Homemade Restaurant Mushroom risotto

It’s no surprise most Italian restaurants have risotto on their menu, it seems too complicated for the home cook.

Well Am here to tell you this Homemade Restaurant Mushroom risotto isn’t complicated at all.

Risotto is a northern Italian rice dish cooked with broth until it reaches a creamy consistency.

The broth can be derived from meat, fish or vegetables, I used chicken broth, if you are vegetarian you can use vegetable stock.

This is  one of those recipes you make a enough of, for next day reheats or freeze for a quick ready made meal.

Plus,  risotto is easy and versatile enough to have on your family weeknight meal plan. This restaurant quality recipe is also prefect for  Holiday dinner with friends, to show off what a great home chef you are.

Serve it up in some pretty restaurant style white plates, cloth napkins and your favorite drink and you just make yourself a restaurant style meal without leaving home.

Tips for Success when making homemade restaurant mushroom risotto

For this Homemade restaurant mushroom risotto the best rice to use  is a short grain Italian rice the most common is arborio rice. It’s important to use a short grain rice, it has a higher starch content to produce the creamiest risotto.

Another tip for success when making any risotto recipe is  toasting  the rice in the olive oil and butter before adding the liquid, it adds a bit of crunch.

And lastly the  broth should be hot when adding it to the rice while stirring, only add small amounts of stock, stirring until it’s absorbed before adding more.

If you make this recipe be sure to leave me a comment, and please don’t forget to tag me on Instagram.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Italian short grain rice
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
• 2 cups chopped spinach (optional)
• 4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• Instructions

1. Heat chicken or vegetable stock keep warm with the white wine
2. In a deep saute pan heat the butter and olive oil to medium heat. Add onion and garlic, saute until tender and just beginning to brown
3. Add the mushrooms saute until golden
4. Add rice cook rice until golden, salt and pepper to taste,
5. Add hot stock slowly  a little at a time  waiting until the stock is absorbed before  adding more while  stirring continuously.
6.  Cook until risotto is firm to the bite  about 20 minutes. Add parmesan cheese,  and chopped spinach if using the last five minutes . Sprinkle with more Italian parsley and grated parmesan. ENJOY!!!

Fall, my favorite time of the year is almost here, and that has me thinking soup.

This minestrone soup, the Italian version of vegetable is one of the most asked for family soup recipe.

If you ask twenty different people, you will get twenty different versions of minestrone soup.

What is minestrone soup, a pasta or  a soup? Minestrone is a thick soup of Italian origin, made with vegetables, often with pasta or rice, sometimes both. This is a vegetarian soup, most vegetables you have in your refrigerator work well in this soup. and if you leave out the pasta, gluten free, if you leave out the cheese vegan.

I have made it in all dietary forms, in one version I sauteed tofu, cubed it and added it in, delicious!!!!

When you make it, first saute the trilogies onion, carrot, celery, in this recipe I add a fourth Italian parsley then add the rest of the vegetables,  salt and pepper at this point so you don’t have bland tasting vegetables. add two times the amount of liquid as vegetables, then  add  marinara sauce.

In the summer, I made a lighter version  substituting pesto sauce for the marinara, adding  summer corn and peas. I tried to explain the recipe, but there really is no set recipe, start with the trilogy base, from that starting point, the combinations are endless.

My recipes are always customizable to fit your lifestyle and taste by adding or subtracting ingredients.

Cooking is meant to be fun and creative, so have fun, experiment and let me know if you try the recipes and what you think, that’s my favorite part!!!

Ingredients

1 small onion chopped

1/2 cup Italian parsely

4 Tablspoons olive oil

3 carrots sliced

3 celery sticks chopped

1 each yellow and green zucchini sliced

1 cup each chopped spinach and broccoli

1 potato diced

1 cup mixed vegetables

1 can kidney beans rinsed

1 cup marinara sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat oil in soup pot

Add the onion, parsley, carrots, and celery

saute until opaque

Add the rest of ingredients except the pasta shells

Simmer covered until vegetables are crisp tender about 30 minutes

Add pasta boil 5 minutes longer

Garnish with Parmesan cheese…Enjoy!!!!

Oven baked tomatoes Oreganata

This easy and delicious oven baked tomato oreganata recipe is the perfect way to use up all the rest of those summer tomatoes.

I grew up on a farm in the Tuscan country side, We always had an abundance of summer vegetables, especially beautiful tomatoes of every shape and flavor. My mother severed them in so many different ways, before canning the rest. This baked tomato oreganata was and still is one of my favorite ways to enjoy this summer staple.

Tips about this oven baked Tomato oreganata recipe

Use ripe but firm tomatoes, like roma or plum tomatoes when you make tis oven baked tomato oreganata recipe. They hold their shape better and have less water.

To prepare the the breadcrumbs use fresh breadcrumbs for the best texture. Mix them with the garlic, onion, oregano( fresh if possible) If you don’t have excess to fresh oregano, (I have attached a link for a good quality dry oregano) the grated parmesan cheese and a bit of olive oil. This mixture should be crumbly and slightly moist, so it sticks to the tomatoes.

Pre baking the tomatoes  emilites some of the water from the tomatoes for a dryer tomato .

Bake at a moderate heat 375 so the tomatoes soften  and the breadcrumbs turn a golden brown and crispy. If you want extra crispness, broil the tomatoes the last few minutes.

Ingredients

• 5 Lbs. Roma tomatoes
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• 2 Tbsp.  dry or fresh oregano
• 1 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
• 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp. onion powder

Instructions

1. Start by washing the tomatoes and drying . Cut the tomatoes in half length wise. Sprinkle the tomatoes with the half of oregano. Salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with half the olive oil. Then roast in a preheated 375-degree oven for 15 minutes.
2. Mean while in a bowl mix the breadcrumbs, grated parmesan parsley, garlic, and onion powder
3. Top the pre roasted tomatoes with the breadcrumb mixture. And re bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes. top with Italian parsley. ENJOY!!!

Spicy roasted garlic cheese bread

We can all agree that  it doesn’t get better then butter, garlic and bread.  Wait it does get better if you roast the garlic and add hot sauce you take this  Roasted Garlic cheesy garlic bread to a higher level.

This recipe takes the classic garlic bread you know and love topping it with an irresistible blend of cheeses, roasted garlic, hot sauce and a hint of fresh herbs, resulting in a mouth watering creation that’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It’s a prefect accompaniment to pasta nights, soups, salads or any meal that can use the added flavor of garlic.

Things to know about this roasted garlic cheese bread

Roasting the garlic mellows the flavor, you can do this up to 2 days ahead of time. Mash it first it’s easier when the garlic is still warm from roasting. Use a crusty bread like ciabatta, or sour dough for the best texture. Slice the bread lengthwise and toast before adding the garlic butter and cheese and re baking. This extra step ensures a crispy crust.

You can adjust the spiciness to your taste. Red pepper flakes or even finely chopped chilis can add heat.  After spreading the pre toasted bread with the garlic  butter and topping with the cheese , bake the bread again in a preheated 375-degree oven for 15 minutes. For an extra crispy top broil for a few minutes. Serve it hot with a side of marinara for dipping.

You are going to love this spicy roasted garlic cheese bread recipe. Not only is it delicious, it’s easy to make and can be made ahead of time and frozen already assembled and then defrosted and baked for the second time when you are ready to serve.

Ingredients

• 1 loaf medium size Italian bread
• 12 to 15 gloves of fresh peeled garlic
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• a few springs of fresh oregano, thyme and rosemary
• 2 sticks of butter
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 cups freshly grated mozzarella
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Instructions

1. Start by adding the garlic, olive oil, fresh herbs to an oven proof ramekin roast in a preheated375-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes over until the garlic is golden brown and soft
2. Slice the bread in half and toast along with the garlic for 10 minutes before adding the garlic butter.
3. Meanwhile add the room soften butter to a bowl add the parmesan, mozzarella and Italian parsley. Salt and pepper the butter mixture according to taste.
4. removed the herbs from the roasted garlic and mash using a fork. Add the garlic to the butter mixture and mix until well combined.
5. Slice your Italian bread in half spread the roasted garlic butter on bot sides on the bread. top with the shredded mozzarella and more grated parmesan and bake  in a 375- degree oven until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown top with freshly chopped Italian parsley. ENJOY!!!

Pasta all Ortolana vegetable pasta sauce

Pasta all Ortolana is an Italian  vegetarian pasta dish made with a  seasonal summer vegetable sauce that combines garden vegetables, aromatic herbs and tomato sauce to create a comfort sauce packed with flavor. It is easy to prepare and prefect when summer vegetables are in season.  The vegetable sauce is stewed slowly with a medley of vegetables that result in a fragrant and delicious pasta sauce.

Things to know about this Italian vegetable past sauce

The Italian word Ortolana means grower of fruits and vegetables. Staying true to it’s  meaning this vegetable pasta sauce uses a variety of fresh seasonal vegetables.

This recipe is very customizable, just like my ever changing minestrone soup the vegetables I use are what I have on hand. You can mix and match vegetables that fit your lifestyle or have on hand. But this vegetarian pasta sauce always starts like this, with a sofritto made with small diced onions, garlic, celery, and carrots. This is an important first step to add flavor and depth of flavor to the dish. Then the rest of the vegetables are added and simmered slowly in a tomato -based sauce. The results are a rich flavorful vegetarian pasta sauce. The sauce can be make ahead of time and used when you are ready to serve, It also freezer friendly. Here is the link for the freezer friendly containers I use.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. rigatoni
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 small chopped onion
• 1 cup diced peeled carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 3 cups cherry tomatoes
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 diced medium zucchini
• 1 small diced eggplant
• 1 diced  red bell pepper
• grated pecorino cheese
•  fresh basil

Instructions

1. Start by cutting all your vegetables. Then in a large saute pan add the olive oil bring to medium high heat add the onion and garlic saute until soft and just beginning to brown.
2. Add the cherry tomatoes and saute until beginning to blister. now add the rest of the vegetables, salt and saute until the vegetables are well combined. then add the tomato sauce rinse out the cans and add one cup of water. Cover and simmer while cooking the pasta in salted water until el dente. Toss the pasta in this delicious vegetarian pasta sauce. Add fresh basil top with grated pecorino. ENJOY!!!

Classic Italian Eggplant parmesan

Eggplant parmesan, know as “parmigiana di melanzane” is a classic Italian dish made with layers of fried eggplant then baked with marinara  sauce and cheese.

The dish is assembled similarly to lasagna, with alternating layers of eggplant, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. The final layer is usually topped with extra cheese which melts and forms a golden bubbly crust in the oven.

When making classic Italian Eggplant parmesan, here are some tips

1.  Choose the right eggplant opt for firm, medium – sized eggplants with shiny skin and no soft spots. Smaller eggplants tend to be less bitter and have fewer seeds.
2. Slice the eggplant into even rounds or lengthwise strips to ensure they cook evenly
3. Salt the eggplant and let sit for at least 30- minutes to reduce bitterness and remove excess moisture. Then rinse and pat dry
4.  Dredge the eggplant in flour before frying this helps achieve a crispy exterior when fried.
5. Start with a layer of sauce at the bottom of  your baking dish to prevent sticking.
6. Bake covered for the first 30- minutes to prevent the cheese from burning . then uncovered the last 15- minutes to get a rich golden brown crust. I have attached the link to my favorite all around lasagna covered casserole dish.
7. Allow the eggplant parmesan dish to rest for about 10 to 15 minutes to let the layers set.

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplant
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 1 cup of flour
• 3 cups of canola olive oil blend oil for frying
• 4 cups my easy marinara sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 2 cups fresh mozzarella
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• fresh basil leaves

Instructions

1. Start by washing your eggplant and slicing into thin rounds. place a colander over a bowl add the salted eggplant rounds add a weight to press the eggplant down. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
2. Then rinse the eggplant and pat dry then coat with the flour shaking off excess.
3.  Bring the oil to medium high heat. Begin frying the eggplant slices in batches 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
4. In a 7 x 11 oven proof casserole dish begin with a layer of marinara then eggplant , then the cheese. Repeat the process beginning with the marinara sauce and ending with the eggplant topped with the marinara and more cheese.
5. Bake in a preheat 375-degree oven covered for 30 minutes, uncover and bake for 15 minutes longer or until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly. ENJOY!!!!

Pasta con broccoli

Pasta con broccoli or pasta with broccoli is a simple dish that’s easy to make and incredibly comforting. with just a few ingredients, this pasta dish  comes together in less than 30 minutes.

It is a  great healthy recipe for a quick and easy weeknight meal that is both quick and delicious. It’s ingredients broccoli, garlic, white wine and olive oil may sound simple, but when combined together with pasta and pasta water to form a creamy sauce something delicious happens.

A few variations for this Pasta con broccoli recipe

This classic broccoli pasta recipe has many variations. Of course the first and most obvious one in most of my recipes the pasta shape is always an option. I am using  one of my favorite pasta shapes ditalini a small  tubular  pasta shape. You can use any pasta shape that fits your taste.

Secondly you can easily add Italian sausage to this vegetarian pasta recipe. If you are going to use sausage remove it from the casing and sautéing it along with the onion and garlic breaking it up while cooking to a golden brown before proceed to adding the rest of the ingredients.

Or you could go vegan by omitting the cheese and using dairy free pasta.

These variations offer different flavors and textures while keeping broccoli as the main ingredient. Enjoy experimenting with them.

And lastly please let me know how this recipe or variations of it work out for you. I love hearing from you it’s my favorite part!!!

Ingredients

• 4 cups broccoli florets
•  3 cups of small shaped pasta
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup chopped onions
• 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp. hot pepper flakes
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 cups pasta water
• 1 cup  grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup toasted Italian bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Start by cleaning and cutting the broccoli. Then in salted boiling water cook the broccoli until fork tender.  remove and add to the saute pan. Add the pasta to the same water you cooked the broccoli un, until el dente
2. Meanwhile in a saute pan over medium high heat un the olive oil saute the garlic,  onion, and red pepper flakes until soft and fragrant. Add the white wine and simmer until almost evaporated then add the cooked broccoli and mash. Add the pasta water and simmer until sauce thickens . Add half of the parmesan. Toss the cooked and drained  pasta to the broccoli mixture and mix until well combined. Plate top with the grated breadcrumbs and remaining parmesan cheese. ENJOY!!!!

Vegetable puff pastry tart

If you enjoy easy recipes with delicious seasonal ingredients, this summer  vegetable puff pastry tart recipe is for you. This tart has just a few  ingredients. a crispy  puff pastry crust ,a savory marinara and creamy mozzarella center and a topping of just picked summer vegetables.

This tart is great for a casual  lunch or light dinner. Or it makes a great appetizer at your next cocktail party or summer barbeque. The tart can be sliced  into finger – friendly pieces.

Tips for success when you make this Summer vegetable  puff pastry tart

1. Choose the freshest vegetables you can find. Seasonal summer vegetables like zucchini and tomatoes work well.
2. Pre- baking the tart shell helps prevent a soggy crust. prick the crust with a fork to release moisture.
3. Salt the zucchini and tomatoes and let sit for 30 minutes or longer. This step helps extract liquid from the vegetables.
4. Cut the vegetables evenly and as thin as possible using a good kitchen knife or a mandoline  slicer if you have one.
5. Season the vegetables well  and arrange in a pretty pattern before re- baking for a tart that’s not only delicious but pretty to look at too!!!

Ingredients

• 1 puff pastry shell
• 1 zucchini
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 1 cup marinara
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 Tbsp. each oregano, Italian parsley and garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Start by slicing  the zucchini and tomatoes into as thin as possible rounds lay on a flat surface salt and let sit while preparing the puff pastry.
2. On a lightly floured broad roll out the pastry slightly. prick allover with a fork leaving a thin border not pricked. Prebake in a 350- degree preheated oven on a cookie sheet oven for 15 minutes or until just beginning to brown.
3.  Mix all the herbs together
4. line the precooked puff pastry with a thin layer of marinara sauce top with  1/2 the  mozzarella . Pat the zucchini and tomatoes dry with paper towels.  Top the mozzarella with with the zucchini and tomatoes alternating first with zucchini then with the tomatoes, repeating the process. Sprinkle the vegetables with the herb mixture, the remaining mozzarella and marinara sauce salt and pepper to taste. drizzle with the olive oil and re bake in a 375- degree oven for 15 minutes. ENJOY!!!!
5. And so on

Crispy zucchini scarpaccia

Scarpaccia is a kind of rustic Italian flat bread from the Tuscany region of Italy, usually thin, and delicious.

Usually made with zucchini, there are as many variations for this vegetable tart as there are people who make them. I really like the thin, crispy texture  and the slight sweetness from roasting the zucchini. I love this simple summer Italian snack. It is a simple recipe full of beautiful summer zucchini. This scarpaccia is perfectly crispy on the outside and chewy and tender on the inside. Topping it with cornmeal before baking adds a nice nutty crunch. This delicious summertime recipe can a simple snack, fancied up into bite size appetizers, or a perfect side dish  with a salad for an easy weeknight  vegetarian  meal.

 Zucchini Scarpaccia recipes tips

Salting the zucchini and letting it sit extracts some of the liquid from the zucchini. Baking   the zucchini before adding it to the batter also helps dry out the zucchini. These are important steps in achieving a crispy  scarpaccia verses a soggy one.  And using this water in the batter adds extra flavor.

Using the right size pan is important in any recipe. In this scapaccia recipe I am using a 7″ x 11″ cookie sheet to get a thin crispy tart,

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini cut into rounds
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. olive olive +1/3 cup
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups of flour
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. each onion. garlic, paprika and oregano
• 1 1/2 cups of water + the water extract from the zucchini
• 1/3 cup corn meal

Instructions

1. Start by cutting the zucchini as thin as possible into rounds. Lay the rounds flat on a parchment lined cookie sheet , sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. of salt and let sit for 30 minutes to extract the liquid.  Then pat dry with paper towels. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile make the batter by mixing the rest of the ingredients except for the corn meal.
3. Fold the baked zucchini into the batter. Spread the batter in a  lightly greased 7 x 11 parchment line cookie sheet.
4. Cover the top lightly with the corn meal drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. And bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 45 to 60 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Cut into squares. ENJOY!!!

20 minute  tomato basil  spaghetti

This 20 minute tomato basil spaghetti comes together in under 20 minutes, the sauce is ready in just about the same time as it takes to cook the pasta.

The best time to make this pasta dish is when tomatoes are in season. The sauce  is simple the liquid from the tomatoes combined with the pasta water and grated cheese create a sauce full of  delicious fresh Italian flavors.

A few things to know about this 20 minute tomato basil spaghetti

With a few cups of tomatoes, garlic, herbs olive oil and pasta you can make this easy tomato sauce. Use as many tomato varieties as you can  get your hands on. Any color any shape – the more the better. Their natural juices release into the pan along with the pasta water create a  luscious sauce. This tomato sauce is meant to be chunky, it’s not a smooth sauce.  Use an emersion blend for a smoother finish,

Ingredients

• 1/2 Lb. spaghetti
• 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 4 Tbsp chopped shallots
• 4 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp.  fresh or dried oregano
• 2 cups pasta water
• 4 Tbsp. fresh chopped basil
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan

Instructions

1. Start by cooking your pasta el dente reserving 2 cups before draining
2. mean while make the sauce starting by  washing, drying and chopping the tomatoes. leave some cherry tomatoes whole.
3. In a saute pan over medium high heat add the 4 Tbsp. of olive oil add the garlic and the shallots saute until soft and just beginning to brown , Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano and pasta water cook until the sauce thickens about 10 minutes.
4. Toss the el dente cooked spaghetti into the sauce. top with freshly grated parmesan and basil. ENJOY!!!