CHICKEN SALTIMBOCCA With MARSALA SAUCE

Finally Perfect Chicken!

Lately chicken has not been my friend. I have had some problems with getting tender and juicy chicken in certain recipes. But being the trooper that I am, I tried and tried again until I succeeded. This recipe was just what I needed for an ego boost. It was fantastic!

CHICKEN SALTIMBOCCA With MARSALA SAUCE
Recipe by Linda Miranda, a frequent prizewinner in recipe contests

4 whole chicken breasts w/skin, pounded (I used skinless breast halves, butterflied and pounded to 1/4 to 1/8 inch thickness)
4 thin slices prosciutto ham (I used thin slices low sodium deli ham)
4 thin slices fontina cheese (I used about 4 ounces of gorgonzola)
8 fresh sage leaves (or 1 teaspoon dry sage, I used this)
1/2 cup chicken stock (I used low sodium chicken broth)
1/4 cup Marsala wine
1/4 cup (1/2 stick butter), cut into small pieces (I only used 2 tablespoons here-4 tablespoons total, see my addition below)
2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
My addition: 2 tablespoons of herbed butter (Just mix softened butter with your choice of fresh herbs, I used parsley, thyme, rosemary and lemon zest)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
~Put each breast skin side down and cover with a slice of ham and a slice of cheese. Place 2 sage leaves or dried sage over each and roll up breasts.
~Place in a lightly buttered or sprayed 8x8x2 baking dish, seam side down. Add 2 tablespoons of the chicken stock. (Since I used skinless chicken breast I spread about 1/2 tablespoon of herbed butter over the top of each breast).
~Bake 35-45 minutes or until cooked through. (Half way through the cooking time, I basted the chicken with the broth and butter in the baking dish.) Remove chicken from dish, cover and keep warm.
~Pour drippings into a saucepan and add remaining chicken stock and the wine. (I added the wine to the dripping in the baking sheet and scraped up the brown bits, then added it to the saucepan.) Cook over medium heat until reduced by half.
~Lower heat and whisk in butter a little at a time. Add cornstarch, salt and pepper. Cook until thickened.
~Serve chicken topped with Marsala sauce. Serves 4.

Even with the reduced butter in the Marsala sauce, this dish was very rich and tasty. It was very easy to make and even easier to eat! I hope you try it.

Vegetable Soup...Good For You, Right???

Not always. But the Mixed Salad Annie version is!

This recipe is another from my favorite TV chef, Giada DiLaurentiis. I was a little disappointed with her this time though, since the sodium content in this soup is through the roof! The original recipe calls for 10 cups of vegetable broth. Assuming she is using canned broth, the sodium content in one cup is around 950 milligrams. Too much for me or anyone who wants to live another 10 minutes.

All is not lost. I revised the recipe by diluting the broth with water and adding in a few more herbs and flavorings. It was still very good. Very tasty. The trick is to make it a day ahead, so that the flavors have a chance to develop and meld.

By the way, this was my first time using LEEKS. The verdict: I'm a big fan. No nasty onion smell in the house and a sweet mellow flavor!! Two thumbs up!

Healthier Italian Vegetable Soup

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 zucchini, peeled leaving stripes and thinly sliced crosswise
2 (13 3/4-ounce) cans quartered artichoke hearts packed in water, rinsed & drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cans vegetable broth
6 1/4 cups water
6-7 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
4 ounces dried wide egg noodles
Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and saute until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and artichokes. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Saute until the zucchini are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and water. Stir in the thyme and bay leaves and cook for 2 minutes. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a simmer. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the flavors develop, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
At this point I stopped the cooking, let the soup cool, refrigerated right in the same pot until ready to use the next day.
Reheat the soup on medium heat until it reaches a slow simmer then increase the heat to medium-high. Add the noodles and cook until al dente, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

My Second Pot Roast...

A few changes to my first recipe and Yum Again!

My first pot roast was very tasty but I had some troubles. One was with getting the meat, fall apart tender in only three hours. My total cooking time 4 hours the first day and 3 hours the next. The Final Result was delicious but I wanted to cut down the cooking time.

With this goal in mind, I searched the web for the secret to tender pot roast, cooked in only 3 hours or less. I found it!!

The trick is to set your oven to 300º-325º and check the roast after 45 minutes to see if the liquid is slowly bubbling. If not, increase the temperature and check again. The slow bubbling is what breaks down the meat and tenderizes it.

With this new found information and a few different ingredients, including a different cut of beef, I set out to make the perfect roast.

Stracoto with Porcini Mushrooms and Potatoes
Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

(3-4 pound) boneless beef shoulder roast
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup dry red wine
2 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
1/2-ounce dried porcini mushrooms (I rinsed mine and rehydrated them in the chicken broth. Bring the broth to a boil and take off the heat, add the mushrooms, cover and let sit for 15 minutes, strain over a coffee filter to catch any grit)
6 large sprigs fresh thyme, plus extra for garnish
1 bay leaf
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-3 inch cubes, keep in cold water until ready to use
1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy 6-quart roasting pan over medium heat. Add the beef and cook until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes total cooking time. Transfer the beef to a bowl.

