Grilled Steak & Veggie Pesto Pasta

This was a fun & yummy recipe. I created shish kabobs for my hubby to grill... as he grilled them, I prepped the pesto & the pasta... Then we merged our separate pieces together & had a delish dinner!

<3 Lishie

Grilled Steak & Veggie Pesto Pasta

• 1 lb chuck eye steak, cubed into 2" pieces
• 1 large onion, diced into 1-2" pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, diced into 1-2" pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, diced into 1-2" pieces
• S & P
• 1 bag of noodles
• 1/4 C pesto (I made fresh)

BBQ skewers- soaked in water for 30 minutes prior to grilling

Create bbq shish kebobs placing 
steak/onion/pepper/zucchini. 
Again, steak/onion/pepper/zucchini...
Sprinkle well w/ S & P... Grill... till the meat is cooked well, turning the kabobs... about 8 minutes on each side.

While the kebobs are cooking... cook the noodles. When kebobs are finished, take steak & veg off of the skewers & toss steak, veg, pesto & pasta together. Serve w/ fresh shredded parmesan.

Lemon Basil Pesto over Cavatappi & Broccoli

The last days of summer are simmering down up here but it is still deliciously warm outside... And we are still reaping the benefits of our garden as well as Jersey's best produce. We are the Garden State!!! Along with the gorgeous basil from our garden (pop-in-law's green thumb!) we have delicious farmer's market lemons... And for our side salad, a gigantic cucumber from Aunt-in-law's garden! (the green thumb runneth in that family!!! Her eggplants were humongous too! YUM! And fresh, Jershey tomatoes from pop-in-law's (our) garden. 

While hubby grilled some chicken outside, I made this easy, cool & refreshing pasta that can be served hot, warm, room temp OR cold! DeLish.

<3 Lishie

Lemon Basil Pesto over Cavatappi & Broccoli

• 1/3 c  pine nuts
• 2 c  fresh basil leaves
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled 
• S & P
• 1/2 c grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1/2c  good, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 lemon, zest & juice
• 1 lb Cavatappi pasta
• 1 head of broccoli florets

Toss the first 5 ingredients into the food processor. Process! As the ingredients combine... drizzle in the olive oil. It is done when it is the consistency you prefer... Scoop it out & fold in the lemon zest & juice.

Meanwhile cook the pasta al dente... The last 2 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli into the boiling pot with the pasta. Drain all & combine with the pesto & serve. ENJOY!

Pesto Pasta & Spinach

Another yummy meal from the fresh basil in our yard. The plant, thanks to my pop-in-law, is humongous. This is easy, quick & most importantly, a cool meal that can be served hot, at room temperature or cool/cold in the summer!
<3 Lishie

Pesto Pasta & Spinach

• 1/3 c  pine nuts
• 2 c  fresh basil leaves
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled 
• S & P
• 1/2 c grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1/2c  good, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 lb pasta (favorite shape)
• 14 oz fresh, baby spinach, washed

Toss the first 5 ingredients into the food processor. Process! As the ingredients combine... drizzle in the olive oil. Sauce is done when it is the consistency you prefer!

Meanwhile cook the pasta al dente... The last 2 minutes of cooking, add the spinach into the boiling pot with the pasta. Drain all & combine with the pesto & serve. ENJOY!

Pesto-topped Flounder & Green Beans Packets

This meal was so tasty, quick, easy, refreshing & healthy! I enjoyed it so much. With the bountiful amounts of fresh basil blessing our garden (thanks Pop-in-law), this was a natural choice. If you are looking for a fish dish, try this. If you do not want to turn on the oven, fine, throw the packets off-heat onto the grill!!!!  OMGoodness... Delish.
<3 Lishie

Pesto-topped Flounder & Green Beans Packets

• fresh green beans, cleaned/ends clipped
• 2 oz fresh flounder, 1/2" thick
• 2-4 slices lemon + lemon juice
• 1/4 c basil pesto
• pinch black pepper

Place a handful of green beans 12" square of heavy foil, sprayed with a little cooking oil. Lay one fillet onto the green beans.

Squirt the fillet with lemon juice, spread evenly with the pesto, pinch with pepper & place 1-2 lemon slices on top. Bring together two opposite edges of foil & seal with a double fold. Fold remaining ends to completely enclose food, allowing space for steam to build. Place foil packets on a  baking pan.

