Seafood Stuffed Shells

Ingredients For the Shells: 20 jumbo pasta shells 1 cup ricotta cheese 1 cup cooked shrimp, chopped 1 cup cooked crab meat (or imitation crab) 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped 1 tsp lemon zest Salt and pepper to taste For the Sauce: 2 cups marinara or Alfredo sauce (store-bought or homemade) For the Topping: 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup breadcrumbs 1 tbsp melted butter Fresh parsley or basil for garnish Instructions Cook the Shells: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook the jumbo shells according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside. Prepare the Filling: In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, shrimp, crab, Parmesan, mozzarella, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined. Stuff the Shells: Spoon the filling into each cooked shell, pressing gently to fill completely. Assemble the Dish: Spread 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange the stuffed shells in the dish, then pour the remaining sauce over the top. Add the Topping: In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture and mozzarella cheese over the shells. Bake: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden. Garnish & Serve: Let the dish cool for 5 minutes, then garnish with fresh parsley or basil before serving. http://camr.online/

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Easy, delicious, and quick! This is a must try. Ingredients 4 small-medium chicken breasts or 2 large halved salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil 3-4 cloves garlic minced 1 cup light cream or heavy cream 1 tablespoons Italian seasoning or oregano 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated 1 cup spinach chopped (optional) INSTRUCTIONS: Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet or pan. Add chicken to the pan and cook for 5-6 minute per side or until the outside is golden and the chicken is cooked through (cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts). Remove chicken from the pan, reduce heat to low-medium, and add garlic; stir for 30 seconds. Add the cream, Italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. Return chicken to the pan and simmer for another minute then turn off heat. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve with pasta or veggies. Note: Top with more Parmesan cheese if you like.

Italian Anise Taralli #2

Forget the bag of chips! This recipe for these Crunchy Addictive Italian Anise Taralli taste like a gourmet version of a breadstick. Great for snacking. Ingredients • 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 8 grams • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar • 1 cup water lukewarm • 1 kg all-purpose flour approximately 7 cups • 1½ teaspoon salt • 1 tablespoon anise seed heaping • ¾ cup olive oil • 1 cup white wine Instructions • In a small bowl, combine yeast, sugar and water. • Stir and let stand for 10 minutes (will get foamy). • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the rest of the ingredients. • Add the yeast mixture. • With dough hook attachment knead for approximately 10 minutes until you have a soft, smooth elastic dough. Alternately, you can knead by hand. • Cover loosely with plastic wrap and tea towel and allow dough to rest for at least 1 hour. • Place the ball of dough on an un-floured wooden board. Knead the dough for about 1 minute. • Separate the dough into quarters (cover the dough you are not using). • Cut each quarter into 16 pieces. (each piece should weigh about 25 grams-almost 1 oz). • Roll each 25 gram piece of dough into a rope approximately 8 inches long and ¼ inch in diameter (about the size of a pencil). Join the two ends together to form an elongated ring and line them up on a wooden board. (There is no need to flour your cutting board when you are rolling your taralli. Feel free to adapt any sized ring-shape when you are making these taralli; if you want thin crispy taralli, the diameter must be ¼ inch thick). Make sure that you press the ends firmly together. • Bring a large pot of water to boil, then reduce heat so that the water simmers. • Plunge the taralli in boiling water; 3-4 at a time. Once they surface to the top, remove with slotted spoon. The boiling process (per batch) should take less than 15 seconds. • Place on cooling rack to drain. • Repeat process until all the taralli have been boiled Place boiled taralli directly on oven grates or on a parchment lined cookie sheet. • Bake in a preheated oven at 375° F for 10 minutes, then lower heat to 350° F for another 10-15 minutes until golden brown and crisp. (Set oven rack in the center). Notes 1 cup=142 grams Taralli will last about 1 month when stored in a dry place. I will usually keep mine in a basket, uncovered.I prefer to use the more pronounced taste of olive oil in my taralli. Feel free to use a vegetable or canola oil. Crunchy Addictive Italian Anise Taralli https://www.shelovesbiscotti.com/crunchy-addictive-italian-anise-taralli/ January 23, 2016

