Chicken Braciole with Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup dried Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves (about 1 small bunch)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 to 2 cups freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 10 ounces angel hair or fettuccini pasta, cooked

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pound the chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap to about 1/4-inch thickness. In a small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, parsley, grated Parmesan, and garlic. Slowly add 1/2 cup olive oil until the mixture becomes the consistency of thick paste. Evenly spread the mixture down the center of each piece of chicken, leaving room around the edges. 

Tagliatelle with Sautéed Swiss Chard Ribs and Cream

 

I had some ribs left from the sauteed red Swiss chard with Parmesan cheese, I was not sure what to do with them, but then it hit me: pasta! So, here we go!

• 2 scallions, finely chopped (to cut the richness of the pasta sauce), plus a little bit for decor
• 1/2 lb swiss chard, yielding 1 cup of chopped ribs
• 1/8 cup (quarter of a stick) butter
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream
• enough dry pasta to make about 1/2 quart of cooked pasta
• salt and pepper to taste

Separate the ribs from the greens. Cut the ribs into 1/2-inch to 1-inch pieces. Blanch the ribs in lightly salted boiling water for 3 minutes.

Melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Add the chopped scallions, then the drained, blanched ribs and simmer for 4 minutes.

Add heavy cream and cook until cream reduces by two-thirds.

While the cream is reducing, cook up your pasta according to the pasta's package directions.

Mix creamed chard with pasta. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper. Decorate with chopped scallion.

Enjoy!

Israeli Couscous with Pine Nuts and Parsley

The problem with my kitchen is that I never have enough light, even in the summertime I have to turn on the light to cook. That explains my photos to a degree (I'm not trying to make excuses here), and I confess I'd love to have a kitchen like Roxana's (sigh). Until then, let's make some couscous!

The ingredients are:

- 3 tbsp butter, divided

- 1/2 cup pine nuts

- 1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped

- 1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous

- 1/2 large cinnamon stick

- 1 fresh or dried bay leaf

- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/4 cup parsley, minced

- zest of 1/2 lemon

- 1/4 cup raisins (optional)

- black pepper to taste

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add pine nuts and stir until golden brown, then transfer to a small bowl.

Chicken Cacciatore

I had some chicken breasts in the fridge that I wanted to get rid of, together with some mushrooms that I needed to disguise in the food because my daughter, as you know already, doesn't like them. So this was the perfect solution: chicken cacciatore.

Tagliatelle (or Fettuccine) with Zucchini and Parmesan-Lemon Cream Sauce

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 4 ounces dried tagliatelle (or fettuccine)
• 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 1 tsp fresh grated lemon zest
• 1/8 cup white wine
• 3/8 cup chicken stock or broth
• 1/6 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus Parmesan curls or more grated cheese, for garnish (if desired)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Vegetarian Lasagna

About two weeks ago we had another party in the office and, as I seem to be the designated cook for such functions, I had the very important task to cater the entire lunch. So I made manicotti, raw broccoli salad, the vegetarian lasagna and three colours chocolate mousse cake for a colleague that was celebrating her birthday.

This post is for GreenGirl, I hope it will help her find some time for herself ;) (excuse the elbow, I didn't know there was a photo shoot going on :D).

Tagliatelle with Peas and Canadian Bacon (Ham)

Yesterday, after becoming a true Girl Scout, my little baby wanted pasta for dinner. So, pasta it was!

I started by heating up on medium heat one tablespoon of butter and one of olive oil, to which I added 2 finely chopped scallions.

My Pasta with Ragu Sauce

Today was so, so cold, my daughter wanted her one of her favourite comfort foods: pasta with meat sauce. Instead of making the usual ragu, I simplified it and substituted sweet Italian sausage meat for the veal/pork/pancetta mix.

I finely chopped 2 medium yellow onions, grated 2 large garlic cloves and put everything to sweat in 2 tablespoon of olive oil combined with one tablespoon of butter.

After approximately 5 minutes I added the meat from 4 sausage links (casings off), then sprinkled some paprika on it

I stirred the meat until was browned on all sides, about 15 minutes, then I poured in about a cup of red wine, one cup tomato sauce and added one tablespoon tomato paste. I let everything simmer on low heat for about one hour. No salt or pepper were necessary for my taste.

When the meat sauce was ready, I boiled the pasta in salty water, then assembled everything together, adding a sprinkle of dry basil on top.

And that's it!

