Homemade Italian Seasoning

 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder, optional

Easy Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

    2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    1 large yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons
    4 Italian sausage links (sweet, hot, or a couple of each)
    1 green bell pepper, sliced into 3-inch strips
    1 red bell pepper, sliced into 3-inch strips
    1 bell pepper of another color (yellow or orange or purple), sliced into 3-inch     strips
    Salt, to taste
    4 garlic cloves, sliced into slivers
    1/2 cup Marsala or red wine
    1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
    1 tablespoon dried oregano
    1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

1. Brown the sausages:

   Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pan that has a lid. When the oil is hot, add the sausages and brown them slowly.

   If they sizzle and crackle too much, turn the heat down. You want a gentle browning, not a sear. Cook for several minutes, turning them occasionally so they brown on all sides. When the sausages are browned, remove from the pan and set aside.

2. Sauté the onions, peppers, and garlic:

   Increase the heat to high and add the onions and peppers. Toss so they get coated with the oil in the pan and sear them as well as you can, stirring every so often.

   Once the onions and peppers soften, sprinkle some salt on them. Once you get some blackening from a good sear on the onions and peppers, add the garlic, and cook for one more minute.

3. Deglaze the pan with wine:

   Add the Marsala or red wine if you are using. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a metal spatula or wooden spoon to release all the browned and blackened bits. Let the wine cook down by half.

4. Simmer all the ingredients:

   Add the tomatoes, oregano, and red pepper flakes (if using) and stir well to combine. Add the sausages back in. Bring to a simmer. then reduce the heat to low.

   Cover and simmer until the peppers are soft and the sausages are cooked through, about 20 minutes.

5. Serve:

   Serve over polenta, penne pasta, or load it up on a hoagie roll. Sausage and peppers and onions will keep for several days in the fridge

Jamie Oliver's 5 Ingredient Carbonara

1/2 lb pancetta or smoked bacon or 3 sausages (cut up) or 12 meatballs
1 clove of garlic
2 eggs
2 oz grated pecorino or parmesan or grana padano cheese
freshly ground black pepper
8 oz pasta

Chop the bacon into small chunks and place on cold pan. Turn on medium high heat and render the fat out. Add cracked clove of garlic and freshly ground black pepper - about 2 tsps. Give it a time.

Boil pasta with tiny amount of salt. Do not drain it - you will need that water.

In the meantime, prepare the eggs. Crack them into a bowl, add about 40g / 1,4 oz parmesan cheese and whisk through.

When pasta is al dente and bacon is getting golden, remove garlic and turn the heat off. Drag the pasta into the pan directly from the water. Add few splashes of water to stop frying and mix ingredients.

When you do not hear frying anymore, pour egg mixture in and toss quickly to cover the pasta. Add some water to achieve appropriate creamy consistency.

Roasted Cauliflower and Mushroom Carbonara

Ingredients

1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces fettuccine (or pasta of choice) (gluten free for gluten free)
4 ounces pancetta, diced or 4 ounces bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 eggs
1/2 cup (2 ounces) parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
plenty of fresh cracked black pepper
salt to taste
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Directions

Toss the cauliflower and mushrooms in the oil, salt and pepper, place on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast in a preheated 400F/200C oven until they start to caramelize, about 20-30 minutes, mixing half way through.

Start cooking the pasta as directed on the package.

Cook the pancetta in a pan, pour off all but a tablespoon of the grease from the pan, add the garlic, cook for 30 second and turn off the heat.

Mix the egg, cheese, pepper and salt and parsley in a bowl.

Drain the cooked pasta reserving some of the water.

Mix the pasta, egg mixture, cauliflower and mushrooms into the pan with the pancetta, adding reserved pasta water as needed.

Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25-30 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef or sweet Italian sausage

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 red bell pepper, chopped, about 1/2 cup

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can ripe olives

2 tablespoons olive tapenade

1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil, crumbled

1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or small clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

8 ounces rigatoni, cooked and drained

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Preparation

Sauté ground beef, onion, and bell pepper in a large skillet until onion is tender and beef is lightly browned. Drain off excess fat; add tomatoes, tomato sauce, olives, olive tapenade, basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well; stir in ziti or elbow macaroni and 1 cup of the cheese; transfer to a 2 1/2-quart casserole. Top with the remaining cup of cheese. 

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Easy Baked Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 slices mozzarella cheese, or more
• 1 jar (16 oz) spaghetti sauce
• Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Whisk together the egg and milk. Dip the chicken breasts in milk and egg mixture and then in bread crumbs. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in the hot oil on both sides until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Set chicken in a baking dish.

Slice 8 pieces of mozzarella cheese and put two on each chicken breast. Pour 1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce over all. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and a little more mozzarella and bake at 350° for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly.