Browsing Category Italianish

Lasagna

in Comfort Foods Italianish Make-in-Bulk & Freeze on 1 169 Views

For me, the Italian American classic weeknight dinner staple is inevitably intertwined with an orange cartoon cat. Perhaps the manufacturers behind Stouffers frozen lasagna had invested in the constant lasagna feeding frenzy present within nearly every Garfield episode in the late 1980s. If they weren’t behind all the direct consumer marketing, then they should have been because I requested lasagna more than my brother requested canned spinach (thanks Popeye). The lasagna of my childhood was mostly noodles with marina and a small amount of cheese and meat sprinkled inadvertently throughout the layers upon layers of noodle.

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Scallop, Squash, Chestnut, and Sage Risotto

in Comfort Foods Italianish Seafood on 1 65 Views

This recipe was a product of the game “what is in my pantry that I can put in a risotto for dinner.”  I had purchased some pre-cut squash and scallops at Balduccis (my favorite foodie grocery store when we lived in the DC area).  I made squash and scallop risotto several years before when we lived on Capitol Hill using local apple cider as a marinade for the scallops.  The result tasted like fall on a plate. 

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Cannoli Cheesecake

in Desserts Homemade Italianish on 2 73 Views

“Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.” This is my favorite movie quote – ever – from the 1972 classic The Godfather. As the daughter of a Sicilian immigrant, I cannot think of a more iconic Sicilian dessert than the cannolo. The process of making cannoli is somewhat laborious. But don’t worry – this cheesecake is super easy and has all the flavors of a cannolo.

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Vegetable Lasagna

in Comfort Foods Italianish Make-in-Bulk & Freeze Vegetarian on 2 44 Views

There is no better time than August to open a cold beer and cozy up by the grill to enjoy the last days of summer.  My husband enjoys grilling anything and especially loves grilling vegetables.  Which is great for me because by August I am floundering for a creative dinner to use the abundance of zucchini and squash that I have purchased at the local farmer’s market.  

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Deconstructed Chicken Marsala with Roasted Mushrooms and Mashed Potatoes

in Comfort Foods Dinner Italianish on 1 63 Views

This is not your traditional kitschy Italian restaurant chicken marsala.  There will be no attached photos of perfectly browned chicken basking in a caramel-colored marsala cream sauce accented by a few small mushrooms.  This is a mountain of rosemary scented roasted mushrooms sandwiched in between creamy mashed potatoes and buttermilk-sage fried chicken. 

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Sweet Potato and Pimento Cheese Frittata

in Breakfast Italianish Make-in-Bulk & Freeze on 0 43 Views

One of my favorite things to do with holiday leftovers is make quiche. And what more perfect of a leftover to be used for quiche than honey baked ham?This recipe is a perfect example of a “what’s in my refrigerator” frittata.This recipe is a perfect example of a “what’s in my refrigerator” frittata. Susan had brought me a large serving of her pimento cheese (which is delicious on a ritz cracker with a glass of cabernet sauvignon). I also happened to have a mountain of sweet potatoes on my kitchen island. And since sweet potatoes go with anything, why not combine them with pimento cheese and eggs?

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Marinara

in Homemade Italianish Make-in-Bulk & Freeze on 1 31 Views

While my marinara differs from Clemenza’s and most traditional Italian recipes, it has evolved over the last twenty years into a flavor that is woven into the proverbial fabric of my kitchen. I like the sweetness that the onions and carrots give to the acidic tomatoes and wine. I have made this sauce without the wine just to meet comments that my sauce tasted less delicious.

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