Add remaining tablespoon oil to the pan, add the onion and saute until tender, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute. Add the wine and boil 1 minute. Stir in the strained broth and mushrooms. Return the beef to the pan. Bring the liquids to a boil. Cover and transfer to the oven. (I Started out at 300 degrees and checked to see if the liquid was bubbling after 45 minutes- it was very slowly bubbling so I raised the temp to 325).
Braise until the beef is fork-tender, turning the beef over halfway through cooking (1 1/2 hours), about 3 hours total. Add in the potatoes about a 1/2 hour before the roast is done.

(At this point, I let the pot cool and transferred it to the refrigerator.
The next day, I took the pot out of the fridge and while the juice was still cold, I spooned any excess fat off the top of the pan juices. I reheated it on the stove top until boiling then transferred it to the oven for another 45 minutes at 350 degrees.)

Transfer the beef to a cutting board. Tent the beef with foil and let stand 15 minutes. Pick out the thyme stems and bay leaf.

Bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce heat and quickly whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of cold water and cook for another 2 minutes to thicken the gravy. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Cut the beef across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange the sliced beef on a platter and garnish with thyme. Spoon the sauce over and serve, passing the remaining sauce in a sauce boat.

Brining Chicken- What a Disaster!

Looks Good- Doesn't It?

Well it was, sort of, if it wasn't so damn salty, that is.

I had heard that brining chicken makes it tender and juicy, so why wouldn't I want to try that?

The only trouble is, I used a recipe that obviously had problems. It was actually for country fried chicken pieces. Since I was using chicken pieces in my recipe I thought it would be OK to start my recipe with some nicely brined chicken. The recipe called for soaking the chicken for 3-4 hours in a solution made up of 1 cup of salt to a quart of water. That's a lot of salt!
But I figured I would try it and boy was it salty. The only thing I can think of is that maybe because my chicken was braised in chicken stock (low sodium) it intensified the salty flavor. Maybe the frying process is different???
Besides the saltiness, the chicken wasn't all that tender or juicy either. I don't know why. I wonder if it is due to the sauting process, because I have a hard time controlling the temperature of my electric stovetop (which I can't say enough that I HATE). All I do know is it was such a disappointment because I think the dish has potential. I will try it again someday with some revisions.

Here's the recipe without brining the chicken:

Skillet Chicken with Mushrooms and Peppers

One 2 1/2 to 3-pound fryer chicken, cut into 8 pieces
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 green pepper, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 package mushrooms, quartered
Juice of one lemon
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Dredge in flour. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and brown in the oil, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan. Remove chicken and set aside.

Add the onion, peppers and mushrooms an saute for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice, return the chicken to the pan, allow the broth to boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook the chicken for 45 minutes, adding more broth if necessary to keep the meat from getting dry. (I skimmed off some of the fat from the chicken skin). Stir in the parsley and basil. (Just before serving, I removed the the bones and skin from the chicken).

If you try this recipe with your own modifications and have great results-let me know what your secret is to getting tender and juicy chicken.

Cherrio Bars...The possibilities are endless!

I had two boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios tucked in the back of my pantry closet and needed to The first recipe I found is from Odense Almond Paste and the original recipe is called Coconut-Almond Crispy Treats. Even though it called for Rice Crispies and the Odense Almond paste, the recipe was great even without them.

Coconut Cheerios Treats
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) butter, plus extra for greasing dish and spoon
1/2 Tsp. Almond Extract
1-10.5 oz bag mini marshmallows
6 cups Honey Nut Cheerios
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips(optional)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips(optional)

Equipment:
1-7"X11" pan or baking dish

Directions:
1. Butter a 7-inch by 11-inch baking dish. Measure cereal into a large bowl and set aside.
2. Add coconut flakes and peanuts to a large non-stick skillet. Dry roast over a medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the coconut and peanuts start to turn golden. Immediately pour into bowl with cereal.

3. In the same skillet melt the butter over a low heat. the marshmallows. Stirring constantly, cook until melted and smooth.
4.Immediately pour marshmallow mixture into bowl of cereal. Combine with a buttered spoon until all ingredients are incorporated.

5. Press crispy treats into a buttered dish. Cool until firm enough to cut into 1.5 inch squares.
6. Top with melted chocolate of your choice and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.

This next chocolate rice crispy treat recipe is an Australian recipe called Chocolate Crackles . I changed it a bit, again using Honey Nut Cheerios instead of Rice Crispies and I cut out some of the Coconut Oil and added some margerine and peanut butter.

The flavor was awesome but they didn't stay together as well as the recipe above. I spread the mixture in a baking dish just like the last recipe and didn't put them in paper cups as the recipe suggests. I would definately do this next time because I think they would have stayed together better.

Chocolate Cheerio Treats

1/2 cup Coconut oil
1/4 cup Butter/margerine
1/4 cup Peanut butter
3/4 cup Powdered, or confectioner's, sugar
2/3 cup Cocoa
5 cups Honey Nut Cheerios
1 cup Coconut, dried, shredded & unsweetened

1. Melt the coconut oil, peanut butter and margerine in a saucepan over a low flame.
2. Sift powdered sugar and cocoa powder together. Stir in Honey Nut Cheerios and dried coconut.
3. Stir dry ingredients into coconut oil until well mixed.
4. Scoop small portions into paper muffin cups. Chill in the refrigerator till firm and serve.

