Tilapia Scaloppine

"I often eat at Macaroni Grill and order their Pollo Scaloppine. I thought I might try and adapt it at home using a mild fish. My husband was amazed at what I came up with. It's good with salad, brown rice and crusty bread."

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 4 servingsChange Servings
 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
 2 tablespoons butter
 1 tablespoon minced garlic
 1 pound tilapia fillets
 salt and ground black pepper to taste
 1/2 cup sliced fresh button mushrooms
 2 tablespoons drained capers
 1/2 cup white wine
 1 lemon, juiced

Directions

1. Heat olive oil with butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic. Place fish fillets in the skillet; sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper, and cook for 90 seconds. Turn the fish; season with salt and pepper, and cook an additional 90 seconds.
2. Add the mushrooms, capers, and wine. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the fish flakes easily with a fork and the wine is reduced by half, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the cover, pour in lemon juice, and cook for one minute.

Italian Style Flounder

"This is a very easy and delicious dish my mother used to make. I'm sure it can be used with other fish besides flounder. My mother also used to place American cheese on top before baking, which was very good. Enjoy!"

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 4 servingsChange Servings
 2 pounds flounder fillets
 1/2 tablespoon butter
 salt and pepper to taste
 1 tablespoon lemon juice
 1/2 cup diced fresh tomato
 2 teaspoons dried basil
 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Arrange flounder in a medium baking dish. Dot with butter, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with lemon juice. Top with tomato, basil, and garlic powder.
3. Cover, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until fish is easily flaked with a fork.

Stephan's Broiled Salmon Pesto

"This salmon is coated with a thick layer of pesto, sort of like icing on a cake. The prepared side is then placed under the broiler, and the pesto forms a browned crust. Equally good cold--the entire dish can be made a day in advance for cold service, or the leftovers served cold at lunch the next day. Goes well with rosemary and garlic roasted red potatoes and any green vegetable."

Ingredients Edit and Save

Original recipe makes 4 servings
 2 pounds salmon fillets
 2 lemons
 1 1/2 cups pesto

 1/2 cup white wine

Directions

1. Lightly oil a baking pan large enough to accommodate the fish. Place salmon in pan skin side down. Run finger over flesh to make sure all bones have been removed. Use pliers to pull out any that remain. Squeeze juice of one lemon and white wine over fish. Marinate 15 minutes.
2. Preheat broiler.
3. Coat the top side of the fish with thick layer of pesto. It should be between an 1/8th to a 1/4 of an inch thick, and cover the surface of the fish.
4. Place fish under the broiler about nine inches from heat source. Broil for 8 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness, or until fish flakes and flesh is opaque. Pesto should have formed a heavily browned crust. Remove from the oven, and set aside for a few minutes. Squeeze half of second lemon over fish. Slice remaining lemon half into thin slices. Place lemon slices on individual servings, or arrange on the whole flank if serving at the table.

Penne with Shrimp

"A light but tasty Italian dish!"

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 8 servings
 1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
 2 tablespoons olive oil
 1/4 cup chopped red onion
 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
 1/4 cup white wine
 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. 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.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook until onion is tender. Mix in wine and tomatoes, and continue cooking 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Mix shrimp into the skillet, and cook 5 minutes, or until opaque. Toss with pasta and top with Parmesan cheese to serve.

Pesto Cream Sauce

"This absolutely combines the best ingredients to create a rich, velvety pesto sauce. It's really delicious!"

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 8 servings
 1 (16 ounce) package linguine pasta
 2 tablespoons olive oil
 1 small onion, chopped
 8 cloves garlic, sliced
 1/2 cup butter
 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
 2 cups milk
 1 pinch salt
 1 pinch pepper
 1 1/2 cups grated Romano cheese
 1 cup prepared basil pesto
 1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
 20 mushrooms, chopped
 3 roma (plum) tomato, diced

Directions

1. 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.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until tender and translucent. Stir in garlic and butter, and saute until garlic is soft and fragrant, about 1 minute. Dissolve flour in milk, then stir in. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add cheese, and stir until melted. Stir in pesto. Add shrimp, mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook 4 minutes, or until heated through. Toss with pasta until evenly coated.

Garlic Alfredo Tilapia

"My version of Ruby Tuesday's New Orleans Seafood, minus the shrimp. I merged a few different recipes and came up with this. It comes pretty close! Three fillets are usually enough for my husband, my toddler, and myself. I serve this with rice and steamed broccoli, to really feel like Ruby Tuesday's recipe!"

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 4 servings
 4 tilapia fillets
 2 tablespoons olive oil
 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning, or to taste

 3 tablespoons butter
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 1 cup Alfredo sauce

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Brush the tilapia fillets with oil on both sides, season with Creole seasoning to taste, then place into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the flesh is no longer translucent, and the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until the garlic has softened and the aroma has mellowed, about 2 minutes. Stir in the Alfredo sauce and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, and keep warm until the fish is ready. Pour the sauce over the fish to serve. Sprinkle with additional Creole seasoning if desired.

Baked Halibut Steaks

"An Italian-style vegetable and feta cheese topping is the perfect enhancement to delicious baked halibut."


Ingredients

Original recipe makes 4 servings
 1 teaspoon olive oil
 1 cup diced zucchini
 1/2 cup minced onion
 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
 2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
 1/4 teaspoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
 4 (6 ounce) halibut steaks
 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Lightly grease a shallow baking dish.
Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir in zucchini, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until tender. Remove saucepan from heat and mix in tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper.
Arrange halibut steaks in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Spoon equal amounts of the zucchini mixture over each steak. Top with feta cheese.
Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until fish is easily flaked with a fork.

Baked Orange Roughy Italian-Style

"The flavor of this delicate fish is enhanced with Italian-style seasonings that are sure to please even the pickiest eater. Quick, easy, and simply delicious."



Ingredients
Original recipe makes 4 servings
 1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
 2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
 1 pound orange roughy fillets
 1/4 cup butter, melted
 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Coat a medium baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
In a shallow bowl, mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, garlic powder, and salt.
Brush both sides of orange roughy fillets with butter, and dredge in the bread crumb mixture. Arrange fillets in a single layer in the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with parsley.
Bake in preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Cod with Italian Crumb Topping

"This recipe is a good, low-fat, and quick cod recipe."


Ingredients

Original recipe makes 4 servings
 1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
 1 tablespoon cornmeal
 1 teaspoon olive oil
 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
 4 (3 ounce) fillets cod fillets
 1 egg white, lightly beaten

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
In a small shallow bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, cheese, cornmeal, oil, italian seasoning, garlic powder and pepper; set aside.
Coat the rack of a broiling pan with cooking spray. Place the cod on the rack, folding under any thin edges of the filets. Brush with the egg white, then spoon the crumb mixture evenly on top.
Bake in a preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork and is opaque all the way through.

Creamy Pesto Shrimp

"One of our family's favorites, it's also great when made with crab meat instead of the shrimp."
Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 8 servings
 1 pound linguine pasta
 1/2 cup butter
 2 cups heavy cream
 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
 1/3 cup pesto

 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in cream, and season with pepper. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Stir Parmesan cheese into cream sauce, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Blend in the pesto, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened.
4. Stir in the shrimp, and cook until they turn pink, about 5 minutes. Serve over the hot linguine.

Easy Tilapia with Wine and Tomatoes

"This is a super quick, super easy recipe that is sure to please. Tilapia fillets are easy to cook on the grill in a foil bag."
Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 4 servings
 4 (4 ounce) fillets tilapia
 salt and pepper to taste
 4 tablespoons butter
 3 cloves garlic, pressed
 4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
 1 large tomato, chopped

 1 cup white wine

Directions

1. Preheat a grill for medium-high heat.
2. Place the tilapia fillets side by side on a large piece ofaluminum foil. Season each one with salt and pepper. Place one tablespoon of butter on top of each piece of fish, and sprinkle garlic, basil and tomato. Pour the wine over everything. Fold foil up around fish, and seal into a packet. Place packet on a cookie sheet for ease in transportation to and from the grill.
3. Place foil packet on the preheated grill, and cook for 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Open the packet carefully so as not to get burned from the steam, and serve.

Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

"This is a very simple recipe and it tastes divine! My sister and I were trying to come up with the perfect Alfredo recipe and we found it."
Ingredients 
Original recipe makes 6 servings
 1 pound fettuccini pasta
 1 tablespoon butter
 1 pound cooked shrimp - peeled and deveined
 4 cloves garlic, minced
 1 cup half-and-half
 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

 salt to taste

Directions

1. 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.
2. In a large skillet, cook and stir shrimp and garlic in the butter for about one minute. Pour in half and half; stir. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese in one tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. After all Parmesan is added, mix in parsley and salt. Stir frequently making sure it does not boil. Sauce will take a while to thicken.
3. When sauce has thickened, combine with cooked pasta noodles; serve hot.

Fish Fillets Italiano

"Cod and haddock fillets work well for this braised dish. An extra easy and quick way to fix a superb tasting fish dish! Serve over rice."
Ingredients 
Original recipe makes 4 servings
 2 tablespoons olive oil
 1 onion, thinly sliced
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
 1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
 1/2 cup dry white wine

 1 pound cod fillets

Directions

1. In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until softened.
2. Stir in tomatoes, olives, parsley, and wine. Simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Place fillets in sauce. Simmer for about 5 more minutes, or until fish turns white.

Peppered Shrimp Alfredo

"Yummy shrimp in an Alfredo sauce, with portobello mushrooms and red peppers."
Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 6 servings
 12 ounces penne pasta
 1/4 cup butter
 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
 1 onion, diced
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 1 red bell pepper, diced
 1/2 pound portobello mushrooms, diced
 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
 1 (15 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
 1/2 cup cream
 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
 Salt and pepper to taste

 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Puttanesca I

"Named after the Italian ladies of the night, this sauce goes well with any type of spaghetti."
Ingredients

Original recipe makes 4 servings
 8 ounces pasta
 1/2 cup olive oil
 3 cloves garlic, minced
 2 cups chopped tomatoes, pushed through a sieve
 4 anchovy filets, rinsed and chopped
 2 tablespoons tomato paste
 3 tablespoons capers
 20 Greek olives, pitted and coarsely chopped

 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes



Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Heat oil in a skillet over low heat; cook garlic in oil until golden. Add sieved tomatoes, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in anchovies, tomato paste, capers, olives, and red pepper flakes. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Toss pasta with sauce, and serve.

Calamari

"This is a delicious, very easy, quick but moderately expensive recipe. Everyone I've ever fixed it for absolutely loves it!"
Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 10 appetizer servings
 3 cups vegetable oil
 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon dried oregano
 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
 12 squid, cleaned and sliced into rings

 1 lemon - cut into wedges, for garnish



Directions
Preheat oil in a heavy, deep frying pan or pot. Oil should be heated to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C).
In a medium size mixing bowl mix together flour, salt, oregano and black pepper. Dredge squid through flour and spice mixture.
Place squid in oil for 2 to 3 minutes or until light brown. Beware of overcooking, squid will be tough if overcooked. Dry squid on paper towels. Serve with wedges of lemon.

Chef John's Spaghetti al Tonno

"Spaghetti al tonno is one of my all-time favorite go-to pasta dishes. I love a classic meat sauce as much as the next half-Italian, but when I want something quick and easy for a weeknight meal, I reach for the tuna. What if you don't like fish? Then this is perfect. The taste and texture is really closer to a veal sauce than one made with fish."

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 4 servingsChange Servings
 2 tablespoons olive oil
 1 anchovy fillet
 2 tablespoons capers
 3 cloves minced garlic
 1/2 cup dry white wine
 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
 1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
 3 cups crushed Italian (plum) tomatoes (such as San Marzano)
 salt and ground black pepper to taste
 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
 1 (7 ounce) can oil-packed tuna, drained
 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
 1 (12 ounce) package spaghetti
 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste
 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or to taste

 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, or to taste

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir anchovy and capers in hot oil until anchovy crumbles, about 2 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Pour white wine, oregano, and red pepper flakes into the skillet and increase heat to high; cook until mixture reduces and about 3 tablespoons of liquid remain, 2 to 4 minutes.
Stir tomatoes into the skillet and bring to a simmer. Season tomato mixture with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.
Stir tuna and 1/4 cup parsley into tomato sauce, breaking up tuna with a wooden spoon while stirring. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until almost cooked through and still slightly firm to the bite, 9 to 11 minutes. Drain and transfer spaghetti back to the pot.

