Combine some penne pasta with a delicious red sauce made with eggplant, and you have a meatless pasta favorite for dinner tonight! Then, grab the skillet and create a dish with grilled peppers and onions, chicken and sausage and a burst of flavor with pickled chili peppers! Chicken Scarpariello is an Italian go to favorite!
large sweet yellow onion, chopped fine
Eggplant Parmesana & Glazed Fruit Tarte
In this episode, we’ll bake up the mouthwatering, classic Italian favorite Eggplant Parmesan! Skin on or off, deep fried or baked? We’ll see which makes the best meal! Then watch and learn how to create a gorgeous and elegant fruit tarte with glazed strawberries, blueberries and kiwi!
Caccio e Pepe & Chicken Cacciatore
In this episode, it’s the hottest trend in Italian cooking–Caccio e Pepe, a comfort food favorite made of pasta, cheese and pepper! You won’t believe what I’m serving it in–a giant hollowed out wheel of Parmesan cheese! Then it’s the ultimate one pot Italian wonder! Find out why Chicken Cacciatore has always been a family favorite.
Meatloaf with Sweet & Savory Sauce
I’ve never been a picky eater. But meatloaf was not one of my favorites, even though the dish has withstood the test of time as a favorite comfort food. Well, what a difference one recipe can make! I went from never giving meatloaf a second thought to maybe thinking about it a little too much. These days I can’t get enough of this special recipe that makes meatloaf so very flavorful and moist. What secrets does this variation hold? There are several. First, the two cups of whole milk that the breadcrumbs happily soak in. That alone gives the meatloaf a rich and ultra moist texture. Second, sautéing the sweet yellow onion adds to the moisture plus gives the loaf a slight natural sweetness. Then the sauce that gets brushed over the top before baking gives this meatloaf a hint of spice, a bit of heat from the dry mustard and sweetness from the brown sugar. All in all, this is a wonderful meal for the family, especially when paired with mashed potatoes, gnocchi, pasta or just some charred crusty French bread. This quote from Bon Appetite magazine summed up meatloaf the best: “Meatloaf in its many iterations and guises was often a sort of culinary scrap heap, a refuge for leftovers, in the spirit of many casseroles and of shepherd’s pie. It was a way to stretch protein. It was a way to use up excess vegetables. It was a ragtag orchestra of ingredients on the verge of expiration. And it made music more uplifting than anyone could have anticipated.” This recipe is definitely music to my ears and a brand new one woman fan favorite!
Greek Meatballs “Soutzoukakia”
Growing up Italian, homemade meatballs were a dinner staple enjoyed over pasta, in a sub roll or as savory appetizers before the main meal. But last week, while teaching a cooking class on Greek foods, I had to set my Italian roots aside and absolutely drool over Greek Meatballs known as Soutzoukakia. These morsels of magic have a wonderful combination of spices like cumin, cinnamon and oregano with a red sauce that completely enrobes them with even more flavor! Greek Meatballs are delicious with seasoned Orzo, rice or, dare I say, on a bed of Italian pasta?
Seafood Paella
It was on this day, decades ago, that my Momma and I celebrated my birthday in Madrid, Spain.
She took me on a magnificent trip to six European countries on our way to her hometown of Treviso, Italy. It was in Madrid where we both fell in love….with Paella. The place was Restaurante Botin, the oldest restaurant in the world, according the Guinness Book of World Records, and to this day, one of the most charming establishments I’ve ever visited. We bought our Paella pan there and have loved making this authentic Spanish dish ever since. If you’re in the mood to party, a Paella Party (with plenty of Sangria to wash it down!) can be a very tasteful get-together!
