Turkey Cranberry Sandwiches

These Turkey Cranberry Sandwiches are the last of my Thanksgiving left over meals. Tender juicy slices of turkey breast topped with my best ever cranberry sauce and melted brie cheese.

It’s like eating Thanksgiving dinner in a sandwich.

Don’t save this sandwich just for leftover Thanksgiving Turkey, if you craving Thanksgiving in December store bough turkey works in this sandwich too. 

What you need to make Turkey Cranberry Sandwiches

Besides the ingredients in this Turkey Cranberry Sandwiches  you need a flat griddle pan to grill the sandwiches to a beautiful golden brown while melting the cheese. I have two flat griddle pans one cast iron with ridges and one flat.

I used the flat one to make these sandwiches, but I think next time I will use the cast iron ridge griddle for a panni style sandwich.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. leftover  cooked Thanksgiving turkey breast
• 4 slices good quality multigrain bread
• 1 cup my home made cranberry sauce
• 4 0z. thinly sliced brie
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a flat skillet over medium heat
2. Add the bread toast lightly on each side
3. Layer the lightly toasted bread with the sliced turkey, brie cheese and cranberry sauce
4. Continue cooking until cheese starts to melt
5. Put the sandwiches you will have two, together and press down with the back of a spatula
6. Cook just a few minutes longer on each side until a golden brown

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi

Don’t let the looks of this  Creamy Chicken Gnocchi intimidate you. It’s an easy recipe when you use store bought potato gnocchi.

If you want to go the all home made route you can make my Easy Ricotta Gnocchi. But if you decide to make your owe they need to be cooked in a separate pot of rapidly boiling water until they come to the surface, about 7 minutes and than tossed in the sauce. The same is true with the marinara but marinara sauce is so easy and is one of the sauces I always have on hand. I have linked the recipes for the gnocchi and the marinara. The most important thing about marinara is to use the best tomato products, since tomatoes are the main ingredient.

My absolute favorite is La San Marzano, you can’t always find it in the supermarkets but here is the link to find it on Amazon.

Three Tips When Making Creamy Chicken Gnocchi

Size matters!!! when we’re one pan cooking. The sauté pan has to be big enough and deep enough to hold in this case both the pasta and the sauce. Here’s a link to a good all around one pan cooking pot.

Another thing that’s important is to be sure the oil and butter is hot enough to sear the chicken without burning it.

One more thing, if the sauce is to thick add a little milk if it’s too thick coat a pat of butter with flour and put it in the sauce, the last few minutes.

Ingredients

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast cut in cubes
• 1/2 LB. store bought or my easy ricotta gnocchi
• 3 cups prepared  marinara sauce
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 2 tablespoons each olive oil and butter
• 2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1/2 small onion chopped
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 Tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

Instructions

1. In a large sauté pan heat olive oil and butter to medium heat
2. salt and pepper the chicken and sauté until lightly browned
3. Add the garlic and onion sauté until tender and just beginning to brown
4. Add the prepared marinara and cream simmer 15 minutes or until sauce thickens
5. Add the gnocchi and spinach
6. Simmer covered 7 to 10 minutes
7. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and Italian parsley

So what is Easy Bolognese sauce?

Easy Bolognese Sauce is a chunky sauce made with minced beef, garlic, carrots, herbs and enough tomatoes for flavor.

It’s a hearty sauce when you want stick to your ribs comfort food.  It’s  delicious, versatile and easy to make you’ll want to have it on hand, for ready make meals.

I used ground turkey, you can use any ground meat and pasta, that fits your taste. The recipe calls for pappardelle pasta, but you can use this same Bolognese sauce when you want a heartier lasagna too!!! 

It’s not to often that you find a recipe that your whole family likes. when you do WIN- WIN.

Not only is it a family favorite it’s a crowd pleasing meal on a budget add a salad, some crusty french bread and you have dinner special enough for weekend get togethers  and easy enough for weeknight family meals.Why I love Easy Bolognese Sauce

This is a great go to meat sauce when you want, easy, healthy, flavorful Italian meals, the trifecta for dinner success.

I make this hearty meat sauce in my cast iron dutch oven, sometimes, if I want carefree cooking, I start it on the stove top, and finish it off in a 375 degree oven for one hour.

You can double or triple the recipe, it keeps in your refrigerator up to 4 days,  you can freeze it for ready made meals, that’s what I do when I make it.

The link below will take you to a the cast iron dutch oven I use, not only for this recipe, but for recipes the require longer cooking time.