Bake @ 400 degree F about 15 minutes or until fish begins to flake when tested with a fork. Open packets carefully to allow steam to escape. Transfer packet contents to plates.

French Bread Pizza

Sometimes, the simplest things can be the very best.

<3 Lishie

French Bread Pizza 

• 2 loaves of French Bread (can be a day old!)  
• 2 cups marinara 
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella 
• fresh basil, torn 
• toppings (optional~ hubby wanted bacon!)

the "Before"

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prep a pizza stone or line a baking sheet with lightly greased aluminum foil.

 

Slice the bread loaves in half length-wise & place on the prepped cooking sheet. Scoop out some of the softer bread inside to make room for the toppings. Ladle, directly in the middle, equal amounts of sauce on each slice.Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella generously over all four slices. Add the basil & any favorite toppings.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is yummily melted. Enjoy!

Sunday Dinner

Is there something that you always make & always look forward to eating as a family? Something that you will never tire of having? We have a few “somethings” like this but I have to say, nothing else exists that comes close to a huge pot of sauce & homemade meatballs.  This is other-wise known as “Sunday Dinner”. And yes, I am Irish. Ha! But my hubby is Italian. His mom makes the most delicious sauce…  & when we have hers, well she adds in sausage & braciole (A thin slice of meat, usually wrapped around a stuffing & cooked in its own juices). Well, for this Irish-woman, I have to say, I make a prêt-tee GOOD sauce!!! And my meatballs… Heavenly spheres on a plate…

I changed my meatballs up a bit this Sunday. Oh they were the same, huge size… But I made them caprese-style… Just add pasta & good, crusty bread. Oh we love a dab of cold ricotta on the side too!

What is your Sunday tradition?

<3 Lishie

Caprese Meatballs

• 1lb. ground beef (80%)
• 1/2 c bread crumbs
• 1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c shredded mozzarella
• 1 clove minced garlic (I microplane it)
• 2 TBSp fresh Basil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c AP Flour, for dipping/dredging
• 2-3 TBSp olive oil *add more between batches if needed

Place the ground beef in a large bowl. Add the next 6 ingredients onto the top of the beef, ending with the egg. Using your hands, gently fold all of the ingredients into the beef, combining them but not overly mixing them. Shape into 8 good sized round mounds.

In a saute pan, heat the oil on medium-high.

One batch of raw meatballs.

On a separate plate, place the flour for dipping. Using tongs, dip each meatball into the flour, gently tapping off the excess (flour). Place into the heated pan, 4 meatballs only in the pan at a time. Now watch the meatballs carefully- do not let them brown too much or burn... roll each around to make sure they equally brown on all sides. This technique "seals" the meatballs together, keeps them intact once they hit the sauce & allows for a delicious, juicy interior!

After the first 4 meatballs are "sealed", add them into the simmering sauce, covering them in it. Then repeat with the last 4 meatballs. Once all 8 meatballs are in the sauce simmering away, stir. Then allow your sauce to simmer for a minimum of 3 hours!!! Stirring every 15 minutes if the stock pan is on the stove. If in the crock-pot, leave be & stir at the very end. I allowed this evening's to simmer for 8 hours.

Go here for the Sauce recipe.

Homemade Mushroom, Arugula, & Ricotta Ravioli with Garlic Basil Olive Oil

Why. Whoa is me. Why oh why did I think, the first day coming off of a flu that I should make homemade Mushroom, Spinach, and ravioli? I mean seriously folks. Sometimes, I absolutely know that I’ve lost my mind. This was one of them.

But I digress. I know this wonderful blogger, Sarah from A Taste of Home Cooking who takes the time to organize fun bi-weekly recipe swaps. It’s a lot of work as I’ve hosted a couple so I am extremely appreciative. The category this time? Pasta. I submitted my Penne & Arugula in a Tomato Cream Sauce & got this delicious recipe from Melissa @Fried Ice & Donut Holes: Homemade Mushroom, Spinach, & Ricotta Ravioli with Rosemary Olive Oil. I read the title & knew my hubby would love the filling. He loves, loves, loves shrooms.

Here we are back to my story. So I am all excited to make these. At first, because of time, I have reservations in the supermarket. Should I buy wonton wrappers, pre-made, to make these? Then decide no. Melissa does say that these are easy. I bet they are when the kitchen isn’t post-flu cyclone with a runny-nose toddler craving mommy attention! LOL. Well, I threw my best pasta mound forward (thank you Mario Batali for teaching me the volcano/center crater for water/ pasta-making action! And thank goodness for my quartz countertops that make prep & cleanup easy!

Glad the countertops were so easy to clean because when I looked in the mirror, I looked like a “The Who” t-shirt/jeans wearing geisha with all of the flour on me. Then I noticed my tot had it on him too. OK. Well, besides the flour I made the rolled-out pasta too thick. & ugly. I knew it was too thick when hubby took a bite… I waited & he said, “No, it’s good. Kind of like pierogi.” HA HA. Ravioli like pierogi? This is bad. Though he enjoyed them but would prefer “sauce” over the olive oil which I had already adapted for HIM from Melissa’s rosemary-infused to basil-infused (I would have liked the rosemary, lol).

All in all a good, homemade pasta dinner that only took me… wait for it… an hour to make! Yes, I am fast. I would use the filling again (also would be great for a stuffed mushroom appy!) but I would buy pre-made ravioli wrappers. Buitoni has them! I am a scratch-made girl but some things I like getting from the experts. Pasta being one, yeast-made bread the other.

Thank you Melissa for a fun & delicious recipe! And thanks, Sarah for the swap.

Homemade Mushroom, Arugula, & Ricotta Ravioli with Garlic Basil Olive Oil

Slightly adapted from Fried Ice & Donut Holes

For the Dough:

• 3 Eggs
• 1 1/2 c Flour
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• Water

(I have to say, I am printing Melissa’s instructions below BUT I used Mario Batali’s Method ):

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs.  Then, stir in the flour & salt.  Add water as needed, until a soft dough is formed.  *Be careful not to add too much water here. Knead the dough several times, then separate it into two large pieces.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the dough into a very thin rectangle.  Spoon your filling by the teaspoonful at 1 1/2 inch intervals on top of the piece of rolled out dough.  Moisten your fingers with a little bit of water & wet the dough slightly around the circle of filling, to help the dough stick together when you top it.  Take the second piece of dough, roll it out into another very thin rectangle &carefully drape it over the top of the filling.  Slice the dough into individual raviolis, securing the edges with a gentle press.  At this step, the ravioli can be frozen or cooked immediately.  To cook, bring a pot of water to a boil.  Gently slide the ravioli one by one into the boiling water and cook for 6-8 minutes.  Serve immediately.

For the Filling:

• 1 TBSp Olive Oil
• 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
• 1 package (8 ounces) Mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 package (6 ounces) Baby Arugula, finely chopped
• 1 c Ricotta Cheese
• 1/4 c Parmesan, grated
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• Ground Pepper, to taste

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil &cook the garlic for about one minute.  Add the mushrooms & arugula, & cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat & pour into a medium bowl.Stir in the ricotta, parmesan, salt, & pepper.

Using the same sauté pan:

For the Basil Olive Oil:

• Few pinches dried basil
• 3-5 Garlic Cloves, crushed (I used 3)
• 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/2 c Olive Oil

On low, heat the oil. Add in the basil, garlic, & pepper & on low heat, allow the flavors to meld for a few minutes.

Drizzle over freshly cooked ravioli in place of sauce.

Sweet Potato Ravioli with Brown Butter

 I love wonton wrappers. They are so versatile, from dumplings to spring rolls to wonton soup... to dessert. It's fresh pasta ready for you to whip up something good... And oh.my.goodness these were delicious. So dainty & so filling. A teensy bit time consuming but once you get into a rhythm of creating the ravs, it is done in a flash! YUM.

Sweet potatoes & Fall... a great pairing!

Sweet Potato Ravioli with Basil Brown Butter

• 1-2 large sweet potatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 TBSp fresh basil, chiffonade
• 24 wonton wrappers
• S & P
• 3 tablespoons butter

Decide how you want to make the sweet potatoes- bake, microwave, boil or steam?:

~If baking, wash the skins, then wrap in aluminum foil. Bake at 400 degrees until soft inside. If microwaving, poke holes in the potato with a fork, then place microwave on baked potato setting. Both ways, after cooked, scoop out the cooked potato from the skins into a bowl.

~If boiling or steaming, clean & peel the potatoes & chop into even 2" pieces. Add salt to the water if boiling & cook till soft enough that a butter knife slips out. Steam for the safe amount of time. Mash the cooked potato in a bowl with a fork or masher.

Add the cinnamon, nutmeg & basil to the potato mash. Combine with a fork.

