Antipasto Skewers

Note: I was sent samples of Rovagnati Charcuterie Trio in order to make these Antipasto Skewers. Opinions are mine alone.

I love a handheld party appetizer. And I also love a charcuterie or cheese board. So it should come as no surprise that I think Antipasto Skewers are absolutely delightful.

Luckily, Rovagnati gave me the perfect excuse to share this recipe for Antipasto Skewers, featuring their Charcuterie Trio!

source: rovagnati.us

Rovagnati, the renowned charcuterie company committed to preserving Italian traditions, recently introduced their No-Nitrites-Ever Salami Line and their Antipasto Italiano Trio. Crafted at Rovagnati’s U.S. factory, the No-Nitrites-Ever Salami Line utilizes selected noble cuts of the finest meat, following a USDA-approved Italian curing and fermentation method. The long and slow curing ensures a high-quality product that maintains the authentic flavors synonymous with Rovagnati’s heritage.

source: rovagnati.us
source: rovagnati.us

Rovagnati sent me samples of two of their Trios: The Charcuterie Trio and The Salami Trio.

  • The Charcuterie Trio includes sliced Prosciutto Crudo, Salame Milano, and Salame Napoli
  • The Salami Trio includes Salame Milano, Hot Soppressata, and Salame Napoli

Both Trio’s are the perfect size for making Antipasto Skewers; one 6 oz container is enough for about 9 skewers. I used the Charcuterie Trio below, but you can easily substitute in the Salami Trio.

Equipment (paid links):

Ingredients (makes approximately 18 skewers, multiply as needed):

  • 1 (9 oz container) cheese tortellini
  • 1/4 cup Italian dressing (homemade or store bought)
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 (16 oz jar) roasted red peppers
  • 2 (6 oz containers) Rovagnati Charcuterie Trio
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • ~1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1 (12 oz jar) marinated artichoke hearts
  • 1 (12 oz container) marinated mini mozzarella balls
  • 1 (8 oz container) pitted olives (I used Castelvetrano olives)

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Sheet Pan Paella

Over the last few years, my husband and I have moved too many times. Since 2014, we have lived in five different apartments/houses. Somehow in one of those many moves, I lost (or threw out) my paella pan. Sigh.

Paella is a favorite of mine. I love the combination of crispy rice, seafood, and spice. So when I saw this Epicurious recipe for a sheet pan version, I knew I had to try it.

I didn’t exactly stick to the original recipe, given what I could find in my post-snow supermarket. But one of the best parts about paella is you can basically throw in whatever you may have on hand to make the recipe yours! So here’s my adapted version – Sheet Pan Paella!

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup rice
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon saffron, crushed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons  salt, divided
  • 2 links of Spanish chorizo (about 6 oz)
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 6 ounces medium shrimp, peeled, deviened, tails left intact
  • ~2 dozen clams, scrubbed
  • 1 (14 oz can) fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, sliced
  • 1/4 cup green olives, pitted
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced chives

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Chunky Beef and Vegetable Chili

Note: I was sent a box of various Bob’s Red Mill products to make the below recipe. Opinions are mine alone.

This past weekend, a friend and I got together to stock our freezers. The fall is a super busy time of year for most, so we wanted to have a variety of meals ready to make some nights (and mornings) easier. We settled on eleven (11!) recipes, organized a shopping list split between the two of us, and set up prep work (chopping veggies for the most part) for the night before. The next morning, we met at my place and got to cooking!

Chili is a go-to freezer recipe. Not only does it freeze well, but it works great on its own, with cornbread, over polenta, as a “dip” with corn chips, with eggs for breakfast, etc. This recipe originally began as a vegetarian chili, but we had more ground beef leftover, so in it went!

I am a firm believer that dried beans make for a tastier dish than canned beans. There is some prep work needed, but it is very much worth it. I used Bob’s Red Mill Red Kidney Beans and Cannellini Beans for this recipe.

source: bobsredmill.com

We made a LOT of this chili, somewhere around 20 servings, so I’ve scaled it down for this post to make it more appropriate. Feel free to double if needed.

Note: I will share and link all of our recipes below. It was quite a successful cooking day!

Ingredients (makes 8-10 servings):

  • 12 oz dried Bob’s Red Mill Red Kidney Beans (~1/2 bag)
  • 12 oz dried Bob’s Red Mill Cannellini Beans (1/2 bag)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (in bite sized pieces)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large red bell peppers
  • 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 (28 oz) can no-salt-added tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • cilantro, chopped, for garnish

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Jambalaya

This weekend, I cooked my little heart out. I realized Labor Day is only a couple of weeks away, so it’s time to stock my freezer with ready-made meals for busy nights in the fall, like this freezable Jambalaya!

I made tomato sauce, slow cooker chicken cacciatore, bacon-topped meatloaf, and this recipe for Jambalaya. (It was a busy weekend!)

This recipe was simple to make, although I did take some shortcuts from the original recipe. It freezes really well too!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 cups diced sweet onion
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 (10-oz.) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups uncooked rice
  • 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 1 pound frozen peeled, medium-size raw shrimp, deveined
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

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Grilled Octopus Salad

A while back, I was given the opportunity to visit Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse. Naturally, I jumped at the chance. Davio’s has been a staple in the Philadelphia food scene for a while now. Located in Rittenhouse Square, Davio’s still seems to be a bit of a hidden gem due to it’s location on the second floor of a building, although it isn’t difficult to find (the entrance on 17th Street is clearly marked).

The restaurant is known just as much for it’s service and ambiance as it is it’s delicious food. The staff really know how to make your night feel special. The dining room’s large windows and tall ceilings add to the traditional and comfortable feel of the restaurant — it is located in the historic Provident Bank Building. The space is also equipped with a bar that I hear is quite a popular destination for happy hour.

 

My entire meal was absolutely delicious. Every dish seemed to be better than the last! I have included a run down of everything we ate (we basically needed to be rolled out of the building) and I also wanted to try my hand at one of the specials they were serving that night: A Grilled Octopus Salad over Arugula.

My version is heavily based on Davio’s with a few changes: Davio’s also included chorizo in their version (yum!) and used yellow peppers rather than red. This was my first time working with octopus so it was a little nerve wracking but turned out amazing!

Ingredients:

  • 1 3-4 lb octopus, cleaned
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 tablespoon drained capers
  • 3 tablespoons whole peppercorns
  • 2 lemons, 1 sliced and 1 halved
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 2 tablespoons dried thyme
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups baby arugula
  • 2 tablespoons chopped roasted red peppers
  • salt and pepper, to taste

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Seared Salmon Fillets with Orzo Pilaf

Now that Lent is in full swing, I thought I’d add even more salmon recipes to my blog. (If you haven’t picked up on it yet, I love salmon. I would eat it every day if I could.) This recipe from Cooking Light has a bit of a Mediterranean flare to it: a simple seared salmon filet over orzo pilaf with kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, and dill.

Ingredients:

  • 5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 3/4 cup uncooked orzo
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/4 cup bottled roasted red bell peppers, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 ounce chopped pitted kalamata olives
  • 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

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