It is also the Dutch oven I use to bake my sour dough bread, the recipe for the sourdough bread is posted below. My Dutch oven https://amzn.to/2XlrfIJ

Happy day my dears and always cook happy!!!!Ingredients

1 Lbs. papperdelle

1 Lbs. ground turkey

1 chopped onion

2 carrots grated

2 Tablespoons chopped garlic

2 15 oz. cans crushed tomatoes

2 cup waters

1 cup chicken stock

1 Tbs. each chopped Italian parsley, basil, and thyme

2 Tbs. each olive oil and butter

Instruction

1. Cook pasta according to package directions
2. Heat oil and butter in a deep saute pan
3. Add onion, garlic and carrots
4. Saute until tender and just beginning to brown
5. Add ground turkey brown breaking into small pieces with wooden spoon
6. Salt and pepper to taste
7. Drain fat
8. Add tomatoes, chicken stock,  and herbs
9. Simmer covered 45 minutes

Saucy Philly Sub

Oh, the Saucy Philly Sub and my love affair with it began in our first little hole in the wall Submarine sandwich shop.

My mama who worked with me until she couldn’t anymore, would start frying the onions and peppers just about lunch time. The aroma from the onions and peppers could be smelled blocks away, following it to our little hole in the wall.

It was a smart marketing tool before the social media years. In that version we used rib eye steak, provolone cheese, and green bell  peppers and severed it on sub rolls.

This recipe is basically the same the difference is I used a mix of peppers from my garden and topped them with house made marinara. I’ve also make it using chicken breast and experiencing with different cheeses.

These recipe lends it’s self to experimentation so have fun and experiment. If you put good ingredients in the finished product will be good too.What I do When I make Saucy Philly Subs

I don’t tell you how much salt to use in any of my recipes, that’s a personal taste. what might be salty to me might be bland to you. keep in mind less is more, you can add, subtracting is a little harder.

I buy the steak at Trader Joe’s, but you can ask you butcher to slice it for you, if you want a fancier sandwich use thicker sliced meat, any way you slice it, it’s delicious,

comes together quick, is easy and it’s one of those family pleasing meals for the picky eaters, because your able to add, subtract, and change ingredients, to fit your

lifestyle.  Another thing is I  use my Cuisinart toaster /fryer oven to toast the bread instead of turning on my large wall ovens.

The toaster oven gets  more use than my large ovens for small for small jobs like this it’s prefect……Enjoy!!!!

Ingredients For Two

• 1/2 pound shaved rib eye steak
• 1 red and one green bell pepper cut in strips
• 1 sliced onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup prepared Marinara
• 1 12 inch Italian baguette
• Salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil
• 1 tablespoon each chopped Italian parsley, basil,  oregano, and red pepper flakes

Instruction

1. Heat oil until smoking hot
2. Saute peppers, onions and garlic until tender and just beginning to brown
3. Add steak  brown, salt and pepper to taste
4. Add herbs
5. Turn off heat and add the cheese
6.  Toast baguette
7. Fill Baguette with steak mixture
8. Pour 1/2 cup hot  prepared marinara over each
9. Serve on toasted baguette and Enjoy!!!!

These Italian cabbage rolls are the first meal I cooked for my  first husband, who was Polish when I was sixteen years old, they were not good. I was a straight from the boat Italian girl that knew nothing about polish cooking.

All I knew was they were  a favorite in my husbands family, and I wanted to make them. After a few failed attempts I came up with this Italian version. Ground beef, and rice stuffed cabbage topped with a garlicky marinara sauce full of Italian flavors makes this recipe a favorite in my family now. The best part is it’s freezer friendly, for ready made meals on busy weeknights or unexpected company is coming.

Can You Customize Italian Cabbage Rolls

Of course you can customize Italian Cabbage Rolls. It can work with different combinations of ingredients. For instance if you don’t like beef you can use chicken and if you want a healthier rice use brown rice

My favorite has always been the combination of cabbage and beef. But you can use ingredients that fit you lifestyle and taste. A few things to remember when home cooking

It’s important to have the right saute pan, you don’t need a lot of pans, but you do need the right sized ones. To have a well functioning kitchen you need the right equipment just like in a commercial kitchen it’s the most important part.Here’s a link to a complete set of pans, or if you want to start with one and build from there here’s a good all around saute pan.

Every kitchen needs at least one covered casserole dish that goes from oven to table to dishwasher here is my favorite one. It’s a little pricey but you only need one that you can use for a lot of different recipes

Just one more thing, everyone has different taste buds, that is why I don’t give you measurements for salt and pepper.

I personal don”t like a lot of salt and I am of the mind set that you can always add more but it’s difficult to correct over salting. It can be done in soups and other foods that have a liquid base.

If you make this please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, I love hearing from you!!!!

Ingredients

• • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 head savory cabbage
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 3 Tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 3 cups prepared marinara sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons each Italian parsley, basil and thyme
  • 1/2 cup parmesan
  • Salt and pepper to taste

             Instructions

• 1. 1. Preheat oven to 325
     2. With a sharp paring knife core the cabbage separating the leaves being careful not to tear them
     3. In a large stock pot in rapidly boiling salted water par boil the cabbage for 5 minutes
     4. Drain cabbage reserving 2 cups of the water before draining run the cabbage under cold water
     5. In a large saute pan  with 2 tablespoons each of butter and olive oil  on medium high heat  saute the onion and garlic until tender and just beginning to brown
     6.  Add ground beef and saute just until slightly pink
     7. Add the cooked rice, herbs, and 1 cup of prepared marinara mix well
     8. fill the cabbage leaves with the ground beef mixture roll tightly
     9. Mix remaining 2 cups of  marinara with the reserved cabbage water
     10. Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in a 9 x 12 casserole dish
     11. line with the stuffed cabbage leaves
     12. Pour remaining marinara over the cabbage rolls
     13. Bake covered at 325 degree for 1/2 hours

 Chicken And Sausage Pasta

If you love pasta your going to love this  Chicken And Sausage Pasta recipe. Penne pasta tossed  in a creamy pesto sauce, with chunks of juicy chicken breast and Italian sausage, make this a restaurant quality dinner.

In most Italian kitchens pasta is a staple, it was in my house growing up and it still is today. Growing up most of the pasta was made by hand. I can still see my Mom rolling out the dough by hand, on a wooden board my father made for her.

There’s no doubt homemade pasta is the best, but with so many delicious commercial brands store bought is a good alternative. Pasta is still one of my go to staples when I need dinner quick, or I have unexpected company. it’s quick, easy, and so versatile it’s easy to please the pickiest eater.

Ever wonder why most restaurants have pasta on the menu??  Well the answer may be it’s too imitating for the home cook, IT”S NOT . You need dinner quick, on those busy weeknights, you have unexpected guests coming Pasta to the rescue.

Pasta is delicious plain and simple. Think olive oil, garlic, parmesan, cream,  herbs,  chicken and sausage and  you have a meal fancy enough for weekend dinners with friends.Customize  Chicken And Sausage Pasta

This  Chicken And Sausage Pasta recipe calls for easy ingredients you probably already have on hand, butter, garlic, cream, tomatoes,  chicken and Italian chicken sausage which together create a creamy, saucy Italian flavored dinner. And the best part is that you can mix and match ingredients to customize this recipe to your tastes.

You can substitute the chicken for tofu if your going the vegetarian route, using the same process. You don’t like chicken or sausage? Then  use shrimp adding it the last 5 minutes of cooking.

If your gluten free there are a lot of good gluten free pastas too. Use ingredients that fit your lifestyle and taste. I used my homemade pesto sauce, you don’t have too, store bought works just as well.

Here is the recipe  to make basil pesto, combine one bunch of basil, 1 cup parmesan cheese,  2 cups toasted walnuts

with 1 cup extra virgin olive oil pulse  blender   pouring the olive oil in last in a slow stream while pulsing. 

Please let me know your experience if you make this recipe, comments, feedback whatever you feel like talking about. That’s my favorite part and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram…….

Ingredients

• 1 lb penne pasta
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast
• 2 links chicken Italian sausage
• 2 Tablespoons each olive oil and butter
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 small chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups pesto sauce
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup reserved pasta water
• 1 Tbs. each chopped Italian parsley, basil, and thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions reserving 2 cups of the water before draining
2. Mean while heat olive oil and butter in large saute pan
3. salt and pepper chicken to taste
4. Cut sausage into thick diagonal slices
5. Add  chicken and sausage saute until golden
6. Saute onion and garlic until tender
7. Add tomatoes saute until  blistered about 10 minutes
8. De glaze pan with chicken stock
9. Add heavy whipping cream, pesto sauce and reserved pasta water
10. Simmer until sauce thickens about 10 minutes
11. And parmesan cheese, spinach, and  herbs last 5 minutes
12. Toss drained pasta in the sauce
13. Top with  the additional  parmesan and  Italian parsley
14. Salt and pepper to taste

Flank Steak Skewers

These Flank Steak Skewers are are all about Summer and this 4th of July weekend. A whole meal right here on these metal skewers, the steak, the vegetables and the flavor. Growing up in an Italian household our BBQ sauce consisted of a basic olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and herbs, still one of my favorites.

But today I wanted to share this quick and easy BBQ sauce that uses few ingredients you probably have on hand, is ready in 15 minutes. and comes out prefect every time.

The difference between the two is just a few  ingredient and sugar!!!  Because I added sugar, it also added an extra step, cooking it to melt the sugar.

Those little changes produced big results in terms of flavor. This recipe works well with chicken too, if you want something lighter.

Wood Verses Metal Skewers

In this Flank Steak Skewer recipe I used 12 inch long metal Skewers. Skewers come in a variety of lengths and materials.  Wooden bamboo too are a great option for camping trips or when you don’t want to have to wash metal ones. They’re inexpensive and typically quite sharp.

But there are a few downsides that you might want to consider  upgrading to reusable metal  skewers. Bamboo is a naturally fibrous and tends to split easily, what this means is you have to be careful you don’t end up with wood splinters in your meat.

They also burn, soaking wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes helps to prevent them from burning while cooking. I prefer metal skewers , which have a long life are reusable and thus easier on the environment. They won’t catch on fire , but you do need to be careful as they get incredibly hot. We’re in the grilling season and in my house meals on metal skewers and Summer go together.

Happy 4th of July my friends remember the reason for the celebration…..  The Land of the Free because of the Brave!!!

If you make this recipe please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram hearing form is my favorite part!!!!

Ingredient

• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons hot sauce
• 2 lbs Flank steak
• 1 Tablespoon each powered garlic, onion, smokey paprika, Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 zucchini cut in thick rounds
• 1 red and 1 green bell pepper cut in seeded and cut in large squares
• 2 red onions cut in chunks
• 1 Tablespoon each powered garlic, onion, smokey paprika, Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Mix first 7 ingredients
2. Simmer covered for 15 minutes
3.  made a marinade for the meat and vegetables by whisking of 1 tablespoon each garlic, onion, and paprika powder, thyme,Worcestershire, 1/3 cup olive oil and juice from two lemons
4. Cut steak into large cubes
5. Put steak and marinade in a large plastic baggie and refrigerate for two hours or overnight reserving 1/4 cup to marinate the vegetables
6. Preheat grill or indoor oven to 400
7. Pour reserved marinade over cut vegetables
8. Coat Flank steak in the balsamic BBQ sauce
9. On medal skewers alternate layering the meat and vegetables
10. Grill for 20 minutes or oven roast  basting the skewers with the BBQ sauce and turning to brown evenly

Philly Burger

The Philly Cheese steak and my love affair with it began in our first little hole in the wall Submarine sandwich shop.

This Philly Burger has all the flavors of the classic cheese steak and elevates it to higher level with a juicy cheese burger that will have you drooling from the smell of the onions and peppers frying.

My mama who worked with me until she couldn’t anymore, would start frying the onions and peppers just about lunch time. The aroma from the onions and peppers could be smelled blocks away, following it to our little hole in the wall. It was a smart marketing tool in the pre social media years. In that version we used rib eye steak, provolone cheese and severed it on sub rolls, shown I served it on  brioche buns and sharp cheddar cheese

Make it Your Own

In this Philly Burger I used a 4 oz. beef patty and sharp cheddar cheese. That’s not what you have to use, you can try the same recipe with a chicken burger, a veggie burger or leave the burger out altogether.

If you want to go the vegetarian route use tofu instead of the steak or just use onions and peppers smothered in the cheese of your choice is delicious too.  I’ve also make it using chicken breast and experiencing with different cheeses.

This recipe lends it’s self to experimentation so have fun and experiment.

I buy the steak at Trader Joe’s, but you can ask you butcher to slice it for you, if you want a fancier sandwich use thicker sliced meat, any way you slice it, it’s delicious, comes together quick, is easy and it’s one of those family pleasing meals for the picky eaters,

because your able to add, subtract, and change ingredients, to fit your lifestyle and taste!!!

Restaurant style recipes, made easy for the home cook…..Enjoy!!!!

