Summertime Bruschetta Spaghetti dish

I love  a delicious bowl of pasta full of fresh summer garden ingredients.

My Summertime bruschetta spaghetti dish recipe is flavored with just picked cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh herbs, these ingredients when combined together produce the most delicious creamy sauce.

Sometimes the best and most delicious recipes are the simplest. The most important ingredients are always to use the best what’s in season whether homegrown or store bought!!!!

A few tips when making this Summertime Bruschetta spaghetti dish

The main ingredient in this Summertime Bruschetta spaghetti dish recipe is tomatoes. So whether your using homegrown or store bought it’s important the use the best quality you can find.

Just as important as the tomatoes how you start your saute makes a difference In this pasta recipe I use a good quality extra virgin olive oil. 

And lastly fresh mozzarella adds the creamy texture and the pasta water is the secret ingredient the brings it all together. I always save more pasta water than the recipes calls for in case the sauce is too dry.

Please leave me a comment when you make this recipe. And please don’t forget to tag me on Instagram with your creations. I love hearing from you, it’s my favorite part!!!

Ingredients

• 1/2 Lb. spaghetti
• 2 pints heirloom cherry tomatoes sliced
• Small container fresh mozzarella balls
• 1 cup pasta water
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
•  1/2 medium chopped onion
• 4 cloves chopped garlic
• 2 Tbs. each chopped basil and Italian parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions reserving 1 cup of the water
2. Meanwhile bring the olive oil to a light sizzle
3. Add the chopped onion and garlic saute until tender and just beginning to brown
4. Add the sliced tomatoes salt and pepper now then saute until the tomatoes begin to blister
5. Add the reserved pasta water simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly
6. Add the fresh mozzarella the last 5 minutes
7. Toss the spaghetti in the sauce add the basil
8. Top with  the grated parmesan and Italian parsley

Chicken Piccata Pasta Primavera

A light pasta meal, this chicken piccata pasta primavera is a prefect Summertime quick family dinner full of classic Italian flavors!!!

Full of lemony freshness this chicken and pasta dish comes together in less than 30 minutes, and  your family is going to love it . And you will feel good  serving a restaurant quality meal from your kitchen, that’s not only delicious, it’s healthy too!!!!

Customize this Chicken piccata pasta primavera

This chicken piccata pasta primavera recipe is easy to customize to fit your lifestyle and taste.

The first and easier way to make this pasta dish your own is to change the pasta shape.  The truth is most pasta shapes work well in most pasta dish recipes.

Second if your family hates or loves spinach add more or less to taste. I love spinach and add extra most of the time.  Spinach is one of those vegetables that ends up being half of the amount you put in after it’s cooked. Pasta dishes are also a good place to hide spinach for those that don’t have the same fondness for spinach as I do.

Lastly I used chicken stock. You can use white wine instead in his chicken piccata pasta primavera if that’s your preference.

One more thing when making pan sauces the right size saute pan help. My favorite and on sale https://amzn.to/39XdMRy

Ingredients

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast cut into strips
• 1/2 Lb. Fettuccini
• 1 Tbls each butter and extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbls. minced garlic
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup capers
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 cup pasta water
• 1 cup chicken stock or white wine

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package direction reserving 1 cup of the water before draining
2. Salt and pepper the chicken
3.  In a medium size saute pan over medium high heat in the butter and olive oil, saute the chicken along with the garlic until slightly brown
4. Add the tomatoes along with the capers saute for a few minutes
5. Deglaze the pan with the broth or white wine
6. Add reserved pasta water, simmer until sauce thickens about 10 minutes, add spinach and 1/2 the parmesan cheese last 5 minutes
7. Toss pasta in picatta sauce sprinkle with additional parmesan and Italian parsley
8. Enjoy!!!!!

Mini Calzones

Whether your looking for an holiday starter or complete meal this  Better Mini Calzone recipe can be both. Store bought pizza dough filled  with juicy ground beef, full of Italian flavors will leave family and friends wanting more. It’s pizzeria style food from your own kitchen.

Sure homemade is better but at this time of year there’s no shame in semi homemade. And your family and friends would know the difference, unless you tell them!!!