Take two wonton wrappers... Place one down & add a tablespoon of potato mixture. Dip your finger in water & using that finger, trace around the tablespoonful of potato on the wonton. Place a second wonton wrapper on top & gently seal by pressing your finger all along the outside. Continue to make all of the ravioli this way.

Meanwhile, set a roomy post of 6 quarts of water to boil. Once water is boiling add ravioli to the pot for 2 minutes each wrapper, adding & taking them out with a slotted spoon or "spider".

In a separate sauce pan, on medium-low, heat the butter gently until it turns a golden brown. Do not allow to burn! 

Pour butter over cooked ravioli. Garnish with basil leaves. 

Enjoy!

<3 Lishie

PS- STAY TUNED FOR A GIVEAWAY TOMORROW!!!

Spinach~Cheese Tortellini with Basil~Balsamic~Brown Butter

The heat wave continues in the northeast. That, combined with an abundance of fresh, in~our~garden~grown basil & plans to see the free band at the local park tonight, all conspired to come up with this meal. It's quick, on the stove top, easy & delicious!


I got home from work, cooked this up & we were out the door in no time. The night was beautiful- a cool breeze flowed from the water as we listened to the R&B band. My toddler had some playground time & dancing time. We had Mr. Softee for al fresco dessert. 


Life can be simple. Simply beautiful.


The pictures do not show the sauce very well but yummmmm... it's tasty. No matter how hot these summer days are, you will not hear me complaining. I love the summer. I especially love summer's bounty from the garden. It helps elevate the convenient, store-bought, refrigerator fresh pasta to something special.  

<3 Lishie

Spinach~Cheese Tortellini with Basil~Balsamic~Brown Butter 

• 1 Package of fresh, refrigerated, store-bought Spinach Tortellini (I use Buitoni)
• 6 TBSp unsalted Butter
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Pepper
• *small handful fresh Basil leaves
• 1-2 TBSp Balsamic Vinegar
• grated Parmesan Cheese to top

Prepare the tortellini according to the package instructions.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat until it begins to brown. Add in the basil leaves. Cook for a minute more. Turn off the heat & allow it to cool for a moment. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, s & p.

Pour the buttery sauce over the tortellini & top with fresh, grated parmesan cheese. ENJOY!

Spinach Basil Pesto Sauce~ on Pasta

As I have stated before, we are a family that thrives on freshness... on homemade dinner cooked with ingredients fresh from the garden or the farm. Then there's something truly special about dinner. For me, it's not a sacrifice to cook from scratch; it's only one if I don't. So I meal plan on Sunday & shop but sometimes, not everything works exactly that way. This week was more impromptu & because of that, I have a beautiful package of fresh, baby spinach that was beginning to wither. The best thing to do? Use it.

Here's a from-scratch recipe that takes at most 10 minutes but is nutritious & absolutely delicious (& saved my baby spinach):

Spinach Basil Pesto Sauce

• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 7 oz, fresh, baby spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 clove garlic, peeled 
• Kosher Salt & pepper
• 3 tablespoon grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1/2 cup good, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Toss all of the ingredients sans the olive oil into the food processor. Process! As the ingredients combine... drizzle in the olive oil. Sauce is done when it is the consistency you prefer! 

*Lishie tips~ Get all of the ingredients together (& washed) first. Then begin. 

Bright green goodness!

While you are making the pesto, place a pot of water on to boil. Make your favorite pasta to go along with the pesto. YUM. 

The best thing about this recipe? Can't say because 1) It's easy 2) It's quick 3) It's relatively inexpensive 4) It's delicious 5) It's nutritious ~ Lots of green! 6) It can be eaten hot or cold & 7) It's great for BBQs & outside since there's no mayo! And the garlic keeps it fresh.  8) Oh, did I also mention it's fine to make ahead & it stays fresh refrigerated?

Chicken Bruschetta

I made a favorite in our house last night... Chicken Bruschetta. I don't know about you, but I get ideas everywhere for things to make & this one just happened to be a craze on a board I frequent. It's a  on Kraft's Bruschetta Chicken Bake. Thing is, I like to cook with fresh ingredients especially when they are plentiful! So this is my take on it. It's very versatile & I'll give you switch-up ideas after the recipe! This is yummy so make it!!!

Chicken Bruschetta

• 1 medium to large Tomato, diced small
• 2 cups of Croutons (made fresh from crusty, stale bread or you can use store bought or a stuffing bag)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated or shredded
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
• 1 TBSp fresh Parsley, chopped
• Bunch of fresh Basil... 2 TBSp chiffonade & some whole leaves to top
• 1 cup Water
• 1-2 lbs. boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
• Slices of fresh Mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
"Grease" an oven baking dish with cooking spray.


In a medium bowl, combine the diced tomato, croutons, parmesan, garlic, parsley, 2 TBSp of basil, & water. Spoon into the baking dish. Place the chicken on top of the crouton mixture. Top with thin slices of fresh mozzarella & full basil leaves.


Bake for 55-60 minutes, until the chicken is well done. 

Enjoy!

*Lishie tips- You can use provolone or asiago cheese... Flavored croutons... Add roasted red peppers or mushrooms or artichokes to the mix. YUM

Caprese Pasta Salad

 Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone! This weekend is the unofficial start of summer... the weekend to reflect upon our military & a time to gather with friends & family. I always bake dessert (Fresh Peach Cake this time) but I also like to make a non-fussy, easy side. Don't be worried though- it is delicious! And it is very outdoor, BBQ friendly, since it contains no mayo.

I love the freshness of the Caprese Salad. Add pasta & it just may be the perfect meal. Caprese's  traditional components are: tomatoes, basil & mozzarella, the colors of the Italian flag. This may seem funny- preparing an Italian dish for Memorial Day, but, why not? While my little family was at Liberty State Park yesterday, we gazed out at Ellis Island & the Statue of Liberty... Ellis Island where my hubby's Italian family & part of my family came through... And isn't that what the U. S. A. is about?

Have a great weekend all, with your loved ones. God Bless our men & the women in the Military!

Caprese Pasta Salad

• 1 lb. Pasta, I use bowtie
• 3-4 TBSp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• Pinch of Kosher Salt
• 1 pint grape Tomatoes
• 8 oz. Fresh Mozzarella
• 2-3 TBSp fresh Basil

Cook the pasta to box directions. Drain, add in the olive oil, garlic powder, & salt. Set aside- allow the pasta to cool to room temperature.


Slice the grape tomatoes in half & add the halves to the pasta. Cut the mozzarella into bite-sized pieces & add it to the pasta.  Lastly, chiffonade the basil, &, add it into the pasta. Toss everything together so that it is very coated with the oil.


Serve at room temperature or cold. Enjoy!

I love fresh mozzarella in almost everything, including lasagna but especially in cold salads. And you can use minced garlic but I think the powdered form is better since this is a lighter, cooler pasta.

* Lishie Tip- Chiffonade the basil at the very last moment, that will maintain it's "green-ness" & freshness. Mine was picked moments before in my Father-in-Law's garden. The aroma was intoxicating!

I often add ingredients to this recipe as well... sliced, roasted red peppers, quartered artichoke hearts, Sauteed Mushrooms to name a few... YUM!

Recipe Swap! Chicken Cacciatore

Yummy, Rustic goodness!

This week's theme for the recipe swap was: Chicken. Everybody loves chicken & always want a variety so I was happy! I got Laurie's (LaurMS15) choice of Giada de Laurentiis' Chicken Cacciatore.

Laurie says, "Stole this recipe from my mom who adapted Giada's recipe to be her own. It's Chicken Cacciatore." & to serve with bread, a salad or rice or pasta.

The funny thing is, Giada's recipe is very similar to my own (I usually throw in mushrooms & green bell peppers too). I hadn't made it in a while so I was very happy to! Because I was cooking it on a week night & bone-in takes much longer, I used 2 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Normally, I'd use chicken pieces, bone in & I'd make it on the weekend or in the crock-pot. I also omitted the capers because they are just too salty for our tastes. And with most recipes, there's some give & take with my health issues. So tomato & wine are both acidic, too much so for me combined... In order to get the a nice taste of both, I went with all of the 3/4 c wine but only a 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes with their juice & compensated with an extra cup of chicken broth (total- 1 & 3/4 cups). One last addition- about 2 TBSp of fresh, chopped parsley...

I really do chop the veg very rustic for this, in big pieces. We love our cacciatore served on egg noodles. A delicious, forgotten meal! It is very filling & comforting. And not too bad for a work, weeknight with my changes- It took me in total, an hour from prep to finish. Thank you, Laurie!

*Lishie tip- Add the basil at the very end as cooking usually destroys the flavor.

