Tag: Breadcrumbs

Sicilian Braciole

The weather hasn’t quite turned cooler yet, but I am already starting to shift into more comfort food type cooking. Every Sunday is pasta night in my house, so this past Sunday, I decided to make something a bit more special than my usual Spaghetti and Meatballs. This recipe for Sicilian Braciole is very loosely based on the Braciole my mother-in-law makes.

I’ve made Braciole in the past, but the addition of pine nuts and raisins is what makes this recipe specifically Sicilian Braciole. The pine nuts become nice and soft in the sauce, and the raisins appear to almost melt away, adding just a touch of sweetness to balance the dish.

This recipe takes a good 5 hours to make, so plan accordingly!

Ingredients:

Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium white onion, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup dry red or white wine
  • 4 (12.5 oz) cans stewed tomatoes
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Sicilian Braciole:

  • 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup dry red or white wine
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
  • 1/2 cup olive oil; divided
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 pounds braciole meat (at my butcher, they were referred to as beef roll ups)

Other:

  • 1 (16 oz) box spaghetti, cooked al dente
  • fresh basil, chopped, for garnish

Continue reading Sicilian Braciole

Irish Plum Pudding

In the 11 years I’ve been writing posts for this blog, I have never posted on Christmas Day!

This year, I decided to finally rectify that and bring a recipe for a Christmas Pudding. Plum Pudding is quite a misnomer (at least to us Americans) – it does not include any plums, and pudding is actually a cake, not a custard-like substance. The method of cooking the plum pudding was new to me too; you actually steam it on your stovetop rather than bake it!

This recipe for Irish Plum Pudding is adapted from a cookbook I have owned for a while (Christmas Flavors of Ireland– paid link), although, I have to admit, I think I royally Americanized the recipe into something different. So, here’s my American Not-Plum Bundt Cake!

Note: You’ll need a 6 cup bundt pan (paid link), and a pot large enough to fit the bundt pan inside (I used a large pot I use to make tomato sauce).

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup golden raisins
  • 1/4 cup dried figs, chopped
  • 1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
  • 1/4 cup candied cherries (paid link), halved
  • 2 tablespoons candied orange peel, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons candied lemon peel, chopped
  • 1/3 cup spiced rum
  • the juice and zest of 1 orange
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup stem ginger (paid link), finely chopped
  • 1 apple, peeled, cored, and grated
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Optional Bourbon Butter, for serving:

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon

Continue reading Irish Plum Pudding

Smoky Bacon Topped Mac and Cheese

Note: I was sent samples of Bear Mountain BBQ Wood Pellets in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

I’m going to keep the yummy smoked recipes going because, well, I can! This recipe for Smoky Bacon Topped Mac and Cheese would be a perfect make ahead dish to bring to your next barbecue.

The Bacon highlights the smoky flavor, but if you want to keep it vegetarian, just omit it!

This recipe is basically my Homemade Mac and Cheese recipe with a few adjustments to make it ready for some smoker action!

Ingredients:

  • 1 to 2 cups pellets, like Bear Mountain BBQ’s Gourmet BBQ Pellets
  • 1/2 an onion, chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 3/4 cups 2% milk
  • 1 box uncooked elbow macaroni
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 4 ounces shredded gouda cheese
  • 1/2 lb bacon, cooked
  • Panko breadcrumbs
  • Grated fresh Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh parsley, chopped

Continue reading Smoky Bacon Topped Mac and Cheese

Baked Stuffed Artichokes

Note: I received a box of produce from Misfits Market in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

I really like stuffed artichokes, but the idea of making them has always kind of intimidated me. I finally got up the courage to try them out when I received a box from Misfits Market with four lovely artichokes inside.

If you’ve never heard of Misfits Market, it was born from a mission to bring delicious, fresh, and affordable misfit produce to people everywhere and reduce food waste at a scale that creates positive and lasting impact.

Every box of Misfits produce benefits farmers, helps prevent food waste, and ultimately helps save the environment. Misfits is Philadelphia and New Jersey based but is rapidly expanding. The company rescues produce from regional farms and distributes it throughout the Northeast in three business days or less.

Misfits Market has two sizes of boxes: the Mischief and the Madness with a variety of fruits and veggies in each one. You can learn more about them here.

You’ll see more posts from me showing how I used my box, but let’s get back to the artichokes! My mother-in-law makes a batch of stuffed artichokes around Christmas and I am always amazed with the amount of work they can take! So this version for Baked Stuffed Artichokes is a bit of a cheat. Cutting them in half and baking them takes some of the “stuffing” work out, but not all of it.

Ingredients:

  • 4 artichokes
  • 3 lemons, juiced
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, plus more to taste
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Baked Stuffed Artichokes

Speck and Anchovy Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs

Note: I was sent a sample of Speck Alto Adige PGI in order to write this post. All opinions are mine alone. #sponsored

During the winter, I cannot get enough comfort food recipes. To me, Italian food is the ultimate comfort food — usually quite simple to make, with a few high quality ingredients that make the meal good enough to share with company. 

I wanted to highlight an ingredient that you may not have heard about before: Speck Alto Adige PGI. From the Alto Adige region of Italy, Speck Alto Adige PGI is ham that has been air cured and lightly smoked. It can be used in recipes that call for bacon or prosciutto, and add a nice smoky, herby flavor to the dish. When buying, look for the PGI certification. The PGI certification of Speck Alto Adige means “protected geographical indication” and ensures that you are buying an authentic product made in its area of origin under strict guidelines. 

To highlight the uncommon but delicious flavor of Speck Alto Adige PGI, I decided to make a speck and anchovy pasta topped with garlic breadcrumbs.

This recipe for Speck and Anchovy Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs is based off an Epicurious recipe and delivers great flavor without a lot of effort. It just so happens to mostly use ingredients that I tend to have around my house, so that was a nice perk too!

Ingredients:

  • 8 garlic cloves, divided
  • 2 cups of day old bread, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • the zest of 1 lemon
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 half cup olive oil, divided
  • 4 oz cubed speck
  • 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • the juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 (16 oz) box linguine
  • 2 oz freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Continue reading Speck and Anchovy Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs

Linguine and Clams

I’m sure this happens to everyone: you go out and buy ingredients for a specific recipe, but then are left with “extras” from that recipe. Normally, it’s not a big deal and you can just incorporate it easily into another recipe. But when I went to make Sheet Pan Paella recently, my supermarket was only selling 50 packs of clams. That’s a lot of clams!

To use them up, I decided to make Linguine and Clams, but used what I had on hand to make it work. So, technically, I made spaghetti and clams. And it tasted just as good. 🙂

I love the relative simplicity of this dish. It also reminds me of my grandpa; linguine and clams were his favorite. So I was surprised that I hadn’t posted a recipe for Linguine and Clams on my blog yet. Time to fix that!

I adapted this version of Linguine and Clams from Bon Appetit.

Ingredients:

  • 1 heaping tablespoon salt
  • 12 garlic cloves, divided
  • 4 oz day old bread, cut into smaller pieces (I used half of a sandwich roll)
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil
  • the zest of one lemon
  • 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 2 dozen clams, scrubbed
  • 1 (16 oz) box linguine (or spaghetti)
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley (I randomly had curly parsley on hand. Flat works too)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Continue reading Linguine and Clams

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

 Note: This post is sponsored by Moyer Beef. All opinions are mine alone.

Sunday night in my house is pasta night, which almost always means pasta with a meaty tomato sauce. I tend to make Meatballs in Tomato Sauce in batches about once a month and freeze it for future Sundays.

It’s funny, I make this recipe all the time and yet

  1. I had no clue what measurements I was putting into my sauce, and
  2. never posted the recipe to my blog!

Continuing my partnership with Moyer Beef, I decided it was about darn time I actually figured out what exactly I make every month and to share it on here.

These meatballs are half ground beef and half hot Italian sausage. It adds a touch of heat to the overall sauce without being actually spicy.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

  • 1 lb 80% lean ground beef (I used Moyer Beef’s 81% lean ground beef chuck)
  • 1 lb hot Italian sausage removed from its casing
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Tomato Sauce:

  • 1 lb beef short ribs (1-2 pieces)
  • 1 lb 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
  • 2 (28 oz) cans strained tomatoes (can substitute tomato puree)
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Slow Cooker Braciole

My mom recently put in a request for braciole. And by put in a request, I mean she went to Esposito’s in the Italian Market, purchased braciole, and told me I was going to make it. So. Slow Cooker Braciole it is!

I was excited to try; I’ve never made braciole before. Braciole is a thinly pounded meat that is topped with a filling and then rolled up and secured either with string or toothpicks. The rolled meat is browned and then added to a tomato sauce to cook.

I have to let you know. Braciole is a labor of love. There is so much prep work! The version I am sharing below is a recipe from a family friend that my parents have been using for years. I decided to make it in my slow cooker so that I could leave and run some errands while it cooked. Because of the prep work involved though, this is definitely a weekend meal.

Ingredients:

For Braciole:

  • 3 eggs, hardboiled, diced
  • 2 russet potatoes, boiled and diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 1 lb mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
  • 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 8 pieces of braiole, or 2 lbs top round, cut into half inch thick slices
  • 8 slices prosciutto
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For Sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup dry red wine
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 (26 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (26 oz) can strained tomatoes

Continue reading Slow Cooker Braciole

Cheddar Corn Casserole #10minutewow

Ham is a given at my family’s Easter dinner table. And I’m not going to lie, I’m not the biggest fan. But I do love all of the sides that accompany it! So I wanted to share a side dish that would pair well with the ham but not take forever to prepare.

This Cheddar Corn Casserole from Del Monte’s website is filled with pure deliciousness: corn, cheese, breadcrumbs, bacon… what’s not to love?

The recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep and  then 35 minutes to cook. Del Monte actually has a section on their website highlighting all of their recipes that have 10 minutes or under prep time, so you can worry about the main dishes instead of the sides!

Ingredients:

  •  3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, about 12 oz.
  • 2 Tbsps. all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • ⅔ cup sliced green onions, divided
  • 1 tsp. hot sauce
  • 4 cans (15.25oz.ea.) Del Monte® Whole Kernel Corn, well drained
  • 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (omit to make vegetarian)
  • ½ cup diced red bell pepper, optional topping

 

Continue reading Cheddar Corn Casserole #10minutewow

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Happy Carnevale! Carnevale is celebrated in Italy 40 days before Easter. It is the last hurrah before Lent begins. (It’s similar to Mardi Gras). The word “carnevale” actually means “no meat” in Latin, so the best way to celebrate this holiday is with some protein before fasting begins for Lent.

Redpack Tomatoes sent me a package of assorted canned tomatoes to get me in the spirit of Carnevale, and included some tasty recipes to go along with it. I decided to make Chicken Parmesan, one of my favorite comfort foods. I adapted the recipe from Redpack, but decided to bake the chicken rather than pan fry it, so here is my recipe for Baked Chicken Parmesan.

Redpack is also offering one reader the chance to win the same kit I was sent! It includes:

  • 1 20-oz can of Redpack crushed tomatoes
  • 1 28-oz can of Redpack whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 28-oz can of Redpack diced tomatoes
  • 1 6-oz can of Redpack tomato paste

 

Details on how to enter after the recipe below.

 

Redpack is also hosting a Facebook promotion running until March 4 where 1,000 Redpack followers will win a Redpack branded apron each week. One grand prize winner will receive a pasta stock pot, pasta-related serveware, and a selection of Redpack products.

 

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • cooking spray
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 shallots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 (28 oz) can Redpack Crushed Tomatoes in Thick Puree
  • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Continue reading Baked Chicken Parmesan

Cauliflower with Anchovy Breadcrumbs

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so I’ve been cooking up a bunch of sides, including this Cauliflower with Anchovy Breadcrumbs, to share with you until my favorite holiday!