You can also use store bought marinara sauce, but if you want to make your own  here is the link to my Real Easy Marinara Sauce

What Makes These Mini Calzones Better

Although it’s hard to believe you can make these Better Mini Calzones, heavenly pillows of deliciousness any  better, you can. Serve them along  side marinara sauce and pesto for a flavor boost that takes this recipe over the top.

You can also make this recipe better by making it ahead of time and then reheating in the oven for a few minutes,

my toaster oven/ air fryer is prefect for small reheats like this.

I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it my toaster oven/ air fryer is my most used small kitchen appliance.

At this time of year it’s good to keep food simple, good and if it can be made ahead of time, that’s a triple win!!! Another better idea double the recipe  it and freeze it, you can do that with this recipe. 

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

Ingredients

• 1 Lb. prepared pizza dough
• ! cup prepared marinara
• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 1 cup each graded parmesan and shredded mozzarella
• 1 tablespoon  chopped Italian parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Knead pizza dough to form a smooth ball let rest covered for 30 minutes
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
3. Meal while in a  medium skillet saute the onions and garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until tender and just beginning to brown
4. Add the ground and saute until golden brown
5. Add haft the marinara, spinach,  herbs, and cheeses simmer for 5 minutes longer
6. Form the dough into 8 balls, with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into 8 flat disks
7. Fill each disk with filling
8. Form into half moons pinching ends together to seal
9. Brush tops with mixture of 1 tablespoon  olive oil and 1 tablespoon melted butter, sprinkle with additional grated cheese
10. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes at 400, lower the temperature to 350and bake 1o minutes longer

Baked Prosciutto Pappardelle

Happy December!!! It’s the most wonderful time of the year and it can also be the most stressful time of the year.

Try this Easy Baked Prosciutto Pappardelle recipe for a stress free meal, everyone will love. Pappardelle pasta, bacon and prosciutto in a creamy, cheesy sauce baked to a golden brown sure to impress family and friends. 

I like simple recipes that come together quickly, don’t use many  ingredients, and if you can put it in the oven for a hands free dinner, that’s what dreams are made of.

Customize this Baked Prosciutto Pappardelle Recipe

Yes you can customize this Baked prosciutto Pappardella, recipe to fit your lifestyle and taste. Pappardelle, a wide flat noodle can be a show stopper, you can use any shape pasta you like. You can also use pancetta instead of the bacon or you can leave it out. The same is true for the prosciutto, if you don’t like prosciutto, substitute ham for it.

I bake this Prosciutto Pappardelle recipe in a casserole dish that goes from oven totable in my toaster oven/ fryer. I said it before and I’ll say it again my toaster oven/fryer is the most used appliance in my kitchen and for good reason it’s quick,  easy to use and it fries with no oil!!!!

If you make this delicious recipe please leave me a comment here and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram. I love hearing from you, it’s my favorite part!!!

Happy December my dear friends. I hope the spirit of the   season fill your homes with gratitude and generosity.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. pappardelle
• 1/2 stick butter
• 4 slices bacon diced
• 1/2 cup prosciutto cut into strips
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups low fat milk
• 1 cup reserved pasta water
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
• pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the Pappardelle according to  package directions reserving 1 cup of the pasta water before daining
2. In a heavy saucepan cook the bacon in 2 tablespoons of butter until crispy
3. Add the onion and garlic saute until tender and just beginning to brown
4. Sprinkle the flour over the bacon mixture stirring to coat everything in the saute pan cook for 2 minutes
5. Slowly in the milk while stirring  then add the resevered pasta water. Cook until sauce thickens about 10 minutes
6. Add the nutmeg, spinach and parmesan cheese cook 5 minutes longer
7. Pour Pappardelle into buttered casserole dish
8. Top with the shredded mozzarella
9. Place the dish under the broiler until the top is golden brown about 15 minutes
10.  Serve at Once

One Pan Ravioli Recipe

This One Pan Ravioli recipe is so easy when you use store bought ravioli. Sure there’s nothing better than homemade, but if your craving Italian and also want quick and easy, than store bought is the way to go.

There are so many varieties and good quality commercial ravioli  brands you won’t have have problem finding a brand that fits your lifestyle and taste. 

What could be easier than a delicious Italian dinner that comes together in less than 30 minutes? Oh I know what’s even better it’s all made in one pan!!!!

For one pan cooking, there’s one important thing the pan needs to be big and deep enough to hold all the ingredients.

Here is a link to my most used deep saute pan when I use the one pan method.

If you make this recipe please leave me a comment and please don’t forget to tag me on Instagram with your creations. I love hearing from you!!!!

Ingredients

• 1 package store bought cheese and spinach ravioli
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 8 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 2 Tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large saute pan melt the butter over medium heat
2. Saute the onion and garlic until tender and just beginning to brown
3. Add the mushrooms saute until golden salt and pepper now
4. Deglaze the pan with the vegetable stock scraping up the brown bits at the bottom of the pan
5. Add the cream and half of the parmesan cheese simmer covered on low heat until sauce thickens about 10 minutes
6. Add the raviolis and  spinach cook 10 minutes longer
7. Sprinkle with additional parmesan and Italian parsley

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

Sausage broccolini  Orecchiette

This  classic Sausage Broccolini pasta recipe is made with orecchiette  ‘little ear” pasta. You can use different shapes of pasta in this recipe you can without changing the flavor much, but “little ears” is my  family’s favorite.

Traditional the recipe uses broccolini rapi, the Italian broccoli, it tastes similar with  more bite and  bitterness.

If broccoli is all you have then use broccoli, but this might be one of those recipes where you make a trip to Trader Joe’s and buy broccolini rapi.

This recipe is quick, easy and like most of my recipes customizable to fit your lifestyle and diet, it can be on your table in 30 minutes and  become one of your family’s favorite too.

  Customize Sausage Broccolini Orecchiette

This Sausage Broccolini  orecchiette 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 regular broccoli or spinach if that’s what fits your taste .

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 pan I use from Amazon , 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. orecchiette pasta
• I Lb broccoli rabi
• 1 lb chicken Italian sausage casings removed
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 cups resevered pasta water
• 2 Tbs. chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup parmesan
• 1 Tbs. each chopped Italian parsley, basil, thyme and hot pepper flakes
• 2 Tbs. each olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instruction

1. Heat oil
2. Cook sausage until golden brown breaking up the pieces
3. Add onion and garlic saute until tender and beginning to brown
4. Add trimmed and cleaned broccolini
5. Add chicken stock, resevered pasta water and herbs
6. Simmer  10 minutes
7. Toss cooked orecehiette  in sauce
8. Adjust salt and pepper
9. Top with  parmesan……. Enjoy!!!

Chickpea Broccoli Fettuccine

This vegetarian chickpea broccoli fettuccine is the best recipe when your craving Italian, and want quick and easy too.

Pasta, chickpeas and broccoli tossed in a light creamy, garlicky sauce, full of  delicious summer flavors.When you need an easy 30 minute dinner make this pasta. It’s comfort food with a light and summery taste.

OK, so I know I post a lot of pasta recipes, but pasta is so versatile, you could have hundreds of combinations. At the restaurant on the menu, you pick, your pasta shape, sauce,and any extra add-ins.

By some estimates there are 600 distinct commercial brands of pasta shape, hundreds of  sauces, endless vegetables and protein combinations.

That’s why I post a lot of pasta recipes, when am stuck for a dinner idea it’s Pasta to the rescue.It’s not often you find a meal the whole family will love when you do you want to make it often.

Here’s How Do Make Chickpea Broccoli Fettuccine

This is how to make Chickpea Broccoli Fettuccine. Start by cooking the pasta according to package direction, adding the broccoli the last few minutes of cooking. Drain the pasta and broccoli reserving two cups of the magical pasta water.

YES, pasta water is magical when added to pasta sauces, is’t natural starch thickens the sauce and adds flavor eliminating the need for added creams.

Saute the onions and garlic until tender and just beginning to brown before adding the chickpeas , be sure the saute pan is big enough to hold all the ingredients without crowding.