Stuffed Jumbo Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce - Scoici umplute in sos Arrabbiata

Pentru ca nu aveam ce face dupa ce tocmai curatasem aragazul, si fiind se pare putin masochista din fire, m-am apucat sa comit aceste paste, care au iesit in final foarte bune.  Iata ce am folosit eu:

Because apparently I had nothing better to do after just cleaning the stove top, I started preparing these pasta, which turned out just great. This is what I used:

 

 In traducere:

• 18 scoici
• 1 lingura ulei de masline, plus extra pentru uns
• 90 gr pancetta, pe care eu am inlocuit-o cu bacon
• 1 lingurita de piper rosu, zdrobit
• 2 catei de usturoi, maruntiti
• 2,5 cani sos marinara
• 450 gr branza ricotta
• 2/3 cana parmezan ras, eu am inlocuit cu aceeasi cantitate de Pecorino romano
• 2 galbenusuri ou
• 1,5 lingura patrunjel proaspat tocat
• 1.5 linguri busuioc proaspat tocat
• 3/4 lingurita sare
• 1/4 lingurita piper negru proaspat macinat
• 1/2 cana mozzarella rasa

• 6 ounces (1/2 box) jumbo pasta shells (approximately 18 shells)
• 1 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for greasing baking sheet
• 3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, diced, which I replaced with bacon
• 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 1/2 cups marinara sauce
• 1 (15-ounce) containers whole milk ricotta cheese
• 2/3 cups grated Parmesan, I replaced it with Pecorino Romano
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh mint leaves
• 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Manicotti - Manicotti

Am vazut reteta asta la TV intr-un weekend, cand am si prestat-o. Reteta originala prevede carne de vita, pe care eu am inlocuit-o cu carne de carnati proaspeti, lucru pentru care ma pup si acum

I saw this recipe on TV on a weekend and on the spot I decided to make it. The original recipe requires ground beef, which I have replaced with Italian sweet sausage. Sensational!

Ingredientele in poza de grup: - The ingredients:

si in lista:

* 4 linguri ulei de masline - 4 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 ceapa medie, tocata - one medium onion, chopped
* 700 gr carne tocata - 1.5 lbs ground meat
* 14 buc. manicotti - 14 pieces manicotti
* 450 gr ricotta - 1 lb ricotta cheese
* 300 gr mozzarella rasa - 1/2 lb grated mozzarella
* 100 gr parmezan ras - 1/4 lb Parmesan cheese
* 2 linguri patrunjel proaspat, tocat - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
* 2 catei usturoi, maruntiti - 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
* 750 ml sos marinara (al meu a fost cumparat) - 25 oz jar marinara sauce (mine was store-bought)
* 2 linguri unt, taiat bucatele - 2 tablespoons butter, diced
* sare, piper - salt and pepper to taste


Am scos carnea din carnati si am pus-o la calit la foc mijlociu intr-o lingura de ulei de masline, impreuna cu ceapa tocata, am adaugat sare si piper si am lasat pana s-a prajit carnea iar ceapa a devenit translucida.

Take the meat out of the sausages and place it in a pan with one tablespoon olive oil and the chopped onion, over medium heat. Add salt and pepper and allow to cook until the meat is browned and the onion has softened.

Am tras-o de pe foc si-am lasat-o sa se racoreasca.

Get it off the heat and allow to cool completely.

Am uns fundul unui vas Jena cu o lingura de ulei. Am pus la fiert manicotti intr-o oala de apa clocotinda (cu sare), si am lasat cam 4 minute, pana s-au inmuiat foarte putin, dupa care i-am scos in vasul uns cu ulei ca sa se raceasca.

Brush the bottom of a Pyrex dish with one tablespoon olive oil. In a separate pot put the manicotti to boil (following the directions on the package) in salty water, for about 4 minutes, until very lightly softened. Drain the water and put the pasta in the oil-brushed Pyrex.

Am combinat ricotta, cam 150-200 gr mozzarella si 50 gr parmezan

Combine the ricotta, about 1/3 lb grated mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

am adaugat patrunjelul, usturoiul, sare si piper dupa gust

add the parsley, garlic, salt and pepper to taste

si am amestecat totul cu simt de raspundere

mix everything thoroughly

Am incorporat in amestec si carnea prajita, racita.

incorporate the cooked and cooled meat
 


Dupa ce am incins cuptorul la 180C/350F, am pus pastele pe o alta farfurie si am uns din nou vasul de sticla cu cele 2 linguri de ulei ramase, peste care am intins jumatate din sosul marinara. Am umplut manicotti cu amestecul de carne si branza

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F,  put the pasta on a different platter and again brush the Pyrex dish with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Spread half of the marinara sauce. Stuff the manicotti with the cheese-meat mix

si am aranjat pastele intr-un singur strat peste sosul marinara.

arrange the pasta in one layer over the marinara sauce

Deasupra am intins restul de sos marinara, am presarat restul de mozzarella si parmezan ras si untul taiat bucatele mici

Spread the rest of the marinara sauce over the stuffed pasta, sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese and the pieces of butter

si am lasat la cuptor cam 30-35 minute. Dupa ce le-am scos le-am lasat la odihnit 5 minute si am servit.

and bake for about 30-35 minutes. Let the food rest for about 5 minutes, then serve.

Concluzia: o nebunie, combinatia de carne de carnati cu branza e dementiala! Data viitoare insa, le fac intr-un vas mai mare, aici s-au cam inghesuit (nu ca ar fi daunat gustului )

In conclusion: the sausage meat - cheese combination is absolutely outstanding! Next time, however, I'll use a larger Pyrex dish, the pasta was a little bit crowded in this one (not that it influenced the taste!).