*Lishie facts- Cacciatore means hunter in Italian- Chicken Cacciatore is a meal prepared hunter-style. 

BTW- I supplied my Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce. YUM!

Roasted Red Pepper & Mozzarella Panini

My hubby prefers his sandwiches with out eggplant, plainer... This is delicious too:

Roasted Red Pepper & Mozzarella Panini

• Italian Sub Rolls or full Italian Bread, sliced into sandwich sizes
• 1 Jar of Roasted, Sweet Red Peppers or 1 Fresh Red Pepper, Roasted
• Fresh Mozzarella, sliced
• Fresh Basil
• Approximately 2-3 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Approximately 2-3 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

Assemblage:
Put it all together- Bread, peppers, mozzarella slices, basil leaves (I leave them whole) & finally the splashes of extra virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar. 

Close the assembled sandwich & cook it either on a panini maker OR on a grill pan with a weight up on the sandwich (another pan or heavy plate) until the mozzarella is melted. 

"Graceland" Eggplant Panini

Oozing, cheesy goodness!

Today was Book Club Sunday which means lovely ladies, wonderful conversation & a meetup at the local diner. I ALWAYS seem to get breakfast & the same thing for these days. Curious enough though, when I get diner at other times, I crave what is listed on the menu as the "Graceland" sandwich. I don't know why it's called that as it has nothing to do with peanut butter & bananas grilled (Elvis' purportedly favorite sandwich) at all. It's actually grilled- coated eggplant, roasted red peppers & mozzarella & it comes "drippingly" greasy &  delicious with a side of fries. YUM. So since I get breakfast for book club, I thought why not recreate the Graceland at home, for dinner?

Mine begins with the eggplant: 

Eggplant Panini

• 1 Eggplant
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1/2 cup Bread crumbs
• Approximately 3 TBSp Olive Oil
• Italian Sub Rolls or full Italian Bread, sliced into sandwich sizes
• 1 Jar of Roasted, Sweet Red Peppers or 1 Fresh Red Pepper, Roasted
• Fresh Mozzarella, sliced
• Fresh Basil
• Approximately 2-3 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Approximately 2-3 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

Clean, peel, & slice the eggplant length-wise. Set up a mis en place: Whisked egg in one shallow bowl, Bread Crumbs in another. Heat the 3 TBSp Olive Oil in a saute pan on medium-high heat. Dip the eggplant slice first in the egg then coat the slices with bread crumbs & place in the saute pan. Cook until it is golden, about 2-3 minutes each side. Allow to cool on a paper towel lined plate.
After the eggplant is bread & cooked, assemble the sandwiches... Bread, eggplant, peppers, mozzarella slices, basil leaves (I leave them whole) & finally the splashes of extra virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar. 
Close the assembled sandwich & cook it either on a panini maker OR on a grill pan with a weight on the sandwich (another pan or heavy plate) until the mozzarella is melted. 


It is DELISH.

Here is the diner's Graceland:

Photo Courtesy of Stacey :)

*Lishie tip- "Panini" simply means "pressed" in the U.S. but in Italy, it means a sandwich customarily made out of a small loaf of bread, pane.


BTW, the month's Book Club read, which I highly recommend, was:
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a fascinating story. It's non-fiction & 3/4 of the way through, I got slightly bored with the scientific part (although, written for the layman, me, to understand & it was indeed comprehendible). I wanted more of Deborah than of the actual HeLa cell history but am in awe of what the Lacks family went through. It terrifies me how little we've seemingly come from the '50s too, in many aspects, when Henrietta's cells were taken from her. Makes me wonder what my doctor does with my "bewildering" crohns saga & records.


View all my reviews

Mama Lishie's Meatballs!

I love making my meatballs & I love serving them to company even more. And it's not just meatballs, the sauce & pasta play as background for the juicy, large, round packages of yumminess. I always make them the same way- a bit of frying then simmering for hours in my homemade sauce. I suspect I learned this method from my Italian step-grandmother. Although she always made her sauce from fresh-picked-from-her-Florida-garden tomatoes. I use either a large stock-pot or my 6-Quart, stove-top safe, Crock-pot. So my sauce & meatballs go hand in hand. I suppose you could finish up the meatballs in the oven but why on earth would you want to when you could have the meatball-flavored sauce too?!?!

So my meatball recipe begins with the sauce...