Pour tomato sauce over spaghetti into the pot; stir to combine, cover the pot with a lid, and let sit until spaghetti is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Ladle spaghetti into bowls, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, and sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and parsley over the top.

Salmon and Spinach Fettuccine

"Inspired by my favorite local Italian restaurant's secret recipe. After some trial and error, I think I have it. Creamy Alfredo sauce and salmon complement each other well. Spinach adds great color."


Ingredients

Original recipe makes 4 servingsChange Servings
 8 ounces dry fettuccine pasta
 1/4 cup butter
 1 cup milk
 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
 1/2 pound smoked salmon, chopped
 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
 2 tablespoons capers
 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
 1/2 cup chopped fresh oregano

Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine, and cook for 11 to 13 minutes or until al dente; drain.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, and blend with milk. Mix in the flour to thicken. Gradually stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted.
Crumble salmon into the butter mixture. Stir in the spinach, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, and oregano. Cook and stir about 3 minutes, until heated through. Serve over the cooked pasta.

Absolutely Delicious Stuffed Calamari

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 6 servings
 12 calamari tubes
 2 green onions, finely chopped
 6 cloves garlic, minced
 1/2 pound chopped cooked shrimp meat
 1/2 pound cooked crabmeat, diced
 1 tablespoon lemon juice
 3/4 cup butter
 12 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 3 cups milk
 10 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
 1 pinch ground black pepper
 3/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
 1 (8 ounce) package linguine pasta


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rinse the calamari tubes and pat dry.
In a large bowl, stir together the onions, 6 cloves of the garlic, shrimp, crabmeat and lemon juice. Spoon some of this mixture into each squid tube and seal the ends by 'sewing' with a toothpick. Arrange in a single layer in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cream cheese and 2 cloves of garlic. Cook and stir until cream cheese has melted. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook until heated through and then remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and pepper. Pour over all of the calamari tubes in the baking dish. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of Romano cheese on top of each one.
Bake uncovered until the cheese is browned and sauce is bubbly. While the calamari is baking, Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain. Serve the stuffed calamari and sauce over a bed of linguine.

Fresh Tomato Shrimp Pasta

"Fresh tomatoes and spinach, fresh herbs, and fresh mozzarella combine with shrimp and fettuccine for an easy summer dinner."

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 4 servingsChange Servings
 8 ounces dry fettuccine pasta
 3 cloves garlic
 1/2 sweet onion, cut into wedges
 3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
 4 tablespoons olive oil
 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
 salt and pepper to taste
 1 cup spinach leaves
 1 pound cooked shrimp - peeled and deveined

 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, diced



Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook for 8 minutes, or until tender. Drain.
In the container of a food processor, combine the garlic, onion and oregano. Pulse until finely chopped. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion mixture; cook and stir until fragrant and almost golden. Mix in the tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes while the pasta is cooking, stirring occasionally.
Mix in spinach until it wilts, then just before the pasta is done, stir in the shrimp. Cook until heated through. Toss with pasta in a large serving bowl, and mix in mozzarella cheese.

Flounder Mediterranea

"Flounder baked with fresh tomatoes, kalamata olives, capers, onion, and white wine. Serve with white rice and a green vegetable."
Ingredients Edit and Save

Original recipe makes 4 servings
 5 roma (plum) tomatoes
 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
 1/2 Spanish onion, chopped
 2 cloves garlic, chopped
 1 pinch Italian seasoning
 24 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
 1/4 cup white wine
 1/4 cup capers
 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
 6 leaves fresh basil, chopped
 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
 1 pound flounder fillets
 6 leaves fresh basil, torn


Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Plunge tomatoes into the boiling water and immediately remove to a medium bowl of ice water; drain. Remove and discard skins from tomatoes. Chop tomatoes and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; saute onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, garlic and Italian seasoning; cook until tomatoes are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in olives, wine, capers, lemon juice, and 1/2 the basil. Reduce heat, blend in Parmesan cheese, and cook until the mixture is reduced to a thick sauce, about 15 minutes.
Place flounder in a shallow baking dish. Pour sauce over the fillets and top with remaining basil leaves.
Bake 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until fish is easily flaked with a fork.

Cioppino

"A wonderful seafood stew! Serve with a loaf of warm, crusty bread for sopping up the delicious broth!"
Ingredients Edit and Save

Original recipe makes 12 to 14 servings
 3/4 cup butter
 2 onions, chopped
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
 2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
 2 bay leaves
 1 tablespoon dried basil
 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
 1 cup water
 1 1/2 cups white wine
 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp - peeled and deveined
 1 1/2 pounds bay scallops
 18 small clams
 18 mussels, cleaned and debearded
 1 1/2 cups crabmeat

 1 1/2 pounds cod fillets, cubed


Directions
Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large stockpot, add onions, garlic and parsley. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until onions are soft.
Add tomatoes to the pot (break them into chunks as you add them). Add chicken broth, bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano, water and wine. Mix well. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
Stir in the shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels and crabmeat. Stir in fish, if desired. Bring to boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes until clams open. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with warm, crusty bread!

Beefy Manicotti

"This is a very filling, easy to make manicotti dish my whole family loves - including my picky 2 year old! It's a combination of a few different recipes. Great served with tossed salad and crusty French bread."


Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 4 servings
 10 manicotti shells
 1/2 pound ground beef
 1 small onion, chopped
 2 cloves garlic, chopped
 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
 1 egg
 2 cups Italian blend shredded cheese, divided
 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
 1 (16 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
 1/4 cup white Zinfandel

 3 mushrooms, thinly sliced

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 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.
Place ground beef, onion and garlic in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until beef is evenly brown. Remove from heat. Mix in bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, egg and 1 cup shredded cheese. Spoon filling into manicotti shells.
Combine tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, wine and mushrooms. Spoon sauce to cover the bottom of an 8x11 inch baking dish. Arrange filled manicotti in a single layer, and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle top with remaining cheese.

Cover, and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove cover, and bake 10 minutes.

Chef John's Ricotta Meatballs

Recipe by Chef John
"Ricotta-spiked meatballs are so tender, so flavorful, and so delicious. There are hardly any ingredients. Of course we're going to throw this over some spaghetti, because we're Americans and that's what we do with meatballs."

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 32 meatballs

 1/2 onion, minced

 2 tablespoons olive oil

 3 cloves garlic, minced

 1 pound ground beef

 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

 1/4 cup packed chopped Italian parsley

 1 egg, beaten

 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs

 2 tablespoons olive oil

 1 (28 ounce) jar marinara sauce

 1 cup water

Directions

Saute onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir garlic into onion and turn off heat. Transfer onion mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Stir ground beef, ricotta cheese, parsley, egg, kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper with onion mixture until almost combined; stir in bread crumbs and continue to mix until thoroughly blended.

Roll about 2 tablespoons of mixture into a 1-inch ball for each meatball. Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil in same skillet used to cook onions. Place skillet over medium heat and brown meatballs on all sides in hot oil, about 5 minutes. Hold a crumpled paper towel in a tongs and use it to remove excess grease from skillet.

Pour marinara sauce and water over meatballs in skillet. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are cooked through and no longer pink in the center, about 30 minutes.

Meatloaf Roll

"A wonderfully tasty recipe with an Italian slant. This meatloaf is even better a day or two after it's cooked. Great for sandwiches, too. Serve with mashed potatoes, steamed veggies, and gravy!

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 8 servings

 1 teaspoon olive oil

 1 cup chopped onion

 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

 1/2 cup chopped celery

 1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with juice

 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

 1 teaspoon white sugar

 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

 2 cups water

 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

 

 1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck

 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

 1 teaspoon garlic powder

 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning

 1 pinch cayenne pepper

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 

 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Directions

To make tomato sauce, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat; cook and stir the onion, green pepper, and celery in the hot oil until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Pour the undrained whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, sugar, oregano, 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and water into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the tomato mixture into the saucepan and simmer over low heat for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/4 cup parsley. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

In a bowl, mix together the ground beef, bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, Creole seasoning, cayenne pepper, and salt until the mixture is thoroughly combined; spread into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

Scatter the mozzarella cheese over the meat; spread 1/4 cup of the sauce over the cheese. Sprinkle the sauce with 1/4 cup chopped parsley and 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning. Pick up one end of the meat layer (short side), and gently roll the meat around the filling. Reposition the meat roll in the center of the dish, and pour the remaining tomato sauce over the roll.