If the saute pan is to small you wouldn’t get that beautiful golden color instead the food ends up looking like it was boiled instead of sauteed.

Then put the rest of the ingredients in the pan scraping up all the brown bites, simmer for 10 minutes. The recipe says to reserve 2 cups of water but I know it only calls for 1, that’s because I always like to save more than I need in case the sauce is to thick.

The other thing is the chickpeas and broccoli can be roasted then added to the sauce at the same time as the pasta. When I use this method which I do often

I use my Cuisinart toaster/airfryer to a quick and economical alternative to turning on my large wall oven.

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

• 1/2 Lbs. Fettuccine
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cups chick peas
• 2 Tbs. each butter and extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups pasta water
• 1 cup manufacturing cream
• 1 cup reserved pasta water
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3 Tbs. chopped garlic
• 2 Tbs. each Italian parsley, basil and Thyme
• pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook fettuccine according to package directions  Add broccoli last 5 minutes and reserving two cups of the water
2. Drain and rinse 2 15 oz. cans chick peas
3. In a saute pan bring oil and butter to a medium heat
4. Add onion and garlic saute until tender and just beginning to brown
5. Add chickpeas saute until golden
6. Add resevered pasta water, cream, parmesan, and herbs
7. Simmer 10 minutes
8. Toss, pasta, broccoli, chick peas
9. Salt and pepper to taste
10. sprinkle with parmesan 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

Tuscan Chicken Penne

You need to add this Tuscan Chicken Penne to your weekly pasta night menu. It’s a creamy pan sauce filled with sun dried tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms and goes prefect with the chicken and pasta. This is a delicious base sauce to add any shape pasta to, it doesn’t have to be penne, use what you have on hand.

My recipes and the way I cook is to use what  I have on hand, or what is on sale and the freshest seasonal  ingredients.  This meal came about because on a shopping trip I bought whole, skinless. boneless chicken breast, they were on sale.

I like to cut them into different shapes to use in different recipes. For this penne pasta I cut the chicken into strips.

The rest I cut into fillets for grilling or baking, lay it flat in baggies and freeze it.

It’s great when all you have to do is take the chicken out of the freezer and it’s pan ready for your recipe, for those busy night , when commitments are long and time is short.

This quick dinner can be on your table in about thirty minutes and has few ingredients so you don’t have to go to the store as often, because you forgot something, and leaving with more than you came for, plus a little extra frustration you didn’t have to pay for in this crazy times.

Lets Talk Pasta Water

In this Tuscan Chicken Penne recipe I used pasta water in the sauce, like I do in 75% of my recipes. Pasta water is the magical ingredient to add to your pan sauces.

Add 1 cup or a couple ladle fulls to your sauce before adding the pasta.The salty, starchy water not only adds flavor but helps to glue the sauce and pasta together, it will also help thicken the sauce.

Save the pasta water before you drain the pasta, this is an easy step to forget. I like to save more of the pasta water then I need to adjust for the consistency am looking for.

If you want to thicken any pan sauce a little pour do this, coat a pat or two of butter with flour and drop it in the sauce. Be sure to cook the sauce at least 5 minutes after adding floured butter so there is no flour taste.

This is a delicious restaurant quality base sauce  you can customize to fit your lifestyle and taste and your family will love it. If you make this recipe please leave me a comment and  don’t forget to tag me on Instagram with your creations, hearing from you is my favorite part.

Ingredients

1 lbs. penne

1/2 Lbs. chicken sliced into strips

4 cups spinach chopped

4 oz, sun dried tomatoes

1 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup reserved pasta water

2 Tbs. chopped garlic

1/2 cup chopped onion

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

2 Tbs. each olive oil and butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Instruction

1.Heat oil and butter  add onion and garlic saute until opaque

2. Salt and pepper chicken

3. Add s chicken saute on high heat till golden

4.  Add heavy whipping cream, chicken stock, pasta water and parmesan cheese

5. Simmer  covered until thickens about 15 minutes

6. Add  spinach and sun dried tomatoes simmer 5 minutes longer

7. Toss cooked penne in sauce

8. Top with additional parmesan……. Enjoy!!!