Parmesan Fish Sticks!

Hello friends, it's been a while.

Yes, I know every time I update my blog I say I'll update more often, cook more recipes, blah blah blah, and then, poof, I don't update for almost two months. And I could easily blame it on being a single mom, working too much, or exhaustion from taking care of a 2 and-a-half year old kid; or the fact that I injured my back (that's a true story) and was out of commission for almost two weeks. And yes parts of these are true, but mainly I've just been lazy posting my recipes and pics. I've actually accumulated many recipes, I've been cooking and canning (yes, canning!) a lot and I have a 4GB SD card full of food porn, but it's just finding the time to post, write a bit, and upload my pics. Yes, I know it's simple to blog, it's easy to upload pictures, but I just didn't want to turn this into a generic recipe site where there's no story. No history. No drama like this mama's!!!!

***

So I have this love-hate relationship with Giada De Laurentiis--well, so I seem to think I do. At first I didn't like her because she had such a nice rack but, oh that forehead and those teeth just didn't do it for me! But then I realized I was just jealous of her fabulous life, and that she's maintained her figure after she had her daughter, and yes, well, her rack is still there. THEN one day my Pops made panna cotta for the family and it was fabulous! It was creamy, not too sweet and oh, so freakin' delicious. And all of us, the childrens, asked, "where did you get this recipe?" What do you think my Pop's said?
"From Giada's cookbook!"
I think that day I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.

***

So, I have surrendered to Giada; but not surrendered to her as "celebrity chef," but as a busy mom who is a pretty good recipe writer and a very good cook. I hate to say this, but her recipes are easy to medium and they tend to be good for you, too. UGH!

I had recalled I watched an episode where Giada made salmon fish sticks for her daughter (or her nieces, I don't remember) but the recipe seemed incredibly simple and easy, and for crissakes IT IS!!! I made these on Good Friday because, even though I'm not a practicing Catholic, the Catholic guilt is still embedded in me. And you know what? My little girl loved it! Yes, I did cheat a little and I gave my daughter reduced-sugar ketchup instead of Giada's "sour cream-mayo-mustard" dipping sauce, but the fact Stella ate salmon was incredible for me. Also, I followed the recipe to the "T", however I did not bake my fish sticks (it was 80 degrees here in San Diego) so I pan-fried them in extra-virgin olive oil instead. I have to say, I was impressed. Bravo, Giada. Bravo (golf claps).

INGREDIENTS (serves 4 to 6)

• 1 (18-ounce) center-cut salmon fillet, about 9 by 4 inches, skinned
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• Olive oil, for drizzling

Dipping Sauce

• 1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup lowfat plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or chives

For the Fish Sticks:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Rinse the salmon fillet and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the fish in half to make 2 fillets each about 4 by 4 1/2-inches in size. Starting on the longest edge, slice the fillets into 1/2-inch pieces. Lay the widest pieces, from the center, cut side down, and slice in half lengthways so all the pieces are equally about 1/2 by 1/2 by 4 1/2-inches in size.

Place the flour in a medium bowl and season with the salt and pepper. Place the egg whites in another bowl and beat until frothy, about 30 seconds. Combine the Parmesan and bread crumbs in a third bowl.

Coat the salmon pieces in the seasoned flour and pat to remove any excess flour. Dip the floured salmon in the egg whites and then into the Parmesan mixture, gently pressing the mixture into the fish. Place the breaded salmon pieces on a liberally oiled baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with the olive oil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

Note: you can pan fry the fish in olive oil or vegetable oil, for about 1 minute per side. Also, you can substitute with Tilapia or Cod, for milder tasting fish.

For the Dipping Sauce:

Mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, Dijon mustard, and parsley (or chives, if using) in a small dipping bowl.

Cook's Note: The fish sticks can also be dipped in ketchup, marinara sauce, pesto, ranch dressing or vinaigrette .

My Go-To Meatball Recipe

I don't know what it is about me that I'm obsessed in finding that perfect meatball recipe. I have a few meatball recipes on my blog, but this one is probably my favorite (and I know I always say that out ever recipe I put on here).