Potato Gnocchi

Yield: 6 servings Ingredients 6 large Idaho or russet potatoes 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon salt Dash of freshly ground white pepper 2 eggs, beaten 4 cups unbleached flour Grated Parmigiano for serving Directions Boil the potatoes in their skins about 40 minutes, until easily pierced with a skewer. When cool enough to handle, peel and rice the potatoes, and set them aside to cool completely, spreading them loosely to expose as much surface as possible to air. (The reason for this is to allow as much evaporation of moisture as possible to avoid the need of additional flour, therefore keeping the gnocchi light). Before proceeding further, bring 6 quarts of water and 2 tbs. of the salt to a boil. On a cool, preferably marble work surface, gather the cold riced potatoes into a mound, forming a well in the center. Stir the remaining 1 tsp. salt and the white pepper into the beaten eggs and pour the mixture into the well. Work the potatoes and eggs together with both hands, gradually adding 3 cups of the flour and scraping the dough up from the work surface with a knife as often as necessary. (Incorporation of the ingredients should take no longer than 10 minutes. The longer the dough is worked, the more flour it will require and the heavier it will become). Dust the dough, your hands, and the work surface lightly with flour and cut the dough into six equal parts. Continue to dust dough, hands, and surface as long as the dough feel sticky. Using both hands, roll each piece of dough into a rope ½” thick, then slice the ropes at ½” intervals. Indent each dumpling with a thumb, or use the tines of a fork to produce a ribbed effect. (This facilitates adhesion of the sauce). Drop the gnocchi into boiling water a few at a time, stirring gently and continuously with a wooden spoon, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until they rise to the surface. Remove the gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer them to a warm platter, adding a little sauce of choice, and boil the remaining piece in batches until all are done. Sauce as desired, add freshly ground white pepper to taste and, if appropriate, grated cheese, and serve immediately. la Cucina di Lidia

Turkey and Escarole Soup

One of the best things about winter is comfort food. My all-time favourite types of minestrone/ soups And here's another one! Ingredients For the Soup: 4 quarts watercarcass of turkey. 2 pounds escarole, washed. 2 cups pulled turkey meat 1 medium onion, chopped. 5 cloves garlic. 4 bay leaves. 3 stalks celery, chopped. 1 cup chopped carrots. 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped. 3 medium potatoes, cubed. 14 ounces crushed tomatoes. 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,salt & pepper. Directions In a large pot add the extra virgin olive oil, the onion, the garlic, the carrots, the celery and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper as desired. Saute` all the ingredients for about 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add the water, the potatoes and the crushed tomatoes. Add the turkey carcass and the turkey meat. Cover the pot and boil for  about 1 hour. Add the escarole. Once the escarole are cooked to your liking, add parsley and serve with some parmigiano cheese if you like. cookingwithnonna.com Foodie Fran's Notes: when soup is done, add parmesan cheese and 1 beaten egg. I found a big difference in taste!

Acini di Pepe Pastina in Vegetable Soup.

When you're just in the mood, this soup and so quick and easy, but most important, so delicious!Serves 4. Ingredients: 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 small onion, cut into a 1/4 inch dice2 small carrots, cut into a 1/4 inch dice1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved1 10oz bag frozen peas4 cloves garlic, sliced1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks8 cups water2 chicken bouillon cubes 8 ounces Ancini di Pepe Pastina. Directions: Put a stockpot over a medium flame and heat the oil. Add the onion & carrots and tomatoes. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the peas, garlic and potatoes and cook until the peas have thawed, about 3 minutes. Add the water and bouillon cubes and bring the pot to a boil. Add in the ancini di Pepe and cook until tender. Serve with a drizzle of fresh extra Virgin olive oil and crusty Italian Bread. Add a sprinkle of grated cheese if desired. cookingwithnonna.com

Italian sponge cake - 3 Ingredients

Ingredients 6 eggs 180 g sugar (1 cup) 180 g sifted flour 1 ¼ cups) Directions Beat eggs and sugar till firm about 6 to 7 minutes. Add flour in three portions once again sifted. Gently fold with a hand whisk rolling it from bottom to top, being careful not to deflate it. Place in greased with parchment paper spring form pan evenly. Tap three times to remove any air, and place in in a 165 C – 329 F oven for 50 minutes. When cake is done turn off the oven but leaving the cake in the oven with the door ajar for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool. Then remove from the pan and parchment paper. Rita Chef