This recipe from Cooking Light adds a toasted breadcrumb mixture over cooked cauliflower florets to make a really simple but tasty side dish! I changed the recipe up a bit, using sourdough bread because that’s what I had in my apartment. I also tossed the cauliflower in some olive oil and a touch of salt before adding the breadcrumbs to add some more flavor to the dish.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite sized florets
  • 2 ounces torn sourdough bread pieces
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus more for garnish
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and drained
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt, to taste

Continue reading Cauliflower with Anchovy Breadcrumbs

Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs)

I am in a never ending search to find ways to make chicken into a new and different meal. Cooking Light’s September issue had this recipe for Japanese Chicken Meatballs, or Tsukune, that were mentioned as a great “party snack.” I decided to change the recipe size and pair it with grilled baby bok choy and some rice to make this traditional appetizer/snack into an entrée.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

  • 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
  • 5 ounces sliced shiitake mushroom caps
  • 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger, divided
  • 2 minced garlic cloves, divided
  • 1 tablespoon dry sherry
  • 1 teaspoon red miso (soybean paste)
  • 1 pounds ground chicken
  • 1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 large egg white

Sauce:

  • 6 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
  • 6 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
  • The juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced

Remaining ingredients:

  • Cooking spray
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
  • ½ cup long grain rice
  • 1 cup water or chicken broth
  • 1 baby bok choy

Continue reading Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs)

Meatball Subs

When I know I have a busy week coming up, I try to think of quick dinners I can make during the week. If I can make a huge batch of something on Sunday and just reheat the meal on a weekday, even better. So this weekend, after a visit to the Italian Market, I decided to make a bunch of meatballs so that we could have meatball subs later in the week. The tomato sauce is basically a more chunky version of my normal tomato sauce. I also added sausages to the sauce so that we could also make Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches if we so choose. The best part is that you can make a huge portion of this, freeze it, and use when needed. The sauce, although heavy on the meat, would also work as a yummy pasta sauce.

 

Ingredients (serves 8; with added sausage, serves 12):

  • 2 lbs ground sirloin
  • 1 lb sweet Italian sausage, cut from its casing
  • 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons dried basil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley, divided
  • 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1.5 lbs sausage (optional)
  • 1 can (28 oz) strained tomatoes  (or 1 box of Pomi strained tomatoes)
  • 2 cans (28 oz) chopped tomatoes (or 2 boxes of Pomi chopped tomatoes)
  • 1/3 cup dry red wine
  • 8-12 Italian rolls/subs
  • Provolone cheese, optional

Continue reading Meatball Subs

Brisket Ragout Over Pasta

As someone who went to Catholic school for most of my life, kosher cooking isn’t exactly something I was exposed to. I have a general understanding of what it means to keep kosher, but I really never took the time to delve into what it really means. I was recently sent a cookbook called The Kosher Carnivore: The Ultimate Meat and Poultry Cookbook by June Hersh. Not only is it filled with really delicious sounding recipes, but the author took the time to even include a “Kosher 101” in the introduction.

Did you know that giraffes are considered acceptable for human consumption as identified in the Torah? (Sorry, thought that was a fun fact). Animals that chew their cud and have cloven hooves are considered acceptable, which includes the more commonly eaten cow and lamb. Bird-wise, it seems a little more lenient. In general, predators or scavenger birds are prohibited but most birds are ok for consumption. Meat is considered kosher when it meets a specific criteria when slaughtered and butchered. Kosher eating also means that meat and dairy cannot be within the same meal, but neutral foods, like oil and eggs, can be used.

Whew. Ok. Now that I’ve completed Kosher 101, I’m ready to try to make a staple of Jewish cooking: brisket, specifically Brisket Ragout over Pasta! At the suggestion of the author, I shredded the brisket and served it in a ragout over pasta.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (2.5-3 lb.) brisket
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • olive oil
  • 2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
  •  2 leeks, cleaned and and sliced
  • 2 medium onions, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes, drained
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 box farfalle pasta, cooked al dente
  • 1 cup panko
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

Continue reading Brisket Ragout Over Pasta

Bacon-Topped Meatloaf

I didn’t grow up in a meatloaf household. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ve only had meatloaf once. So when my boyfriend put in a special request for meatloaf I wasn’t exactly thrilled. But he rarely asks for anything specific, and is always willing to eat whatever I make (I jokingly refer to him as “I Can Eat That”) so I think he deserves this one request. I decided to try a recipe from Tyler Florence with a few changes.
Ingredients:
Tomato Relish:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and finely diced
4 plum tomatoes, halved, seeded, and finely diced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 12 ounce bottle of ketchup
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
Meatloaf:
1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons milk
1 pound ground beef
1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
2 eggs
Leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs
Salt and pepper
3 bacon slices

Continue reading Bacon-Topped Meatloaf

Exit mobile version