This recipe is originally called "Grandma Maronis Meatballs 100 Year Old Recipe" and I saw it on an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay (and yes, I know I keep saying I can't stand Bobby Flay but I just can't help but watch that show). 

I've made this recipe about 5 times now and here are a few tips: use fresh bread crumbs, if possible; I only use 3 large eggs and one large finely diced shallot instead of the onion. Also, add half of the milk first and mix; if the mixture seems slightly very moist but still holds it's shape, then don't add the remainder. You want your meatball mixture to be slightly on the wetter side. Lastly, I add a half cup of grated mild cheddar because I just love it in the meatballs. 

INGREDIENTS (makes 16 meatballs)

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 4 ounces dried bread crumbs
• 4 large eggs
• 4 ounces whole milk
• 6 ounces grated Romano
• 3 ounces grated Spanish onion
• 2 ounces finely diced fresh garlic
• 2 ounces finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 2 ounces finely chopped fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in large bowl. If mixture seems a little loose add more bread crumbs.

Roll meatballs loosely about the size of a golf ball and place on baking sheet. Place them close to each other so that they hold their shape. Place into preheated oven for approximately 35 to 40 minutes.

Once they are done, you can add them to your favorite sauce and simmer them in the gravy or serve over spaghetti and marinara sauce. Enjo
y!

Nutella Caramel Hazelnut Brownies

Source: bell alimento

I was looking for recipes that had Nutella as an ingredient and look at what I found? Nutella Caramel Hazelnut Brownies! Don't these look divine? The recipe is from bellalimento.com. My mouth is watering already. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large fresh eggs
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter - room temp.
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 1/4 cup Nutella - melted
• 1/4 cup Caramel Sauce- melted
• Hazelnuts

DIRECTIONS 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Into a mixing bowl add your flour, baking powder, salt & cocoa powder. Using a whisk, mix together & set aside. Into your stand mixer add the sugar & butter & mix together until creamy. Add in eggs one at a time and mix well. Add in your vanilla. GRADUALLY add in your flour mixture until it’s well combined. Batter should be thick and sticky.

Spray an ovenproof 8 x 8 dish with cooking spray. Place a piece of parchment paper (slightly larger than your dish to allow for handles) inside. It will adhere to bottom of dish. Take HALF of your brownie batter & smooth it on top of the parchment paper. Take your caramel sauce and spoon it on top of brownie mixture covering entire layer of brownie. Place the remaining brownie batter on top smoothing it out. Place in oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until sides are firm and center is no longer giggly.

Allow brownies to cool completely before removing. Cut your brownies to your desired size using a serrated knife. Make a small indentation with your finger into each brownie. Take your melted Nutella and drizzle over the tops of the brownies. Garnish with the hazelnuts.

Read more: http://www.bellalimento.com/2010/03/14/nutella-caramel-hazelnut-brownies/#ixzz0noULpCDk

Spicy Jalapeno and Sausage Pasta Sauce

Well, the honeymoon is over. I went back to work on Monday after being on maternity leave for 5 months. And yes, it was hard not being with my baby. This past weekend I tried to do a lot of stuff with my baby like going to the zoo, hanging out at the park and I also cooked for myself because it seems that I barely cook anymore. I still love to cook, but being a single mom (while daddy is out to sea) with a baby that barely naps doesn't really give me the luxury to cook every day like I used to do.

I was perusing the web in search for an easy yet different pasta sauce and I found this recipe from Michael Chiarello--who I don't mind watching on TV once in-a-while. This is a pretty good sauce if you like spicy foods. I left the seed on one jalapeno and took out the seeds and ribs from the second one and it was still fiery, yet delicious. Also, I think any pasta will be great with this, but I sort of like penne rigatte with this sauce.

INGREDIENTS (8 servings)

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound spicy Italian sausage links
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced garlic
• 2 jalapeno chiles, thinly sliced with seeds and ribs (remove the seeds and ribs if you don't want it spicy)
• 1 cup lightly packed, torn fresh basil leaves
• 1 (28-ounce) whole tomatoes, pureed with their juices
• kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the sausages and enough water to come about half way up the sausages. Cover, reduce the heat to medium low, and cook until done, about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and allow the water to evaporate. The sausages will then fry in their oil when water evaporates. Remove the sausages from the saucepan and drain them on paper towels. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the saucepan.

Add the sliced garlic and chiles and cook until the garlic begins to brown, about 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add the basil and cook for 15 seconds, then add the tomato puree. Simmer the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Cut the sausage links in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces, creating half-moons. Return the sausages to the saucepan and heat through. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Very Easy Chicken Piccata

Not only is chicken piccata very flavorful but it is also quite easy to make and really, really fast. So if you're in a pinch for time, definitely give this recipe a try. I particularly love the briney, salty flavor of the capers, so don't skimp on them. I like to serve my chicken piccata with a side of noodles and crispy, steamed broccoli. I'm getting hungry just writing this!

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• 2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and slices of lemon, if using, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken and sliced lemons to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Tuna and White Bean Pasta with Gremolata Bread Crumbs

We have had crappy weather all this week and worse is yet to come. It's been raining (yes, raining in San Diego), it's cold and we've had very high winds. And since I have a little baby I was a bit scared to go out driving in this rainy weather to go food shopping. Instead, I found this recipe (and yes, it's from Rachael Ray) and believe it or not, I had most of the ingredients in my pantry. A few modifications are: I halved the recipe and used 1 can of tuna; instead of breadcrumbs I used Panko breadcrumbs; I omitted the rosemary but used a little oregano instead; I didn't have any chicken broth so I used the starchy water of the pasta and lastly I used canned tomato sauce because I didn't have any fresh tomatoes. All in all, it was quite hearty, very filling and I finally found a reason to use my can of anchovies!!!!

INGREDIENTS (serves 6)

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 flat filet anchovies, optional
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup breadcrumbs, toast and grind stale bread or store bought
• 2 lemons
• 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 1 pound penne or ziti rigate
• 4 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine, white vermouth or chicken broth
• 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped or 1 can 15 ounces can diced tomatoes, drained, optional

DIRECTIONS

Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in small pan over medium-low heat with anchovies, if using. Melt anchovies into oil until they dissolve then add garlic and stir 2 minutes then add breadcrumbs and stir and cook until deeply golden in color. Stir in zest of 2 lemons and parsley and crushed red pepper flakes. Turn off heat and transfer to a bowl.

Heat a large pot of water to a boil for pasta.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add celery, onions and 2 cloves garlic to the pan and cook until just tender, 5 minutes. Add white beans and rosemary and heat through 2 to 3 minutes more. Add wine, vermouth or broth, flakes tuna and tomato, if using. Stir 2 minutes then turn off heat.

Just before draining the pasta, add a ladle of starchy cooking water to pan along with the drained pasta, toss to combine. Serve in shallow bowls with lots of breadcrumbs and a drizzle of oil on top.

Orecchiette with Veal, Capers and White Wine

Here is another recipe I got from Food & Wine magazine. I really liked this one, and it tastes even better the next day. I only made two tiny changes, of course, but the recipe still came out fantastic. If you're one of those people that has a problem with veal, then I suggest you use 1/2 pound ground chicken or turkey and 1/2 pound ground pork. I think if you use all ground turkey or chicken the meat sauce will be too dry. Also, note that orecchiette takes longer to cook (about 15 to 18 minutes). I made this when Matt was still here and he's not a big fan of "al dente" so I overcooked my pasta just a tad bit, but the dish still came out fabulous. I also used regular chicken stock, and it was seasoned just perfect, but if you're watching your salt intake, then use low-sodium chicken stock.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 pound ground veal
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary
• 2 tablespoons small capers, rinsed
• 3/4 pound orecchiette
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS

In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the veal, season with salt and pepper, add the red pepper flakes and raise the heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veal is no longer pink and any liquid has almost evaporated, about 8 minutes.

Add the white wine to the skillet and boil over high heat until nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, chicken stock, thyme, rosemary and capers and simmer over moderate heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta well and add it to the skillet along with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, chopped parsley and butter. Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thick and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to bowls and serve right away.

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

I made this the other night and although it's not a "true" Alfredo (I mean I doubt that they use Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend in Italy) it was very good--and it's one of those dishes that even your picky eater kids would like. Anyway, this recipe makes enough to feed 6 to 8 people, so it's great for a party.