VARIATIONS
* Coconut oil can be found in health food and specialty stores. If you can't find coconut oil, eliminate it and the cocoa powder, and substitute one 12-oz bag of chocolate chips instead. Melt gently over low heat and stir in the rice crispies and shredded coconut. It won't be quite the same though.
* Sometimes sultanas, or golden raisins, are mixed in along
* Chocolate crackles are a favorite of Australian children and are often served at children's parties.

From Appetizer to Delicious Meal..

Chicken Marsala over Polenta

I wasn't too sure about this dish when I was making it, but OH MY- was it good. I altered a recipe from my favorite TV chef Giada DiLaurentiis. It was for an appetizer called Polenta Squares with Mushroom Ragu.

The inspiration for this dish came from the fact that I had some leftover rotisserie chicken (big surprise, huh?), some fresh mushrooms and a box of quick cooking polenta in my cabinet that I've been thinking about trying. So it all came together and quite well.

Since I wanted to make a dinner and not an appetizer, I added the chicken and I just cut the polenta squares larger.

Polenta Squares with Chicken Marsala Ragu

2 cups boiling water
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 cup quick-cooking polenta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 rotisserie chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup dry Marsala
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Bring the water, 1 tablespoon butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir constantly until the polenta thickens, about 5 minutes. Pour the polenta into a greased 9 by 9-inch baking pan, spreading so that it is 1/3-inch thick. Cover and let stand at room temperature until set, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and onion. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and saute until the juices evaporate, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Add the Marsala. Cover and simmer until the Marsala has reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Add in the chicken broth and chicken pieces.

Stir the flour and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl to form a paste, then stir the paste into the chicken & mushroom mixture. Cover and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir the parsley into the ragu. Season the ragu, to taste, with more salt and pepper.

Cut the polenta into 6-8 squares. Arrange the polenta squares on a platter. Spoon the warm ragu atop the polenta and serve immediately.

Peanut Butter Trifle

I recently saw a recipe for Decadent Peanut Butter Pie made with Jif Peanut Butter, cream cheese and Cool-Whip and couldn't stop thinking about the delicious photo it showed. Although I did have a pie shell, I decided to make a trifle since I had some of my
Mom's Peanut Butter Fingers (without the frosting) in the freezer.
I also lightened up the recipe a bit and believe me no one knew the difference!

Peanut Butter Trifle

1 recipe for my Mom's Peanut Butter Fingers
1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter (I used Skippy)
8 oz. cream cheese (at room temperature), I used 4 0z. fat-free and 4 oz. low-fat
1/3 cup sugar
4 1/2 cups (12 oz. container) of non-dairy whipped topping, divided (I used Light Cool-Whip)
Chocolate syrup
Drizzle:
Chocolate syrup and 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions
In a medium bowl, beat together the peanut butter, cream cheese and sugar. Gently fold in 3 cups whipped topping.
Line the bottom of a clear glass bowl or trifle with a layer of the peanut butter fingers and
spoon 1/3 of the mixture on top. Using a spatula, smooth mixture to edges of bowl.

Squeeze chocolate syrup over top to cover the peanut butter layer. Add another layer of peanut butter fingers and then peanut butter mixture and syrup. Repeat.

Just before serving, spread the remaining whipped topping (1 1/2 cups), over chocolate syrup layer, being careful not to mix the two layers.

Drizzle more chocolate syrup over top and sprinkle with the chocolate chips.
Serve and be happy!

Ribolitta

It's so cold outside... What a great week for soup!

Ribolitta in Italian means to re-boil or re-cook. This soup is great to make a day ahead and re-heat the next day for the best flavor. I had a small bowl the same day I made it and it was good, but the next day it was delicious!

Again, Ribolitta is a recipe from Giada DiLaurentiis. She served hers with garlic rubbed and toasted ciabatta rolls. I decided to serve mine with mini gorgonzola pizzas and I just altered a few things in the recipe to my own preferences.
Enjoy it, I know I did.

Ribollita (with my changes)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
3 ounces canadian bacon, chopped
2 cloves garlic, 1 minced and 1 whole
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed
1 (15-ounce) can cannelloni beans, drained
1/2 tablespoon herbs de Provence
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus one whole sprig
4 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 (3-inch) piece Parmesan rind
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Mini Pizzas
1 bag of bread/pizza dough
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces gorgonzola cheese

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, pancetta, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion is golden brown and the pancetta is crisp, about 7 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir until dissolved. Add tomatoes and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Add the spinach, beans, herbs, stock, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F .

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and shape into small rounds. Flour a work surface and roll out the dough rounds to desired thickness. Press your fingertips into the top to form small indentations. Brush with olive oil and bake at 500º for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Top with gorgonzola cheese and a little more olive oil and re-bake for another 5-7 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Veggie Calzone!

What a great way to eat your vegetables.

I actually love veggies anyway, but putting them in a calzone just makes them even better. Whenever I have a bowl of leftover vegetables, I love to use them in different ways -omelettes, fritattas, with pasta and in calzones.

It's so easy too. In this case especially, because I bought the dough instead of making it from scratch.
-I just divided the dough into 4 equal balls and rolled them out on a floured surface into small circles. You could make mini pizzas with these as well, which I did and will show you in my next post.
-The veggies need a little more spice when there in a calzone, so I added some garlic powder, Italian seasoning, fresh parsley, grated parmesan cheese and extra virgin olive oil. Then I added in some feta cheese to top it all off.
-You just spoon the veggies onto on side of the dough round and fold the other side over. Crimp the edges with your fingers or a fork, brush the top with olive oil and cut a few slits on the top for the steam to escape.
-Bake on a pizza stone at 500º for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

That's all there is to it. Give it a try, I'm sure you'll be glad you did!!

