitted)
2 cups store-bought marinara sauce
1 1/2 cups diced mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus 1/4 cup
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, warm the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the beef and pork, and brown the meat, breaking it into bite-sized pieces with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Add the Marsala and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the peas and marinara sauce and stir to combine. Add the cheeses, basil, and cooked pasta. Set aside.

Fill a casserole dish with the pasta mixture and bake the timbale about 30 minutes. Let rest on the counter for 5 minutes to set.

* I think I would add ricotta or mascarpone cheese next time. The flavor was good, but it was missing a certain creaminess. I think mixing ricotta or mascarpone cheese with mozzarella would create that needed texture

** This needs a chunkier tomato sauce. I used a smooth marinara and found it to be a bit lacking.

***I'm not sure what the ground beef added, except to dull down the Italian sausage spice. I think I'd try it with just Italian sausage.

Italian Baked Chicken & Pastina

I've been debating with myself whether to post this recipe. It's somewhat similar to the Fusilli alla Caprese I posted a while ago. In the end, I decided it's different enough (and tasty enough) that it warrants it's own blog post. I like it because it's nice and light, but yet comforting.

Photo from FoodNetwork -
Mine was... not so photogenic

Italian Baked Chicken & Pastina

Recipe by Giada de Laurentiis
Serves 4
Total Cook & Prep Time - about 40 min

INGREDIENTS
1 cup dry pastina pasta (or any small pasta) (I used shells)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes) (I used about 1 cup)
1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Chicken Saltimbocca

In order to appreciate this dish fully, it's time for an Italian lesson:

Saltimbocca = jumps in the mouth
Deliziosi = delicious

Yes, Chicken Saltimbocca is delicious. It's full of flavor and... well... it's wonderful. Let's face it - the name is just cute.

Chicken and Lemon Saltimbocca
Recipe by Giada de Laurentiis, adapted slightly
Total prep & cook time - about 20-25 min

INGREDIENTS
4 veal chops, pounded 1/2 to 1/4-inch thick (I used chicken breasts)
4 thin lemon slices
4 sage leaves, plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped (I chopped flat leaf parsley instead of chopped sage)
4 large slices prosciutto
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 (14.5 can) whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/2 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Place the chicken on a work surface and season with salt and pepper. Place a slice of lemon on top of each. Top with 1 leaf of sage. Lay a large piece of prosciutto on each and press to seal. (I used toothpicks)

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the veal chops in the hot oil, lemon side down. Saute until the prosciutto starts to caramelize, about 2 minutes. Turn the veal over and saute for another 2 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove to a platter and set aside.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken broth and reduce by half. Add the tomatoes, cream, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined and hot. Pour the sauce over the veal and top with the remaining 1 teaspoon finely chopped sage (I used parsley). Serve immediately.


I served this with the pasta side I made with Chicken Rollatini. It complimented the dish well.

Pasta alla Caprese

Ah, Capri... isn't it beautiful? Don't you wish you were there right now?


Well, I sure do. Unfortunately, picking up and flying off to the Amalfi Coast really isn't feasible for me. Well, don't worry, this quick little pasta dish will make you feel like you're in Capri, even if you're sitting at your dining room table.


Fusilli alla Caprese
Recipe by Giada de Laurentiis
Serves 4-6
Prep Time - 10 min
Cook Time - 10 min

INGREDIENTS
1 pound fusilli pasta (I used some twisty tubey pasta)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 1 1/2 pints)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)

DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

In a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Toss to combine. Add the basil leaves and mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the pasta is moist (I didn't need any). Serve.

Chicken Cacciatore

I'm not completely sure why "hunter's style" chicken means a chicken sauteed with tomatoes, peppers, and onions, but apparently it does. Regardless, chicken cacciatore is a wonderful, hearty dish that's full of flavor, but still surprisingly light.

Last night I wanted to experiment with a new recipe. I looked around online and and decided to combine a few recipes I thought looked decent. What I came up with ended up being a combination of recipes by Giada de Laurentiis, Rachael Ray, and Tyler Florence (but mostly Giada). A lot of recipes suggest serving the sauce on a bed of pasta, but I prefer to forget the pasta and serve it with some crusty bread or some garlic mashed potatoes. Enjoy!



Chicken Cacciatore
Serves 4
Total Cook & Prep time - 35 min

4-6 pieces bone-in chicken (I like using legs & thighs)
salt & pepper, for seasoning
3 TBSP olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup chicken stock
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup Italian Dressing
1 ½ tsp dried oregano leaves
Handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
Dash red pepper flakes

Season chicken liberally with salt & pepper.

In a medium skillet with high sides, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

To a large pot or dutch oven, add the tomatoes, oregano, garlic, Italian Dressing, chicken stock, and veggies and stir until combined. Bring the chicken back to the pan and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 30 min.

Transfer chicken to a plate and spoon the sauce over the chicken to serve.

*NOTE – this will make enough sauce to freeze about ½ for later use*

Venetian Mac & Cheese

I'm apparently on a Giada kick lately. Can you blame me, though? This macaroni & cheese is so rich & creamy - you'll love it. Don't use substitutes for the milk & cream, though. The texture won't be right if you do.