INGREDIENTS (serves 6)

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes
• 6 tablespoons butter, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 pound fettuccine pasta
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 (8 ounce) package sliced mushrooms
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• /4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 8 ounces shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet over medium heat combine chicken, 2 tablespoons butter, garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in the skillet. Saute onion, 2 tablespoons garlic and mushrooms until onions are transparent. Stir in flour, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes. Slowly add milk and half-and-half, stirring until smooth and creamy. Stir in Parmesan and Colby-Monterey Jack cheeses; stir until cheese is melted. Stir in chicken mixture and sour cream. Serve over cooked fettuccine.

Maniladas with White Cheese Sauce and Tomatillo Sauce

I gave birth to my baby girl, Stella, on October 1, 2009. As you can imagine, I have had no time to cook nor have I had the urge to cook as my husband and I have been taking care of this little creature. But finally last week I decided to make something from scratch, and although there's a lot of steps to this dish, it goes by really fast. The cheese sauce is actually my favorite and you can use it as a sauce for almost anything, including lasagna and macaroni. I saw (and got) this recipe from the "Cooking for Real" show on the Food Network. It's an unusual take on enchiladas + manicotti, but the combination works and the tomatillo sauce really makes a difference, so go ahead and give it a try!

INGREDIENTS (serves 4 to 6)

• 1 (8-ounce) package manicotti shells
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Vidalia onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup sour cream

For the Tomatillo sauce:

• 1 pound tomatillos, quartered
• 1 small red onion, quartered
• 1 jalapeno, halved
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the cheese sauce:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups heavy cream, room temperature
• 2 cups grated fontina cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• Salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Boil manicotti in salted water for 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water and set pasta aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more. Remove pan from heat and mix in chicken, tomatoes, cilantro and sour cream. Set aside. To make the Tomatillo Sauce: Place tomatillos, onion, jalapeno and garlic in a baking dish. Toss with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tomatillos turn golden around the edges and are soft, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and blend ingredients together until smooth. Use reserved pasta water to thin sauce, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

To make the cheese sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Add cheese and nutmeg and stir until melted. Season sauce with salt, to taste.

To assemble: Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Stuff manicotti tubes with chicken mixture and assemble in a 9 by 12-inch baking dish. Pour cheese sauce over the top. Bake 30 minutes until cheese is bubbling. Drizzle tomatillo sauce on Maniladas before serving.

Parmesan-Carrot Risotto

I bought a bag of carrots a week ago and I had only used two. So I was looking for a recipe to use up some of the carrots and I stumbled upon this recipe from Martha Stewart. I have to admit I haven't cooked a lot of her recipes, mainly because I don't subscribe to her magazine and I've always thought of Martha's magazine more of a craft and decorating type. Anyway, this dish came out quite yummy, and yes, I did do a few modifications, but only to make the risotto creamier.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 6 medium carrots, grated (I only used 4 carrots)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice (I used Arborio rice; I'm not entirely sure why Martha Stewart has long-grain white rice in her recipe, though)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 wedges of Laughing Cow Original Swiss spreadable cheese product, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS

1. In a saucepan, bring broth to a bare simmer over medium heat.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and carrots; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in rice and coat all grains and cook 1 more minute. Add wine; cook, stirring, until absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add 2 cups hot broth; simmer over medium-low, stirring frequently, until mostly absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Continue to add broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring occasionally, until absorbed before adding more. Cook until rice is creamy and just tender, about 20 minutes (you may not need all the broth).
4. Add the two wedges of cheese product and gently stir to melt and combine with rice.
5. Remove risotto from heat. Stir in Parmesan, remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Linguine with Butter, Pecorino, Arugula and Black Pepper and Seared Jumbo Shrimp

This is one of Giada's recipes I saw on the Food Network about a week ago and it seemed easy enough. The only changes I made was that I used a mixture of Pecorino Romano and grated Manchego cheese, and I used spaghetti instead of linguine. I also cut the recipe in half because it's just me and baby fetus right now. I topped the spaghetti with seared jumbo shrimp that I quickly marinated in a little store bought pesto. This is a quick meal that I whipped up after a full day of travel and it certainly hit the spot and baby Blaha loved it!