Bake in the preheated oven until the roll is no longer pink in the center, 45 minutes to 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Mostaccioli Mosta

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef

 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

 1 cup black olives, pitted and sliced

 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 1 teaspoon seasoning salt

 1 teaspoon garlic powder

 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

 1 (16 ounce) package mostaccioli pasta

 2 teaspoons butter, softened

 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

In large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until done. Drain. Add tomato sauce, olives, Parmesan cheese, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and oregano. Simmer 15 minutes.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until done. Drain.

Please mostaccioli in a shallow, 3 quart baking dish. Toss with butter or margarine. Pour meat sauce over, and top with shredded mozzarella.

Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until cheese melts

Beef Parmesan with Garlic Angel Hair Pasta

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds beef cube steak

 1 onion, sliced into thin rings

 1 green bell pepper, sliced in rings

 1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 2 tablespoons olive oil

 1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

 12 ounces angel hair pasta

 2 teaspoons minced garlic

 1/4 cup butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Cut cube steak into serving size pieces. Coat meat with the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan, and saute 1 teaspoon of the garlic for 3 minutes. Quick fry (brown quickly on both sides) meat. Place meat in a casserole baking dish, slightly overlapping edges. Place onion rings and peppers on top of meat, and pour marinara sauce over all.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. Sprinkle mozzarella over meat and leave in the oven till bubbly.

Boil pasta al dente. Drain, and toss in butter and 1 teaspoon garlic. For a stronger garlic taste, season with garlic powder. Top with grated parmesan and parsley for color. Serve meat and sauce atop a mound of pasta! HINT: make the meat ahead of time, and refrigerate over night, the acid in the tomato sauce will tenderize the meat even more. If you do this, save the mozzarella till the last minute.

Casatiello

Casatiello

Yield: Makes 2 Loaves

Prep Time: 4 1/2 hrs

Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

For The Sponge:
5 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 1/4 Cups Warm Water
4 Large Egg Yolks
2 1/2 Cups All-purpose Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
For The Bread:
4 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Salt
About 4 1/2 Cups All-purpose Flour
2 Sticks (1 Cup) Unsalted Butter, Softened
2 Ounces Grated Pecorino Cheese
5 Ounces Diced Fontina or Asiago Cheese
5 Ounces Diced Soppressata or Salami

Directions:

For the sponge, mix together the yeast, sugar and warm water in a bowl, and let rest 10 minutes.
Add the egg yolks and whisk until smooth.
Stir in the flour and salt, and stir until well blended.
Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm spot in your kitchen for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs until blended, then add the salt and a cup of flour.
Mix well, then add the sponge, working it into the egg mixture.
Add the rest of the flour, butter, cheese and meat and mix until you have a shaggy dough.
Dump the mixture onto a lightly floured counter, and knead by hand until the dough is smooth, about 8 minutes, using a little more flour if the dough is too sticky.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Let the dough sit in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
Lightly butter two (2 quart) souffle dishes. (or 1 (2 quart) souffle dish and 6 smaller ones as I did)
Divide the dough into two and use your hands to shape into balls and place the balls into the prepared dishes. (the dough should fill the dishes about halfway)
Cover with clean kitchen towels and let rise until the bread rises above the top of the dishes, about 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake the larger loaves for 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature taken using a thermometer reaches 190 degrees F.
If using smaller dishes as I did in my photos, bake for 32 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F.
Let the breads cool for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and turn the breads out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
The bread keeps well if wrapped in plastic wrap for a few days.

Strawberry Tiramisu

Ingredients:

Strawberries:
5 Cups Sliced or Chopped Strawberries
2 Tablespoons Sugar
3 Tablespoons Sweet Marsala Wine
Cream Filling:
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
2 (8 Ounce) Tubs Mascarpone Cream
1/3 Cup Sweet Marsala Wine
10 Ounces White Chocolate, Melted
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar (Confectioner's Sugar)
Savoiardi:
2 Packages Ladyfinger Cookies
2/3 Cup Orange Juice
1/4 Cup Sweet Marsala Wine
Garnish:
Sliced Strawberries
Melted Dark Chocolate

Directions:

Combine the strawberries with the sugar and wine in a bowl and stir to mix.
Let the strawberries sit for at least 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form, then add the powdered sugar.
In another bowl, beat the mascarpone with the wine until light, about 4 minutes.
Add the chocolate and beat until smooth.
Fold in the heavy cream.
Mix the orange juice with the wine in a shallow bowl.
Quickly dip each savoiardi cookie into the orange juice mixture just lightly wetting them.
Arrange the cookies into a 13 x 9 inch glass dish, break the cookies as needed to fill in corners.
Once you have completely covered the bottom of the pan with cookies, spread half the mascarpone cream mixture over them.
Arrange the berries onto this cream mixture evenly.
Add another layer of the cookies, then finish with the cream mixture, using a knife to smooth the top.
Refrigerate for at least 5 hours.
Cut the tiramisu into squares and arrange on plates.
Garnish with sliced strawberries and a drizzle of dark chocolate.
Serve immediately.

Pasta With Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients:

4 Slices Crusty Italian Bread
2 Small Heads Cauliflower, Cut Into Florets
5 Tablespoons Olive Oil, Divided
3 Garlic Cloves, Divided
Salt & Pepper
1 Red Hot Chili Pepper, Minced (Optional - See Notes)
1/3 Cup Kalamata Olives, Pitted & Sliced
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
3 Tablespoons Capers, Drained
1/3 Cup Fresh Parsley Leaves
3/4 Pound Pasta Of Choice (See Notes)
To Serve:
Grated or Shaved Pecorino Romano Cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place bread on a baking sheet, and bake until crisp and dry, about 20 minutes.
Rub the bread with one garlic clove, brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil, then cool to room temperature.
Once cool, tear bread into pieces and place in food processor and pulse until you have coarse crumbs.
Set aside.
Place the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper.
Bake, stirring after 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is lightly browned and tender, about 10 minutes.
Cook pasta in a large pot of lightly salted water until it is “al dente”.
Peel and thinly slice remaining garlic cloves.
While pasta is cooking, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil, and cook the garlic until fragrant, one to two minutes.
Once pasta has cooked, take a small cup of pasta water and set aside before draining.
Return drained pasta to the pot, and then add the cauliflower, garlic and olive oil, 1/2 cup pasta water, lemon juice, capers, olives, and parsley leaves.
Cook for a minute or two over high heat, until piping hot.
Serve in 4 individual bowls, sprinkling breadcrumbs on top, then offer grated cheese at table.

Ricotta Almond Cake

Ingredients:

1 Cup Full Fat Ricotta Cheese
4 Large Eggs, Separated
1 Teaspoon Almond Extract
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 1/2 Cups Almond Meal
1 Teaspoon Finely Chopped Lemon Rind
1/3 Cup Sliced Almonds
Powdered Sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Use baking spray or lightly grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan.
Use an electric hand mixer to beat together the ricotta cheese, egg yolks, extract, and sugar until smooth.
Stir in the lemon zest and almond meal.
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Fold half the egg whites into the almond mixture, then fold in the rest.
Spread the batter into your prepared pan and sprinkle the top with the sliced almonds.
Bake the cake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool the cake for 10 minutes then remove the sides.
Cool completely, then lightly dust the top with powdered sugar and serve.

Best Ever Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1/2 lb Italian sausage
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
24 ounces cottage cheese or 24 ounces ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons parsley
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 lb mozzarella cheese, divided
12 -15 lasagna noodles

Directions:

1 Brown ground beef, Italian sausage, onion and garlic.

2 Add salt and next 5 ingredients; stirring until well mixed.

 

3 Simmer 1 hour.

4 Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.

5 Spray a 13 x 9" baking pan with cooking spray.

6 Combine cottage cheese, eggs, pepper, 2 tablespoons parsley, Parmesan cheese and 1/2 of mozzarella cheese; In a lasagna pan, layer noodles, meat sauce, and cheese mixture; repeat. 

7 Top off with layer of noodles; sprinkle evenly with remaining mozzarella cheese. 

8 Bake at 375F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until cheese mixture is thoroughly melted.