Melanzane Rolls

Ingredients
4 Tbsp 100% Organic Extra virgin Olive oil
2 eggplants
1 cup ricotta 
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano
Basil chopped (or Fresh Italian Flat Leaf Parsley)
Salt
Black pepper
 16 oz tin tomatoes, drained and crushed
Preparation
Cut the eggplants and slice them thinly. Brush with a little extra virgin olive oil and grill on both sides until browned then leave to cool.
In a pan with extra virgin olive oil fry the garlic until browned then add crushed tomatoes and black pepper.
Leave to simmer for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile heat the oven to 190 °C/ 370 °F and in a bowl mix together the ricotta, parmigiano, basil, salt and black pepper. Spoon a little of the mixture at one end of each slice of eggplant and roll up. Pour half of the tomato sauce into the base of an ovenproof dish and place the eggplant rolls on top, seam side down. Pour over the remaining tomato sauce and top with the extra parmigiano. Put in the oven and bake for 20 minutes then serve.

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Pasta al Forno

Pasta al Forno

Ingredients
4 Tbsp 100% Organic Extra virgin Olive oil
1 lb /  mezzi rigatoni
1 onion chopped
1 garlic cloves chopped
1 lb lean minced beef
3 Italian sausages, casing removed
 17 2/3 oz tomato sauce
 7 oz frozen peas
parsley chopped
salt
black pepper
 5 1/3 oz grated Parmigiano
Preparation
Heat extra virgin olive oil in a pan and saute the onion and garlic until browned. Add the minced meat and the sausages and continue frying. Add the tomato sauce, fresh parsley, and season with salt and black pepper. Then reduce the heat, and let the sauce simmer for about 30 minutes. Add water if necessary. Add the peas into the mixture and cook for another 20-30 minutes on a low heat. Once the sauce has thickened, take the pan off the heat.
Meanwhile, cook the mezzi rigatoni al dente in salted boiling water. After draining, mix the pasta with the sauce.
Add the freshly grated parmigiano mix thoroughly. Grease a deep oven tray with some extra virgin olive oil. Bake in the oven, preheated to 180 °C/ 355 °F, for about 30-40 minutes. Let the pasta rest for a few minutes before serving. Sprinkle some parmigiano on top. Serve.

Ciambotta

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Ciambotta

Ingredients
6 Tbsp 100% Organic Extra Virgin Olive oil
4 zucchini
2 eggplants 
2 potatoes
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
3 tomatoes
1 large onion
1 clove of garlic
parsley chopped
salt
black pepper
Preparation
Cut the zucchini, peppers, potatoes and eggplants into cubes.
In a large pan saute the onion and garlic chopped with extra virgin olive oil until browned and then add the chopped tomatoes.
Meanwhile fry with extra virgin olive oil the eggplants, peppers, potatoes and zucchini until browned and then add to the sauce and season with salt and black pepper and continue cooking for about another 20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley chopped.

The Best Gnocchi Mac & Cheese

• 1 pound purchased or homemade Gnocchi
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon All-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Milk
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Fontina cheese
• Salt & white pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Basil leaves for garnish, optional
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Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and place gnocchi in a single-layer in a 1-1/2 quart shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in flour until it thickens and bubbles, then whisk in milk and Dijon. Continue to whisk mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
• Combine Gruyere and fontina, then add by the handful to milk mixture, stirring until melted before adding the next handful. Once all cheese is melted, season sauce with salt and pepper.
• Pour sauce over gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano over top. Bake gnocchi until they puff and cheese is golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Let gnocchi rest for 5 minutes before serving.

General T'so's Chicken

Ingredients

1. 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2. 2 cups green onions, sliced
3. 8 small dried chilies, seeds removed
4. Cornstarch slurry
5. 1/4 cup soy sauce, low sodium preferred
6. 1 egg, beaten
7. 1 cup cornstarch
8. Sauce
9. 1/2 cup cornstarch
10. 1/4 cup water
11. 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
12. 3/4 cup sugar
13. 1/2 cup soy sauce
14. 1/4 cup white vinegar
15. 1/4 cup sherry wine or 1/4 cup white wine
16. 14 1/2 ounces chicken broth

Instructions

1. Place sauce ingredients in a quart jar with a lid and shake to mix. If you make this ahead of time just refrigerate until needed, shaking it again when you are ready to use it.
2. 2
3. Mix cornstarch slurry in a large bowl- the mixture will be strange but trust me it works. It will be VERY thick almost paste like. Add chicken pieces to coat. Using a fork remove ONE chicken piece at a time and let the excess mixture drip off. YES even though the mixture has a weird consistency it will not stick like paste and the excess will drip off. Add chicken to the hot (350 degree) oil and fry until crispy. Only cook 7 or 8 chicken pieces at a time. You do not want to lower the temp of the oil by cooking too many at a time. You can use a simple cooking or candy thermometer to judge the temp of the oil.
4. 3
5. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm-
6. 4
7. In a separate wok or large skillet add a small amount of oil and heat to 400 degrees. Again, a candy thermometer works great. You can fry all the chicken, drain the oil to the desired amount and use the same pan if you like.
8. 5
9. Add green onions and hot peppers and stir fry about 30 seconds.
10. 6
11. Stir sauce mixture, and then add to pan with onions and peppers, cook until thick. If it gets too thick, add a little water. The thickness of the sauce should be similar to what you get when ordering this at a restaurant.
12. 7
13. Add chicken to sauce in wok, and cook until all is hot and bubbly. The quicker this is done the crispier the chicken stays.
14. 8
15. Serve over rice.

Potato, Cauliflower, and Cheddar Bake

Ingredients

1. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for dish
2. 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 6 medium), peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
3. Salt and pepper
4. 1 small head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), sliced 1/2 inch thick
5. 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
6. 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (6 ounces)
7. 1/3 cup chicken broth

Instructions

1. STEP 1
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Butter a 2-quart baking dish. In a large pot, cover potatoes with cold salted water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then add cauliflower and cook at a rapid simmer until potatoes are just cooked through and cauliflower is crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and let sit 5 minutes.
3. STEP 2
4. Place half the potatoes and cauliflower in dish, sprinkle with half the thyme and cheddar, and season with pepper. Repeat to make a second layer. Add broth and dot top with butter. Bake until cheese is deep golden and bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes.

Danish Heirloom Layer Cake

So Light and moist ~ Not Too Sweet ~Perfect after a heavy meal!!
This recipe is so different from any cake you have ever tasted!! Give it a try....I know you will love it!!
You can Freeze the layers easily and have a picture perfect cake ready at the drop of a hat!


Ingredients:
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
pinch salt
1 egg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 + 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla

1 pint whipping cream - whipped and sweetened with 1 Tbsp. icing sugar
1 - 2 pounds sliced slightly sweetened strawberries - or fruit of choice

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix together with a whisk or wooden spoon, yogurt, sour cream, egg, salt, baking soda, baking powder. Add flour and vanilla.

Grease or spray 3 - 9" layer pans and divide batter evenly between pans. (the batter will seem skimpy....but spread as evenly as you can with a spatula in each pan - layers will rise on baking).

Bake at 350 oven (325 if using Convection oven 325 oven) Bake for only 10 - 12 minutes....till Very Light Brown. Cool on racks...and remove from pans with a plastic spatula onto racks to finish cooling as soon as you can handle the cakes.
IMPORTANT: Do NOT over bake!! If not using immediately - put wax paper between layers, cover with plastic and refrigerate or freeze till ready to assemble cake.

Layer cake layers: 1/3 whipped cream and 1/2 sweetened sliced strawberries, or fruit of choice - then 1/3 whipped cream and 1/2 berries. Last layer - just whipped cream. Decorate with berries.

This cake tastes even better the next day and the day after that....if there is any left!! The Trick is Not to Over bake the layers...or it will be dry and not nice and moist.
This will soon become Your Favorite Family Cake too!!