INGREDIENTS (4 servings)

• Salt
• 1 pound linguine
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups very finely grated Pecorino Romano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup coarsely chopped arugula
• 12 Jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined
• store bought pesto

DIRECTIONS

Place shrimp in a ziploc bag and add 1/4 cup of your favorite store bought pesto. Marinate in the fridge 15 to 30 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the linguine and cook until it is al dente, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, sear or grill the shrimp until just done.

Immediately toss the hot pasta in a large bowl with the butter to coat. While tossing the linguine, gradually sprinkle the cheese, pepper, and enough of the reserved cooking liquid evenly over the linguine to moisten. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt.

Divide the pasta among 4 plates and place 3 seared shrimps on each plate and serve.

Turkey Meatballs

After four tries, I've finally come up with the perfect, flavorful and juicy turkey meatballs. Yes, you heard right: turkey. I believe that the key to these meatballs are fresh breadcrumbs, none of that store bought stuff. I also think that the cheese adds additional creaminess. The recipe is a combination of a Dave Baggs ground beef meatball recipe slightly altered by me. The reason I do turkey instead of ground beef is because there are members in my family that don't eat red meat.

Use these turkey meatballs in a meatball sub and top with your favorite marinara sauce or use them in spaghetti (make it whole wheat spaghetti if you want to add more fiber and protein to your diet) and you will have yourself a really good, hearty meal and you won't even miss the ground beef!

INGREDIENTS (makes 24 to 28 meatballs)

• 2 to 2-1/2 lb. ground turkey
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes or 4 Tablespoons of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups fresh, soft breadcrumbs
• 1 cup grated mild cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients until they are well distributed. Don't worry about overmixing. Place it in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the breadcrumbs absorb all the flavors.

Form turkey mixture into golf-sized meatballs.

Place them in a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Turn meatballs over and bake another 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. At this point you can store them and use them the next day (I find that leaving them in the fridge overnight makes the meatballs taste better the next day) or place them in freezer bags and freeze and store whenever you need to use them.

To make fresh breadcrumbs: place 1/2" pieces of French bread or thick white bread in a food processor and whiz until you get your breadcrumbs.

To make a very simple marinara sauce: saute 1 large minced garlic clove in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 30 seconds. Add 1 teaspoon fresh oregano and 1 bay leaf. Let it saute 30 more seconds. Add one (28 oz) can of "6 in 1 Tomato Sauce" and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and several grinds of black pepper. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if needed.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Our tomato plants are producing so much fruit that I've ran out of ideas what to do with them. I am getting a little tired of tomato salads! But I finally decided to make tomato sauce. These tomatoes are not "ideal" for sauce because they are sweeter than your Roma tomato, and their skins are very thin. I found that I prefer the tomato sauce these tomatoes produced because the sauce came out slightly sweet, slightly tangy and I didn't have to seed any of the tomatoes.

INGREDIENTS (makes about 6 cups)

• 15 to 20 small to medium ripe and sweet tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion (I used spring onions from our garden)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped (I used Italian parsley from our garden)
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped (I used Greek oregano from our garden)
• 3 fresh sage leaves, finely minced (I also used fresh from our garden)
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup white wine

DIRECTIONS

First cut a small "x" at the bottom of each tomato. Place them in a large pot of boiling water and boil for 30 to 45 seconds to loosen skin. Immediately remove tomatoes and place them in an ice-bath. When cool enough to handle, peel off skin.

Working in batches, place the peeled tomatoes in a blender and blend for 10 seconds. Set tomato sauce aside.

In a large pot heat olive oil on medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, parsley, oregano and sage and gently cook for another 5 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high and add the blended tomato sauce, white wine, one teaspoon salt and1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning and add the remaining teaspoon of salt, if needed.

Let sauce cool to room temperature. Place in the fridge overnight. You can jar it in plastic containers and freeze or use immediately in your favorite recipe using tomato sauce.

Panna Cotta with Strawberry Sauce

Next to flan, this is probably my second favorite custard. What's so great about this dessert is that there is no oven involved. Just a little cooking on the stove top and the rest of it is done in the fridge. Also, this is quite a refreshing dessert because there is not too sugary and the strawberry sauce really makes it quite lush. Anyhoo, if you've never had panna cotta before, I think you'll like this recipe--which came from the Barefoot Contessa herself!

