Peperoni Ripieni - Stuffed Pepper

Ingredients
3 Tbsp 100% Organic Extra virgin olive oil
8 oz-  grilled peppers 

 Mozzarella Sticks
Parsley
Salt
Black pepper

Preparation
Cut the grilled peppers lengthwise then cut the mozzarella sticks and let dry on paper towels.
Stuffed peppers with mozzarella, salt and black pepper and form a roll.
Dress with extra virgin olive oil then bake in the oven 200 ° C/400 ° F until mozzarella melts.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Struffoli

Ingredients
 1 lb flour
 2 oz butter
5 egg
 7 oz honey
lemon
oil for frying
salt 

Preparation
Mix the flour with the eggs, softened butter and a pinch of salt.
Knead the ingredients until you have a soft and elastic format and then cover with a cloth and let stand 1 hour.

Take the dough, cut it into small balls and about two inches long then fry in very hot oil.
Place them on paper towels.

 In a saucepan, melt honey, low heat, honey until it is transparent.
In the end on the struffoli put the honey,grated lemon peel or sugar sprinkles.
Serve

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 8 oz packagecCream cheese, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Add vanilla mixing well. Combine flour and salt, gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Fill a 2-cup, ovenproof measuring cup with water; place in oven with tube pan. This will help keep the cake moist. Bake at 300°F for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.

Glaze-
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 TBS milk, to consistency

Mix together till desired consistency is reached, but should be thin. Add more milk one teaspoon at a time to get the thinness you want. Drizzle over cooled cake.

Almond Joy Cookies

I posted these around Christmas and had tons of rave reviews if you haven't tried them yet be sure to Save so you can!

Almond Joy Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups chocolate chips
2 cups sweetened coconut
2 cups chopped almonds

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 375°F Lightly grease cookie sheets.
Combine dry ingredients, set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, stir in the vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients until well mixed then stir in the chocolate chips, coconut and almonds. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

EAT MORE SALADS!

EAT MORE SALADS!

Green Lettuce
Try this quick and easy high-flavor, low-calorie salad.

Greens with Buttermilk Dressing

Spinach
Serve lightly dressed chickpeas over a bed of spinach leaves.

Chickpea and Spinach Salad

Kale
Update this classic salad by adding kale and chopped egg.

Kale Caesar Salad

HEARTY TUSCAN SOUP

HEARTY TUSCAN SOUP RECIPE

 

Hearty Tuscan Soup - charred tomatoes make this soup a little smoky and sweet. And it only tastes 10 minutes to prep!PREP TIME

10 mins

COOK TIME

20 mins

TOTAL TIME

30 mins

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  
  
• 15 oz canellini beans, drained
• 15 oz canned fire roasted diced tomatoes
• ⅓ cup elbow macaroni
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 zucchini, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp thyme, chopped
• 1 heaping cup spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 qt  vegetable broth
• freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pot over high heat, add olive oil, garlic, thyme and onions and cook for 3-4 minutes, until onions are translucent.
2. Add all other ingredients - except the macaroni - and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add macaroni, bring the soup back up to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
5. Serve hot and topped with a little freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Baked Caprese Gnocchi

The end result was this pretty awesome gnocchi bake ...

Baked Caprese gnocchi

 

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

Ingredients

for the tomato and basil sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil ( I used a basil-flavoured one)
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 6 large, ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• ½ cup tomato passata
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• salt & pepper to taste
• small handful fresh basil leaves, roughly torn

For the gnocchi bake

• 1kg ready-made gnocchi , boiled in salted water until cooked then drained
• 100g mozzarella, cubed
• fresh basil leaves

Instructions

1. To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large pan then fry the onion until soft and translucent.
2. Add the garlic and fry for another 30 seconds before adding the tomatoes.
3. Allow the tomatoes to cook until they start to break down then add the passata, bay leaves, sugar, salt and pepper.
4. Turn the heat down and allow to gently simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Add a splash of water if you see the sauce cooking down too much.
5. When the sauce is cooked, adjust the seasoning and add the fresh basil.
6. Pre-heat the oven (with grill setting) to 220°c.
7. Combine the cooked gnocchi with the sauce then add cubes of mozzarella.
8. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese has melted.
9. Remove and top with fresh basil before serving.