Pasta Putanesca

If you like pasta and you like a little zing, this dish is for you. It is a great meal to make if you don't have a lot of time. It doesn't require a lot of exotic ingredients either. Just a few pantry staples and you will be ready to whip it up.

Here is the link and the recipe.

Pasta Putanesca

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion—finely chopped

2 cloves garlic—finely chopped

4 anchovy fillets—chopped

1 small red chili—de-seeded and finely chopped

2 teaspoons capers—rinsed and drained

8 pitted black olives—quartered

14 oz (420g) canned tomatoes—chopped

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

7 oz (200g) spaghetti

HEAT 2 tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. ADD the garlic and anchovies and cook for a minute, stirring to break up the anchovies. ADD the chili, capers, olives, tomatoes, salt and pepper, and bring to the boil. REDUCE the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. WHILE the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta. DRAIN the cooked pasta into a colander and put the sauce in the bottom of the pot. TOP with the hot pasta, parsley and reserved tablespoon of olive oil, and toss together gently to combine.

Variation: To make this meal more protein-packed you can add a 6 oz (180g) can of tuna (drained and flaked) to the sauce at the end of cooking to heat through.


I had heard of this dish many times and somehow never made it. That is until my niece decided to make dinner for me and my family. She had never made it either, but you would never know because it was delicious.

The name of the dish has a pretty funny origin. In Italian it translates to "women of the night" pasta. I have heard many different reasons for the name. One is that it is so easy and quick to prepare, that the "ladies" had plenty of time for business. Another is that it is hot and spicy, just like these women. Although it doesn't have to be. In my case, I can't eat spicy food, so my niece left out the hot red pepper flakes.

Chocolate-Dipped Almond Biscotti

I saved the best for last!

This is the probably the 5th Holiday that I made these biscotti and I think they are the best of my whole collection. There is something about the combination of almond, orange and chocolate that kills me every time! I think these are one of my brother's favorites as well. I send him a batch almost every year.

The recipe came from an insert in Family Circle magazine, featuring their top 10 recipes. I can see why this one was listed!

Chocolate-Dipped Almond Biscotti

Ingredients

1 cup slivered almonds

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated orange rind (I used the rind of one whole orange)

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spread almonds evenly on baking sheet.

2. Toast almonds at 375 degrees F for 4 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool. Coarsely chop.

3. Mix together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.

4. Beat together butter and sugar in medium-size bowl until creamy. Beat in egg, yolk, vanilla, rind and almond extract.

5. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture to form dough. Stir in almonds.

6. Place dough on a baking sheet. Shape into 11 x 4-inch log. If too soft, refrigerate to firm.

7. Bake in 375 degree F oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove log to cutting board. Let stand until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.

8. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

9. Using serrated knife, cut log crosswise on a slight angle into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Carefully transfer to baking sheet, a cut side down.

10. Bake in 325 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden (I only leave them for about 5-7 minutes). With spatula, transfer biscotti to wire rack to cool. Makes 24 biscotti. Hope you like them, I know I did!!

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Tiramisu Trifle

The perfect holiday dessert! A real crowd pleaser.
My Americanized version of Italian Tiramisu!

Expect a lot of Ooh's and Ahh's when you set this decadent dessert down on the table. And for good reason. It is beautiful and sinfully rich! It looks like it took hours to make, but it is pretty easy, actually. As long as you have chocolate chip cookies on hand that is. Other wise you would have to bake a batch or you could cheat and use a package of Chips Ahoy! I won't tell if you don't.
I did cheat myself by using Cool Whip Topping instead of Whipped Cream since I didn't have any on hand. And guess what, no one knew the difference.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Tiramisu Trifle

Ingredients:
1 batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies or Blondies cut up into small squares.
One 8 ounce container of Neufeuntal Cream Cheese, at room temperature
3 or 4 tablespoons Sugar
1 cup cold Espresso (I made instant, you can find instant espresso at any Italian market or in the International Food Isle in the Super Market)
1 recipe Zabalione (Custard filling) See below
1 tub of Light Cool Whip Topping, thawed (or an equal amount of whipped cream for all of you cool whip snobs out there, wink wink-Amy).
1 can of Cherry Pie Filling
Unsweetened Cocoa powder to sift

The first thing you have to do is make the Zabalione which is the hardest part of this recipe. The rest is just assembly, so don't be discouraged. It is actually a lot easier than you think. There are many recipes of Zabalione out there and they are all a little bit different.

Here is my version that I use all the time.

Zabalione
7 Egg Yolks
7 Tablespoons of Sugar
3/4 cup of Amaretto

1. Fill a saucepan 1/3 full with water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2. In a large bowl, beat together egg yolks and sugar. Whisk in the Amaretto. Set the bowl over the simmering water, taking care that it doesn't touch the water. Whisk for 5-8 minutes, removing the bowl from the heat for a moment if it heats too quickly. The mixture should be thick and foamy.

Mix the cream cheese to soften just until smooth and then fold in the zabaglione. Cover and refrigerate.

Once the Zabalione-cheese mixture is cool, fold in the cool-whip topping. Set aside.

In a wide, flat bowl, whisk the espresso with the sugar.
Quickly dip each cookie in the cold espresso and place in the trifle to cover the bottom. Top with 1/4 of the Zabalione mixture and top with another layer of espresso dipped cookies. Top again with a 1/4 of the Zabalione mixture.

Add the can of Cherry Pie Filling and cover with another layer of cookies, then the Zabalione mixture. Top with the final layer of cookies and final 1/4 of the Zabalione mixture.
Sift the cocoa over the top and refrigerate until ready to serve.


Everyone really enjoyed this dessert. My niece's husband actually said he liked this Americanized version of Tiramisu better than the original. For me, the cherry filling kind of masked the flavor of the zabalione which I love. I still like the traditional Tiramisu best, but I did enjoy this version as well.

Oatmeal Cranberry Dark & White Chocolate Chip Coconut Walnut Biscotti

The name is a mouthful in it's self!

For all of you cookie lovers out there, here is another biscotti recipe worth trying. For everyone else, sorry I'm boring you with more biscotti. Don't worry though, I only have a few more to go!

Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate Chip Coconut Biscotti
Adapted from Ocean Spray' s Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 6-ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Sweetened Dried Cranberries
1/3 cup toasted walnuts
1/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, coconut, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in sweetened dried cranberries, walnuts and both the white and semi-sweet chocolate chunks.

Form dough into 3 or 4 logs the length of your cookie sheet and about 2 inches wide. Place on parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 2o minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes and then cut into slice on a diagonal. Place slices on their sides on the cookie sheet and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes depending on desired crispiness. Cool completely and store in an airtight container or freeze.

These biscotti were a new addition to my usual holiday collection. I wanted a recipe that had a little bit of everything in it and this one came close. I was inspired one day while reading a recipe on the back of an Ocean Spray's sweetened cranberry bag. It was for Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies. I liked the sound of it and decided to turn them into biscotti. I decided it needed a few more ingredients for my liking, so I added in semi-sweet chocolate chips, toasted walnuts, coconut and vanilla extract (which in my opinion belongs in almost every cookie recipe). The rest is history! ENJOY.

Cute Jars...Nice Gift!

I found these jars at the Christmas Tree Shop and I just fell in love! They are so cute and I thought they would be perfect for my biscotti gifts. They are also very functional, since they can be used for storing anything once the biscotti are history.

Needless to say, I kept one for myself. Ahh, the season of giving!!!

p.s. I still have more biscotti recipes to post, so keep an eye out!

Almond Biscotti

Here is the classic biscotti... It is so good, you won't be able to eat just one!

Almond Biscotti
(recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour)

1 1/3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoon butter/margarine
1 (1 ounce) bottle (equals 2 tablespoons) Almond Extract
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 egg plus 1 tsp water ( beaten together for egg wash)
3 giant chocolate candy bars (1 dark,1 milk, 1 white)
Colored sugar
optional: 1 cup almonds (bake 10 minutes,chop and add to dough)

PREHEAT OVEN TO 325 degrees.
1. Combine the sugar, baking powder, and margarine.
2. Blend in the entire bottle of extract.
3. Add the eggs and then the flour, one cup at a time.
Note: Remember that flour is a bit like a sponge. It absorbs whatever moisture is in the air
around it. So, on a humid day you’ll have a wetter flour. As a result, you’ll need to add
more to your dough or batter to absorb the moisture in it. But always start with a lesser
amount. It’s easy to add flour to a dough or batter but once it‘s in there you can’t get it out.
4. Spoon the dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet to form two logs 1 1/2 inches wide by 1 inch high.
5. Brush logs with egg wash and bake for 20 minutes.
6. Remove them from the oven and cuts logs diagonally into slices 1 inch thick to produce cookies. Turn each on its side and re-bake at the same temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Melt chocolate and put each in squeeze bottles. Spread a layer of melted milk chocolate on half of the cookies and spread a layer of dark chocolate on the rest. Drizzle tops with white chocolate and sprinkle with colored sugar.

This is a no fail recipe and everyone loves these biscotti. They are so easy to make, so give them a try-you will not be disappointed!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Here is the recipe you've been waiting for...

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Biscotti

1 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar (I think I used only 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla (I always put a little extra)
2 large eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups quick oatmeal (I have used regular oatmeal with good results)
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cups chopped toasted walnuts - optional (I always add them for myself, but omit them for gifts in case of unknown allergies)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs. Fold mixture in with flour and baking powder. Mix in oats, chips and nuts.

Onto a parchment lined baking sheet, spoon out mixture to form 2 logs the length of the sheet. Leave enough space in between each log, since they will spread while cooking.
For smaller cookies use 2 baking sheets and form 4 logs.

Bake for about 2o minutes, so that when you touch the tops they are firm and lightly brown. Remove from the oven and cool 10 minutes.

Slice logs diagonally and place on sides on the baking sheet. Put biscotti back in the oven and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes depending on how crisp you like your biscotti. (I only leave them for 5 minutes). Cool and store in an airtight container.