INGREDIENTS (4 servings)

For the panna cotta:

• 1/2 packet (1 teaspoon) unflavored gelatin powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• 1/3 cup sugar

For the strawberry sauce:

• 1 cup strawberries
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• A few squeezes of fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin on 1 1/2 tablespoons of cold water. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the gelatin to dissolve.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup of the cream, the yogurt, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds. Heat the remaining 3/4 cup of cream and the 1/3 cup of sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Off the heat, add the softened gelatin to the hot cream and stir to dissolve. Pour the hot cream-gelatin mixture into the cold cream-yogurt mixture and stir to combine.

Pour into 4 (6 to 8-ounce) ramekins or custard cups and refrigerate uncovered until cold. When the panna cottas are thoroughly chilled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

For the strawberry sauce: Place the strawberries and sugar in food processor and puree. Strain the sauce to a fine sieve to separate from the seeds. Add few drops of fresh lemon juice and refrigerate.

To serve panna cotta: Dip the panna cotta molds, one at a time, into a bowl filled with hot water. Leave for about 5 seconds. Invert onto a serving plate. Press two fingers on the bottom of the mold and then shake slightly to loosen. Carefully remove the mold from the panna cotta. Top the panna cotta with a spoonful of strawberry sauce.

Pasta, Eggs and Bacon

I have been in a cooking funk lately, and I think it has to do with me being preggers. I just had no motivation to cook. All I was craving was oatmeal and fruit, but my cravings seem to change on a weekly basis. Then, suddenly, today I wanted bacon! If you recall, just the smell of bacon would make me nauseous during the first trimester of my pregnancy, but today I was craving it. To make matters worse, I was craving spaghetti alla carbonara and that's definitely something my doctor would not recommend I have. Authentic carbonara is spaghetti with lightly beaten eggs (or egg yolks) that are just barely cooked with the heat of the pasta, giving the pasta a shiny, eggy sauce that is nowhere near scrambled. Some people shy away from this dish because the eggs are not fully cooked all the way. So, I had to come up with my own variation and that's why this is pasta, eggs and bacon because it's nowhere near authentic carbonara, but dang, was it tasty!

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

• 1/4 pound spaghetti
• 4 thick cut bacon slices, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano plus more for sprinkling
• Coarse salt and fresh black pepper
• 1/4 cup frozen peas
• pinch of red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt is very generously and add your spaghetti and cook 8 minutes or according to package directions.

In the meantime, cook bacon pieces in a skillet just until nicely browned and crisp. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the bacon grease. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half and 1/4 cup Parmesan, a tiny pinch of salt and some fresh ground black pepper.

Place the reserved bacon grease back in the pan (no need to clean it out) and reduce heat to medium. Add the garlic and cook gently until it becomes fragrant. Your pasta should be done by now. Drain the pasta and add the pasta to the skillet. Raise heat back up to medium-high and working quickly, add the egg-milk mixture, the bacon bits and the peas. Keep tossing the pasta until all strands are coated with the egg sauce and keep cooking and tossing until the eggs just begin to set and just barely start to scramble and there is no raw egg left. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Sprinkle a little more Parmesan and just a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes. This makes a great breakfast dish, too!

Shrimp Risotto

Once you've mastered a basic risotto recipe, you can start making up your kind of risotto flavors, which is what I did with this shrimp risotto. I was craving shrimp and I had 5 jumbo shrimps in the fridge so I came up with this recipe. I also used tomatoes from my garden and all the herbs were from the garden, too. If you have a garden and have a lot of herbs or veggies, risotto is a great way to use them up and flavor your stocks, too!

INGREDIENTS (serves 1 pregnant lady or 2 non-pregos)

• 1/2 cup arborio rice
• 1 shallot, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Roma tomato, diced (I used tomatoes from my garden)
• 1/4 cup white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth, warmed
• 2 fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped and divided
• 1 small sprig of fresh thyme
• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• 5 Jumbo shrimp, with shell on and deveined
• 1/4 tsp. lemon zest
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for passing
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Coarse salt and black pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a sauce pan heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the shallots and saute for 4 minutes. Add the rice and keep sauteing 2 more minutes, until all granules are coated and lightly toasted. Add a small pinch of coarse salt and some fresh ground black pepper.

Add the wine and stir from time to time, with a wooden spoon, until almost all of wine is absorbed. Next lower heat to medium and add one ladle full of the warmed chicken stock (you want enough stock to just barely cover the rice). Then add the chopped tomatoes, sage, 1 tablespoon of parsley, the thyme sprig and the red pepper flakes, if using. Keep stirring from time to time until stock gets absorbed. Repeat the process of adding a ladle full of stock and keep stirring (I find that after 3 ladle fulls, your rice is al dente and pretty much done--this may take 20 to 30 minutes). Taste the rice for seasoning and add salt, if needed.

While your rice is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes. Remove immediately and shock in cold water. Peel off the shells and remove tails and roughly chop the shrimp. Set aside. In a small sauce pan melt the 2 tablespoons of butter on low heat. Add the shrimp to the butter once it's melted and remove from heat.

By now you should have added that third ladle of stock and your rice should be al dente and quite creamy. Add 1/4 teaspoon zest of lemon and the cheese and stir in. Lastly add the shrimp with the melted butter and the remaining tablespoon of parsley. Remove risotto from heat and let stand for a couple of minutes before serving.

Serve in a large bowl with more grated Parmesan and parsley. Dont' forget to serve along with the white wine you used.

Homemade Sweet Italian Sausage

I have been getting spoiled by my husband lately. Maybe it's because I'm carrying his child; perhaps because I'm very emotional right now; or it could be that he's just an Amazon.com addict and he loves to buy stuff from there. Anyway, he got me the food grinder attachment to my awesome Kitchenaid stand mixer and, of course, I just had to use it immediately. I decided to go the easy route and make homemade sausage, this time sober! The recipe below is a tweak between Alton Brown's recipe and a recipe by John D. Lee on HubPages.com. You can omit the paprika, but I like it because it gives the sausage a slight reddish hue.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds lean pork butt (2-1/2 pounds with bone), diced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1-1/2 tsp. salt
• 1-1/2 tsp. fennel seed (up to 1 Tbsp. depending on how much fennel seed you like in your sausage. I used 1 tablespoon.)
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika
• 2 cloves finely minced fresh garlic
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS

Using your food grinder, grind the pork. Set aside.

Toast fennel seed in medium sized, heavy saute pan over medium heat, constantly moving seeds around in pan until they start to turn light brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Once cool, grind seeds and combine with salt, pepper, paprika, sugar, garlic and chopped parsley in medium mixing bowl. Add pork and blend thoroughly. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Use this Italian sausage in your favorite spaghetti sauce, or instead of ground beef in lasagna. I used this sausage for broccoli rabe and sausage. Truly delish! I'll post recipe soon.

This can be stuffed inside sausage casings and grilled as well. Sausage casings can be found at most Italian grocery stores. Get a little funnel and shove the meat into the tubes; but don't push too hard, as it can be frustrating to rupture the casings as you get close to a finished sausage. When your sausage is the length that you want, twist off the ends and tie them in knots. Store in refrigerator for use within 2 to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Spaghetti with Caramelized Shallots

I haven't been watching much Rachael Ray on Food Network lately only because she had begun to annoy me (just like Paula Deen). I truly don't know what it is about these ladies that annoy me, perhaps it's that they use the same catch phrases all the time. But anyway, I digress.

What caught my eye about this recipe from Rachael Ray is that the spaghetti just looked too easy to make and it only had a few ingredients. The recipe below is for 4 people; naturally I halved it since it's just 1 and 3/8th's right now. And since I ran out of Parmigiano I used the leftover Mizithra, but next time I will definitely add the fresh Parmigiano.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 10 shallots, halved, then thinly sliced
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
• A generous handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

DIRECTIONS

Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a high-sided skillet. Add garlic and shallots. Season with salt and pepper, then gently cook to caramelize them, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, heat a large pot of water to boil for pasta, salt the water very liberally, then add spaghetti to rolling boil. Cook to al dente.

Add three ladles of starchy pasta water, about 1 1/4 cups, to the shallots and stir.

Drain pasta and add to shallots. Add the parsley and cheese and more black pepper, to taste. Toss 1-2 minutes for liquid to absorb and serve.

Mizithra Cheese and Browned Butter Spaghetti

When my brothers and I were little, my dad and Elaine used to take us chichinos (our tias gave us that nickname) to the Old Spaghetti Factory on special occasions. It was probably one of our favorite places to go, next to Disneyland and IHOP. We LOVED going there and I think my brothers, Tom & Bobby, look forward to playing the Pac-Man video game they had in the lounge.

Then a few years ago this landmark restaurant was closed to make room for fancy schmanzy restaurants and high-end hotels. But luckily this year OSF re-opened (I'm thinking the economy had something to do with it). The restaurant is half the size it used to be; the charm it used to have is gone, and Pac-Man is no where to be found. But at least we have an affordable restaurant back in downtown SD. This dish is one of OSF's signature dishes. The secret is being patient in browning the butter and of course in using this wonderful Greek cheese, mizithra.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

• 4 oz. butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup Mizithra cheese, freshly grated
• 1/2 pound spaghetti or angel hair pasta
• Chopped parsley, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

First, cook your pasta in a large bowl of salted water. Cook according to package directions.

Cut 1 stick of butter into 4 pieces and place in a sauce pan. Place the pan on a burner on medium heat. Bring butter to a slow boil (about 5 minutes).

Once the butter begins to boil, stir constantly to prevent residue from sticking to the bottom of the pan. As the butter cooks, it will start to foam and rise. With a spoon remove as much foam as you can by lightly skimming it off.

Once most foam is removed, cook until amber in color (about 1 to 2 minutes). It will have a pleasant caramel aroma. Turn off the heat and remove pan from burner. Let the sediment settle to the bottom of the pan for a few minutes.

Pour the brown butter through a fine sieve into a small bowl. Do not disturb the residue at the bottom of the pan.

Drain pasta and divide into two servings. Spread 1/4 cup of Mizithra over each pasta serving. Top with 1/4 cup of hot brown butter. Sprinkle chopped parsley and enjoy!

Spring Herb Risotto

My husband did an awesome job with our backyard, but I think my favorite part (besides the cob-oven) are all the herbs and fruit and vegetable plants he planted. So far, the grape vines, fig trees, citrus and persimmon trees and tomatoes still have a ways to go, but the herbs are going nuts out there. We have the most fragrant mint, gorgeous parsley and fresh oregano. The lettuces, basil, tarragon and chives are still babies, but I'm sure they'll be ready in another month or so.

Anyway, I borrowed a book from Lindsey over a year ago (I think she forgot I have it), called "A Handful of Herbs: Gardening, Cooking and Decorating." In it, it has great tips on herb gardening, and it also has some pretty good recipes. This herb risotto is right out of the book. This was probably my best risotto EVER! It was creamy, yet just slightly al dente, and the fresh herbs from my garden made such a big difference. I halved the recipe below, but it still made enough risotto for 2 to 3 people.

Happy gardening!

INGREDIENTS (serves 4 to 6)

• 1 cup fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped mixed herbs, such as chervil, chives, mint, parsley and tarragon (I used a mixture of chives, mint and parsley)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large shallots, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 small leeks, well washed, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 2/3 cup dry white wine (I used a pinot grigio)
• 1/4 cup Mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Put the 5 cups of vegetable stock in a saucepan and heat to a rolling boil (if you have any extra herbs, add them to the stock just to give it that extra herbaceous flavor) then lower heat to low to keep stock warm.

Add the oil to a large pan with high sides and heat on medium. Add the onion, garlic, leeks and a pinch of salt and slowly fry for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the rice and stir the mixture over the heat for 1 minute until all grains are coated with oil and glossy. Pour in the wine and boil until almost totally evaporated.

Now add 1 large ladle full of the warmed vegetable stock and simmer; stir until stock is absorbed before adding more stock. Repeat this process until stock has been used and rice is tender but firm (this will take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes).

Stir in the spinach, herbs, Parmesan and Mascarpone cheese and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if needed. Cover the pan and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese.