Stuffed Italian Frying Peppers

I can't believe I don't remember where I stumbled upon this recipe, because it's quickly become a staple in my kitchen. There's something so comforting and familiar about it. The star of the show, though, is undoubtedly the beautiful Italian Frying Peppers I pick up from Cole's Farm Stand. The stuffing reminds me of a recipe my Mom would have made.

Stuffed Italian Frying Peppers 

There are no measurements in the recipe. The original recipe uses pepperoni but this time I cooked up some sweet Italian Sausage.

Ingredients

Frezelles

Water

Pepperoni 

Parsley

Olives (use whatever type of olive you like, just make sure they do not have pits!)

Parmesan Cheese

Salt

Pepper

Egg, beaten

Method-

Soak Frezelles in water.

Chop pepperoni, parsley, and olives.

Add Parmesan Cheese, salt, pepper, and a beaten egg.

Mix to combine.

Stuff the pepper halves.

Bake 350˚F for 35 to 45 minutes.

Osso Buco: A Slow Cooker Symphony

Saturdays are all about indulging in leisurely cooking, and today was no exception. With a busy day ahead, I knew the slow cooker was the perfect solution. Enter Osso Buco. I managed to snag two beautiful veal shanks at the market, and luckily, I had all the other ingredients on hand.

Prep time was a breeze, and then the magic of the slow cooker took over for a full eight hours. The result? Pure, unadulterated bliss. The meat was so tender it practically melted in your mouth, and the marrow was a rich, decadent treat. This is comfort food at its finest.

The recipe is from the Table For Two blog.

Ingredients-

1 teaspoon olive oil

4 pieces veal shank, each about 1 1/4 inches thick (about 2 pounds total)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup (53 g) chopped onion

1/3 cup (34 g) chopped celery

1/3 cup (43 g) chopped carrots

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 1/4 cups (303 g) canned crushed tomatoes

3/4cup (178 ml) beef broth

Fresh ground black pepper

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 large sprig fresh rosemary

Chopped fresh parsley, for topping

Method-

Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. 

Season veal shanks with salt then sear all four sides until browned but not cooked through. 

Add to the slow cooker. 

COMMERCIAL BREAK!!!

I hope that if you are using Slow Cooker Liners when you use your slow cooker.

Trust me on this one...

END OF COMMERCIAL BREAK!!!

Then add to the skillet the onion, celery, carrots, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, black pepper, thyme, and rosemary. 

Stir to deglaze the skillet.

Add the onion, celery, carrots, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, black pepper, thyme, and rosemary to the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. 

Discard sprigs of thyme and rosemary. 

Sprinkle fresh parsley on top prior to serving, if desired.

Zucchini Soup: A Game-Changer

I've officially revoked my right to complain about an overabundance of zucchini. This soup is the culinary miracle I never knew I needed.

I stumbled upon this recipe in a classic, old-school magazine – you know, the kind that arrives in your mailbox and you actually hold in your hands. 

This zucchini soup is pure magic. It's incredibly easy to whip up, and the flavor? Let’s just say it’s a total knockout. I've tweaked the original recipe a bit. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you.

Ingredients-

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling

2 medium shallots, chopped

Kosher salt

1 c. low-sodium vegetable broth

1 lb. zucchini (about 2 medium), chopped

1/2 c. (or more) cold water

1/2 c. packed basil leaves, roughly chopped, plus small leaves for serving

1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper

Method-
In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp. oil. 

Cook shallots, and 1/4 tsp. salt, stirring often, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. 

Add broth and bring to a simmer. 

Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.

 
Transfer the shallot mixture to a blender. 

Add zucchini and cold water and process until smooth. 

Add basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tbsp. oil, and 3/4 tsp. salt. 

Continue to blend until very smooth. 

Add up to 1/4 c. more cold water to loosen consistency, if desired.

Serve soup at room temperature or chilled. 

Ladle soup into bowls.

Season with several grinds of black pepper.

Greek Cucumber Salad

Last cucumber from our harvest at my sister's while they were away.

We do not have cucumber salad very often. This recipe was in a newsletter from Food Talk.

We had burgers for dinner so this was a perfect side. The dressing was quite good. I made half the recipe and it was plenty for us.