Venetian Mac & Cheese
From Giada de Laurentiis - Every Day Pasta
Serves 4-6

Butter for pan
12 oz egg noodles, uncooked
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 tsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups shredded Fontina cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 TBSP chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease pan or casserole dish.

Coook noodles to al dente. Drain & set aside.

Whisk cream, milk, flour, salt & pepper in a large bowl. Blend in 1 cup fontina, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/2 cup Mozzarella, and parsley. Add noodles & toss to coat. Blend remaining dry cheeses together.

Transfer to baking dish and cover with the rest of the cheeses.

Bake for about 15 minutes. (This wasn't enough baking time - I think I ended up baking for bout 25).

Let stand 10 min before serving. She's serious about this - the sauce will be very runny when you take it out of the oven, but it will thicken a lot upon standing.

*The original recipe called for peas and pancetta. I omitted them due to preference, but I'm sure they would be a good addition if you liked them*

Chocolate Cupcakes

I've been searching for a rich, dedadent chocolate cake for a while. I like my family cake recipe, but it's not nearly rich enough for my liking. A few weeks ago, I made Giada's Mascarpone Cupcakes with Strawberry Glaze and noticed that the mascarpone cheese made the cake much richer than traditional white cake. So, I decided to try it out with a chocolate cake mix. The results were pretty good. It was richer and better tasting than your average chocolate cake, but still not quite rich enough. Thus, my search continues.


Cupcakes
8 ounces mascarpone cheese (about 1 cup), softened
2 egg whites
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 cup water
Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the muffins tins with paper liners.

In a large bowl combine the mascarpone cheese, egg whites and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, beat the ingredients until combined and creamy. Add the cake mix and water and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Fill the cups to just below the rim and bake until puffed and golden, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly in the tin then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack.

After cooled, frost with chocolate frosting.

Frosting
Recipe from my mom

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Mix together sugars & cream over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, keep boiling and stir for exactly one minute.

Remove from heat, add chocolate chips, and cover. Do not stir yet.

Wait approximately 20 minutes, and then remove lid and stir. Keep uncovered.

Keep stirring at approximately 20-minute intervals until the frosting thickens to your desired consistency (this usually takes about 40 minutes).

Mascarpone Cupcakes with Strawberry Glaze

I've been drooling over this recipe ever since I saw it in Little Ms. Foodie's Blog. I think they might be the best cupcake ever.

Photo from www.foodnetwork.com - isn't it just cute?

Mascarpone Cupcakes with Strawberry Glaze
*Makes 20 cupcakes

8 ounces mascarpone cheese (about 1 cup), softened
2 egg whites
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 box white cake mix
1 cup water
1/3 cup frozen strawberries, thawed and drained (I used raspberry)
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the muffins tins with paper liners.

In a large bowl combine the mascarpone cheese, egg whites and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, beat the ingredients until combined and creamy. Add the cake mix and water and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Fill the mini cups to just below the rim and bake until puffed and golden, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly in the tin then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack.

Meanwhile, puree the strawberries in a blender or small food processor. Place the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Pour in the strawberry puree and whisk until smooth. Top the cooled cupcakes with the strawberry glaze. Let the cupcakes sit for a few minutes for the glaze to firm up, then serve.

Balsamic Wings

I've always liked Giada de Laurentiis's Balsamic Chicken Wings, but I thought they were missing a little something. Then, one night when we were eating them and my husband suggested we try frying the wings to get the skin crunchy. We tried it last night, and man, were they good that way. I can't wait to make them again. We gobbled them up way too quickly to get a picture.

Balsamic Chicken Drumettes
Recipe by Giada de Laurentiis, adapted
*Serves 2-4*
Cook Time - 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS
½ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup honey
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
5 sprigs of rosemary
5 garlic cloves, chopped
10 to 12 chicken drumsticks
Oil for frying

DIRECTIONS
Combine the balsamic, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, rosemary sprigs, and garlic cloves, in a medium pot. Bring the marinade to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook over low heat until thick, about 15 minutes. Reserve. If sauce is too thin, add a cornstarch/water mixture.

Heat oil to 375 degrees F. (We used our deep fryer).

Meanwhile, place chicken wings in a large re-sealable bag. Shake with flour to coat.

Fry drumsticks until cooked through (Should be about 5-10 minutes).

Place chicken wings in pot with the sauce and shake to coat.

Best. Alfredo. Ever.

Ok, that title might be a bit of a stretch. However, tonight I did make what was by far, the best Fetuccini Alfredo I've ever had - either home made or in a restaurant. I can't imagine finding a better one. It even got a "wow" from my only-red-sauce-loving husband. So, thank you, Giada de Laurentiis, for giving me what just might be the most fantastic Fetuccini Alfredo on the planet.

*Picture taken from foodnetwork.com*

Fettuccini Alfredo
From Giada de Laurentiis, modified ever so slightly
*Serves 6-8*

18 ounces fresh fettuccine
2 1/2 cups heavy cream (fat-free half & half worked fine, just was a TINY bit thin)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups (generous) grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. Drain.

Stir the cream and the lemon juice in a heavy large skillet to blend. Add the butter and garlic and cook over medium heat just until the butter melts, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Add the pasta and toss. Add the Parmesan to the cream sauce in the skillet. Add the salt, and white pepper. Toss the pasta mixture over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute.

If sauce is too thin, add a cornstarch/water mixture.

Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.