Sauce:

• 2 TBSp Olive Oil*
• 1 Onion, diced
• 1-2 cloves of Garlic, minced
• 2 TBSp Tomato Paste
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• S & P
• 1 bay leaf (be sure to remove at the end of cooking/simmering)
• **87 oz. tomato sauce (3 large cans)
• 1 TBSp sugar

Heat olive oil on medium & add the onions. Saute until they are translucent but not browned. Add in the garlic for a moment, stir. Incorporate the tomato paste into the onion garlic mixture & cook for another minute. Add in the basil & oregano, stir. Change the burner heat to low. Add in the bay leaf & tomato sauce... Stir in the sugar. Allow sauce to simmer on low while you prep the meatballs...


Meatballs:

• 1- 1 & 1/2 lbs. ground beef (80%)
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 clove minced garlic (I microplane it)
• 2 TBSp fresh Parsley
• 1 tsp dried basil or 1 TBSp fresh basil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup AP Flour
• 2-3 TBSp olive oil *see tips

Place the ground beef in a large bowl. add the next 6 ingredients onto the top of the beef, ending with the egg. Using your hands, gently fold all of the ingredients into the beef, combining them but not overly mixing them. Shape into 8 good sized round mounds.


In a saute pan, heat the oil on medium-high.


On a separate plate, place the flour for dipping. Using tongs, dip each meatball into the flour, gently tapping off the excess (flour). Place into the heated pan, 4 meatballs only in the pan at a time. Now watch the meatballs carefully- do not let them brown too much or burn... roll each around to make sure they equally brown on all sides. This technique "seals" the meatballs together, keeps them intact once they hit the sauce & allows for a delicious, juicy interior!


After the first 4 meatballs are "sealed", add them into the simmering sauce, covering them in it. Then repeat with the last 4 meatballs. Once all 8 meatballs are in the sauce simmering away, stir. Then allow your sauce to simmer for a minimum of 3 hours!!! Stirring every 15 minutes if the stock pan is on the stove. If in the crock-pot, leave be & stir at the very end. I allowed this evening's to simmer for 8 hours.

What they should look like "sealed".

Now that's a meatball!

Saucy, meatball-y goodness!

These meatballs (& sauce) are so very worth the time & effort- they are delicious. And do I really have to say it?! OK, I will... Serve with your favorite pasta :) Or as a Meatball Sub. YUM.

We chose yummy large shells tonight!

*Lishie tip- **87 oz. tomato sauce (3 large cans):
Here it depends on the thickness you prefer. As the sauce simmers, it thickens from the added tomato paste. But if you prefer thicker sauce, use either pureed tomato or whole tomato, you can puree yourself. I prefer sauce or a combination (puree, with more sauce than puree).

*This is not a recipe I'd substitute ground turkey or chicken!!! I use 100% Angus beef.
Also, I use two different olive oils. For the sauce, regular olive oil. For the meatballs, I use Carapelli Extra Light Olive Oil for Sauteing & Baking. It doesn't burn as fast!

Baked Ziti, an old favorite

I love to make, & eat, baked ziti. It's so easy especially when you have a stockpile of homemade sauce. Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent means a meatless day for my family & ziti is extremely filling. Serve it with crusty Italian bread or garlic bread (we actually LOVE Texas Toast ;) ).

Cheesy, bubbly goodness!

Baked Ziti

• 1 lb. (16 oz.) ziti or ziti rigati
• 3+ cups Marinara Sauce
• 15 oz. Ricotta Cheese
• 2 cups shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh Basil, chiffonade
• S & P
• 2 TBSp grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 13x9" baking pan.

Cook pasta very al dente ("to the tooth", firm but not hard. it still has more time to cook in the oven!). Drain. In a large bowl, mix in a tiny bit of the sauce & set aside.

In a separate bowl, stir together remaining sauce, ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella, basil (save some herb strips as toppers), S & P. Fold the sauce mixture completely into the pasta.

Poor into the greased baking pan. Top with remaining cup of shredded mozzarella, parmesan cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly & browned. 

Serve topped with some fresh basil.
Enjoy!


*Lishie tip- Don't overcook the pasta when prepping/boiling it. It's the difference between a good ziti & a mushy ziti!

*Lishie facts- Chiffonade means to cut into long, thin, ribbony strips. Stack the basil leaves on top of each other to form one, uniform pile. "Roll" the stack of leaves, then slice the rolled leaves into strips.