Category Archives: Italian

Chicken & Mushroom Fettuccine Ala Vodka

8 oz Fettuccine  – cooked and drained
2 tbs each butter and olive oil
2 chicken breasts – sliced thin
1/2 pound mushrooms – washed and sliced
4 oz white wine
4 green onions – sliced
2 cloves crushed garlic
garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 jar Vodka Pasta Sauce
2 tbs crumbled feta cheese
Parmesan cheese for garnish
In a deep saute’ pan, heat up butter and oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and cook until no longer pink on the outside.  Add the mushrooms, wine, green onions, crushed garlic, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir and continue cooking until chicken is done on the inside and mushrooms are soft.  Add the jar of pasta sauce and feta cheese.  Stir until well blended.  Taste and season with more salt, pepper or garlic powder if needed.  Heat thoroughly.  Serve over cooked fettuccine. Add bread sticks and a salad for a lovely dinner.
4  Servings

Inside Out Ravioli

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 (16 ounce) package pasta, of your choice cooked and drained
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup soft breadcrumbs
2 cups shredded ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shreeded mozzarella cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced

Cook beef, onion, salt, pepper, and garlic cloves until onion is tender, drain.

Stir in spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, tomato paste  Simmer 10 minutes.
Combine spinach, noodles, eggs, bread crumbs, ricotta cheese.  Place 1/2 in a greased 13X9 baking dish.
Top with 1/2 of the meat sauce.   Repeat layers.
Cover and bake@ 350 degrees 40-45 minutes.  Sprinkle with mozzarella.  Let stand 10 minutes.

 8  Servings

Marinara & Meatballs with Spaghetti

1     cup carrots, shredded
1     celery, rib cut in chunks
3/4   cup onions, diced
1/2   cup red wine
4     cloves garlic
40    meatballs, frozen
1     28 oz. can tomatoes, diced, drained
1     28 oz. can tomato sauce
1     6 1/2 oz. can tomato paste
1     tablespoon Italian seasoning
1     teaspoon pepper
1     16 oz. package spaghetti
Preheat slow cooker on high.
Process carrots, celery (cut into short pieces), onions, wine and garlic 10-15 seconds in food processor until coarsely chopped.  Transfer to slow cooker.  Stir in remaining ingredients except spaghetti.  Reduce heat to low; cover and dook 8-10 hrs.
Prepare spaghetti, 20 minutes before serving, according to package directions.  Serve marinara and meatballs over spaghetti.
 8  Servings

Chicken Minestrone with Pesto

1     28 oz. can tomatoes in puree, undrained
4     cups chicken broth
1     pound chicken thighs, skinless, boneless, cut in 1 inch cubes
1     baking potato, peeled and diced
1/2   cup onions, chopped
1/2   cup carrots, chopped
1/2   cup celery, chopped
1/4   teaspoon pepper
1     16 oz. can white beans, (cannellini) rinsed
1     zucchini, diced ( about 6 ounces)
1     cup frozen green beans, thawed
1/3   cup pesto, refrigerated, prepared, basil
Mix all ingredients except the cannellini beans, zucchini, green beans, and pesto in a 4 qt or larger slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low 7 to 9 hours until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
Stir in cannellini beans, zucchini and green beans.  Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.  Spoon into bowls; top with pesto.
8  Servings

Chicken Parm Sandwiches

1 loaf of Italian or French Bread
3/4 pound fried or oven-baked chicken tenders
1 cup of marinara sauce
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
Dried Italian seasoning
Garlic powder
Butter.
Slice the bread in half. Spread the butter on it. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Toast it slightly in the oven & remove. Heat the marinara up in the microwave for a minute. Place tenders in the bread. Top with the warm marinara, and mozzarella cheese. Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted.