Classic Bruschetta

This Classic Bruschetta is one of my favorite Summertime recipes, that will leave you craving more. Is it just me, or do some of you get excited about tomato season?

This year am really excited, we had all our grass removed, on one side we put in an outdoor kitchen on the other raised vegetable beds. I planted different varieties of tomatoes, herbs, squash and assorted lettuces, so when I see flowers turn into tomatoes, I start thinking about tomato recipes.

This tomato salad topped toast is without a doubt my favorite go to summer appetizer, top it with chopped grilled chicken or shrimp and you have lunch or dinner severed on toast, how easy is that.

I used crusty Italian sour dough, but most breads work well with this, except for sweet bread. I’ve made it with gluten free bread, it was delicious. you can’t go wrong with the combination of heirloom tomatoes, garlic and basil, make it when it’s tomato season and a simple dish is Bon Appetite magazine worthy.

Three Tips When Making Classic Bruschetta

First, and the most important of the three, since this recipe consists of mainly tomatoes use the best you can find.

Second, the other main ingredient is the bread, so although this recipe works well with other breads, my absolute favorite is Crusty!!! And third don’t comprise on the

olive oil, use extra virgin to get restaurant quality flavor. Another thing whenever I toast, roast, broil or air fry small qualities of food I use my

Cuisinart toaster/fryer oven, it saves time and energy, in fact I use it more than my wall ovens.

One more thing if you make this recipe please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram. Hearing from you is my favorite part!!!

Ingredients

4 cups mixed chopped tomatoes

1 cup shredded mozzarella

8 slices toasted crusty bread

1/2 cup pesto

1 cup parmesan

1 cup fresh chopped basil

2 Tablespoons chopped garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon each chopped thyme and oregano

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Make the dressing mix all the ingredients ending with the oil

Spread the bread with the pesto and toast

Toss all ingredients together

Top pesto toast with tomato salad

Sprinkle with additional parmesan and basil……ENJOY!!!!!

Roasted Garden Pizza

This Roasted Garden Pizza is so easy to make, when you use store bought pizza dough. If you love pizza like I do, your going to love this vegetarian one .

You won’t believe how easy it is. Toasty, cheesy spread with pesto sauce, topped with garden picked vegetables and sprinkled with salty parmesan, piping hot from the oven make this pizza a family favorite.

When I made this pizza the other day, I was craving something colorful and full of garden grown flavors. Anyone that has ever planted even just one zucchini plant knows, from just one you’ll have zucchini’s all Summer.

How To Made Roasted Garden Pizza

Here’s how to make this Roasted Garden Pizza: Start by kneading the dough just a few times on a lightly floured broad , then gather it in a ball and let it rest covered 3o minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400. I like to prebake my pizza crust before topping them, and then returning them to the oven for the final bake. It’s especially important to prebake the crust in this recipe, the vegetables contain a lot of water.

If you skip this important step you end up with a wet soggy pizza crust, that’s not good. Another thing to remember is that the oven needs to be hot. I actually cooked this pizza in my Cuisinart toaster oven/fryer that’s big enough for small bakes like this one, and saves me from heating up my large kitchen oven, and it’s quicker too!!!

If you make this please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, Hearing from you is my favorite part.

Ingredients

1 lb. store bought pizza dough
1 cup prepared pizza sauce
1 zucchini sliced in rounds
1 cup fresh corn
1 cup chopped spinach
1 cup sliced tomatoes
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 Tablespoon each chopped garlic and Italian parsley
1 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400
Form dough into a ball kneading lightly let rest 30 minutes covered
Drizzle vegetables with olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper
Roast for 10 minutes
Mean while stretch dough into a 10 x 12 square
Brush the pizza dough with olive oil
Prebake the pizza crust for 10 minutes
Top prebaked crust with pesto sauce and roasted vegetables, mozzarella and parmesan cheese
Bake at 400 for 15 minutes lower

Peppers And Pasta

This Peppers and pasta is a prefect definition of a comforting family meal everyone will love. It’s a beautiful, vegetarian delicious pasta bowl with a trilogy of beautiful garden peppers, and onions tossed in a delicious creamy sauce full of Italian flavors.

It’s a easy recipe that comes together in less than 30 minutes and the best part you can customize it to fit your tastes.

In case you haven’t notice I love pasta. It’s my favorite go to ingredient, when am stuck for dinner ideas it’s pasta to the rescue. Italians truly love pasta so much so that it ranks first in pasta consumption, with Americans close behind. Really what’s not to love? Pasta is versatile, quick, easy, delicious. And with all the shapes and flavors you could have pasta often without repeating the same meal for awhile.

I love recipes that come together quick, like this one. While the pasta is cooking on the back burner the sauce is coming together on the front burner. Recipes like this are ones you’ll fall back again and again, when you want Italian and easy too.

Customize Peppers and Pasta

This Peppers And Pasta recipe works well with chicken and shrimp too. If you use shrimp saute them 3 minutes per side them remove them from the pan to prevent overcooking, adding them back in at the end just to heat through.

And of course you can use steak and made it a true Philly steak pasta meal. If you keep following along pretty soon you wouldn’t be looking at recipes as often, you’ll be able to add and subtract ingredients to fit your lifestyle and taste.

Whatever ingredients you use keep it simple and fresh, and remember when sauteing large quantities the saute pan needs to be deep enough to hold the ingredients. one pan of this size is all you need. This is the one I use from Target, it’s the prefect size for one pan cooking and not too expensive.

One more good thing about this recipe, it stay’s fresh in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, for quick meal reheats and it’s freezer friendly for ready made meals.

Let me know if you made this recipe. Please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, I love hearing from you !!!!Ingredients

- 1/2 Lbs. penne rigata
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 each red, yellow and green pepper cut in thin strips
- 2 cups spinach chopped
- 2 cups milk
- 1 Tablespoons flour
- 1 cup prepared marinara sauce
- 1 cup water or vegetable stock
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbs. each chopped Italian parsley, basil, and thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat oil add onion and saute until tender
Add peppers and saute until crisp tender about 15 minutes add garlic last 5 minutes
Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon flour over peppers Salt and Pepper Now
Add the milk, marinara sauce, water or vegetable shock
Simmer until sauce thickens about 15 minutes
Add spinach and parmesan Simmer 5 minutes more……. Enjoy!!!!

One Pan Spaghetti Primavera

This One Pan Spaghetti Permavera is a prefect definition of a comforting family meal everyone will love. It’s a beautiful, vegetarian delicious pasta bowl of mushroom, asparagus,broccoli, and tomatoes tossed in a delicious creamy sauce full of Italian flavors, It’s a easy recipe that comes together in less than 30 minutes and the best part you only need one pan.

In case you haven’t notice I love pasta. It’s my favorite go to ingredient, when am stuck for dinner ideas it’s pasta to the rescue. Italians truly love pasta so much so that it ranks first pasta consumption, with Americans close behind. Really what’s not to love? Pasta is versatile, quick, easy, delicious. And with all the shapes and flavors you could have pasta often without repeating the same meal for awhile.

I love one pan meals just about as much as pasta, put those two things together and it’s a Win-Win. Add to that that it’s a vegetarian meal, prefect any night of the week, even Saturday night dinner with friends.

Three Tips when making One pan Spaghetti Primavera

Number one…..if the sauce is too liquid coat a pat of butter with flour and trow it into the sauce to thicken it more. if it’s too dry add more liquid. another tip if you want crisper vegetables you can add them in stages depending on your taste. Also important is the size saute pan you use when cooking pasta in one pan meals.

This is were size matters, you can find my favorite large saute pan here. A well functioning kitchen should at the very least have three different size saute pans large, medium and small.

One more thing add salt and pepper to the vegetables in the saute pan, salt brings out the flavor in food, but use it sparsely you can add more to adjust flavors according to your taste.

This is a great satisfying vegetarian pasta recipe if you make it please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, I love hearing from you, that’s my favorite part!!

Ingredients

1/2 lb. spaghetti
1/2 lb. broccoli florets
2 cups trimmed asparagus
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 cups water or vegetable stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 Tablespoons each Italian Parsley, basil and thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large deep saute pan heat the oil to medium
Add the onion and garlic saute until tender and just beginning to brown
Add The water or vegetable stock and cream
Break the spaghetti in half and add to the pan
Add the broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes and asparagus salt and pepper to taste
Simmer covered 10 minutes
Add the parmesan cheese and herbs simmer 5 minutes longer
Mix well top with more parmesan cheese and herbs

Tomato Zucchini Bake

Here we are it’s the middle of June and my garden is starting to buzz not only with bees, but with zucchini and tomatoes, so at this time of year Am always thinking of new ways to use them.

Introducing Tomato Zucchini Bake, layered with cheese, marinara and just picked ingredients from the garden. It’s easy to plant and grow the ingredients for this easy recipe, but if you don’t have a garden store bought works.

I love the idea of being able to go in the garden and pick a tomato or herbs for a recipe. In all the restaurants we always found a spot for herbs, even if they were mixed in with the red geraniums.

Okay, so back to the recipe it’s an easy recipe that uses few ingredients, is prefect for this time of year when the tomatoes and zucchini are at they’re peak, and your family and friends are going to love it!!!

How To Make Tomato Zucchini Bake

Making this Tomato Zucchini Bake is easy and the prep is super quick. Start by washing and slicing the tomatoes and zucchini, I sliced the zucchini in round shapes about 1/2 inch thick you can slice them length wise if the shape fits your casserole dish better.

If your using store bought zucchini bigger is not necessarily better, the bigger ones tend to have more seeds and less flavor, choose small to medium size ones with a shiny unblemished skin.

Layer the ingredients in the same way you would a lasagna, beginning with the marinara and ending with the cheese.

I used my homemade marinara you can use whatever you like, but if you would like to make your own, here’s how, in a large pot with 2 tablespoons each of butter and olive oil saute 1 bunch of chopped Italian parsley, 1 onion and 2 tablespoons of garlic until tender and just beginning to brown then add 2 15 oz. cans chopped tomatoes, 2 cans tomato sauce and 1 can of water simmer covered 2 hours add 1 bunch chopped basil last 15 minutes.

This marinara sauce was a staple in the restaurants and now in my home kitchen this one sauce is the beautiful beginning of many delicious recipes. Both the marinara and the Tomato Zucchini Bake can be frozen for ready made meals.

If you make these recipes please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, hearing for you is my favorite part!!!

Ingredients

1 green and 1 yellow zucchini
2 tomatoes
1/2 onion finely chopped
2 cups prepared marinara
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup grated parmesan
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon each garlic, Italian parsley, thyme and oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Slice the zucchini in medium thick rounds
Slice the tomatoes
In a bowl mix the herbs with the onion, salt, pepper, olive oil and 1/3 cup of the parmesan
Toss the tomatoes and zucchini in the olive oil mixture
In a small casserole dish or 8 x 8 beginning layer the tomatoes, zucchini, cheeses and marinara sauce, beginning and ending with the marinara sauce
Bake covered at 375 for 30 minutes uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes

Italian Tortellini Salad

Italian tortellini salad is not your run of the mill pasta salad. This recipe takes classic pasta salad and kicks it up a few notches, with an Italian inspired twist.

Made with store bought cheese tortellini, loaded with from the garden summer ingredients and topped with a made in the bowl tangy Italian dressing this Italian tortellini pasta salad is sure to be a hit at your next potluck or party.

I prefer to cover and chill the pasta salad for at least an hour before serving, to bring out the vibrant flavors of the dressing.

You can make this recipe ahead of the time you plan to serve it, just be sure to give it a good re-toss before serving.

Three Tips

Three things to remember when making Italian Tortellini Salad…

First don’t over cook the tortellini, stop the cooking process by running the pasta under cold water.

Second it’s best if the tortellini are cold before mixing with the rest of the ingredients, in fact you can cook the tortellini the day before, then mix with rest of ingredients the morning of the day you plan to serve it.

Third the Tortellini pasta salad taste better if it’s refrigerated for a few hours before serving.

And lastly if you make this recipe please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, hearing from you is my favorite part

Ingredients

1 10 oz. package store bought cheese tortellini ( the fresh refrigerated ones)
8 oz. cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 each chopped red and green bell pepper
1 cup kalamata olives
1 cucumber peeled and sliced
1 cup marinated artichokes
1 sliced red onion
1 12 oz fresh mozzarella bucconcini
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup pasta water
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon each, chopped garlic, Italian parsley, basil, thyme, oregano, and thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook tortellini according to package directions reserve 1 cup pasta water then run the tortellini under cold water
In a bowl whisk the oil, vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper
Add rest of ingredients
Now add the tortellini
Chill until ready to serve

Greens and Beans Spaghetti

Greens And Beans Spaghetti

This Greens and Beans Spaghetti is a prefect definition of a comforting family meal everyone will love. It’s a beautiful bowl of lemony, spinach, broccoli, vegetarian pasta that comes together quickly.

While the sauce is being make on the front burner the pasta is cooking on the back burner. In case you haven’t notice I love pasta. It’s my favorite go to ingredient, when am stuck for dinner ideas it’s pasta to the rescue. Italians truly love pasta so much so that it ranks first pasta consumption, with Americans close behind.

Really what’s not to love? Pasta is versatile, quick, easy, delicious and with all the shapes and flavors you could have pasta often without repeating the same meal.

A few Tips

When making Greens and Beans spaghetti be sure to save some of the pasta water. It’s a step that can be easily missed if you drain the pasta before reserving a cup or two of this starchy water.

This water is key to create a pan sauce that sticks to the pasta. I always reserve a little extra just in case the sauce reduces too much. Another tip…

If the sauce is too liquid coat a pat of butter with flour and trow it into the sauce to thicken it more. Tip number 3 add the broccoli to the pasta water just a few minutes before you drain the pasta.

One more thing….if your like me and cook in the morning for dinner stop the cooking process so the pasta remains el dente by running it and the broccoli under cold water.Then at dinner time reheat the sauce, add the pasta and broccoli just too heat through.

One more thing add salt and pepper to the vegetables in the saute pan, salt brings out the flavor in food, but use it sparsely you can add more to adjust flavors according to your taste.

This is a great satisfying vegetarian pasta recipe if you make it please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, I love hearing from you, that’s my favorite part.

Ingredients

1/2 lbs. spaghetti
1 8 oz. spinach
2 cups broccoli florets
1 15 oz. can cannelloni beans
1/2 chopped onion
2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
2 Tablespoons lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup prepared pesto
2 cups resevered pasta water
1 cup parmesan
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley and basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instruction

Cook pasta according to package directions add the broccoli last 5 minutes reserve 2 cups of pasta water
In a large saute pan cook the onion and garlic until tender and just beginning to brown
Add the, reserved pasta water, drained, rinsed beans and prepared pesto sauce
Simmer 15 minutes add spinach last 5 minutes
Toss pasta into green and bean sauce
Add the herbs and Parmesan Cheese

Pesto Braid Bread

This Pesto Braid Bread is so easy to make, when you use store bought pizza dough. If you love bread like I do, your going to love this cheesy one. You won’t believe how easy it is.

I don’t eat bread by itself often, but when I do this is the one I crave. Toasty, cheesy spread with pesto sauce and sprinkled with salty parmesan, piping hot from the oven make this bread a family favorite.

Pesto Braid Bread is basically pull apart bread in the shape of a braid.You pull apart pieces so you can eat with your hands. Stuffed bread like this makes a great appetizer for any party, and it’s also prefect as a side dish for family dinners.

Serving it with a side of marinara for dipping, makes this straight up a restaurant quality appetizer. I use my homemade marinara and pesto sauce two staples in my kitchen, you can use whatever you like.

How To Make Pesto Braid Bread

Here’s how to make this Pesto Braid Bread: Start by kneading the dough just a few times on a lightly floured broad , then gather it in a ball and let it rest covered 3o minutes. Them cut it into three equal parts.

Flatten the logs and first spread with pesto then top with the parmesan and shredded mozzarella, now pinch together to seal in the filling. Now shape the logs into a braid on a cookie sheet put additional pesto and cheese in the braid twists, spread with pesto, dust with parmesan cover and let rest 3o minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 bake 15 minutes at 400 lower the heat to 350 and bake 15 minutes longer.

If you make this please leave me a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, Hearing from you is my favorite part.

Ingredients

1 lb. store bought pizza dough
1 cup prepared pesto sauce
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 Tablespoon each chopped garlic and Italian parsley
1 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400
Form dough into a ball kneading lightly let rest 30 minutes covered
Divide dough into 3 equal parts roll into 10 inch flat log, on lightly floured broad
Spread each log with pesto then the cheeses
Now roll the flat logs around the filling
Form the three logs into a tight braid
Brush with olive oil, pesto, garlic, parmesan, salt and pepper
Bake at 400 for 15 minutes lower heat to 350 and bake 15 minutes longer

Mushroom Rigatoni

This vegetarian Mushroom rigatoni is a prefect meal when you want Italian, but you also need quick and easy. Simple pasta recipes are my all time favorites.

You know the ones that take less than 30 minutes to come together, and have your family and friends thinking it took a lot longer.

When you find a recipe where you can pretty much guarantee that everyone will clear their plates you’ll want to make it often.

This low key pasta recipe embraces all there is to love about Italian food in a quick family friendly dinner. Fresh mushrooms,spinach and tomatoes tossed in a light marinara sauce.

I mean what’s not too love about everyone’s favorite food, Pasta? On the table in 30 minutes, serve it with garlic bread and a simple side salad and you have a restaurant quality meal sure to impress the pickiest eaters.

About The Marinara

This Mushroom rigatoni pasta recipe uses Marinara sauce, like a lot of Italian recipes. The most requested recipe in the restaurants has always been the marinara sauce.

Here’s how to make it, first chop 1 yellow onion with 1 bunch of Italian parsley, yes it must be Italian parsley, and yes there is a BIG difference between the curly flavorless kind and the Italian parsley.

Okay moving on, now in 2 tablespoons of butter and extra virgin olive oil saute the onions and garlic until tender and just beginning to brown, now add 2 cans of high quality crushed tomatoes, 2 cans of tomato sauce and one can of water, simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from heat and add the basil, that’s it homemade marinara is that simple. And you did read the recipe correctly, I don’t add salt to my marinara, but if you need more salt adjust the falovor according to taste and lifestlye.

Marinara sauce is a staple in my kitchen. When I make it I always make more than I need, I like to freeze it for ready made meals like this one. Having the marinara ready make this mushroom rigatoni recipe a whole lot easier.

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

Ingredients

1/2 Lbs. rigatoni
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
8 oz. chopped spinach
8 oz. cherry tomatoes
2 Tablespoons each olive oil and butter
1/2 chopped yellow onion
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
4 cups prepared marinara sauce
1 cup parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons each chopped Italian parsley and basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions
In a large saute pan saute the onions and garlic until tender and just beginning to brown
Add the mushrooms cook until brown
Add the cherry tomatoes cook 10 minutes
Salt and pepper now
Add the prepared marinara sauce
Add the herbs, pasta and parmesan cheese
Toss in the drained pasta
Sprinkle with additional Italian parsley and parmesan cheese….ENJOY
And so on