Ingredients-

Cucumber  Salad

1 cucumber, sliced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Salad Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

salt, and pepper to taste

Method-

In a large bowl, combine cucumber, diced green peppers, sliced red onion, and halved grape or cherry tomatoes.

Toss in the Kalamata olives. Crumble the feta cheese over the salad.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine. Allow the salad to sit for 15-30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld together. 

Sprinkle extra feta on top, if desired.

Skilllet Chicken Bruschetta

Tonight, dinner was an absolute hit! I whipped up a skillet bruschetta chicken that earned serious praise. The chorus of "mmm's" was music to my ears!

This dish was a total game-changer. Ready in just 20 minutes, it's the perfect weeknight meal. And the best part? It clocks in at only 365 calories per serving, leaving plenty of room for a delicious dessert. Click here for more on that.

Ingredients-

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, plus leaves for garnish (optional)

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

3/4 teaspoon ground pepper, divided

1/4 teaspoon salt, divided

2 (4-ounce) chicken cutlets

4 (1-ounce) slices part-skim low-moisture mozzarella cheese 

4 teaspoons balsamic glaze

Method-

Place tomatoes in a small bowl; add 1 tablespoon oil, shallot, basil, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt. 

Toss to combine; set aside.

Pat chicken dry using paper towels; sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over high heat. 

Add the chicken; cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. 

Flip the cutlets and top each with a cheese slice. 

Cover the pan with a lid or baking sheet; cook until the cheese is melted and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F, about 1 minute, 30 seconds.

BEHIND THE SCENES.
DINNER TIME AT OUR HOUSE.

YES, CATS RULE.

Creamy Sausage Pasta

Sometimes, the best recipes come from unexpected places! While scrolling through my usual online haunts, I stumbled upon a recipe that instantly caught my eye. It was from a blog called Crunchy Creamy Sweet. This recipe promised a quick, satisfying dish that could be whipped up in just 30 minutes – perfect for a weekend dinner!

Intrigued, I clicked through and found myself captivated by the simplicity and flavor combinations. I knew I had to give it a try.

Since it was just the two of us for dinner, I decided to halve the recipe. Amazingly, even with the reduced amount, the dish yielded just the right amount for two, with a small leftover portion for a satisfying lunch the next day.

This is the halved recipe that I made.

Ingredients-

6 oz penne pasta

1/2 lb Italian sausage mild or hot, ground or links

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium yellow onion

6 oz zucchini

1/4 white wine

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method-

Finely chop onion and slice zucchini. Set aside.

If you are using sausage links, remove the casings.

Cook pasta according to the instructions on the package. 

Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, drain the pasta and set aside.

In a deep skillet or a Dutch oven, heat up oil over medium heat.

Add onion and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often.

Add Zucchini and sautee.

Add sausage to the pan and cook until browned.

Mix cream and milk with cornstarch.

Add wine to the pan and deglaze the bottom, by scraping any cooked-on bits with a wooden spoon. 

Add milk and cream, season with salt and pepper, and simmer until thickened.

Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Add pasta to the sausage sauce. 

Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted. 

Add pasta water if the sauce is too thick for your liking.

Garnish with chopped parlsey and serve.

Easter in July

Yes, it is that time of the year. In the heat of the summer, I reach into the freezer and pull out... Easter Meat pie.  I forgot how many pies I baked at Easter but I knew there was some in the freezer. I put the pie in the freezer for a hot and humid day like today.

The crust is still my favorite part.

The cats had the right idea on how to stay cool today -

A Rainy Saturday Morning

Garden Update! Zucchini is taking center stage! While the sneaky rabbit seems to be on vacation, his absence has paved the way for a week of delicious zucchini creations. 

And there were peppers. They are called Fryers. I have a recipe that I have no idea where it came from. I put this recipe at the end of this post.

Getting back to the Zucchini. Zucchini fritters! The crispy exterior gives way to a tender, flavorful interior - a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.  The recipe is at the end of this post.

And while the oven was on I made Chicken Cutlet for dinner this week.  And they were fried! Next time we will get back to the "healthy" oven-baked preparation.

With all this zucchini, a loaf of bread was inevitable! This week, I opted for a zucchini and pecan bread, from An Italian In My Kitchen site. The recipe is on my other blog, Friday Night Baking.