To decorate: Just melt some semi-sweet chocolate chips and some white chocolate chips in the microwave, separately. Dip a spoon in the melted chocolate and drizzle over the cookie tops. I actually use squeeze containers because it makes it so easy to drizzle. While the chocolate is still wet, shake on some candy sprinkles.


If you like chocolate chips cookies, you will love these biscotti. And the great thing about biscotti, is that they last for up to 3 weeks in an airtight container. Although, they never last that long in my house.
So get the baking sheets back out and give yourself or someone you love a treat!!
Try 'em, you'll love 'em!!!

More Biscotti Gifts!!

Wow. I am such a slacker lately. I'm sorry I haven't been posting. I am still recovering from the holidays!

This was one of the biscotti gifts that I made for Christmas. I made three different kinds of biscotti and grouped two of each together in clear cellophane and aranged them in this cute little flower pot. They kind of look like flowers coming up out of the pot, don' t they? I thought they were too cute!

I made Oatmeal chocolate chip, Almond and Vanilla biscotti. Everyone loves the Oatmeal chocolate chip biscotti because they remind you of mom's chocolate chip cookies. The Almond biscotti are also very popular because they are the classic biscotti.

I love them both! I already posted the Vanilla biscotti recipe and I will post the Oatmeal chocolate chip biscotti recipe and the Almond biscotti recipe soon! So stay tuned.

Vanilla Biscotti

Every Christmas I give cookies to my friends, family, neighbors and clients. I usually decorate and package them for the season. This holiday I got a great idea from Food TV. Sandra Lee created gifts by filling clear glass mugs with cookies and hot chocolate. I loved the presentation so much that I decided to put my own spin on it.

I found the most perfect ruby red glass mugs at the Christmas Tree Shop for get this (2/$1.00). I bought all that they had left on the shelf!! Unfortunately, with all the hustle and bustle I forget to take a photo of them all done up. I really regret that because they were really cute.

I rapped 2 biscotti in clear cellophane paper and filled holiday goody bags with 3 tablespoons of Ghiardelli Hot Chocolate (enough for one cup of hot chocolate). I attached a small note with heating directions for the hot chocolate and placed it all in the mug.

Vanilla Cinnamon Biscotti
Recipe adapted from Carol's Biscotti of Scialo Bros. Bakery in Providence, RI Printed in the Providence Journal, December 2001

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla
Egg wash(egg mixed with a little water)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Combine the suar, baking powder, and butter.
2. Blend in the vanilla.
3. Mix in the eggs and add the flour one cup at a time.
4. Spoon dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet to form two logs 1 1/2 inches wide by 1 inch high.
5. Brush logs with egg wash and bake for 20 minutes turning pan half way through.
6. Remove them from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Move the logs to a cutting board and cut logs diagonally into slices 1 inch thick to produce cookies. Turn each onto its side and rebake at the same temperature for another 5 to 10 minutes depending on how crisp you like your cookies.
7. To decorate melt dark and milk chocolate in separate bowl and spread a thin layer over cool cookies. One dried, drizzle with melted white chocolate and sprinkle with colored sugar or jimmies.

I felt like these were the easiest and safest cookies to give a large number of people. I always worry about nut allergies and some people just don't like nuts, which I can't imagine, but it's true. Cinnamon and vanilla seem to be flavors that everyone likes. They seemed to be a hit, so I guess I did good!!

QUICK & EASY FRITTATA

WOW! It's been so long since I've posted. I have been extremely busy and have not had any time to type out recipes, take photos or cook anything really worth posting for that matter.

I made this fritatta one night in a flash. I used leftover mixed veggies, shredded cheddar cheese and grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

I just sauteed some chopped garlic in olive oil, added about 3/4 cup chopped veggies, added salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, fresh chopped parsely. After a few minutes I added 6 beaten eggs with one tablespoon of milk, 1/4 cup cheddar and 1/8 cup of romano.

I cooked it on the stovetop until almost set on top and then placed the oven proof skillet under the broiler for a few minutes. I set the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes and it was ready to eat.

I have been baking up a storm trying get all of my holiday goodies done. This past weekend was a Biscotti Marathon. I made 4 different types of Biscotti. I decorated and packaged them for Christmas. It was fun, but soooo much work. My back is killing me and I have'nt slept much lately. I'm sure all you bakers out there understand!

I will post the cookie recipes as soon as I get a chance. Happy Holidays to all of you!

Sooo busy!!! NoTime to Post.

Sorry about the lack of posts lately. I am just too busy at work and too tired after work. Between trying to decorate for the holidays and shopping, it is just too hectic! I just wanted to let you all know that I am alive and well!

I did make a delicious Chicken Piccata recipe from Giada De Laurentiis. I didn't take a picture of it because I thought I might have posted it in the past. But you should check it out, it's really good.

The Perfect Gift!

The Forbidden Fruit Just Got a Bit More Sinful

These treats are the apple of my eye. Yum! They are fairly easy to make. They just take a little time and patience. But the end result is definitely worth it.

I found many recipes online for these apples, and after reading through all of them, I mixed and matched a few to create my own. I used the recipe on the Kraft Caramels for the caramel coating step and I found some helpful hints from Starchefs and Fabulous Foods online.

Chocolate & Caramel Covered Apples

5-6 medium apples (Granny Smith or 3-4 large Mutzu if available) Heavy wooden sticks
1 bag (14 oz.) KRAFT Caramels
2 Tbsp. water 12 ozs. good-quality chocolate (milk, semisweet, or a combination), chopped 1-1/2 tsp. solid vegetable shortening (or vegetable oil) About 1 c. chopped nuts (walnuts, peacans or almond slices) About 1/2 c. shredded coconut About 1/4 c. mini chocolate chips or peanut butter chips About 1/4 c. Craisins or chopped dried cherries Candy Sprinkles White chocolate for drizzling

Wash and dry apples well, and keep at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Prepare a pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper cut to fit (DO NOT use wax paper or foil). If you don't have parchment paper, line the pan bottom with several layers of plastic wrap. The pan should be able to accommodate all apples without them touching. INSERT 1 wooden pop stick into stem end of each apple; set aside.

PLACE caramels in medium saucepan. Add water; cook on medium-low heat until caramels are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring constantly.

DIP apples in caramel mixture, coating evenly, use a spoon to help you cover the top part of the apple. With the knife, scrape off any extra caramel from the bottom of the apple. Immediately roll dipped apples in coconut. Place on parchment lined pan. PLACE the apples in the refrigerator to chill for 30 to 60 minutes so that the caramel can set up. In medium heatproof bowl, place chopped chocolate of choice and shortening. Place bowl over hot simmering water on low heat, and stir often until melted. Remove from heat and hot water; stir until smooth. Tear off a sheet of wax paper about one foot long. Place on your work surface. Place the chopped nuts, chocolate chips, craisins and sprinkles in a mound on the wax paper. Remove the apples from the refrigerator. Dip the bottom of the caramel apple in chocolate. Use a spoon to drizzle melted chocolate over the top, completely encasing the apple in chocolate. Place the chocolate-covered apple into the nuts, craisins and chocolate chips; gently pat into the apple up the sides to about the widest point of the apple. You may have to place some of the trimmings on one piece at a time if you want a neat, professional look. Place on parchment-lined pan. If using white chocolate as well, drizzle over the apples and then add candy sprinkles, if desired. Allow chocolate to set, before wrapping in cellophane or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

These apples make a great first impression and a lasting impression once eaten. They are delicious. Why spend $15-$20 bucks for one, when you can make your own. It's fun and creative. You can use any coatings or chocolate that you like. And best of all they make a great gift!

Do you make and give holiday food gifts?

The Feast is Over!

I Was Thankful for A Bountiful Table

Thanksgiving. A time for family, giving and thankfulness. I love this Holiday!
This year my sister was the hostess and I was responsible for the rolls and mashed potatoes.
The dinner was great and the day relaxing. What more could you ask for in a holiday?

Mashed Potatoes

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters
3/4 to 1 cup warm milk
5-6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon Salt
Pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water.
Bring to a boil, heat to a simmer. Add the tablespoon of salt and continue to simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. When potatoes are done, drain and return potatoes to pot to dry slightly. Mash potatoes in the pot with a potato masher. Remove and discard bay leaf. Add warm milk to potatoes, over heat, mix with electric mixer until smooth. Add butter and heat until finely textured and fluffy.

This was a mix of different recipes, some of which I found online. One by Sara Mouton, one by Tyler Florence and my own. They turned out fine and everyone seemed to like them.

How Did Your Day Go?

Keeping It Simple!

Free-Stlye Veggie Pizza

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, I have been cooking very little lately.

Left-over mixed vegetables, half of a salad tomato, mozzarella cheese, pecorino cheese and store bought pizza dough, made for a delicious and very quick dinner. I added a little Italian seasoning, olive oil and topped it with fresh basil just before serving.

I only used half of the pizza dough and used the other half to make another pizza crust which I pre-baked and froze for future use! I guess that's why the shape is kind of oblong, because I cut the dough in half and somehow couldn't get a perfect circle. I kind of like this shape though, it seems more casual and homemade.

The only problem I ran into was half way through cooking the crust, it blew up like a balloon and I had to pierce it. I'm glad I checked on it or I would have had a hollow ball of bread instead of a pizza crust!

I just heard on the food network that pizza(take-out) is the most popular dinner on the night before Thanksgiving. Of course it is, no one in their right mind is going to cook dinner with all of the work they have preparing the Thanksgiving meal.

What are you having for dinner Wednesday night?

Cheesy Broccoli & Cauliflower

I love broccoli!

I love that I love broccoli, since it is so good for you! Broccoli and cauliflower are known as cruciferous vegetables because they contain compounds that may help prevent cancer.

Broccoli is a member of the cabbage family and is closely related to cauliflower. I was suprised to read on the World's Most Healtiest Foods Website that it's origin began in Italy!

The health benefits are many, ranging from:
* Supporting Stomach Health
* Optimizing Your Cells' Detoxification & Cleansing Ability
* Help for Sun-Damaged Skin
* Cardio-Protectiion
* Cataract Prevention
* Stronger Bones
* Immune System Booster
* Birth Defect Fighter

Another important thing I learned is that the best way to cook broccoli or other cruciferous vegetables is to steam them. Actually, I already knew this but I didn't realize how many nutrients are lost when microwaving or boiling.

I always thought microwaving vegetables was a good way to keep the nutrients, but I was wrong. According to this website "microwaving broccoli resulted in a loss of 97%, 74% and 87% of its three major antioxidant compounds-flavonoids, sinapics and caffeoyl-quinic derivatives. In comparison, steaming broccoli resulted in a loss of only 11%, 0% and 8%, respectively, of the same antioxidants."

Facinating, isn't it? I guess I will be steaming more often!

This is a great post for Sweetnicks ARF/5-a-day Tuesday evening round-up. Go check it out!

Here is an easy and healty way to enjoy these two vegetables:

Cheesy Broccoli and Cauliflower
(Original recipe was Cheesy Cauliflower cut from the newspaper-I didn't notice the author)

1/2 small head of cauliflower & 1 small head of broccoli or one 16-20 ounce bag of frozen cauliflower and broccoli florets
3/4 cup 1 percent lowfat milk (I used Simply Smart fat-free milk)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup shredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese (I used 2% milk Cracker Barrel cheddar)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (I used Pecorino Romano)
2 tablespoons dried seasoned bread crumbs

Steam the cauliflower and broccoli for around 8-10 minutes, until tender. Set aside.

While the vegetables are cooking, whisk together the milk, flour, mustard, and garlic powder om a small saucepan until well blended. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, stirring until the mixture thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the cheddar and parmesan cheese until melted. Preheat broiler on high.

Arrange the vegetables in a baking pan and pour the cheese sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and broil until the crumbs turn golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Prep. time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Calories 140, fat 20 g, saturated 1g, sodium 80mg, carbs. 21g, fiber 2g, protein 9g.

I liked this recipe because it was a healtly and guilt-free way to enjoy a cheesy side dish. With the holidays quickly approaching, I think we could all benefit from a recipe like this. No?

Speaking of the holiday, we are going to my sisters house this year and I am responsible for the mashed potatoes and dinner rolls. I got away easy, huh?
I was going to make a potato pie with parmigiano cheese but my sis doesn't think it will go well with the turkey and gravy. So I'm making basic mashed potatoes.

Does anyone have a tried and true mashed potato recipe or any ideas on which rolls to bring for a traditional turkey dinner?

To satisfy my sweet tooth!

Because I Just Had To Have Dessert!

I'm trying to be good lately. Especially with the Holidays coming up. So I whipped a something quick.

Just a Bartlet Pear with sliced Dried Plums and Walnuts Sauteed in Butter with a Honey, Cinnamon and Maple Syrup Glaze!

So What Are You Having For Dessert??

Italian Wedding Soup - Recipe Make-Over

Follow a recipe or trust your instincts?

Of course, now I say trust your instincts, but for some reason when I made this soup the first time I followed the recipe. Big mistake!

Sometimes when you read through a recipe you notice a few things that you would do differently, from experience or somtimes just instinct. Well in the case of this soup, I knew that I should cook the escarole separately and add it in when ready to serve. But, the recipe said to cook it in the broth, so I did and it was a disaster. The escarole turned the soup into a swampy dark green color and it didn't smell right either.

Let me first say, however, that I planned on making the soup the night before and serving it the next day. I guess if you were to make the soup and eat it all that day it might be ok. But for me, the idea of making soup appeals to me because I look forward to eating it for a few days after making it.

So I would never add the escarole in the pot unless I knew it was all going to be gone that same day. I actually save the escarole and pasta in separate containers and add them to the soup bowl before laddling in the soup. This way the broth says nice and bright and the pasta doesn't get too mushy either!

The original recipe also added onions and an egg/cheese mixture which is traditional to this soup. I chose not to add either. I don't think the soup keeps as long in the refrigerator when onions are added and I don't really care too much for the egg mixture.

I'm posting the recipe with my changes. The original recipe was printed in my local newspaper years ago and it was from Vaccaro's Trattoria in Ohio.

Italian Wedding Soup

Meatballs (My own recipe)
1 lb. Ground Beef (I used Cerified Angus Ground Beef 10% fat)
2 eggs
2 slices stale Italian bread or sliced white bread, crusted removed
4 tbls. milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
8-10 fresh basil leaves, minced
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

In a small bowl, soak the bread in the milk. Combine all ingredients except ground beef in a large bowl and mix well. Add in beef and gently work the mixture with your hands until evenly combined. Do not overmix.

Roll the meat into grape size balls. Place on a parchment lined or lightly greased foil lined baking sheet (with sides).

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, turning half way through. At this point, the meatballs may be cooled and refrigerated or frozen until ready to use.

Soup
3 quarts reduced sodium chicken broth (I used Swanson)
1/2 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
4-5 cups chopped escarole
2 cups tiny meatballs
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
1 cup of any very small pasta (I used pastina-stars)
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 bay leave
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Cook escarole in boiling water for around 15 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cook pasta in a separate pot until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Measure all ingredients and place them in bowls on the counter.
Bring broth to a simmer in a large soup pot. Add carrots, celery, bay leave, meatballs and chicken. Simmer uncovered for around 30 minutes, until the carrots are tender. Season with ground pepper.

Portion out the escarole and pasta in the soup bowls. Laddle the soup in each bowl and sprinkle with a generous amount of Pecorino Romano cheese. Serve immediately with crusty Italian bread. Remember to remove bay leave and discard.


I really enjoyed this soup! The only thing I might try next time is to add in a little onion powder since I omitted the onions. I'm not sure if it would make a difference but I'll give it a try.

Do you follow recipes or follow your instincts?