Ingredients

1/2 pound shaved rib eye steak

4 6 oz. burger patties

1 red and one green bell pepper cut in strips

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 sliced onion

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

8 slices sharp cheddar

4 Brioche rolls

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons each butter and olive oil

1 tablespoon each chopped Italian parsley, basil,  oregano, and red pepper flakes

Instruction

heat oil and butter until smoking hot

saute burgers to your liking 3 t0 4 minutes per side for medium rare

Remove burgers set aside

Saute peppers, mushrooms, onions and garlic until tender and just beginning to brown

Add steak  brown, salt and pepper to taste

Add herbs

Turn off heat and add the cheese

Butter buns and toast

Top buns first with the burger then the Philly steak

• Adjust salt and pepper and Enjoy!!!

Meatball Garlic Toast

I love Meatballs as much as I love Pasta and for the same reasons. They’re just so easy, delicious, versatile and everyone loves them. This meatball garlic toast uses my  Mama’s traditional meatball  recipe reconstruct to fit my lifestyle and taste, using ground Turkey breast. While ground turkey isn’t my favorite I use it when I want a healthier option, plus you can never go wrong with Meatballs.

Plenty of Parmesan with a few simple ingredients and plenty of fresh herbs, turned that flavorless ground turkey into something totally drool worthy.

Three Tips When Making meatballs

First  when mixing  the meat into the other ingredients don’t over mix or overcook, both lead to tough hard meatballs.

A case in point to the last sentence, a new prep cook was mixing the mixture in the dough mixer, and that explained why the meatballs were rock hard. There is no nice way to put it, they were not good.

The other thing to remember is that  the meatballs are cooked twice first roasted, then in the sauce, so it’s easy to overcook them. Roasting the meatballs adds another depth of flavor and beautiful  color.

I try to use my handy- dandy toaster oven whenever I can. I don’t like turning on my oven every time I need to toast something, my toaster oven is one of my most used small kitchen appliances, if you don’t have one they’re well worth the 100.00 dollars they cost.

Third this is another custom-able recipe, if you like the traditional use a high grade ground beef, or a mixture of chicken, beef, or veal.

Experiment,  food and cooking is mean’t to be fun and enjoyable, I have simplified and gave you made ahead tips to make cooking a journey, not a destination always learning, always finding new ingredients to satisfy our changing life style and diet…..Have Fun!!!

Ingredients

• 1 Lbs. ground turkey breast
• 6 slices crusty Italian Bread cut medium thick on a diagonal
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup chopped  Italian parsley
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbs. each chopped garlic and onion
• Salt and pepper
• 4 cups prepared  marinara sauce
• 1 stick butter softened
• 1/2 cup each mozzarella, parmesan and sharp cheddar
• 3 tablespoons each chopped Italian parsley, garlic and onion
  Instructions
• Preheat oven to 350
• In a bowl make the cheesy garlic butter by mixing the last 4 ingredients
• Spread the garlic mixture on the bread slices
• toast in for 10 minutes
• Mix egg, bread crumbs, parsley,  garlic, onion, parmesan  salt and pepper ending with the meat
• Shape into golf size balls
• Roast in a preheated 350 oven until light golden brown about 10 minutes
• Cook an additional 20 minutes in simmering homemade marinara sauce
• Top garlic toast with 2 meatballs top with additional mozzarella
• Return to oven just to melt the cheese

Balsamic BBQ Sauce

This Balsamic BBQ Sauce is the best barbecue sauce that is both sweet and tangy is ready in 15 minutes and made from scratch.

BBQ sauce is one of those foods that differ from state to state you have Kansas City style, Memphis style, Texas style and many between. Everyone has their personal favorite. I like them all.

Growing up in an Italian household our BBQ sauce consisted of a basic olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and herbs, still one of my favorites.

But today I wanted to share this quick and easy BBQ sauce that uses few ingredients you probably have  on hand,is ready in 15 minutes. and comes out prefect every time.

Storing Balsamic BBQ Sauce

When you make this Balsamic BBQ sauce as a made-ahead meal prep allow it to cool, then pour it onto mason jars. Seal it tight with a tight fitting lid and store it in the refrigerator to use for quick and easy meals throughout the week.

It’s the prefect sauce to use for pulled pork or chicken and keeps fresh in you fridge up to 2 weeks.

When you make this BBQ sauce please leave me a comment, let me know in what recipe you used it, and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram with your creations I love hearing from you!!!

Ingredients

• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons hot sauce
• 1 Tablespoon each powered garlic, onion, smokey paprika, Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients in a medium size sauce pan
2. simmer covered 15 minutes over low heat or until sauce thickens stirring occasionally